It’s amazing to see the lasting impact the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has had all these years later. The new Young Novelists album, These Dark Canyons, was a direct result of Graydon James and Laura Spink having to adapt from the usual way of doing things.
Just prior to the shutdown, they were involved in a “rock lottery.” The premise was to put participating musicians’ names in a bowl. The names drawn were then used to create a number of bands for a one-time only concert. While most of the bands chose to perform songs they’d already written, Laura’s band decided to write all-new material. Coming home with half of a song she’d written, Laura asked Graydon to help her finish it. As the pandemic lingered for month after month, the pair continued writing new songs. The result is These Dark Canyons.
The new album is a departure for The Young Novelists in that up to now, the creative energy was mainly from the pen of Graydon. On the new album, it’s Laura’s narrative that’s centre-stage.
Living through the pandemic might have been easier for Graydon, Laura and their son because they’d always gone on tour as a family. The years of living in close quarters taught them how to find solitude when it was needed, along with having family time for meals or walks outside. The convenience of having a piano next to the kitchen table meant they could clear the dishes one moment and work on a song the next.
“Some of the sessions were emotional”, says Graydon. “But that’s a good thing. The reason for the album title if that sometimes you have to go through dark spaces to come out the other side.”
One element of those dark spaces was self-doubt on Laura’s part as a new songwriter. She asked herself the questions all songwriters do when they’re starting out; do these words make sense, does my voice sound okay, is it worth it to continue to write?
“Graydon lets things roll off his back and is a steady ship”, said Laura. “So it was lovely to have a partner who could be that in my life.”
The days during the pandemic were a time for deep reflection where Laura questioned how music fit into her life. Given how music has been such a huge part of who she was, the prospect of not having it was at times a scary proposition. Thankfully, there’s the new album and a renewed joy in music.
Experiencing the trials and tribulations of creating new music is Laura and Graydon’s son Simon, who’s now a teenager. Luckily it’s nothing new for him as he’s been a witness to their creative process all of his life.
“It’s so normal for him because he’s toured with us as a kid”, said Laura. “So it’s not at all exciting for him. But he did say he was proud of us, so that was lovely.”
For more on The Young Novelists and These Dark Canyons, go to http://theyoungnovelists.com.
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