Carlie Hanson breaks down new album ‘Wisconsin,’ a beautiful ode to the Midwest

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Under, Hanson breaks down each monitor on her new album.

“Hopelessness”

For some time, I wished to make a music utilizing vocoder, however nothing caught. I sat down at a keyboard with my collaborator, Joe, and as he struck every chord, I sang a melody off the highest of my head. Inside one take, we had structured out “Hopelessness.” This one talks in regards to the acceptance of rising up and the cruel actuality of it. An ideal introduction to Wisconsin.

“608”

“608” was one of many first songs I wrote that basically outlined the sound I wished to realize with this undertaking. My buddy, Dakota, came visiting to my condo in Silverlake, and we chatted about residence and the issues and folks we miss the place we’re from. I bear in mind reminiscing on the “bluffs” or “hills” in Wisconsin and the way a lot I missed aimlessly driving round in my little Midwest hometown. Dakota performed these stunning guitar chords, and we began riffing some lyric concepts. We introduced what we needed to our pal, Pat Linehan, and sussed out the remainder of the manufacturing. Numerous sonic inspiration we pulled from Bon Iver (additionally a Wisconsinite). 

“LSE to LAX”

LSE is the identify of the airport in my hometown, La Crosse, and naturally, everyone knows what LAX is. (It’s truly not a nonstop flight, so technically I’m mendacity on this title.) This music touches on the sentiments I skilled throughout and after a long-distance relationship. If anybody is aware of what being in a long-distance relationship is like, you understand in regards to the fixed battle the place you’re attempting to make it work with the one you like, however you reside so far-off from one another that you just’re consistently questioning if it’s price it to be in a lot ache on a regular basis. The reply is sure, if it’s the fitting individual. And it was for me.

“Torn”

Everyone is aware of this sense. At any time when I’d return residence to Wisconsin after lacking it for thus lengthy, throughout the subsequent week, I’m prepared to maneuver on and get again to work. However then once more, I wished to spend as a lot time as potential with my household and associates. It’s a continuing battle. You’ll be able to’t have your cake and eat it too kind factor. It’s a must to make sacrifices. 

“Pretender”

The day I wrote “Pretender,” I used to be so annoyed. I felt as if I barely knew myself anymore, and I felt like everyone I used to be surrounded by simply didn’t perceive me, and I didn’t perceive them. I used to be so prepared to surrender at this level. “Do you see your self in any respect/Is your coronary heart so out of contact?” is certainly one of my favourite lyrics on this one. I like shouting this shit. I’m calling myself out and attempting to deliver myself again all the way down to earth. This manufacturing was closely impressed by Third Eye Blind and Tegan and Sara, two enormous inspirations for me!

“Phantasm”

That is certainly one of my favourite choruses I’ve ever written. “Phantasm” is considerably of a tragic acceptance I had as I received a little bit older. I noticed that not every thing goes to go my manner, not every thing goes to really feel like how I imagined it to be, and never every thing goes to really feel like the way it’s proven within the motion pictures. I felt so misplaced after I wrote this, but it surely’s helped me come out on the opposite aspect and understand that life goes to do regardless of the F it needs, and also you simply have to only roll with it.

“Faculty Boy”

This music is impressed by a pal again residence. One of many sweetest individuals you’ll ever meet, however sadly struggles with nervousness and melancholy, which has led to ingesting and getting excessive to suppress these emotions. Ingesting, particularly, is a large factor to move time the place we’re from, particularly through the winter when there isn’t a lot else to do. What I’m attempting to inform my pal on this music is I hope he will get out of this routine and discover a more healthy way of life, someplace the place he can breathe, transfer ahead, and really feel higher.

“Window”

“Window” has a particular place in my coronary heart. My buddies Joe Cecere and Brevin Kim have been all sitting in Joe’s bed room in Santa Monica, ingesting IPAs and jamming. Joe began enjoying these guitar chords, and I sang all these melodies with just about all the ultimate phrases in a single take. It felt so pure, though I didn’t actually know what I used to be saying at first. Once I listened again, I actually felt what I used to be singing about was Los Angeles. “Catch myself, standing on the balcony, I look over you, know that you just get mad at me” actually resonated as me singing to LA herself. Some songs simply spew out of me with out me understanding what it truly is about but. This one is so particular to me. I like her.

“Blueberry Pancakes”

This music is an ode to my soulmate, who made me strive blueberry pancakes for the primary time ever just some years in the past. This music is devoted to her. The verse is impressed by her life and the way it modified dramatically from dwelling in Wisconsin to transferring in with me right here in LA. She is good like blueberry pancakes.

“Days Like This” 

This music feels so nostalgic for me. I wrote this one reminiscing on the times after I’d simply be sitting on my cellphone, in my childhood bed room, it’s raining out, and every thing feels so uninteresting and all I wished to do was depart. This primary verse lyric “Mentioned I’d depart all of it behind and I’d by no means look again/You have been every thing I had as soon as” is how I felt about my hometown and life as I knew it after I was youthful, however the music progresses into how I really feel now: “Yeah I used to lookup and I hate it, however the rain, I lookup and I miss it” and “Hope my household is aware of I by no means meant to depart them/Give it some thought each time I write my emotions.” 

“Fish Out of Water”

On this music, I’m telling the story of a woman I do know. Her identify is Samantha. She moved all the way in which from Wisconsin to Los Angeles to be with the one she beloved. She sacrificed a lot, transferring all the way in which throughout the nation, leaving every thing she’s recognized behind, for love.

“Wisconsin”

The funky guitar enjoying within the intro actually jogs my memory of Chic. I wished “Wisconsin” to have the listener really feel like they’re on a fishing boat on the river through the summertime. That is, like “608,” one other love music to Wisconsin. “I may go anyplace and also you’ll be proper right here/I may say something and also you’d wanna hear/In any case this the place the place I face my fears.” It doesn’t matter what occurs in my life, my residence will all the time be there for me.