Christine Graves Goes Her Own Way On “Bend The Rules”
When trying to navigate this crazy life, it’s common to want to (innocently) bend the rules rather than walk a straight path, to make our existence our own powerful expression. Ottawa folk artist Christine Graves captures the forlorn frustration and laughing acceptance of living an unconventional existence with her new single “Bend The Rules” from her album Everyday Life.
An introspective acoustic-guitar ballad that features understated electric bass and mellow drums, “Bend The Rules” is confessional, prayerful, and self-aware, as Graves examines how hard but beautiful life and love can be:
And if I could I surely would grow wings for arms and fly far away
Why do birds stop their song at night but sing all day?
God, let me bend the rules
Isn’t this why you made them? We abide and then we break them then we stop
God let me bend the rules
The ballad’s melancholy-yet-wise resonance comes from the repetition of the lyrics, the hypnotic rhythm of Christine’s guitar playing, its creative starts and stops, and the sad but knowing expressiveness of her voice. “Bend The Rules” is a song that’s much more than the sum of its parts, conveying meaning through almost sixth sense feeling.
Part of the song’s vividness derives from the fact that for Everyday Life, all of the songs were recorded live off the floor over the period of a year during the pandemic. Christine worked as a part-time frontline mental-health worker in a local hospital and making music helped her manage her emotions and refuel her tank before, during, and “after” COVID. But she clarifies: “It’s not an isolation album. That might come next.”
Christine especially enjoyed recording the album in a live manner.
“These are my ‘scratch’ vocal takes, and I almost titled the album Scratch,” she explains. “Working from the energy of live takes is a process I cherish, and it adds to the quality of the recording by creating a strong connection to the listener from a holistic presentation of the key musical elements.”
In other words, she is not recorded over, produced to the nth degree, or presented as something she is not. The record closely represents what a live show is when you venture out to hear Christine perform.
Watch the video for “Bend The Rules” below and learn more about Christine Graves via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself?
I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, into a musical family. All of my brothers make music, and many went to school under Chalmers Doane to receive a magical music education. When I was four years old, I started making up lyrics to sing along to church hymns, mostly about peanut butter and jelly. My Mom loved to play me records by Anne Murrey, who sang songs from some of the best east coast songwriters. She (my Mom) was an amazing singer and dancer who knew all the swing standards by ear and remembered all the lyrics. She didn’t play an instrument, but her father was a fiddler.
In Ottawa, after spending ten years in BC and playing around with writing, I was embraced into a local songwriter scene and strongly encouraged by so many people, including Chris White. My brother Robert Graves was a local musician, and the opportunities started presenting themselves to me. Open stages were a great avenue to get comfortable in front of a microphone. I played open stages from Vancouver to Halifax and Ottawa. An old High School friend Ian LeFeuvre offered to get me into his newly minted studio. It was pure fun and a laid-back experience recording a batch of original songs. Multi-tracking and creative ideas and the album took on a life of its own with some amazing local players, including Kevin Turcoott (trumpet), Rob Graves (percussion), and Ian himself on electric guitars. Once the full-length recording was finished, Ian encouraged me to make a run of CDs, apply to granting agencies and submit to CBC and college station radio. It was a blast. I was encouraged and launched a fledgling career.
Four albums later, I recorded with Dave Draves in Ottawa at Little Bullhorn Productions and released an LP, Wreckless Daughter, in 2006 to critical acclaim. I needed a break from self-promotion and touring. I didn’t leave the province with the album but continued to perform locally. I had a child and stayed out of the studio until this past year when I went back to Dave to record new songs, and I have now released Everyday Life. Some songs were written during the pandemic, and a few before. I have stayed true to introspection. I write from my sleeve where my heart is firmly planted. And at this point in my life, I understand that we are all the same, so there is a universality to writing this way. I love the way words fit together. I love to stretch and jump with my voice, so my melodic sense is slightly unique. I was influenced by contemporary songwriters like Bruce Cockburn and Joni Mitchel, and I listened to a wide breadth of styles, from Miles Davis’s bebop jazz to rock and roll. And my parent’s era jazz and big band.
Today I simply hope to perform the new songs to appreciative audiences and connect with people who love live music. The recording is a gift to those who make time to listen. I also create art and have started selling items such as hand-woven scarves at shows. I don’t like merch that isn’t meaningful. I do like to recoup the expenses of this crazy passion. I have put my last two recordings at christinegraves.bandcamp.com, and the vinyl is coming. When my hand-woven production catches up, I will also sell online.
Tell us about the process of writing “Bend The Rules.”
I had a voice student who sang at his synagogue. His concern after the event was, “I drank water though when I was supposed to be fasting.” I offhandedly stated to him that he sang in service and “God wouldn’t mind you bending the rules.” The irreverence of the comment pushed me a little sideways since I didn’t know how it would be taken. This made the line stick in my mind until it niggled into a chorus, “God, let me bend the rules.” Luckily I had a songwriting friend for whom I could play the idea, helping verses to come out until I had a song, succinct and quirky. I was capturing a theme from my past (constantly having crushes and obsessing over some guy and questioning monogamy) and a major transition that was coming in my life. Really, this single speaks to how the album is my way to shake off a mediocre time and start being alive again by not giving in to feeling defeated.
What’s it like being a musician in Ottawa?
Ottawa is a town of civil servants. The music scene is wildly rich and contrasts reserved attitudes. And it is supportive. I think I gravitate to groups where folks are kind to one another and not toxic. So living here off and on has given me access to that support and love because the musicians here create community.
Who was the first Canadian artist to blow you away?
That is a hard question to answer. I guess it was Joni Mitchell. I had only heard of Hijira and her later works until I was 18. When I heard her album “Blue,” I was gobsmacked. Joni’s earlier albums were the folky bits she built herself on and led up to her amazing take on jazz music. I was also a Jane Siberry fan at the young age of 15 or so because an older brother took me out to her show and the Great Canadian Theatre Company, and I learned you could make very unusual themes work in a song.
You’ve been making music for a while now. What’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
Get out in front of an audience if you plan on becoming a performer. More experience equals being ready for unexpected events. And definitely stay in the joy of what is happening and ignore the things that aren’t coming along. Your attitude will permeate everything, so choose yours carefully.