Carrie Clark. In het nummer ’Heroes and Heartbreakers’ worden meisjes opgeroepen het heft in handen te nemen. „Ja, ik was boos over wat er allemaal gaande is in de wereld.’’

On our tour to Europe last year, we spent some time chatting with writer, Peter Bruyn, to talk about our new album and performing in Europe. Read the full article in Dutch here …

https://www.haarlemsdagblad.nl/cnt/dmf20221022_42821951

And here is a translation in English…

Peter Bruyn

Zaterdag 22 oktober 2022 om 02:53

HAARLEM

The American singer Carrie Clark will perform in the Waag in Haarlem on Sunday. She sings and plays songs from her new album. An interview.

“I used to start writing songs with snippets of conversation I'd overheard here and there,” says Carrie Clark. “I then made up a whole story around that. Until I became a mother nine years ago. At the same time, other things were happening in my life: Family members and friends became ill and died. It all consumed me so much that my creativity suffered. The result was that when I eventually made a new record, 'Split at the Seams', it became much more my personal story.”

This Sunday, Carrie Clark will be the first American singer-songwriter to visit De Waag this season, together with her two accompanists The Lonesome Lovers on accordion and bass. She also sang there about ten years ago.

Environment

In terms of atmosphere, the Haarlem tavern is somewhat similar to the Klösterchen cultural center in Herzogenrath – just across the border from Heerlen – where Clark will perform on the evening of the interview. As is the case for the majority of the stages she visits during her European tour. “Yes, that is somewhat my natural concert environment. Although I also play in rock clubs and music cafes in America.”

It is the circuit in which more and more American artists – singer-songwriters in particular – earn their living in Europe. Mostly solo, but sometimes also with accompanists, such as Clark. Often for several dozen visitors with an average age of over sixty. Stages run by volunteers, so overhead costs are minimal. And if possible, there is also someone who provides accommodation for the musicians, so that you can also save on hotel costs. A niche, but a niche that definitely matters in terms of musical level.

Oregon

Carrie Clark grew up in Oregon on the American west coast, on a musical diet that ranged from Johnny Cash to Abba. In the 1990s, she moved north to Seattle to immerse herself in music. She played with numerous groups and sang with a jazz big band, but felt a growing need to come out with her own songs. Her debut album 'Release the Butterfly' was released just before the turn of the century.

Theatrical

She sings, plays guitar and piano. Her musical style is rooted in country and Americana, but there are always some influences from blues, jazz and especially American cabaret. “The latter undoubtedly has to do with the narrative character of the songs,” she says. “With the theatrical. You also hear that with Tom Waits, for example.”

On her album 'Split at the Seams', which was released last year but was recorded before the pandemic, those narrative songs are less prominent. “Because I had hardly had time to compose for years, we still had to write some of the songs in the studio. That had never happened to me before. It also produced a different kind of repertoire. More personal. My own story.”

Choices

“We had a baby. My husband and I actually didn't plan it that way. Suddenly there were other priorities in our lives – responsibilities that you don't choose but that are just there at some point. But that also takes something away from you: that constant pressure to make choices. And you can hear that in a few songs on the record in which I just feel very good.”

A deviating song is the heavy rocking 'Heroes and Heartbreakers' in which girls are called on to take matters into their own hands. “Yes, I was angry about what was going on in the world, but I really didn't want to write a negative song. Prefer something stimulating. And the reactions are very good. Young girls find it exciting and many older women hear their own feminist struggles reflected in it.”

Programma

Concert Carrie Clark, zondag 23 oktober, De Waag, Haarlem.