Megan Lane is best known for her blues sound, but her new album, Sounding the Animal, takes a decidedly pop approach to showcase her vocals and guitar skills. “I have evolved as an artist. My work has changed, but it’s come from the most organic place,” she says.
“I’ve learned to embrace the guilty pleasure of ’80s rock songs, with the big choruses, or the 2014 mainstream melody you can’t get out of your head,” she says. “These catchy choruses and hooks live inside of us once we’ve heard them, and I wanted to do that to people.”
Lane may be the driving force, but her new album has had some help from famous friends. The album’s leading single, “Someday We Will Leave this Town,” was co-written by Lane and trans icon Rae Spoon. Both Spoon and Lane grew up in similar situations (being queer in small towns) and were able to translate their experiences into powerful anthems.
But the biggest influence on the album comes from fellow Canadian rocker Hawksley Workman. “We couldn’t have found a better match than Hawksley to produce this record,” Lane says. “He chased tones and textures like a boss, killed the drum tracks and watched every move I made like a hawk. We both also come from similar backgrounds, having been child prodigies on our home turfs, both living and breathing music our entire lives.”
A veteran when it comes to live shows, Lane is preparing to tour Animal throughout Canada. The tour begins Aug 22 and makes its way to Vancouver on Aug 26. “I’m extremely excited to perform the new songs,” she says. “We’re pulling out all the stops for this tour to really represent Sounding the Animal to our utmost potential. It’s a theatrical show; it’s going to be an out-of-the-ordinary, mind-blowing experience.”
See Megan Lane in Toronto
Sat, Sept 27 at Cadillac Lounge (back room), 1296 Queen St W
and during her Cameron House residency
Mon, Oct 13, 20 and 27 at the Cameron House, 408 Queen St W
Check out meganlane.com for additional tour dates and ticket info.
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