Photo credit: Fabian Prynn
Clara Mann has two tracks for your ears, ‘500 Miles (not that one) and ‘My Life’. The debut album ‘Rift’ gets an extended edition release, also available on limited edition vinyl. The expanded release includes two new covers and two French-language versions of standout tracks from the original album. There’s a tour too, dates below.
Speaking about “500 Miles”, Clara Mann said:“It is rare, in my line of songwriting, that you get to have fun on stage. I often feel excited, or energised, or lifted by the music- as often as I feel heavy or moved- but when I first played this folk tune through with my friend Owen Spafford, we did, in fact, have fun.
I love the part that Owen wrote, the fiddle like a train, on this version of the American tune (which I first came across as sung by Hedy West), and the way we shaped the song together around my vocal and guitar part. I feel, always, lucky to play with Owen: the friendship and music that we share are forces of light in my life.
I have always felt careful around folk music – I do not have roots in any particular community around trad, did not grow up around session culture. There are spaces in which I do not want to take up space that should be occupied by other, more experienced, more authentic musicians.
It’s light and wistful and I like it because it’s a moment in the live set in which I don’t have to excavate my own big heavy feelings, or go digging – it’s just singing for singing’s sake, singing to be together, singing for joy.”
On “My Life” Mann added :
“My mum and I had an Iris Dement CD in the car when I was little, and this was the final track on it. I have always loved it.
The first time I performed it live, a friend came up to me and said “It breaks my heart, hearing you sing those words”- I know what she meant, I guess this song is really about looking back on life rather than being, as I am, still quite near the beginning of it. Up until that moment, though, I hadn’t thought of it as sad. I think I associate it with the “mother and daughter” moments of my life, like being in the car together, or her sitting on the end of my bed when I’m back home and we’re chatting, catching up – in a sense, the song sits between me and my ma’s chapters in life, between our ages. She could sing it, and so can I, and we both understand it from different angles.”
On the extended version of Rift, Mann said “It has been 6 months since I released Rift. Even if at the time of releasing a record it feels like launching it into the void of the internet, it has been #real
Thank you so much to everyone who has been listening, and sending messages, and coming to shows, for making it feel like that.
Since then the songs have aged for me, but I am so happy to be sharing some music that bring Rift into the present in my life. Two covers, two French versions of the songs, all of which represent the road since the release. Country and folk songwriting continue to be touchstones of writing for me, I love that, sometimes, songs get to be ageless.
The French versions represent the parts of my world and songs that grew from a childhood in between languages and places. I translated these songs and it was really challenging thank you for asking and also thank you to dear Martin Egidi who sat with me in parks, and in cafes, and then on WhatsApp late into the night on the eve of recording, going through these lyrics on our shared Google Doc. The songs changed character, and gained body, through translation. They are something quite different, to me, to the original versions – it is very nice to find new things in songs that I wrote a long time ago.
Music allows me to travel, and explore, and go on adventures, and for that I am very grateful. To be able to complete the world of Rift with the sharing of the expanded edition, reflecting the language, geography, and history of the songs in a more literal sense, is a joy, as well as to recognise the part that my dear friend Owen Spafford has played in bringing these songs to live audiences over the last year or so, with his imaginative and sensitive playing. Our friendship and musical collaboration started with these Rift live shows, and I like to think that it is just the beginning Owen can you please confirm asap thanks.
The music will be available on the big bad internet streamers HOWEVER you can also pre-order a special limited edition 7” lathe-cut of them, which is nice because then it’s yours and not anyone else’s and also you can hold it with your hands like a frisbee.”
Tour dates:
07.10 – Leeds, England, The Attic
08.10 – Glasgow, Scotland – Hug and Pint
12.10 – Dublin, Eire – Bellobar
17.10 – Cardiff, Cymru – Sŵn Festival
21.10 – Paris, France – Chair De Poule
22.10 – Brussels, Belgique – Botanique
24.10 – Rotterdam, Nederland – Left of the Dial Festival
25.10 – Rotterdam, Nederland – Left of the Dial Festival
DeClunk 