Small Talk With Angel Olsen

To listen to Angel Olsen's debut album Half Way Home is to find a startling voice. Olsen has, in a way, been a well-kept secret for a while now. Her first two releases, Strange Cacti andLady of The Waterpark, were cassette only releases with only hundreds of copies each, though the former was released later in other formats.

With Half Way Home though, Olsen is making herself known. The release of the video for the song "Acrobat" off the album caught the attention of major music sites like Pitchfork. Better yet, on a whole, the album is fantastic. Beautiful lyrics and spare instrumentation come together with Olsen's haunting voice and create an amazing debut album.

I was lucky enough to be able to e-mail Olsen and talk to her about her record. As you will be able to tell from below, she's pretty awesome.

Strange Cactiwas a very minimal album as it was just you and a guitar in your kitchen. Half Way Home has a lot more going on as opposed to Strange Cactiand what little I've managed to find of Lady Of The Waterpark. Was it a challenge to expand your sound or did it just feel like a natural extension of where you wanted to go musically?

I think the songs for Half Way Homeneeded to be approached differently. Emmett Kelly produced most of the sounds, (except for a few drum beats here and there and my guitar playing/singing.)

I'm not sure if this is where I want to go musically, I do think it's more exciting to perform with people to play in a band. I wanted to give people an idea of what it would sound like if I had a band. I'm not sure that a full backing band is necessary right now, but we'll see.

Who are the biggest influences on you and your music?

Hmm, I listened to many things growing up. I go back to Leonard Cohen a lot. I've been into his poetry, his lyrics way longer than his voice, but over the years I've grown attached to it.

Occasionally I listen to Bob Dylan too. Last spring I listened toDesirenonstop.

There's something about the way his voice mixes with Emmylou Harris, or is it Ronnee Blakley? They even go out of key together occasionally and it still compliments the music. I also have listened to a lot of Mariah Carey this summer. Old stuff, Butterfly, and Daydream. She's just undeniably one of the greatest..

I wouldn't say I'm inspired by any one artist, I listen to a lot of music.

When I sat down to listen to your album I did something I've never done before and started writing down lyrics. I'm pretty sure I transcribed at least a quarter of the album. How do you come up with your lyrics and what is your songwriting process like?

Every song is different. Sometimes I write the lyrics first, sometimes the melody. Sometimes I write half a song in one season and finish it in another. 

You have a great quote about Half Way Homein which you say, "I couldn't say it's about love lost or found or whatever. It's about many things, things that have happened to me, feelings I've had. Situations that have occurred to some I know. I think no matter how stable I am I will always be searching, I guess that's what this album is about. The endless searching, the fruitless waiting, the idea of a home that is inside yourself." It's a great quote that describes the album perfectly. Now that the album is out how do you think it helped you with that search?

Obviously it would be nice to be at home with myself and everything around me, and the album was half written in the past, and half written a few months ago... So many ideas or struggles have come and gone...and come and gone...but I wonder if the truth is that I'd actually like to keep searching and to never be complacent or too comfortable with myself, or with anyone I know-and if that is truly the way to do it, to feel happy.

Or maybe I just need a good sandwich and to stop talking so much bullshit? 

Do you plan on touring behind Half Way Home and if so anywhere in the New England area?

I've got a solo tour in the works for Nov.10th-18th.

Hopefully visiting these places: Ohio, New Jersey, Providence, New York, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.