Paul McClure talks about his new album

Paul McClure talks about his new album

Songs For Anyone is the follow up to Smiling From The Floor Up McClure’s debut album release for UK Americana label Clubhouse Records in March 2013.

Well, here it is – The “difficult second debut”.

This is not the album I set out to make. It’s not the album I thought I’d have the opportunity to make this time around…. it is, however one that I’m very excited to be putting out into the world.

It’s the first time I’ve loosened my grip on an album and let anyone else drive. But when someone with the experience and passion for music that Joe Bennett has shows genuine excitement and a depth of ideas for your songs, you know it’s time. Joe is the thinking man’s trumpet, he is the best band I’ve ever written for. I’ve known Joe for a while; I’ve known his music for longer. We were talking on the phone one day and I was trying to decide between the four or five different ways I was thinking of doing this album when Joe said “I’ll do it. I’ll record it for you. Come on down to Truck, it’ll be great” and he hung up…

Joe brought Mike in to play drums; such a versatile drummer, he works fast and he works good! He takes decent photos too. We knew we needed a female voice to cut through between mine and Joe’s and as far as singers go, I couldn’t imagine making an album without Hannah. And that was it. Six sessions later and it was all done. It was important not to over think this album, I wanted it to happen naturally and on it’s own as much as possible. One of the good things about gigging a lot is you get to know your songs. The good thing about working with a multi-instrumentalist like Joe is that you don’t have to get too many people in the room all throwing ideas in, you can hold on to the identity of the songs. That’s not to say two of you can’t find things to ‘discuss’ after 12 hours in the studio – “let’s not over think the shaker part…” was one of Joe’s better bits of advice.

It’s an album of songs about love; trying to get it, trying to keep it, trying to understand it, and just getting on with it… all things I’m terrible at. And of course love of music. Which came first – the heartache or the music? I must have spent over half my waking hours listening to music, often with friends; talking about it, dreaming about it, wishing about it, wanting it. Often on my own. It’s been the one constant since my early childhood of learning songs for days locked away in my room, looking for a way out. I met my wife at a gig. I got through the death of my mother by writing songs about it. I ran away to the road, hid on the stage, told my secrets in code, sang my heart out. The most important thing for me is that i’m honest; honest to myself and honest to the people who Iisten to my songs. I imagine most songwriters, most artists, are in a way creating an autobiography of their lives through their work. So if my album is a chapter of my life then I think this one is an honest read.

It’s been a busy time for me since Smiling From The Floor Up came out. That album was ground zero in many ways; it heralded the start of me gigging on my own, learning to stand on my own two feet, the house concert thing, travelling the country finding new places to play, meeting new friends and the birth of The Rutland Troubadour! We had a lot of fun making this album, I really hope you enjoy listening to it.

So now it’s time for the continuing adventures of The Rutland Troubadour. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin… Chapter 2 in which our intrepid hero decides to….”

‘My Little Ray Of Sunshine’ live: