KYTLY to release Detours And Exits Featuring Members Of Afghan Whigs, Jesus And Mary Chain + Fountains of Wayne After Long Hiatus
KYTLY’s latest single, “Begin Again,” is a sparse indie-rock confessional from her forthcoming album, Detours And Exits, out November 25. Produced by Fountains of Wayne’s Brian Young (Jesus and Mary Chain, The Posies) and featuring a cast of musicians from Afghan Whigs, Jesus And Mary Chain, Brian Wilson’s band, Fountains of Wayne, if you’re going to start over, this is the way to do it.
More than a decade after debuting with the acclaimed but short-lived indie-rock outfit The Caraways — and following years of navigating the curves, hills, and valleys of existence — the bewitching Canadian vocalist and multi-media multi-talent has returned with her long-overdue appropriately-named new album.
“I found that title in one of my many songbooks,” explains KYTLY, the stage name of Hamilton, Ontario’s Laura Keightley. “I had circled it back in 2015 as the title of the album that I was working on back then and when I saw it again, it just spoke loudly about what my songs are about — relationships, heartbreak, starting over. Everything I write is personal. It’s bedroom diary-type stuff.”
Poised between the cool ’90s sounds of her youth and the dusky tones of desert-rock, these vintage-sounding tracks are rich with echoes of Mazzy Star, Julee Cruise, The Breeders, Cowboy Junkies and Nico. As a singer and songwriter, KYTLY is in excellent company.
When she asked Brian Young to play on her demos, he said he wanted to produce them.
“She has a really wonderful vulnerability about her,” he says. “Her songs are really honest because she’s not afraid to take chances, to put down her feelings or thoughts and send them off into the ether. That can be incredibly difficult to lay your soul bare like that. I appreciate that she let me look into that window.”
Working remotely over the course of a year from KYTLY’s demos and voice memos, Young filled these textured, cinematic cuts with VIP players from near and far: guitarists Jody Porter (Fountains Of Wayne), Jon Skibic (Afghan Whigs), bassist Mark Crozer (Jesus And Mary Chain), multi-instrumentalist JK Harrison (Brian Wilson), and more.
For her part, KYTLY has been chasing possibilities since she came to Canada from England at 12. Already dabbling on piano, she picked up a guitar and never looked back. Eventually, she formed The Caraways with ex-Weakerthans bassist and husband, John Sutton. The group issued a self-titled EP in 2010 and were just gaining steam when they split.
KYTLY began to plan her solo album while attending film school. She began a career as a creative on TV and film productions, art directing, and set decorating. She even did some acting. But she never lost her musical sense of direction. And now she’s back on track.
“I feel like this album is a homage to my younger self, I hope that those coming of age and going through the ‘What am I doing with my life?’ phase — will find something in it…. I feel like I’m back to where I was supposed to be, creatively, 10 years ago.”
Listen to “Begin Again” below and learn more about KYTLY via her socials.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Thank you. I’m a Canadian artist based in Hamilton, Ontario – I work between the worlds of film and music and advocate for dreams and visions.
Tell us about the process of writing Begin Again.
Begin again was one of these songs that had many great people make it come to life. It started as a piano ballad I was penning inspired by an influential 20th-century woman: Nancy Cunard- at the time, I had been working with a team on a tv series pitch about her life.
I sent the recording to Brian ( in La), and he put a beat behind it – just like that – it brought it to life. We began our editing process and added some guitars next thing we knew, I was in the studio putting down my vocals.
Tell us about working with JAMC and Afghan Whigs members, how you meet them, and the positive aspects of working with them?
Working with Brian has been the best. I don’t think an artist could hope for a better connection with their producer. All the elements are there; trust, vision, talent, and understanding. It was truly a wonderful experience.
How did we meet? Well .. at a Jamc show, of course! I was invited backstage at one of their shows in Buffalo – around ten years ago – Brian and I met that night and had an instant friendship; over the years, we became good friends.
When we started making songs, it was in the middle of the pandemic – borders were closed – film was shut down – (we all remember ) this new pace and perspective was wonderful for reflecting. We had been having many conversations about existentialism and my “Nancy” project – and finding the common thread in today’s world – a major part of this album is about reclaiming your voice ( as a female) and finding your direction-
We set out with a goal of an Ep and selected my four strongest demos – and then ended up with an album.
Mostly, Brian took creative direction with the players on the songs, so I never really had a personal connection to Jon or Jody on “begin again,” but their playing on the songs were instrumental to the shaping of the final layers of my vocals.
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
That’s a hard one. I mean Leonard Cohen most definitely, Neil Young – absolutely -but I think at my most pivotal age ( early teens), it would have to of been Cowboy Junkies.
You’ve been making music for while now. What’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
I would say out of all the advice I’ve been given, the advice I would give back is to believe. Believe in yourself and your dreams – no one else can if you can’t vision it first.
Connect with KYTLY:
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