"My Own Learning Curve" Natalie McCool Interviewed
Exploring her new album 'Memory Girl'...
Ahead of the release of her new album, 'Memory Girl', we caught up with *Natalie McCool *to talk super ego, Pokémon and familial music tastes.
After five years of us impatiently waiting, we’ve been blessed with an emotive nostalgia trip in just ten tracks. Traversing the spectrum of what makes us human, embracing 80s synth, pop sensibilities and touching base with her internalised indie teen, McCool has curated a scrapbook of her reality. But in doing so, she offers listeners a path to the past, as her songs soundtrack moments of pain, love and life.
We’re reminded of the cathartic powers of song, the release it can offer and the shared understanding that we are never alone in our experiences.
Speaking to Clash, she explores the making of this new album, and what comes next...
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*‘Memory Girl’ has been a long time in the making. How does it feel that it is finally out? I’m hoping you’ve given the event the celebration it deserves.*
It feels exciting, urgent, new, all the things you’d expect! Also some relief, not in a negative way but yeah, this album is the culmination of the past few years and I can move on now. I think because I wrote it in stages I’m excited to take on the next album and approach writing the songs altogether. I think 'Memory Girl' sounds really coherent, but the writing process was very stop-start, so looking forward to switching it up!
Definitely giving it the celebration it deserves - I’m really looking forward to playing the record in full at both album launches (London, August 18th and Liverpool, August 19th) and looking forward to seeing all the fans who supported the album locally. There will be afterparties…haha!
*What was the original piece of the puzzle, songs, or the concept for the album?*
Definitely the songs, I didn’t realise there were common themes really, until I was choosing the songs and they all fit together so well from that perspective.
I think it’s an album I could only write at this stage of my life, it’s very close and intimate, looking in detail at things I’ve said and done in the past, my own neuroses, relationships making and breaking, looking to the near future and the unknown, it’s definitely a soul searcher and about my own learning curve up until this point. No idea what the next one’s going to be about. We’ll have to see what comes out when I start writing it.
*And the album title, please elaborate on who or what ‘Memory Girl’ is to you?*
'Memory Girl' is like…your super ego, or the shadow self. Like the part that holds the key. Like the Oracle or the Tralfamadorians or something! Almost like you have to communicate with her to learn things and move on, but that’s kind of like communicating with a shadow. The 'Memory Girl' is actually a character in the Pokémon games who can tell you everything about your Pokémon, everything about its past. I love that.
*The tracks feel familiar and personable. ‘Giving It Up’ touched a chord, with the experience of unrequited or unmatched affection being something so many can relate to. Do you ever feel vulnerable when releasing songs that touch upon such painful topics?*
Oh yeah for sure, especially when they’re about people I know. But to be honest, it doesn’t bother me too much. I don’t tell! 'Giving It Up' is actually about having children and the sacrifices made willingly / unwillingly. Not that I’d know about it, or have an opinion set in stone either way, it’s just my take on it. L
ike exploring the dark side, what you have to give up, and how do you feel about that, and what are the negatives? I know people say it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to them, but surely that’s not true for everyone, and how the hell do you even begin to deal with those feelings when society is screaming “you’re not normal” I think it’s something that should be spoken about a lot more, especially when PND affects so many women and so many people now are choosing to not have children.
*The dreaded and over discussed topic next (we’re sorry) but do you feel that the lockdown/pandemic has adjusted your mindset and output?*
Haha! You gotta ask, I guess. I honestly don’t know. I think I was really productive at the start, but maybe the lack of excitement and everyday conversations got me down… life was really unstimulating.
What kept me busy was finishing the album and coordinating its release! I think it’s also taught me to slow down a bit, and that wait and see is sometimes the best option. I’m glad I didn’t frantically throw myself into anything, which is what I’d usually do. I kind of took a step back and re-evaluated some things which was useful and helpful.
*Now we’re on the other side, I’m hoping you’ve been able to reconnect with an industry that has been so painfully impacted by these events.*
Hmm yes to a certain extent. I’ve got a lot to say about the government’s treatment of the music industry during this period…but we won’t get into that right now. I am glad that events are going ahead, and I really hope that most people are still taking the pandemic seriously and being safe when attending. But you know, it’s got to be the same treatment for every event, in every sector.
I feel like our industry has been pummeled unfairly and musicians and performers have had to limp behind everyone else, conforming to regulations that somehow don’t apply to other sectors (ahem, sport)… sorry I ended up getting into it! Anyway! I’m over the moon to be rehearsing, playing shows, being social, writing with other artists and people in real life again. I hope it lasts!
*For many of us, we were stripped of the very reminder of why we love the music community as much as we do. How did you find yourself staying grounded and focused during this time?*
Well, I was due to showcase at SXSW in 2020, and then a week before we were due to fly, all the borders were locked down. So that was a really, really tough blow. But as I mentioned, finishing the album and dreaming about the release kept me sane! I also played some live stream shows which kept us going mentally. I did quite a few songwriting session over Zoom which was so lovely. Lockdown actually opened up that part a bit more for me, writing with people in different countries and cities was entirely possible and so much fun, and I’ve been continuing that since.
*What was it that originally drew you into creating music?*
I guess I just loved how songs and melodies made me feel and I wanted to feel like that all the time. My dad played guitar as a hobby, so we had guitars round the house. I learnt to play from very young on this Spanish guitar my grandad brought back from Spain. My dad used to play The Police ‘Every Breath You Take’ every night in my parents’ bedroom which was next to mine and I used to fall asleep listening to it.
I used to write short stories as a kid and I loved poetry. My mum and me used to write silly poems. My parents although typically working class were really arty. I say that sentence with no prejudice whatsoever. My dad played guitar and also was so good at art and painting. My mum was good with words and really good at sketching.
In the town I grew up in there was a free community program for young musicians, you’d go every Saturday and jam with other kids and then if you wanted you could play the songs at a monthly gig night. It was like prom or something, so exciting and something to look forward to. We also had two annual festivals, The Halton Show and Widstock, were I used to play when I was like 14. So there was a lot going on then, a lot to get stuck into.
*From your first album to your family’s CD collection, who stands out as your greatest influence in your present music output?*
That’s really hard, I don’t know! The bands I love I wouldn’t say necessarily 100% influence the music I write. Probably the Cocteau Twins.
*If you could thank any one person when reflecting on where you have come from and where you are now, who would it be?*
My family, who are always 1000% on my side and are always there if I have a problem or worry or need advice.
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'Memory Girl' is out now.
Words: *Megan Walder*
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