#eleanor buckland

[thoughtsaboutautism]

Thoughts about the article "Neurodiversity and disability: what is at stake?"

I had the opportunity to read and gather some thoughts about the article published recently by Dr. Eleanor K Jones. The piece talks about the pillars of the neurodiversity movement as well as cite recent works done by neurodiversity advocates. Dr. Jones also explains critics that are made towards the NDM and possible outcomes of its growth, specially in the UK.

The first remark I would like to make about this article is related to a campaign started by an English politician. Mentioned in the first page of the article:

"MP Robert Buckland has launched a campaign aimed at ‘closing the employment gap for autistic people and those with other neurodivergent needs’. The campaign supports businesses to ‘improve the life chances of neurodivergent employees’ (Buckland 2023) in order that they might ‘reap the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce'"

I could summarize all my critics about the NDM only using this exact paragraph. My problem with neurodiversity is not that it tries to improve the self-steem of autistic people by highlighting the good parts of being autistic. My problem is that they do that while completely erasing the real deficits and difficulties of being autistic. With the popularization of the NDM and the persistence in calling autism a difference and not a disorder, reducing social issues to double empathy problem and the disability that autism causes to the social model of disability harms all autistic people. It opens up doors to things like what the English politician is proposing: autistic people don't need disability money because actually they can work. Autistic people don't need support workers or care facilities because actually, they are just different.

And what I found most interesting about this paper is that there are real resources of people saying that. A lot of times, when I try to explain things I disagree with in the Neurodiversity Movement, I get told "well, actually, the NDM doesn't defend that" or when I say that high support needs autistics and people with intellectual disabilities are excluded from the NDM I am told "no, that's not true". Dr. Jones provides very good background to those claims that critics of the NDM have been talking about.

One other important point in the text is when Dr. Jones explains that criticism against neurodiversity is often filled with ableism and I'd dare to say pseudoscience as well. I think she is absolutely correct. Often times I see criticism of the NDM coming from people who believe vaccines cause autism, who treat autistics with intellectual disability as kids and reproduce other kinds of ableism. Criticism of NDM is important, it's valuable and necessary! We must speak up and we must keep fighting for more inclusion in our community. However, one thing we must do is organize ourselves. If possible, like Dr. Jones, write papers, share our experiences, share the experiences of higher needs autistics. But we can't rely on pseudoscience and anti-psychiatry like many in the NDM do.

A remark I would like to add is when Dr. Jones talks about activists who want to take autism off the DSM and who believe ASD is comparable to being LGBTQ. I won't address the problems with comparing ASD with sexuality/gender identity etc, neither the absurd claim that autism shouldn't be in the DSM. However, when the author points out these topics, Dr. Jones explains that, to the NDM, pathologization of autism equates curing ASD. I agree though I don't really understand why activists would think that. But I have a completely different opinion: understanding that autism is a serious developmental disability that causes serious deficits is the way we can improve treatments that give better life quality to autistic people and their families. Accepting that some have more severe communication and language difficulties means we get to improve AAC methods, we can teach them better how to express themselves. How amazing is that? But when we deny that these deficits exist and simply label them as a double empathy problem, then there's no reason to work on improving services and therapies that help autistic people.

Besides that, it seems to me that a lot of people think that accepting deficits means that we want to yell at kids "you are dumb! you are disabled, you can't do this and you can't do that". And while I agree some professionals are mean and do that to kids (I have been through that myself, trust me), that's not what I mean when I say we must accept deficits. We must treat kids with kindness and compassion, we must teach them they are different and that they do have difficulties. Their issues are not going to disappear if you don't tell them about it, they will notice that they aren't getting as good grades as their peers (trust me, we know), but learning to accept their difficulties is the way for them to learn how to love themselves as they are and not how they "could be" if they "tried harder".

At last, as Dr. Jones explains, the NDM tries to distance itself from the disability movement, as much as their activists try saying they don't. By denying impairments, by denying that autism is harmful, by denying the very real deficits autism causes, the NDM is pretty much creating an imaginary autism that is only experienced by a small but loud amount of people on the autism spectrum.

I want to thank Dr. Jones for writing such a good paper and for the person who sent me this. I really enjoyed reading. English is not my first language, so excuse me for any misunderstandings of the text.

