Things seem like they are picking up again. Many great artists from Atlanta and beyond are posting tour dates, and many of our favorite projects are dropping new singles and announcing new ablums. Add Lindsay Jarman’s upcoming debut to that impressive list. Entitled The Gallery, the record features warm, jazzy arrangements with a swagger that exudes a New-York-by-way-of-Asheville type cool.
“Parachute” opens with undulating strings and gorgeous piano voicings. Jarman’s smoky voice invites you into a love song that blooms with each movement. Fans of truth-telling chamber pop from artists like Fiona Apple or Tori Amos will find something special in her powerful songwriting. When the chorus kicks in, Jarman delivers her vocal with a faint trace of ambiguity as she invites us to climb, then fall with her. Clocking in at two minutes and some change, “Parachute” is a breathtaking introduction to Jarman’s magnetic talent.
And it’s just a taste of what The Gallery has to offer. Jarman says these tracks are reflections on “painful moments of my life that I was able to get some catharsis for through writing certain songs on this record… Patience is passion tamed, and the rapture that prevails the willful processing of trauma holds healing and gratification in its palm. This record offered that hand to me and I took it. I found shelter there.”
Listen below.
In anticipation of the forthcoming release of The Gallery, out Aug. 20, I took the opportunity to talk with Jarman about the new single, her contemporary influences, and the long journey it took to complete the album. Speaking with the same earnestness that cuts through in her songwriting, Jarman’s responses paint a picture of an artist that’s deeply connected to their work and the personal revelations it brings. Read our conversation below.
Tell me about your writing process for “Parachute”?
The catalyst for this song was an open gate to the first healthy relationship my heart had seen. Before, I existed in a state of restlessness, operating on a high frequency propagated by trauma bonding. I remember feeling a great deal of peace for the first time in my life, and I wanted to take my time. I was safe to finally be unapologetically myself, and the notion of having a safe place to land was magnetic. I felt stillness, impervious, so I wrote a letter in a lullaby.
I love the line about paper airplanes. Can you tell me a little bit about it?
Tenderness can be a challenging sentiment to actualize with words. I wanted to paint this person earnestly; a love song swelling in sincerity without the saccharine self-assertion that sometimes coincides. This love was grounding and weightlessness all at once. I felt it was intangible, that no words could possibly encompass the physical influence my heart held. So as the drafts developed, I was tossing words aside that weren’t satisfactory—though any word existing in that space of love was still filled with intention and fondness. Not an idea to be corrupted, crumpled up, and thrown away, but something to gently fold up to remember. A paper plane that still floated around my head dizzily, intoxicating me in stillness.
Who are some of your contemporary influences?
Alice Pheobe Lou, Courtney Barnett, Julia Jacklin, Campdogzz
Does living in Atlanta influence your songwriting? If so, how?
Atlanta is such a hub for incredible songwriters; I feel a great deal of inspiration from the community around me. I’m influenced by the desire to collaborate with such captivating humans. I feel lucky for the opportunity to have a seat at the table of so many I admire.
You have some wonderful collaborators on this record. Can you tell me about working with them?
This record was two years in the making. It moved through a few studios before I finally found the person that would help shape my therapeutic outlet into a piece of art—that was Damon Moon. I wanted to take my time and build this record with musicians I felt a deep connection to. I wanted to feel bonded through the work. I actually met some of the musicians for the first time through Damon, including the horns player Justin Powell. Suffice it to say, I will take him with me wherever I go. I was lucky to have a drummer I have been working with for years, James Barett, who forever remains in the deepest pocket my ears have heard. I’m always looking for new people to collaborate with and am always open to it.
What’s next for Lindsay Jarman?
I’m at the very beginning. This record drops in August and right now all I want is to share my soul with the world. I poured myself into this and hope somewhere, someone can find a space to pour themselves into the music. I’d like to have my music in films and television and continue the journey of self-discovery through writing.
More Info
Web: lindsayjarman.com
Facebook: @LindsayJarmanMusic
Instagram: @lindsayjarmanmusic
SoundCloud: @lindsayjarman
Twitter: @LindsayEJarman