Lindsay Starr - Blaming the Weather (2021) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Yet as great a need as she has for transparency, Starr’s sense of responsibility was stronger. She had to ask herself, how real is too real at the beginning of recording her first LP “Blaming the Weather.” Starr’s intention as a songwriter has long been to make listeners feel less alone by speaking the truth. Still, when articulating the highs and lows of her life post-2020 she wanted to be sensitive to her audience’s emotional state. Along with her producer Kyle Henderson they began searching for ways to strike a balance between being literal and offering listeners solace.

“The craziness of the moment made me want to mask even less,” she explains, “but also, having exited a difficult time myself, I in no way, shape, or form, wanted to bum others out.”

Fortunately, Henderson, who also felt a desire to be artistically free due to the global crisis, had a solution. In the form of a creative exercise, he suggested they reshape Starr’s songs, which were on the more serious end of the spectrum, into a pop format. The genre catered to her no-frills writing style, and would allow her to address heavier topics in a lighter presentation. All at once, she could give listeners a reality check and a sonic pick-me-up. Though she had initially resisted pop for its mainstream appeal, Starr quickly gave in recalling how the genre kept her energized and excited. The dichotomy that would result from their spontaneous switch-up is “Blaming the Weather,” which explores the dark side of life in danceable, psych-pop tracks.

While Starr and Henderson relished creating at a time when there were no distractions, both admit the process was a work-in-progress; one built upon trust, being present, and trying different techniques. Particularly for Starr, someone whose perfectionism had been debilitating in the past, it took a leap of faith to let go and let the record shape itself. While relying on her impulses felt foreign at first, song-by-song Starr came more out of her shell. She trusted Henderson’s ability to intuit and interpret what she couldn’t say. Instead of getting stuck on single lines, being in sync with her collaborator made her want to take chances. Piece by piece, they refined and added new dimension to every track.

Tracklist:
01. Watch the Stars
02. Blaming the Weather
03. Tired Boy
04. Three Years
05. Scars
06. Fuck If I Know
07. Coffee Cups
08. You Say You Care
09. Wallpaper Room
10. I'm the Only One


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