I would like to end my thoughts about this with this amazing paragraph by Dr. Jones:

In short, neurodiversity’s insistence on autism and other mental disability as an essential, immutable part of one’s brain falls short of fully considering the dangers of the biological essentialism it implies because it does not reckon with this genealogy, among others.

[rockinnews]

Gira de Session Americana junto a Eleanor Buckland (Lula Wiles) para celebrar su vigésimo aniversario en marzo - Dirty Rock Magazine

[nordseehexe]

Zum Britisch Traditionellen Wicca werden auch noch einige weitere Pfade gezählt, die im Grund genommen auch dem Gardenischen, Alexandrischen, oder Algard Wicca zugerechnet werden können, aber diese Traditionen leicht abgewandelt haben. Dazu zählen vor allem:

Blue Star Wicca

Im Blue Star Wicca werden, ähnlich wie beim Algard Wicca, die Traditionen des Gardenischen und Alexandrischen Wicca kombiniert. Außerdem fließen Einflüsse der walisischen Volksmagie mit ein.

Central Valley Wicca

Das Central Valley Wicca orientiert sich vor allem an den Traditionen des Gardenischen Wicca und war die erste eigenständige Tradition in Kalifornien. Besonders viel ist über diesen Pfad nicht bekannt, auch nicht, ob er heute noch fortbesteht.

Mohsian

Die Mohsian Tradition wird nicht immer mit zum Britisch Traditionellen Wicca gezählt, sie ist aber stark vom Gardenischen Wicca inspiriert und die Begründer von Mohsian, Hellen und Bill Mohs, waren beide ins Britisch Traditionelle Wicca initiiert. Mohsian beinhaltet außerdem mehrere volksmagische Traditionen aus Nordamerika.

Odyssean Wicca

Das Odyssean Wicca ist eine kanadische Tradition des Wicca, welche sowohl auf dem Gardenischen, als auch dem Alexandrischen Wicca basiert. Besonders an dieser Tradition ist, dass die Priester und Hohepriester dieser Tradition darauf vorbereitet werden, allgemeinen Gemeindedienst zu leisten und nicht nur innerhalb eines Coven zu arbeiten.

Schottisches Wicca und Seax Wicca

Das schottische Wicca ist eine Abspaltung der Gardenischen Tradition und wurde von Charles Clark gegründet. In diese Tradition wurde auch Raymond Buckland initiiert, welcher das Schottische Wicca unter der Bezeichnung „Seax Wicca“ mit nach Amerika brachte. Ebenso wie im Algard Wicca sind im Seax Wicca Konzile üblich und innerhalb eines Coven wird optisch nicht zwischen den verschiedenen Graden unterschieden, denn jeder trägt dieselbe Bekleidung.

Whitecroft

Die Whitecroft Linie ist eine der größten weltweit. Ursprünglich war „Whitecroft“ nur die Bezeichnung für einen Coven in Südlondon, welcher von Madge und Arthur Worthington gegründet wurde, welche von Eleanor Bone, einer der engsten Vertrauen Gardners, initiiert wurden. Durch die hohe Anzahl an Initiationen sicherte der Whitecroft Coven das Fortbestehen des Gardenischen Wicca und hat sich im Lauf der Zeit zu einer eigenen Linie des Britisch Traditionellen Wicca entwickelt, die auch oft dem Algard Wicca zugerechnet wird. Die meisten Coven in Deutschland können auf die Whitecroft Linie zurückgeführt werden.

[ranshoku]

I'm sorry for responding by reblogging but my personal picks are: Takuma: Zach Aguilar Aoi: Erica Mendez (I'm thinking of the tone she uses for Tales of Berseria's Eleanor) Minoru: Khoi Dao or JYB Ryo: Max Mittelman (his tone reminds me of Azakami's Ryo) Saki: Kira Buckland (alternatively, Erica Lindbeck) Shuuji: Robbie Daymond (Robbie dubs Jou in tri./Kizuna, but I'm thinking more about his softer tone that fits Truthful!Shuuji-- also, he's really good at raw emotional scenes *stares at Akechi*, I think it'd be a waste to not utilize that) Kaito: I'm having a trouble with him but perhaps Yuri Lowenthal (alternatively, Sean Chiplock?) Miu: Cassandra Lee Morris Miyuki: Xanthe Huynh Haru: Cristina Vee (let me think first for Professor)

for the partnermons, some I've thought about Labramon: Amber Lee Connors Floramon: Stephanie Sheh Lopmon: Megan Shipman Renamon: obviously Cristina Vee as well

Out of curiosity does anyone have an eng VA that they would totally want for a specific Survive character? In a hypothetical dub that will never happen.

