Lynne Hanson Releases 10th Album, Just A Poet
Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Lynne Hanson has released her 10th studio album, Just A Poe, via Panda Cave Records. The award-winning songwriter has again teamed up with producer Jim Bryson (Kathleen Edwards, Skydiggers), who produced her 2020 release, Just Words, and the result is an album of sounds and songs with a distinctly indie flavour, tied together by well-crafted lyrics and her trademark whiskey-soaked alto. The album shines with clever poetry, wrapped up in tasteful, textured, contemporary production.
“I had a lot of fun self-producing and recording my last album with Blair Michael Hogan,” Hanson recalls. “Ice Cream in November was all about experimentation and learning, and I pushed myself outside my comfort zone, both in terms of the production as well as the songwriting itself. On this latest album, I was ready to go back to more familiar territory and let someone else I trusted drive the production bus.”
Joining Hanson and Bryson (who played acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, Wurlitzer, Mellotron, percussion, and contributed backing vocals) in the studio were Blair Michael Hogan (acoustic guitar, electric guitar), Philippe Charbonneau (bass), and Marshall Bureau (drums), and Emma Lamontagne, Tara Holloway, and Ken Yates all provided backing vocals.
The songs on Just A Poet are a return to the “porch music with a little red dirt” that garnered Hanson the nickname “Canada’s own Queen of Americana.”
“I love songwriting and have always been drawn to the raw lyrical content that seems to be so prevalent in Americana music,” she says. “Over the years I’ve listened to people like Patty Griffin and Jason Isbell, and they’ve greatly influenced how I write songs. For the past few years, I really experimented with songwriting styles, but on this album, I wanted to get back to writing raw, capital T ‘Truth’ songs, and rediscovering the grittiness of my earlier work. As a result, I think this album contains some of the most honest songwriting I’ve ever done, and the content is highly emotionally charged. I’m a sucker for a good melodic hook, and I think groove absolutely drives a song, but I believe the foundation to any great song are its lyrics, and I think it’s what I’m known for. I strive to be as authentic as I can, so that the listener can relate and see themselves in my songs.”
A song like “Rubik’s Cube” details the imbalance of being a romantic placeholder for someone, while “Sort Of” asks, “Did you ever really love me, or at least… sort of.” On the upbeat “Can’t Let Go,” Hanson laments the fact that while she knows better, “I want to, but I can’t let go,” while “Spray Paint” takes the listener through the various stages of realizing a relationship has run its course. And on “Light in Me,” she explores the idea of self-love, singing, “I wanna land on the right side, I wanna live on the bright side, I just need to find the light in me.” On “Weeds,” Hanson sings, “What you get is what you see, only way I know how to be, when you put your money down, the only kind of sound you gonna get is me.” And she leans a little heavier into her country roots on songs like “Princess and Her Pea” and “Halfway Whole.”
Hanson has never shied away from the sad, melancholy songs: singing about heartbreak has been a staple of her work.
“I feel very privileged to have had a place where I can put my feelings – positive or painful,” she says. “I love a happy, uplifting song but I also believe that it’s those painful experiences that tend to produce great art. Pain strips a person of all pretence and leaves one with just the raw truth of pure expression in order to be free of the burden of having to carry it. I always joke that I do my best writing when I’m hurting, and my best living when I’m not.”
While Hanson has been called a “heartbreak poet,” the songwriter doesn’t limit heartbreak to interpersonal relationships on Just A Poet. On “About Yesterday,” she pines for a golden time that maybe never existed: “Blue skies and butterflies, all things you try and hold on to, with both hands, squeeze tight, but time keeps moving on.”
After almost 20 years of touring, Hanson plans to tour extensively in support of Just A Poet (see tour schedule below) and will enjoy performing the songs on Just A Poet, which are as authentic as they come, delivered with a splash of grit and the confidence of an artist who knows who she is. Fans of Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Sturgill Simpson, and Justin Townes Earle will find much to like in Hanson’s new album.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m a songwriter from Ottawa, Canada and have been playing music professionally for over 20 years. My music falls into the “Americana” category, and I describe my style as “porch music with a little red dirt.”
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
“Just A Poet” is my tenth studio album. 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 compliments 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 this record I think I’ve really returned to my Americana songwriting roots. I tend to write about human emotions, 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. While I’m known for my lyrics, I love a catchy melody, so I hope people lose themselves in these tiny little three and a half minute movies I’ve created.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
When it comes to writing songs I try to always have my songwriting channel open for inspiration. Anything can spark a song idea … sometimes it’s a conversation I have or a line from a book or movie. I also find touring really fans the creative flames for me. For the most part, I tend to set aside a period of time to write for a new record. I treat it like a full-time job and start early in the morning and work all day at it. It can sometimes be a frustrating process when I don’t have any great ideas, but I find having a routine really keeps me on track to come up with new material. I also make a point of finishing every song I start, even if it ultimately isn’t a “keeper.”
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
I just got back from touring Europe, and we have dates in the US, the East Coast of Canada, as well as Ontario this Spring / Summer, with a run out to Alberta in the Fall. We’re also in the middle of booking dates for Europe and the United Kingdom for the first quarter of 2025. I’m always adding tour dates, so the best thing is to visit my website to see if we’re coming to a town near you!
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
It’s hard to pick just one moment as a highlight. It’s been a heck of a ride to this point, and I consider myself to be really privileged to get to play music for a living. I’ve traveled all over North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom, and have so many positive experiences along the way. If I was going to pick one moment in particular I think it would be the first time that I toured in Europe way back in 2007. I’d never toured outside Canada prior to that moment, and there was something surreal about playing songs for people on another continent where English was not their first language. It was such a really positive experience, and that was the starting point for my international touring career and put me on the trajectory that’s brought me to this point.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
I’ve got a co-write on this album with a fantastic young songwriter from the Ottawa area by the name of Emma Lamontagne. Emma has a huge voice, and she’s got a real talent for crafting great songs. I expect big things from Emma and she’s definitely someone worth checking out.