Charleston-based singer-songwriter Katie Lyon will release her new EP, Bounce Back on April 16. And though the album is totally ready to go, (a release show is scheduled at LoFi Brewing on April 19), Lyon said she’s feeling a big mix of emotions as the clock ticks closer to the release date.
“I’m losing sleep,” Lyon told the Charleston City Paper with a laugh. “But nothing really worth doing is easy, and I’m definitely full of excitement.”
The EP kicks off with a four-track collection of songs that almost sound like a suite. Lyon’s aching, confident voice eases into the opening “Waking Up In Winooski” as the large band backing her (nine people in total) create a warm, comfortable Sunday morning soul vibe.
“Let You Go” is a loose, sure-handed ballad that bathes in burbling organ and a surprisingly subtle three-piece horn section, with Lyon lamenting “I‘d do better/If I could let you go.”
The title track “Bounce Back” adds a little more polish and a faster tempo, setting the listener up for the next song, “Ask Me About My Dreams,” a funky jam that seemingly incorporates the entire ensemble, resulting in a joyful sound.
The final two tracks, however, change everything. There’s a second version of “Let You Go” that glows with washes of synthesizers and what sounds like a programmed drum track. It’s followed by a hushed, solo acoustic ballad called “I’m Right Here,” a declaration of love and loyalty.
Making the record
These last two tracks are unexpected bonuses on an already strong release. Like the other songs on Bounce Back, they were recorded in five days at the famous Blackbird Studios in Nashville, where artists like Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Beck and many more have recorded. Lyon said it was producer Caleb Neff who found the perfect group of musicians to work with on Bounce Back.
“It really happened organically,” Lyon said. “I wrote these songs on just acoustic guitar, so I wasn’t really thinking about production. But when we got in the studio, the first songs really started to mesh, and turn into their own little stories, and Caleb hooked me up with a lot of his friends in Nashville. Stanton Edwards, the guitarist, played with The Wallflowers for a while. And the keyboardist (Jimmy Wallace), he’s played on tracks for many famous country musicians, like Miranda Lambert.”
As for the final two tracks, Lyon says that she felt confident taking some chances.
“Stanton took ‘Let You Go’ and said, ‘I think this could go in one or two directions,” Lyon said. “I said, ‘Let’s do both. Let’s see how it goes.’ So he helped me make that happen.”
Looking at the cover of Bounce Back, you’ll notice “Vol. 1: Nashville” right above the title. That’s because Lyon is already prepping a follow-up EP recorded in her “adopted hometown,” Charleston, where Lyon and her wife moved from Florida.
“Straight after this, I’m going to pit this EP against an EP that I’ve created in Charleston. So this is the ‘Vol. 1: Nashville’ version and then the next EP that I release is going to be ‘Vol. 2,’ my Charleston creation.”
Lyon is recording that EP in a home studio with producer Corey Campbell of the popular local indie-rock group Babe Club. She said the looser atmosphere has helped her performance.
“Blackbird Studios is a little scary,” she said. “A lot of famous people have been there, and everyone’s really got their ducks in a row, so it’s very professional. I went in there on my toes. And here in Charleston in a home studio, I get to suss out ideas and take as long as I want to get through things … I really want to dig my toes in the Charleston music community and this is just one of those ways to start earning my stripes.”
Learn more at katielyonmusic.com.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.