Mines Robbie Daymond for Minoru ksjsknd

Maybe Erika Harlacher-Stone for Aoi?

Just realized they've both voiced other Digimon characters before. I wasn't even thinking about that sksjd

Idk who'd he play but I think Yuri Lowenthal should be there 😂

Patrick Seitz should voice the free Guilmon ksjsndnd

[krispyweiss]

Album Review: Lula Wiles - Shame and Sedition

At the confluence of Laurel Canyon folk and alternative rock flows the music of Lula Wiles’ Shame and Sedition.

The third album from the trio finds Isa Burke, Eleanor Buckland and Mali Obomsawin taking on crises both personal (“The Way that it Is”) and societal (“Television”) while binding their dual musical personalities with an admixture of acoustic guitars and three-part harmonies and grinding electric guitars and droning violins.

It’s as if they took Rob Rule (the band) and Ryley Walker (the dude) home to meet the Mamas (but not the Papas) and Roger McGuinn as they make a musical through line from 1965 to 1995 to 2021.

Multi-instrumentals all, Burke (guitar/keys/fiddle), Buckland (guitar/fiddle) and Obomsawin (guitar/bass/keys) handle nearly every note save for drums courtesy of Sean Trischka. He adds the lone - incongruous - male voice to “Do You Really Want the World to End” and helps propel the other 10 tracks with percussion work that skitters across the soundscape as if someone dumped a bag of marbles on the studio floor during “Wake Up” and adds drama to sweeping strokes of guitar twist and mourning violin on “Cold Water.”

I swear that I never meant to fade out and disappear/OK, so that’s not true/but I never meant to lose myself in you/you were a story I told myself in a fever dream/but now I’m free of the morphine drip of you wanting me/I should’ve believed you sooner when you told me who you are, Burke declares.

“Oh My God” takes on another kind of evil - the rich kind that preys on society at large - and promises revenge.

What have you been doing since the world shut down/counting all the cards you stole to build your house/your insidious extraction won’t protect you now/’cause we’re turnin’ on the lights that you’ve been shootin’ out

At 50 minutes, Shame and Sedition is a touch too long. But it’s front-loaded and through “Mary Anne,” track No. 8, Lula Wiles offer a collection of songs that sum up the alienation of the young 2020s in a timeless fashion.

Grade card: Lula Wiles - Shame and Sedition - B

6/24/21

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Eleanor Buckland shares new single ‘Static’

Eleanor Buckland continues to push outside musical boundaries on her second single ‘Static’.

Fighting against her own anxiety and inspired by the fearlessness she witnessed in others, Eleanor went to the studio with a unique goal in mind. “In the studio, we wanted this song to have reckless momentum as is often the case with anxiety,” Eleanor explains. “So, we let the electric guitar and Wurlitzer drive that intensity of sound.”

Eleanor Buckland first made her mark in the Boston-based folk-rock trio Lula Wiles that has become an acoustic music scene favorite with their three critically hailed albums. During this time, however, Buckland was also working on another musical project – her own album. You Don’t Have To Know (due October 29 on Soundly Music) spotlights a different side of Buckland’s musical interests as it sets her deeply personal songs against inventive indie rock arrangements.

Eleanor Buckland · Static

Photo credit: Laura Partain

[rickyvalero]

Singer/songwriter, guitarist Eleanor Buckland - New Music

Singer/songwriter, guitarist Eleanor Buckland – New Music

Eleanor Buckland first made her mark in the Boston-based folk-rock trio Lula Wiles that has become an acoustic music scene favorite with their three critically hailed albums. During this time, however, Buckland was also working on another musical project – her own album. You Don’t Have To Know (due October 29 on Soundly Music) spotlights a different side of Buckland’s musical interests as it sets…

[stinging-metal]

this should be easy:3

Static by jukebox the ghost

Trifecta by Oliver Buckland

I dropped out by and the kids

Numb by linkin park

Goblins by nekrogoblikon

Inside by mother mother

Numbers (i can only count to four) by pshycostick

Good day by jukebox the ghost

B-U-R-N-T by the oozes

Mr.Blue sky by electric light orchestra

Eleanor Rigby by the beetles

This charming man by the smiths

As yet unknown by no love in the house of gold

Lawnmower by lemon demon

BOOM EASY DONE RAAAAA

You can see how WACK my music taste is

anyways @rockstar-ruby @lyric-abaddon

GO FORTH

url song game 🎶

tagged by @swissndewdrop & @ghoulymadge thank you!!

