Just found this off Twitter, nothing new but nice to read anyway. Apologies if this has already been posted but I'm pretty sure that it hasn't.
Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton burst onto the scene in 2002 at the age of 17, releasing three consecutive albums and garnering platinum sales before taking a break in 2008. Now she's back with her fourth album, Rabbits on the Run, which will be released on June 21. The 10-song set took two years to record and reflects a more mature Carlton. We caught up with her before she embarks on a summer tour, which brings her to LA’s Largo on July 8.
What inspired Rabbits on the Run?
VANESSA CARLTON: The album was inspired by two books: Stephen Hawkings’s A Brief History of Time and Richard Adams’s Watership Down. The record was analogged straight to tape to give it a warm sound and was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s studio outside of London. It was an old mill that they turned into a studio, like a sanctuary. It was a totally life-changing, wonderful experience. A very restorative and special time in my life.
What about those two books spoke to you?
VA: I was suffering from pretty severe writer’s block. I just did not think I was going to do another album and there was so much chaos in my personal life… and reading A Brief History of Time blew me away. That book spoke to what was going on in my life personally. It was incredibly comforting and led to the writing of the songs. The second half was me being immersed in Watership Down, and it inspired me in the studio. I carried that book around like a Bible.
Your first three albums came out in pretty quick succession, and this comes four years later. How has your music evolved?
VA: In terms of recording I felt like I went back to the grass roots. I wanted to get back to that pure, easy breezy, not over-thought, let-the-music-speak-for-itself vibe. The process is different then any of my first albums. It’s just laid-back. I also feel like my standards have gotten higher and higher and I’m more clear minded about the way in which I want to write.
You’ll come to LA on your summer tour. What do you love about performing here?
VA: I think people really appreciate music and I get to see my friends.
@lacmagazine
