Interview with Sam McLeod
Sam McLeod is a songwriter and performer living in Nashville, Tennessee. Back in 2015 he released his debut EP Introduction to Dreaming, a collection of alt-rock tracks inspired by his childhood and the growing pains of life.
Over the last seven years, McLeod has spent time living overseas in Melbourne, Australia, opening for various local artists and leading worship for several church movements/events and his sound has gradually evolved from alt-rock into an indie-folk dreamwave style which is an absolute joy to listen to.
McLeod is inspired by artists such as Ethan Gruska, Leeland, Bon Iver, James Vincent McMorrow, and Jarryd James and you can hear their influence on McLeod’s latest EP Soulmate.
Love is the common thread that runs through this EP. The tracks were written over the past 10 years and inspired by McLeod’s relationship with his wife Tink. He set out to “capture the silliness, sweetness, and truth of love” and he certainly succeeded with each track going straight to the heart with their moving lyrics and warm vocals.
The arrangement of each track is thoughtful and the tender guitar, enchanting melodies and ethereal textures convey an array of different emotions that are experienced within a romantic relationship.
There is a real tenderness to every track. You can feel the love and care that has gone into their creation, making them all the more moving to listen to as you are wrapped up in the beautiful soundscape that McLeod has crafted.
It was a real pleasure to speak to McLeod about his latest creation, the feeling of being in love and his favourite track from the EP…
Have you always been passionate about music? Was there a particular song or performance that made you think “Wow! That’s what I want to do!”?
Yes & no… I’ve always loved to sing but creating music only became interesting to me because of artists like Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver, to name a few. The most inspiring song to me was probably ‘Morning Bell‘ from Radiohead’s Kid A. I’d never thought of time signature and chords like that before so it opened up a realm of possibility for creating music.
How would you describe the style of the music you create to somebody who has never heard it before?
Most feedback I’ve received describes it as chill, ethereal ambient music with really pretty vocals.
Did you enjoy the process of making your EP? Any challenges? Favourite parts?
Self-producing and mixing was the most challenging part of this process. I did hire a good friend to mix ‘You Me & Everything‘ but did all the others myself. My favorite parts were filming the music videos! I got to work with my wife (who most of the EPs songs are about) and some really good friends in creating them.
Were you nervous to share tracks that are so personal and detail very intimate moments from your own life?
Not really. I used to feel like I didn’t want to share music because I was afraid no one would care. To be honest that fear is mostly true but I’ve moved past this as an artist and realised that the scariest and most necessary part of creating art is simply sharing it. So, I got over myself a while ago and now I must share regardless of fear.
Out of all the tracks on your EP, do you have a favourite? If so, can you explain why?
‘You Me & Everything’ is my favorite because I wrote it for a friends’ wedding. The funny thing is I accidentally released the single on the exact five year anniversary of their wedding day!
How would you describe the feeling when you know you are in love with somebody?
Knowing who you would want to be with at any given moment of your human experience; good times, bad times, etc. The person you feel like you could always be with. Someone you could disagree with but still want to be with.
Which moment in your career so far are you most proud of?
Definitely completing this project!
What song has impacted you most throughout your whole life?
‘Let Down‘ from OK COMPUTER by Radiohead and ‘Glossoli‘ from TAKK by Sigur Ros.
Do you have a dream festival or venue that you would love to play at? Why?
Glastonbury, ALL my heroes have played there.
What can we expect from you within the next 12 months? Any releases planned? Future gigs?
I’m releasing a cover video/single in the next month or two, and 2-3 more singles in 2022. I’ll also be playing shows locally, virtually, and regionally throughout the year!
To keep up to date with the latest news from Sam McLeod, you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To listen to his latest releases, head to Bandcamp, Soundcloud, YouTube and Spotify.
By Eveline Vouillemin ©