Seattle-based Austin Crane is the visionary presence behind Valley Maker (the native of Florence, South Carolina wrote all 12 of the new album’s tracks by himself). Accompanied by long-term collaborator Amy Godwin and two others, Crane is at present in the middle of his first full-length tour.
The band’s current single is “Pretty Little Life Form,” a song from their recently released second album When I Was a Child and I asked the eloquent songwriter to tell me more about both.
“‘Pretty Little Life Form’ is one of my favourite songs I’ve written and one of my favourite songs to play live,” he explains, coming to me from Columbia, South Carolina, “because it has a particular atmosphere to it…
“I like to try to tow a line between spaciousness and contemplation, but with a degree of urgency and a certain energy. I think it turned out appropriately contemplative and energetic.”
On the subject of the album, the gifted musician muses, “It was composed over four years in a fairly transient period of my life. It wasn’t like I was constantly moving, but several significant things happened.
“I got married during that period and a lot of the time, I wasn’t even playing music regularly. I was doing a Master’s degree in Human Geography, and I’m actually doing my PhD in Geography now at the University of Washington…
“But while I was doing my Master’s degree in Kentucky, I wasn’t really playing shows very much at all. Songwriting became a way for me to stay in touch with other aspects of my thoughts, so I think the songs deal with movement and connections to place and maintaining relationships.”
One of Crane’s most productive relationships has been with the aforementioned Amy Godwin. “Amy’s an amazing songwriter and an incredible musician and person,” he enthuses, “and I’ve been really fortunate to be able to play music with her for almost five years.
“She’s from the South as well – from Georgia – but she’s living in Seattle now. Most of the time these days we’re playing as this four-piece band and it’s kind of fun to re-interpret the songs in different ways in the live show, based on the context.”
I had heard that “Take My People Dancing” addresses the feelings of isolation Austin experienced immediately after finishing college. “I don’t know, it’s difficult for me to say what the song is about exactly,” he admits.
“That’s the oldest song in this collection and I did write it right after college, but for me the meaning is kind of always changing, or always developing in my mind.
“When I’m playing it now I’m not necessarily thinking about that meaning… There’s a certain restlessness there, like keep moving but also the struggle with leaving and being apart from the people you love.”
Attempting to define his sound, the artist concludes, “I think of it as a songwriting project that is always shape-shifting, based on who’s involved and other factors.
“But I try, especially through the live shows, to work with loud and soft dynamics a lot. I’ve always enjoyed live performances that have moments of high intensity and then moments of spare openness that feel honest and engaging. It’s a fun challenge to work for.”
When I Was a Child is out now.
To learn more about Valley Maker, visit their official website.