Call me little Sunshine - Ghost

Annabelle - Creeper

Rock'n'Roll Suicide - Chris Catalyst

Dancing with the Dead - Powerwolf

I want out - Helloween

(Good Old)-fashioned lover boy - Queen

Carry on my wayward son - Kansas

tagging @totallynotmystuff (ur url is so long in sorry) @scrunklybunny @creeplet @nocturnal-birb if you want to!! 💗

[sinceileftyoublog]

Live Picks: 4/17

Aly Spaltro of Lady Lamb; Photo by Shervin Lainez

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Orchestral folk and raw songwriting--two new releases.

Darlingside, Old Town School of Folk Music

Last year, folk quartet Darlingside released Extralife, an intricately composed and beautiful sounding album that ultimately fell flat on an emotional level. Earlier this year, they shared some outtakes from the album as a 6-track EP called Look Up & Fly Away. For the most part, as on “Bright as the Day” and “Heart Again”, Darlingside don’t explore much new thematic territory. But they add a few new sonic elements elsewhere. Horns feature prominently on “Rodeo” and atonally on the title track; the former showcases lonely slide guitar playing, the latter tempo changes and video game synthesizers. And “Paradise Bay” takes the band’s harmonies to a whole new level, sounding almost like a church hymnal in front of humming, droning keyboards.

Folk trio Lula Wiles opens.

Lady Lamb, Lincoln Hall

“I don’t wanna be afraid of myself anymore,” Aly Spaltro sings on “Strange Maneuvers”, a standout track from her latest album as Lady Lamb, Even In The Tremor. The record is being billed as Spaltro’s first time really openly exploring and revealing herself through her music, and while it certainly focuses on her relationships, it first and foremost deals with her existentialism. On that same song, she recounts how, “A man holds a Bible above his head...only hoping to be noticed.” Even in a small crowd of people, who are we to claim we’re different? That’s Spaltro’s central question. “I don’t wanna die, wanna be understood,” she laments on slow-burner “Untitled Soul”. She even admits where it all comes from on “Young Discipline”: “When I was 5, my mama told me that one day we’re all gonna die...That left me with a bad taste in my mouth and a knack for existential spinning out.” 

But while the old Spaltro might have gotten angry from not only malaise but after small things like a few swings and misses in a batting cage, the new Spaltro’s looking to center herself. She doesn’t take acts of platonic or non-platonic love for granted. “Not convinced we should exist at all,” as she claims on “Deep Love”, she’s inspired to navigate new relationships while learning from old ones, recognizing the person she once was without hating her, ultimately becoming better. On album closer “Emily”, Spaltro recounts being on a trip along with two friends, cellist Emily Hope Price and photographer Shervin Lainez, too depressed to immerse herself in nature but in hindsight grateful for their friendship.

Spaltro’s growth as a person has perhaps catalyzed her growth as an artist, or vice versa; in any case, Tremor continues Spaltro’s streak of becoming better not only as a lyricist but singer and producer with every album. She delivers words with equal amounts Feist-esque soft vibrato and R&B soul. Co-production from Erin Tonkon, the warbling synthesizer playing of Benjamin Lazar Davis, and sparse percussion of Jeremy Gustin beautifully complement Spaltro’s vocal layering and mirror her story. The great title track’s chugging tempo changes provide a fitting background for Spaltro’s references to her travels, all of the places she’s been during the writing of the record. She looks back but also looks forward, continuing to create new paths for herself.

Brooklyn multi-instrumentalist Renata Zeiguer and singer-songwriter Alex Schaaf (part of Lady Lamb’s band, also of Yellow Ostrich and Tallest Man on Earth) open.

[alittlemorevodka]

Vodka has always had a soft spot for close female harmonies and the wonderful three-piece, Lula Wiles, does not disappoint. Steeped in the traditions of folk music, Lula Wiles band mates, Isa Burke, Eleanor Buckland, and Mali Obomsawin, add just a hint of a more modern indie sound that keeps their music fresh and delightfully accessible while remaining true to the story-telling traditions of folk music. Love Gone Wrong (seen / heard here) is the lead-off track to the band’s sophomore long player, What Will We Do (January 2019). 

