‘I Was There’ by Joshua Lewis | Interview | New Album, ‘Friction’
Today, Boise, ID singer-songwriter and masterclass producer/mixer Joshua Lewis shares his brand LP, ‘Friction,’ out now via Earth Libraries.
‘Friction’ earns its breezy yet earnest tones from yacht rock, the core tenets of the genre offered in spades throughout. Ear-tickling melodies, like the parabolic sway of the vocal on opener ‘Thinkin’ About You,’ guide listeners through crystal-clear production values and a storytelling bent both misty-eyed and microscopic in its detailing. This balancing act of simplicity and shrewd twists in formula stems from Lewis’ love of Steely Dan, masters of this tightrope walk. Said Lewis: “You can hear a song that’s so playful or sweet, and they just throw theory around like nobody’s business: pop sensibility with left turns to keep you guessing and keep your attention. I love that, I wish I heard more of it today.”
To celebrate the record’s release, Lewis also shares the record’s focus track and final single, ‘I Was There,’ alongside an accompanying visual created by Benjamin Violet.
Joshua Lewis’ newest LP, ‘Friction,’ is out now via Earth Libraries. Early last year, Lewis shared his self-recorded debut album, ‘Too Soft,’ also via Earth Libraries. With its warm gazes back at 1970s pop-rock crooning, the record’s eponymous softness enveloped its tales of heartbreak and longing with halos of inviting melodies and layered instrumentation.
In addition to his solo ventures, Lewis has also been praised for his recent work mixing the latest Built To Spill record, alongside Doug Martsch, Lê Almeida, and João Casaes.
“Friction is definitely a rebellion against my first record”
If you were to describe ‘Friction’ to listeners in a sentence or two, what are the most important elements you would point out?
Joshua Lewis: ‘Friction’ is an album where I wanted to make something that I like to listen to. I also am viewing it as my harmony record, I wanted to write some over the top vocal harmonies.
What made you choose ‘I Was There’ as the record’s final single? What is its significance in general and in the context of the record itself?
‘I Was There’ is the song that surprised me with how many friends and colleagues mentioned how that was their favorite part of the album, I assumed it would be an overlooked song. I feel like it pretty much sums up the vibe of the whole record so I thought it should be the focus track.
Sonically, you mentioned that Steely Dan was a major influence on the feel of this record. What/who else played a part in shaping the direction of this release?
Steely Dan is definitely a major influence for this record, but originally, I wanted it to sound like Andy Shauf, so he was probably the original influence when I started.
How would you say this album relates to your last project, ‘Too Soft?’ What about it carries on the themes seen there, are what about it is starkly different?
‘Friction’ is definitely a rebellion against my first record. I focused more on recording quality and intention. I think a connecting theme would definitely be my use of vocal harmonies.
What’s next for you?
For whatever I end up writing next, I want something simple. I want more single vocals and just a few instruments. I also am planning on live tracking the new record to analog tape. I want it to be simple and honest.
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‘Thinkin’ About You’ by Joshua Lewis | New Album, ‘Friction’
