Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Cameron Wright talks to the accomplished musician about her debut album, the joy of creation and embracing absurd musical discoveries
Image by Phyllis Christopher
Liz Corney is jubilant. From the moment we started chatting, the energy radiating off her was infectious; her ideas, passion and the lust for music cuts through immediately. Any listener of The Cornshed Sisters will be familiar with Corney’s work, as will those who have seen Field Music recently on tour, as she has been an active member of the band for several years.
Having found time to concentrate on her own music, she’s enlisted the help of Field Music’s David Brewis to create debut album, We Need New Eyes.
From a young age, the car radio was filled with the sounds of ABBA and Carly Simon, which ignited not only a love of music but a love of the community it builds. “Screaming my head off in the car is all I ever wanted to do, we used to drive all day, singing as loud as we could, and that’s what I wanted to capture. I wanted to make that joyful singing in the car music!” says Corney. That giddiness shines through this record of euphoric piano pop, which sprinkles in hooks and melodies that carry that same sparkle as the hits she was raised on. Think of those early memories, the first time hearing Bennie & The Jets or Vienna, and you’re close to the melodic abandon of this record.
The variety of influences alternates from track to track, as discussions range from Thundercat’s These Changes to the percussive piano stylings of Fiona Apple, and from newer artists like Robyn, to the ambitious climaxes of a Bob Segar track, each seed of influence has blossomed into a new flower that decorates the myriad of opulent releases.
I want to find the smile of the song and go from there
“I’ve been described as a very dynamic piano player, which I think is fair,” Corney admits, while discussing the idiosyncrasies of her sound. “I’ve always been drawn to a rhythm or a syncopation. I guess when I write, I start with the melody. I want to find the smile of the song and go from there. But this record has seen me grow and learn so much as a writer, I’ve done things I wouldn’t have thought possible!”
There’s so many exciting examples throughout the record of new ideas bubbling up, and you can feel the sheer childlike wonder as Bathroom Windows breaks into wild percussion or a string quartet erupts into a track. “Recording at David’s studio was crazy, they have so many things there, any idea could be realised. We would play around and bounce the most absurd ideas off the wall, and he’d know a way to make it a reality. I never thought I’d be writing string parts for a quartet, I never thought I’d be able to attach any of the bells and whistles that we did, but it’s so much fun!”
It’s that sense of fun that anchors the album, those personal flourishes that latch onto the soul. “Some songs came to me so quickly, driving down the motorway, and others took so long to craft and scrutinise. Touring with Field Music taught me to really consider the whole sonic landscape and carry all that information. That’s the special thing about music: it’s bringing something into the world that doesn’t exist yet. It’s making something only you could make.”