So what does a track by track analysis reveal about Lula Wiles sound? They fall in the difficult category between indie-folk, straight folk and country. These are all just flavorings, though, as the troupe is not committed, or beholden, to a particular genre or sound. They adopt a melody or style to reflect what the lyrics demand. The effect overall is a sound that is diverse enough to hold your interest throughout the twelve tracks and cohesive enough to belong together in the same collection. It’s a balancing act that these three young women handle to perfection.

You can find more information on Lula Wiles by heading up to their web site, or pick up digital and physical copies of their music music from their bandcamp.com link. Check out the full-flavor-folk of Lula Wiles now, by checking out their music!

[kulturado]

The Story: First Listen: Lula Wiles, 'What Will We Do'

The Writer: Jewly Hight

[aristocraticvision]

Chapter 298: Happy Returns (Pt. 2)

Guests and media crowded the grand throne room of Fitzroy Park Palace, where Stephen stood smiling. Princess Jessica stood to his right, smiling at her son and stepson, who sat in a row of chairs before the dais.

The crowd grew quiet and cameras flashed as Stephen, dressed in his finest royal regalia, stepped forward to speak.

“Good afternoon,” Stephen said. “Today’s investitures are very special to me, as they involve dear friends and family members who deserve special recognition for their support and loyalty.”

“First, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the official adoption of Princess Jessica’s son, Theodore Albert Strickland, as a member of the Marchand family and a prince of Weston,” Stephen said, nodding for his sons to stand. “During a private ceremony earlier today, I invested both Theodore and Crown Prince Michael with the Order of St. Gabriel the Defender, an honor seldom given outside the royal family.”

The two boys stood proudly, and were greeted by warm applause from all assembled.

Stephen motioned for Stephanie and Phillip to stand, as well.

“I also wish to acknowledge that I have awarded my daughter, Stephanie, with the title of Princess Royal in recognition of her steadfast support and continued good works on behalf of the crown.”

“Now, as you know, the recent marriage of my daughter to the son and heir of the Duke and Duchess of Holmsby shone light on a great injustice,” Stephen said. “My ancestor, who divested Weston of its dukes nearly 150 years ago, left the Pembleton family with its titles in recognition of their service to the crown, yet took away the honors associated with that position. To me, this was an unfair and unjustified punishment that I shall rectify today.”

Stephen motioned for the Duke and Duchess of Holmsby to stand.

“I hereby restore full privileges, including the family’s seat in the Westonian National Assembly, to Robert and Vivienne Pendleton, Duke and Duchess of Holmsby.”

“In making this change, I decree that the three additional extinct ducal estates shall be fully restored and assigned as follows.”

“Jason and Eleanor Howes, Earl and Countess of Trentham, please step forward,” Stephen called.

The two stepped forward and knelt.

“Jason,” Stephen said. “As the brother of my beloved first wife, Elizabeth, doting uncle to my children and Weston's Minister of Culture, I hereby create you Duke of Morley, and your wife, Eleanor, Duchess of Morley.”

“Stand, Duke and Duchess of Morley,” Stephen said.

“Devon and Grant Fellowes-Grey, Earl and Count of Buckland, please step forward,” Stephen continued.

Devon and Grant stepped before their sovereign and knelt.

“For your unceasing support, advice and affection, I hereby create you, Devon Fellowes-Grey, Duke of Renley. Grant Fellowes-Grey, I create you Earl of Carlisle in recognition of your steadfast service.”

“Rise, Duke of Renley and Earl of Carlisle,” Stephen said, smiling. “The third duchy, Valmont, I hold in trust as a royal duchy.”

“There is one last title I must award," Stephen continued. "The Right Honorable Theresa Matthews, step forward.”

Shaking slightly, Theresa stepped forward and knelt.

“Theresa Matthews, you have been my daughter’s best friend, supporter, champion and confidant for nearly as long as I can remember,” Stephen said, gently. “Through the years, you have given great service to my family, and never once have asked for anything in return. So let me recognize you now by hereby creating you Countess of Holton. May you use your station continually in service of your friends and your country. Stand, Countess of Holton.”

