Meadowlark are Bristol natives Kate McGill and Dan Broadley, who combine their skills to create a chilled and relaxing blend of folk vibey folk music. Their new single ‘Quicksand’ follows hot on the heels of their recent EP Paraffin. In this new single, the sparse arrangement and McGill’s understated vocals make it a rather subtle track, not shouting its presence and yet quietly making it felt.
We caught up with them ahead of their headline show at Headrow House on 26th September to ask them about their inspiration for their new single and their dynamic as a new band.
Your new single ‘Quicksand’ was inspired by a story published on Humans Of New York. How did this very public, global issue affect your songwriting process?
We had been sitting on the chord sequence of Quicksand for a few days but lyrically nothing was coming to us. When writing the album, we did very condensed stints in a small cottage tucked away near Doncaster and after a few solid writing days it was easy to feel a little stale with lyric ideas. Kate is a very passionate human being when it comes to humanitarian crises and the story of the brick kilns isn’t something that’s been exploited a great deal, so when she read the article it really struck a chord with her and instantly triggered a poetic re-imagining of the story. I think it probably only took about two hours for the song to go from no lyrics to completely finished, all because of that one article.
How do you feel social media plays into our general awareness of such issues?
I think it plays a huge part; so many generations before us were blissfully ignorant to just how much injustice is happening around the world. At times it can feel overwhelming with what’s going on across the globe, but that is also a good thing as we are all aware of just how much is wrong. I don’t think it’s better or worse than before, we can just see a lot more of it. It’s the first step in making some kind of difference.
What is it about writing a song that makes it a good medium to convey these kinds of delicate issues?
Lots of people will give different reasons, but for me it allows there to be a mood that becomes the foundation of the message. This gives the lyrics more of an emotional punch, whether it’s sad, happy or dancey; the music drives the content. The best way to describe it is using films as an example. If you can think back to a film that made you cry, the chances are it’s the music that pushed your emotions to that level. If you watch a sad scene muted, […] it won’t have as much power. Music resonates with us in such a way that when coupled with powerful lyrics you can really put a message across to people.
The delicate sound of your songs is reflected in the rather delicate name you’ve chosen; tell me about the origin of the name Meadowlark.
When Kate and myself [Dan Broadley] came together to form Meadowlark, we instantly looked to our mutual influences for inspiration. At the time Fleet Foxes were on constant rotation and their song ‘Meadowlarks’ was one of those over-listened tracks. We love that name and when we looked into what a Meadowlark was we found out that it was a beautiful black, white and yellow bird that’s ‘known for its song’. That felt right to us: we also wanted to be known for our songs.
How would you describe your sound in a sentence?
Ambient emotional avant-pop that at times will make you dance and make you cry.
What would you most like to achieve with your music, as a start-out band?
We both think small and modestly about our music, to just be able to reach as many people as possible with our sound would be incredible. I always have this daydream where I’m one day riding the tube and someone next to me is listening to one of our songs in their headphones, un-aware that I’m a part of the project, and at that moment I can get an honest portrayal of someone absorbing our art, untainted by the pressure to flatter (or criticise) me in any way.
Who do you look to as your greatest musical inspiration?
I feel like it’s incredibly cheesy to say each other, but we do, writing music is powered by our unique musical preferences. When writing a song Kate will do things I’d never imagine working, and vice versa, it creates such an exciting atmosphere. Total musical euphoria.
Meadowlark play Headrow House on Monday 26th September.
Jemima Skala