Transcript:
DANIELLE KURTZLEBEN, HOST:
Nashville-based singer/songwriter Brennan Wedl is out with a new album this week. It’s part Sheryl Crow, part Lucinda Williams and even a little Courtney Love. The album is Wedl’s debut for Anti- Records and was produced by Katie Crutchfield, known professionally as Waxahatchee, along with her producer and frequent collaborator Brad Cook. NPR recently spoke to Brennan Wedl about the album, and she walked us through a few of her favorite tracks.
More: Tastemaker label ANTI- Records signs Nashville musician Brennan Wedl
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “2 DOLLAR PISTOL”)
BRENNAN WEDL: (Singing) Jawbreaker, risk taker coming undone. I know who you are when you’re under the gun.
At the beginning of this recording process, Katie and I put together a pretty extensive reference track playlist, and we kind of had a handshake on it that we’re really going to strive to find the intersection of grunge and country.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “2 DOLLAR PISTOL”)
WEDL: (Singing) You’re a two-dollar pistol coming out of my pocket. You’ve got vampire eyes coming out of your sockets.
We recorded the album live, as a full band, in Brad’s garage. And I’ve been writing these songs for – the oldest one, “Scorpio,” I wrote maybe eight years ago. So these have been marinating.
(SOUNDBITE OF BRENNAN WEDL SONG, “SCORPIO”)
WEDL: To bring them all together, full band, in the garage felt very true to the essence of the songwriting.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SCORPIO”)
WEDL: (Singing) Where everything is pretty. If you want me you know where to find me. On my own and alone wishing I was home. Scorpio.
“Scorpio” is one of the oldest songs I have on this album. And there are five or six different demos of it from over the years. They all have a through line, but I’ve changed the lyrics just a little bit each time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SCORPIO”)
WEDL: (Singing) Sock it to me. Say it nice and slow.
Sock it to me. Say it nice and slow. If you want me, won’t you let me know. The song direction and meaning sharpened over time and through experience with pining.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SCORPIO”)
WEDL: (Singing) If it kills me, what a way to go, my Scorpio.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST ANOTHER DADDY WHO DID ME WRONG”)
WEDL: (Singing) When I’m up late in my room, and my closet’s on the floor, and my heart is heavy with the love I’m waiting on.
“Just Another Daddy Who Did Me Wrong” is probably my favorite track on the album, just because it paints such an uncomfortable visceral portrait.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST ANOTHER DADDY WHO DID ME WRONG”)
WEDL: (Singing) ‘Cause you’re just another daddy who did me wrong. Oh, you’re just another daddy who did me wrong, so wrong.
A lot of people can experience unrequited, kind of tortured crushes, and listening to this song just brings me back to the feelings that were maybe more prevalent in this crush situationship than the actual love and joy. It was a unrequited love of self-torture.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST ANOTHER DADDY WHO DID ME WRONG”)
WEDL: (Singing) What is it about me? Is it my heart you want? Is it that I’m still young and dumb enough to throw my love around?
I was just caught in the web of you hurt me. And that can be a very tempting place to be when you’ve gotten your heart broken, but can’t stay there for too long, or else it just kind of erodes your heart.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST ANOTHER DADDY WHO DID ME WRONG”)
WEDL: (Singing) Well, you’re just another daddy who did me wrong. Oh, you’re just another daddy who did me wrong.
KURTZLEBEN: That was singer/songwriter Brennan Wedl. Her new self-titled album is out now.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I KNOW HOW THIS GOES”)
WEDL: (Singing) ‘Cause I know how this goes. Oh, I know how this goes. Outside the wire with the roadshow…
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