Lynne Hanson’s new album, “Just A Poet,” shows the Ottawa-based singer-songwriter’s penchant for stellar storytelling and songs that delve deeply into emotional territory, cloaked in a glorious mix of Americana, blues, roots rock, and folk. Her unique musical blend is in full evidence on every song. It’s a joy to listen to this album; each song contributes to a bigger whole that begs start-to-finish listens of the entire collection. You’re in for a treat with this one. Hanson never disappoints, and “Just A Poet” is top-notch. We had the opportunity to sit down and chat with her recently to discuss Hanson’s amazing new release.
Hi, Lynne! You have a terrific new album that just came out called “Just a Poet.” How did these songs come together and what broad strokes can you tell us about the collection?
I spent the summer of 2023 writing for this new album. I’d already written two or three songs on the road that spring, but I set aside two months to focus on creating enough new material to be able to record an album. On my last record, I really stretched out stylistically, so on this album it was a conscious decision to return to my Americana roots. I do a ton of co-writing, so six of the 12 songs on the record are co-writes. I tend to write about human emotions, and my favorite thing to write about is definitely matters of the heart, so there’s a lot of songs that deal with various elements of being in relationships, whether it’s being the heartbreaker or the heartbroken.
One of the songs on your new album, “Just a Little Bit,” is really great and stood out to me. What can you tell us about this song? What inspired you to write it and what is it about?
“Just A Little Bit” is a co-write with guitarist Blair Michael Hogan. I had wanted to write a song together that had a bluesy flavor to it. With that in mind, Blair wrote an acoustic guitar part and then did up a quick demo with bass and drums. He thought the song had a Bahamas feel to it, but I was hearing more Bonnie Raitt, so I took the track in a slightly different direction when I wrote the vocal melody and lyrics. The singer is basically thinking about their relationship, and needs to find just one last little bit of strength to get up the courage to walk away. I think most of us can relate to being in this position at least once in our lives, and this was one where the lyrics came to me fairly quickly.
What was it like recording this album overall? What was the vibe in the studio, and how did this song, in particular, come together?
After self-producing my last record, I went back to working with producer Jim Bryson for this record. Jim produced my 2020 record, “Just Words,” and he’s got a real indie musical sensibility that I think really complements the songs that I write. Jim is super chill in the studio, so players never feel rushed, and we could really take our time to serve the song. For “Just A Little Bit,” we wanted stripped-down production that really centered on the acoustic guitar, while having just enough ear candy to make things interesting for the listener. One of the last additions was to bring in powerhouse vocalist Tara Holloway to sing backing vocals, and I think she really brought the song to the next level.
What do you hope this album conveys to those who listen to it?
I write songs about human relationships, so I hope that listeners can see a little bit of themselves in the songs on this album. While I love a catchy melody, I’m really known for my lyrics, so I especially hope people lose themselves in these tiny little three-and-a-half-minute movies I’ve created.
Since you started out, how has your songwriting changed – both musically and lyrically? Do different things inspire you now? Where do you tend to get your biggest inspiration from these days?
I think when I first started writing songs, it was all about me. It was my heartache and my point of view that was being used to capture the emotions that I was singing about. I think as I’ve matured as a songwriter that I’m able to be a little more universal with my efforts to tell people’s stories, and I think, as a result, it’s a little easier for listeners to directly connect to the songs I’m putting out there. I also think I’m a much better guitar player now than I was when I released my first album in 2006. I’m always trying to improve my skills, and, because of that, I think my songs are a little more musically interesting than when I first started out. My biggest inspiration these days comes from living life and absorbing the experiences of the people around me, and translating all of that into songs.
Songwriting can be a really personal endeavor. Is it tough to share that stuff that usually might be private if you weren’t writing a song about it? Does unveiling the songs publicly, when you release a single or an EP or album, make you anxious or is it cathartic to have the songs out there?
I think, at this point in my career, I no longer worry about putting new music out into the world. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always a little apprehensive, hoping that the reaction to a new single or album is going to be positive. But I think the joy of sharing new music with an audience outweighs any worry I might have about whether or not people are going to like it.
It’s not uncommon for an artist or band to be working on something new while promoting an album. Do you have anything in the pipeline to follow this album? What’s next from Lynne Hanson?
I’ve been in a bit of a songwriting drought since completing this record, but that’s not totally unexpected. I wrote most of the album in the summer of 2023 before heading in to start recording last fall, and it was a pretty intense period of creating. I find I need time to recharge my creative batteries so to speak before I have something new to say. That being said, I am working on a couple of co-writes at the moment, and I do get a lot of inspiration from being on tour, which will be my focus for the rest of the year.
Where can fans see you on the road?
I just wrapped up a tour of Europe and Colorado, and I have dates coming up in Canada as well as the United States over the next few months. We’re also in the middle of booking dates for Europe and the United Kingdom for the first quarter of 2025. If people swing by my website – or, even better, sign up for my newsletter – they can see if we’re coming to their town in the next little while.
