Foto-© Maya Fuhr

“Diese Platte war der Prozess zu mir selbst nach Hause zu finden, all den chaotischen, manchmal hässlichen Teilen des Lebens ins Auge zu sehen sowie die resultierende Schönheit des Wachstums, wenn man durch diese schwierigen Zeiten geht”, erklärt Skye Wallace über ihr heute erschienenes neues Album Terribly Good, das ihr Debüt bei Six Shoot Records markiert. Das Album der Songwriterin aus Toronto ist dabei ein Liebesbrief an sich selbst, zärtlich in der Absicht und oft hart im Prozess. Während der gesamten Albumlänge finden sich die Hörer*innen als Betrachter*innen in einem Raum mit Spiegelblick wieder, während Skye sich unverblümt ihre eigenen Fehler zugesteht. Für Wallace liegt sowohl Trost als auch ein Konflikt darin, sich an die verschiedenen Versionen ihrer selbst zu erinnern und sich mit ihnen zu versöhnen. Zu dem Nachfolger des selbstbetitelten Albums aus 2019, das in ihrer kanadischen Heimat sehr viel Lob (die Tageszeitung Globe and Mail zählte es zu den “Best 4 Canadian Albums in the World”) hat die Musikerin für uns ein Track by Track geschrieben!

1. Tooth And Nail

This is a song about how far you’ve come and how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are. I’ve needed a reminder to look through the eyes of my younger self once in a while – it gives you a chance to acknowledge everything you’ve fought for, and the doubt, from both out in the world or in your own head, that you’ve overcome.

2. The Doubt

This is a big fuck you song to self-doubt and imposter syndrome. We all feel it. I think non-men in the music world feel it a lot. This song is an anthem for your inner self, a scream of frustration, and a resounding yes to the question “am I enough?”

3. Everything Is Fine

Everything is Fine is sometimes something you say to hide how you’re actually feeling, but sometimes “everything is fine” is something you say to yourself to get out of bed in the morning. I wrote this song with my friend Alex Marusyk in winter 2021 when things felt anything but fine – it’s about acknowledging not being okay, about losing touch with yourself, but loving yourself nonetheless.

4. Truth Be Told

This tune is about all the clothes you try on, all the versions of yourself that have existed on your way to becoming who you are now, and a reminder to look back at your former selves with softness instead of derision and judgement. Me and my friend Charlie Kerr of the band Hotel Mira wrote this song together on zoom and I just love the melody and lyrical choices he brought to this song.

5. Phantom Limb

You know those relationships that end way before they technically end? Where you can feel the disconnect and numbness for a long time, but can’t quite put your finger on it?

I wrote this song in the Yukon when I was the songwriter in residence for the Dawson City Music Festival for the month of January. The deep winter up north really makes you reflect. This one was so fun to record, another one that was produced by my amazing friend and bandmate Devon Lougheed, and also features a vocal cameo from my buddy Matt Mays.

6. Keeper

I don’t write a lot of love songs, and I thought that maybe this was going to be my first big love song, but then the relationship ended up not working out, so I changed a few lines at the end and here we are – now it’s a sad song, but I’m in good spirits about that. I’ll get on writing a love song asap.

Fun side note: we recorded some of the vocals in the room in which I had the aforementioned break up, so the emotional elements really got a chance to shine 😅😬

7. You Left

The frustration of a relationship going stale, and facing the bitter ending when you don’t feel cared for. More than anything I wanted to write a super fun song in the face of that nasty feeling.

8. Tear a Piece (Bite Me)

This song is for anything or anyone that wants to steal your joy. A shout in the face of being told you’re not good enough, that you’re not going to give up whatever piece of yourself gives you that spark.  I recorded this song with Gus Van Go in his pals’ Menno & Annie’s apartment and did the vocals in a sick coat closet???