He pinned a badge of office to her sash and helped Theresa to her feet.

“Congratulations to you all,” Stephen said, smiling. “You have earned the admiration of your sovereign, and your nation.”

BEGINNING | PREV | NEXT

Continent of Oceana | History of Weston | History of Corwyn | History of Torenth | History of Allycia

[copinglibrary]

hi can i order an uhhhhhhhhhhhh fefadetasprite (feferi/jade/nepeta) stimboard, specifically with skin painting and like. wood carving except its not like carving animals and stuff its just cutting a log. like the kind that makes very eating-an-apple-slice-like noise yknow??? things with those vibes???? OH AND bouncy balls i like them. i hope you get what i mean lol. and i hope i did this right.......... and ty!!!!

oh and can i also get a playlist for g0lly/p03 and the old_data? preferably vocaloid and stuff like ghosts music (especially their older music, like i just cant understand and TODAY). thanks.

-fefadeta and p03 fictives (sorry if this is too long or i messed something up lol i just saw theres nothing going on here so.... yeah. and this is our first time sending a. request thingy.)

fefadetasprite stimboard

x x x  . ♓️ .  x x x

gifs and art found by Mod Fantasy, formatted by Mod Horror

Heya! I hope the stim board I made for you works. I hope you have a great day and happy 4/13!

- 🔮 Mod Fantasy

g0lly/p03 and old_data playlist (spotify link)

“Browser History” by Graham Kartna

“Pyrite Girl” by R.I.P./Riproducer

“Maiden Fear” by NomnomNami

“Last of Me” by CircusP

“Hope” by Freakkill

“Machine Gun” by KIRA

“Hello, World” by Louie Zong

“Two of a Kind” by GHOST

“No Wind Resistance!” by Kinneret

“Propaganda!” by Crusher-P

“icosa” by Oliver Buckland

“Bad End Theater - True End Ver. (feat. Eleanor Forte)” by NomnomNami

tried my best at getting as close to ghost’s old stuff as i could, hopefully what i found works!! i also ended up adding a few “weirdcore” type of songs since i felt some would fit g0lly/p03 as well as fit the kind of music you wanted ^^

thank you for requesting!!! <:]

- Mod Horror

[songsofprotestpeacerevolution]

Do You Really Want the World to End · Lula Wiles · Mali Obomsawin · Sean Trischka · Eleanor Buckland · Isa Burke

[lauraepartain]

New album photography for Eleanor Buckland of Lula Wiles' solo album "You Don't Have To Know" 🖤

[shemakesmusic-uk]

TRACK BY TRACK BREAKDOWN: You Don’t Have to Know LP by Eleanor Buckland

Since 2014, Eleanor Buckland has been one-third of Lula Wiles, the Boston-based folk-rock trio that has become an acoustic music scene favorite with their three critically hailed albums. For much of this time, however, Buckland was also working on another musical project – her own album. You Don’t Have To Know, which is out now, spotlights a different side of Buckland’s musical interests as it sets her deeply personal songs against inventive indie rock arrangements.

On You Don’t Have To Know, Buckland takes listeners on an emotional journey as her songs address love complicated and love lost, explore struggles with depression and insecurity, and grapple with feelings of uncertainty and helplessness.Or as Buckland succinctly describes the album: “It’s about me trying to figure out who I am and who I was at that time.”

We asked Eleanor to breakdown You Don’t Have To Know track-by-track to give us even more insight into what the songs on the LP are about. Read it below.

Don’t Look Down

I began writing this song on beautiful S,ḴŦAḴ (known as Mayne Island, British Columbia) while experiencing a deep melancholy. It was December of a dark emotional year and I was searching for understanding. On the morning of January 1st, with a group of new and old friends, I ran into the cold waters of Campbell Bay, plunging down to submerge myself, metaphorically cleansing myself of the previous year. It felt like an awakening, and a hopeful moment of freedom. This is the song that followed that plunge. It was the first track we recorded in the studio and we built the rest of the album upon this musical foundation. I think of 'Don’t Look Down' as both a question and the grounding statement for the record.

I’m Not Saying

I had this chorus and the acoustic guitar riff rattling around for a few months during a time I was reflecting on how I was giving so much of myself in my relationships. Adam and I decided to demo the song in its entirety, deleting bits, and adding sections, then moving them around again. It was the first time I wrote a song fully contained inside a computer, and from this mode came one of my favorite ideas in the song: the extending pre-chorus. Through the production of this track I stretched my song process in new terrain. Bonus: I got to live out my early-2000's pop star dream.

