By Kaitlyn Emslie Farrell
If you enjoy your indie music where the vague genre labels stem from breaking the rules and mixing up the typical formulas, then Lady Lamb is probably on your playlist, or at least she should be. Aly Spaltro aka Lady Lamb has been making music since her days working at her hometown’s popular video rental store in southern Maine, USA. Stylus caught up with Aly on the phone to talk about life and music.
Stylus: Where did your passion for making music begin?
Aly Spaltro: It actually came together accidentally. I wasn’t a musician or a singer at all. I was really interested in film and I enrolled in college, but immediately disparaged it all. I started making music in my gap year just as something to do because I was at home for a year. So I taught myself how to play and I started singing, and I had all this poetry I’d been compiling for years and it just happened that way really quickly. Then when it was time to go to school once the year was up, I felt like I was too invested in what I was making and what I was doing so I decided to move 20 minutes south to Portland, Maine to pursue music and start performing.
Stylus: What is your process for writing music? Do you think it’s unique to you?
AS: My process has always been to write lyrics first. I’ve always felt like the music is kind of secondary to the lyrics. I tend to compile a lot of phrases. I don’t really write in poetry form but I write a lot of little snippets and compile them over time. Basically, what I’ll do is compile a lot over three or four months and I’ll kind of forget what I’ve compiled and I’ll go back and read it all. Since most of it is written around the same time frame it has a bit of a theme or it makes sense together. I’ll just fit the pieces together and edit it into lyrics and then I’ll write the music next. For this newest record that I’m currently touring on, I felt like it was important to write a couple of choruses because it’s not something that comes naturally to me. I wanted to challenge myself to write in more of a formula than I had in the past just to see if I could do it.
Stylus: Do you have a process to prepare for live shows?
AS: I get nervous every single time. I feel like that’s a good thing though. Over time I’ve realized that its actually better to have nerves cause then I’m not feeling jaded by the process. It kind of channels into a different kind of energy which helps on stage. My process is simple and boring. It’s important that I clear my head, so I like to be alone and just go for a walk and have a little routine of going and getting a tea or something. And just being quiet for awhile.
Stylus: Do you have a favorite track to play?
AS: It varies for sure. I really love playing the songs on this newest album, After, because I’m touring with a band now and on my last record I was touring solo. Songs were recorded full band but I was performing them solo. I really like playing some of the more fun upbeat songs like Billions of Eyes. I still love playing a handful of ones from the last album. Now that I’m touring with a band they feel a bit refreshed.
Stylus: What’s it like touring solo vs. with a band?
AS: They’re so different and I think the good thing about touring with a band is that it’s allowed for a camaraderie of having friends along, and on stage to share the experience with. And kind of more importantly to me, it’s made me feel more rejuvenated in the solo performance which I had been getting really tired of and felt really lonely being up there alone. Generally every night I’ll play a few solo songs within the set. I enjoy doing that again and having both.
Stylus: What can people expect from a Lady Lamb show?
AS: That’s such a tough one to describe, it’s the hardest thing in my life just to try to describe what I do or what it sounds like. I think the show is sincere and it’s full of energy and it’s also fun. Now that I’m playing with a drummer and bassist it’s like the arrangements come to life more, so the audience can bop around more. Its just fun and energetic.
You can see Lady Lamb live for yourself on July 22nd, at the Burton Cummings Theatre with The Decemberists. It’s her first time in this city so make it a good one.