Post by dana06 on Oct 18, 2006 15:48:47 GMT -4
Shaye singer maintains solo career
By KAREN BLISS -- For JAM! Music
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Tara MacLean simultaneously recorded her new solo album and the brand new Shaye album. Shaye's "Lake of Fire" is set for release Nov. 7, but she still has some more tracks to lay down for her third solo disc, "Desolation Sound."
"I'm seven songs in," MacLean says. "I'm going to finish it through the fall. Our touring (for Shaye) is pretty light for the fall, so I just have a few more collaborations to do."
Shaye is signed to EMI Music Canada and managed by Sheri Jones, but MacLean signed to Nettwerk Records in the late-'90s and is managed by Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride.
"Terry doesn't get involved with this project at all. He's been so patient, waiting for me to finish the record," says MacLean. "Actually, I was only supposed to do one Shaye record and then do my own record, but EMI wanted us to do another record right away, but Terry said I could only do it if I did it in tandem.
"So I was making the Shaye record and the solo record at the same time -- and I was pregnant. So it was crazy. But I'm really proud of my solo record. I think it's more indicative of who I am than my last two records."
Recorded in Toronto last summer, the seven tracks are produced by MacLean's ex husband, Bill Bell. "He's a great guy and a brilliant producer and a fantastic father. I want that guy in my life. He just married my best friend from high school," says MacLean, who has also remarried.
Backing her on the album are keyboardist Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies; Bell on guitar, in addition to Kevin Breit; Andy Stochansky on drums, George Koller on bass, and some guests.
"Sometimes I think with my first couple of records, I was just taking myself pretty seriously and trying so hard," says MacLean of 1996's "Silence" and 1999's "Passenger." The latter scanned just under 10,000 units, according to Nielsen Soundscan Canada.
"You kind of have a lot to prove when you're younger and my records did okay and I'm proud of them, but this record is just a little bit more laidback, not as produced, because Bill is all about my voice. With the other producers, I kind of got lost with everything that was going on."
"She's has an incredibly pure voice," says Bell, on the line from Whistler, BC, where he's playing guitar for Tom Cochrane. "I wanted to preserve that purity and let the emotion of her voice come though. She's incredible just as she is, and you can hear that live, so I wanted to do that with the record."
MacLean doesn't know if Bell will produce the rest of the album because he now lives in Vancouver, but she's not making that decision yet. She has some songwriting collaborations to do, including with Stephan Moccio (Celine Dion, Edwin). She's also going to add a Shaye song that didn't make "Lake of Fire."
"It's called "Me And The Northern Lights,'" says MacLean. "I'm psyched. It's just this stunning song. It's about finding yourself, questioning your whole friggin' purpose (laughs)."
Obviously one of hers is writing songs.
jam.canoe.ca/Music/Lowdown/2006/10/18/2059573-ca.html
By KAREN BLISS -- For JAM! Music
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Tara MacLean simultaneously recorded her new solo album and the brand new Shaye album. Shaye's "Lake of Fire" is set for release Nov. 7, but she still has some more tracks to lay down for her third solo disc, "Desolation Sound."
"I'm seven songs in," MacLean says. "I'm going to finish it through the fall. Our touring (for Shaye) is pretty light for the fall, so I just have a few more collaborations to do."
Shaye is signed to EMI Music Canada and managed by Sheri Jones, but MacLean signed to Nettwerk Records in the late-'90s and is managed by Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride.
"Terry doesn't get involved with this project at all. He's been so patient, waiting for me to finish the record," says MacLean. "Actually, I was only supposed to do one Shaye record and then do my own record, but EMI wanted us to do another record right away, but Terry said I could only do it if I did it in tandem.
"So I was making the Shaye record and the solo record at the same time -- and I was pregnant. So it was crazy. But I'm really proud of my solo record. I think it's more indicative of who I am than my last two records."
Recorded in Toronto last summer, the seven tracks are produced by MacLean's ex husband, Bill Bell. "He's a great guy and a brilliant producer and a fantastic father. I want that guy in my life. He just married my best friend from high school," says MacLean, who has also remarried.
Backing her on the album are keyboardist Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies; Bell on guitar, in addition to Kevin Breit; Andy Stochansky on drums, George Koller on bass, and some guests.
"Sometimes I think with my first couple of records, I was just taking myself pretty seriously and trying so hard," says MacLean of 1996's "Silence" and 1999's "Passenger." The latter scanned just under 10,000 units, according to Nielsen Soundscan Canada.
"You kind of have a lot to prove when you're younger and my records did okay and I'm proud of them, but this record is just a little bit more laidback, not as produced, because Bill is all about my voice. With the other producers, I kind of got lost with everything that was going on."
"She's has an incredibly pure voice," says Bell, on the line from Whistler, BC, where he's playing guitar for Tom Cochrane. "I wanted to preserve that purity and let the emotion of her voice come though. She's incredible just as she is, and you can hear that live, so I wanted to do that with the record."
MacLean doesn't know if Bell will produce the rest of the album because he now lives in Vancouver, but she's not making that decision yet. She has some songwriting collaborations to do, including with Stephan Moccio (Celine Dion, Edwin). She's also going to add a Shaye song that didn't make "Lake of Fire."
"It's called "Me And The Northern Lights,'" says MacLean. "I'm psyched. It's just this stunning song. It's about finding yourself, questioning your whole friggin' purpose (laughs)."
Obviously one of hers is writing songs.
jam.canoe.ca/Music/Lowdown/2006/10/18/2059573-ca.html