Call Me Up

'Call Me Up' was sourced from a longing for closure, the yearning to turn a relationship around even as we know that to be impossible. A night spent walking along the Danube river in Budapest at the bittersweet end of a long romance was the spark for this song. Adam had the idea to offset the poetic and wistful sentiment against a tight, sparse arrangement. Mairi Chaimbuel’s playing on this track are some of my favorite notes on the whole record, and as a band I feel we achieved a beautiful musical palette for the melody and the song’s meaning to truly shine upon.

Static

I’m lucky to have two very cool kid friends in my life, currently aged 12 and 14, who partly inspired this song with their fearlessness in being their true selves. I often feel that I lose myself in the noise and static of anxiety. These kids inspire me to be free and to climb out of that darkness. In the studio, we wanted this song to have reckless momentum, as is often the case with anxiety, so we let the electric guitar and wurlitzer drive that intensity of sound. Resignation Adam and I wrote this song from the ground up, starting from a fragmented phrase that would become the chorus. I struggled most with writing this song, but Adam’s ideas encouraged me to sculpt a song unlike any I’ve written in the past. We were striving to create a dark and moody landscape of sound, upon which we could show three vignettes: a pastoral stormy night, the chaotic movement of summer in the city, and the tranquility of quietly waking from sleep. For us, setting this vivid imagery against such an emotionally vulnerable chorus captures the intensity of finally accepting a hard truth in love, while embracing the beautiful stillness of solitude.

Just Love

Recorded during the first of three sessions for the album, this was one of the most fun songs for me to perform. While originally the song was pretty straight ahead, we pushed the chorus into more aggressive territory. I love singing this chorus, because it has such a fun, expressive melody. I wanted to write an unabashed defense of falling in love even when you know the relationship is doomed from the start. After all, aren’t we all fools at one point or another?

October

This is my oldest song on the album. I wrote it when I was 19, capturing a vulnerable version of myself. I still have so much compassion for that young woman, trying to figureout how to love and how to navigate heartbreak in those formative years. If we could talk to her today, I would still tell her to escape up north to recenter and to heal her heart. The thick vocal harmonies layered on top of floating piano, to me, sounds like the sadness that accompanied that October.

How Fast, How Far

For me, 'How Fast, How Far' is the sleeper hit, possibly my favorite track on the album, developing slowly, steadily, and with purpose. Justin Rupel’s drumming gently drives this song—the ripples on the lake—as the wurlitzer and guitar are the stars shining above. I was inspired to write this song after a chilly August night lying out under the stars, watching the Persieds meteor shower, surrounded by friends. Again, the place where I grew up has always been a place of comfort and reflection, and it grounds me in the way only home can.

Wishing Is Useless

I’m so proud of how we capture the tender and raw emotion in this song. It was tracked live, late one night, all together in the same room, and what you hear is a full take, the notes exactly as they happened. This is quite possibly the most special recorded musical performance I’ve ever given. As a kind of unsent love letter, I wrote this song during a few winter months I spent in Toronto, staying out too late every night and wishing my way along Oniatarí:io (known as Lake Ontario) during the tired, dreary afternoons. When I listen back, I can hear how deeply I was experiencing the emotion at that time and how much care I feel for and from this song.

You Don’t Have To Know

If 'Don’t Look Down' is the opening question, this song is the answer. One of the last songs I wrote for the record, it was immediately clear to me that this was the resounding affirmation of the album. The song spark came to me while driving along my favorite stretch of road in the valley close to Kaniá:taro’kte (known as Lake George) where I spent my childhood summers. I tried to paint that picture in the way I imagined Lucinda Williams (one of my songwriting heroes) might. I wanted the soundscape to express being overcome by an unnameable feeling, and the wonder in accepting that I haven’t figured it all out yet. If you’re asking yourself how to love, what you want, who you are, how to be true and how to move through the world, maybe you don’t have to know. Reflecting on this album as a whole, each song gestures towards the freedom of not-knowing, carving a new space that abandons the limits of knowing or being certain. At times, you may lose yourself in the chaos of living, but I also believe you can find your way again.

Photo credit: Laura Partain