(Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac of Madison Violet. Photo contributed.)
They changed producers, changed their sound (a bit, anyway) and even changed their name. But Lisa MacIsaac and Brenley MacEachern of Madison Violet (formerly Madviolet) still write and perform charming folk tunes with a bit of a pop flare and their stunning, trademark harmonies.
While Madison Violet is based in Toronto, the duo has strong roots in the east coast – MacEachern grew up in Kincardine, Ont., but spent much of her childhood in Nova Scotia and MacIsaac (a sister of Ashley MacIsaac) was raised in Creignish, N.S.
They’re actually in the middle of an east coast tour this week, and EastCoastNoise caught up with MacIsaac by phone from her Toronto loft shortly before the tour began to chat about the band’s seemingly never-ending road journey, recording their new album and songwriting.
“It’s exhausting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she says when asked about Madison Violet’s touring. They have east coast dates and they’re following it up with dates in Ontario, Germany, Ireland, Denmark and more. “There’s less distractions, and I’m able to keep my thoughts in check.
“There are times when you just want to get the hell home,” she admits. “It’s rare. To me, that’s what the song, ‘The Ransom’ is about on our album (the just-released No Fool For Trying), one of those little moments when you just … you’ve had enough and you just want to get home and sleep in your own bed with your own pillow and there’s familiar sights and sounds. But knowing that I do have a home base in Toronto, that I do have a loft here, is comforting.”
The girls in Madison Violet aren’t strangers to traveling. They keep a busy worldwide touring schedule, and they even wrote their new album in a small villa they rented in Grenada. True east coasters, they find themselves at home near the sights and sounds of water – only in Grenada they have palm trees instead of pines and crystal-clear waters to swim in.
MacIsaac and MacEachern wrote their 2006 album Caravan in just that – a caravan. This time, they spent a month in Grenada (where they recently purchased some property).
“I find it’s challenging to write on the road because there is always a task at hand,” MacIsaac says. “You’re thinking about the next show, or the next interview, getting to the next city. That’s our reasoning behind holing up in a camper van or in a villa some place near the water. It’s the tranquil serenity, the peace of not having to deal with work.”
On No Fool For Trying, the duo sheds its pop sound even more for a rootsier, alt-country/folk sound where their stunning voices truly shine.
“It happened naturally,” MacIsaac says of the more stripped-down sound. “I think our songwriting has progressively gotten rootsier. I think it was just a natural progression. We recorded two albums in the U.K., fairly big productions with John Reynolds, who very much has a stamp and a sound. His productions are very drum- and bass-oriented; he’s a drummer. We wanted to put something out that was a little more stripped down that would let the lyrics really shine through. Also we wanted something that was a little more indicative of our live show, which 90 per cent of the time is done as a duo.”
Madison Violet signed producer Les Cooper (Jill Barber, Meaghan Smith) up for the project.
“It was very strange to me to work with a different producer,” MacIsaac says. “We know John’s style, we know what to expect, we get each other. Les and I butted heads a little bit … or a lot, because I’m sure I was stuck in my ways and used to working one way, and it’s difficult to give up the reigns to a producer you haven’t worked with previously,” MacIsaac says.
“There were some points where we fought tooth and nail on some things. And sometimes I won, sometimes he won. In the end, I think what he came up with was a beautiful production. I wouldn’t change anything that he came up with. I think he did a great job, and he’s a brilliant producer.”
If MacIsaac and Cooper had difficulty at times, MacEachern brought a calm voice to the recording sessions.
“Brenley is a pretty even keel peacekeeper,” MacIsaac says. “I think we all had certain things we needed to learn about each other in the studio. You’re really vulnerable in the studio, you’re putting your heart on your sleeves and emotions run rampant. No matter who is producing, it would have been a really emotional experience, I’m sure.”
With the slightly altered sound came a slightly altered name. The duo went from Madviolet to Madison Violet in time for this new album simply because it suits their sound more.
For most of their east coast dates, MacIsaac and MacEachern are performing with a stand-up bassist (Adrian Lawryshyn). They’ll be joined by drummer Robin Pirson for their August date in Port Hawkesbury, N.S.
MacIsaac says more east coast dates are likely, but for now, here’s what they have coming up:
July 23 – Harmony House Theatre, Hunter River, P.E.I.
July 24 – The Company House, Halifax, N.S.
July 25 – Harmony Bazaar Festival, Lockeport, N.S.
July 26 – Lift the Wind Concert Series – St. Margaret’s Bay, N.S.
Aug. 9 – Granville Green – Port Hawkesbury, N.S.
