The keen reader might remember American troubadour Alwyn Morrison from a feature we published earlier this year, praising ‘Everybody Bleeds’ as “speaking volumes about the gifted musicianship the project has to offer”. That very same track is now part of an impactful and thematic EP, ‘Trial’, a record that feels incredibly personal and reflective, truly delving into the complexity of human experience, as well as narrating Morrison’s own challenges and fears.
Led by its main single ‘Monster’, the EP features four like-minded episodes, all oscillating between guitar-powered indie-pop and more cathartic and cinematic alt-pop territories. It’s partly a reflection of the vast lyrical eclecticism featured in ‘Trial’, but also a mirror of the expansive stylistic imprint that propels Alwyn Morrison’s entire career.
Intrigued by ‘Trial’, we caught up with Morrison to learn more about his artistry and the reasoning behind the record… Interview below!
Hi Alwyn, thanks for chatting with us! We last wrote about your music in May, on the occasion of the release of ‘Everybody Bleeds’. How’s life been treating you since then?
Hey, thanks for asking that! Life’s good. I’ve been releasing music throughout the year, but I actually took a little break from being in the studio and in sessions for several months at the beginning of the year. And that was a much-needed break, which allowed me to just be by myself and focus on my songwriting without thinking, “If this sounds special, I will take it to the next session.” I love collaborating so much that I spent many years constantly looking forward to the next songwriting session or recording session. Taking a break from all of that allowed me to, in a way, rediscover my passion for songwriting and trust my instincts again.
Let’s jump straight into your latest release, ‘Trial’, a four-track EP that provides a new perspective on your music, both from a lyrical standpoint and a sonic one. How long has it been in the works? Are you satisfied with how the record turned out?
Thank you for saying that. I love these songs, and I am very proud of this record. It was the most effortless collection of songs that I have ever put together. I wasn’t planning on releasing these songs, to be honest, but then I kept listening to them in a particular order, and things started falling into place. There was more meaning behind it, at least to me, than what I saw at first. Writing and producing these songs changed my perspective on a lot of things and made me look at life differently, either by looking at it in a more universal way or by reflecting on the entirety of my life, from childhood to adulthood — instead of hyper-focusing on one life event, like a breakup.
‘Monster’ functions as a lead single for the EP, also shipping with a highly cinematic music video. What’s so special about the song that pushed you towards developing a visual counterpart?
I was in the studio one day with my co-writer Mike Ales, and he insisted that I should record “Monster.” We talked about it, and I realised that, while the song meant something completely different to him than it did to me, it carried a more universal feeling than I thought. And then the same thing happened with Michael Carey, who co-produced the song with me. The conversations with them about what the song meant to them — which had little to nothing to do with what I had lived through that led me to write those lyrics — made me feel like the song was meant to be heard by more people.
I also share my unreleased music with my fans, and the positive response I got to “Monster” took away any doubt I had about whether or not I should release it. Some of my fans were really looking forward to me releasing this song and even sharing their ideas for a music video with me. Then, I happened to meet a very talented young cinematographer that I really wanted to work with. His name is First Charuwisitsri. I played him the song; he connected with it, and we just decided to go for it and shoot a music video. I am so happy about how it came out and about the opportunity to have worked with First and his team.
You mention that you have always written about love and heartbreak, but that the four songs contained in ‘Trial’ share somewhat of a wider, introspective ethos. I am intrigued by this: I feel like those songs speak to a more radical truth, refocusing the narrative from outside factors (such as heartbreak and external validation) to internal factors (like self-confidence and being true to oneself). Do I have a point here, or am I reading too much into it?
I would agree with that. There is a common thread in these songs, almost a duality between the things that I go through in my own life and the things that we all go through in life. We can’t escape suffering in life. And sometimes I think we forget that everyone else is struggling with something too. When we feel that life isn’t going our way, we are, in a way, only looking inward. But life is a trial for all of us. And this EP, while it’s only four songs, to me, tells a story about going from a stage of looking inward to looking outward, and acknowledging that life is a trial for all of us. And, as I usually say, that is a bit metaphorical… until life itself shows that it’s not that metaphorical. These are songs about growth, childhood, loneliness, survival, and there’s something very universal about that.
Delving deeper into that: is there an overall storyline to ‘Trial’? What is the general message you’d like listeners to take away from it?
General message… That’d be different for everyone, I guess. We all go through difficult times, but we also all look at life through our own lens. These songs talk about that, not in the most direct way, but they take you from darkness or anger to a more accepting place. There is indeed a light at the end of the darkness, even in our darkest hours. And that is not necessarily something we understand when we are in the midst of it. You can cry to some of these songs, dance to others, scream them at the top of your lungs, like I know I do. There is no message that I want people to take away. I am grateful if one of these songs becomes a part of your life’s soundtrack and if it reaches you in a moment when you needed it. That’s the beauty of music.
Let’s shift away from the EP for a moment. Who’s Alwyn Morrison, the human? I’d love to know more about your journey in music. Is there anything or anyone that has played a pivotal role in your artistic development?
My collaborators played a big role in my growth as a recording artist. Starting to write songs with other musicians was the first step towards me wanting to bring my music to life and start recording and producing songs. I’ve kept my circle of collaborators small, and they’ve all contributed to me becoming the artist that I am, and the person that I am too, as I am lucky to work with friends and people that I trust a lot. The only time when I feel like my identity shifts a bit is when I am performing. When I am in a songwriting session or a recording session, I am exactly the same person that I am with my family and friends. Being on stage demands something beyond that.
In terms of influences, what sort of music do you listen to? Is there a particular band or artist that you are very fond of?
I am the type of person who will try to listen to as many new albums and songs as possible. I keep a list of albums I want to listen to because there aren’t enough hours in a day to listen to all the music that I would want to listen to. At the moment, I am very inspired by listening to new artists, not necessarily new to music, but maybe simply musicians I have never heard of before. I absolutely love stumbling upon an artist I never knew existed and diving into their sometimes decades-long discography. But what I have been playing all the time for the past few months is Brandon Flowers’ new album, Thrasher, and Ella Langley’s Dandelion. And also Zach Bryan’s With Heaven On Top. The songwriting on these three records is simply extraordinary.
Lastly, what’s next for Alwyn Morrison? You have been rather busy in the past few years. Are you planning any live shows?
I am back in the studio working on new music, which is actually something that gives me a lot of motivation to promote my new EP, Trial, because with every new release, there are new people who discover my music, and some become fans who are excited about the next release. And that gives me a lot of energy and motivation to get back into the studio and work on more music. In terms of live shows, I performed several songs from the new EP before they came out, which was really cool. Touring or playing live, especially for an independent artist, is very demanding in many different ways, but I can’t wait for the right moment to get back on stage. Hopefully soon.