FEATURE:
This Is How She Moves
The Wonderful Billie Marten, and the Upcoming Drop Cherries
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THIS is going to be a feature…
about an artist who is very important to me. I have written many times how Billie Marten’s debut album, Writing of Blues and Yellows, is one of my favourite ever. Definitely my favourite album of the 2010s (it was released in 2016), the Ripon-born, London-based artist is someone whose music transports you somewhere else. One reason why I loved her debut is that it had that intimacy. It was like you were in her house or garden with her as these songs played. Even if it was intimate, there were grand and sweeping moments that take your breath (Emily and Heavy Weather stand out in that regard). 2019’s Feeding Seahorses by Hand and 2021’s Flora Fauna saw her songwriting evolve slightly. Perhaps her debut was more Folk-based, inspired by a lot of her music heroes. Mainly acoustic guitar-based songs with piano and some percussion, listen to songs like Human Replacement (from Flora Fauna) and there is something bigger and leaning a little towards Pop. At the heart of all Marten’s songs is that incredible voice. If Feeding Seahorses by Hand had more political tones and Flora Fauna expanded the sonic palette, the first single from her new album, Drop Cherries, seems to nod back to Writing of Blues and Yellows. It may just be a red herring in that sense but, as Rough Trade write, there is a stripped-back and personal:
“Billie Marten releases her fourth record Drop Cherries via Fiction Records. Recorded entirely on tape in Somerset and Wales late last summer, Drop Cherries marks the very first time that Billie Marten has both written and co-produced (with Dom Monks) one of her records; following critically-lauded 2021 album Flora Fauna, Feeding Seahorses by Hand (2019) and Writing of Blues and Yellows (2016).
The title is taken from a tale she heard from a friend just before she was starting to create songs for the album, and the title track came soon after. It’s a metaphor where the gift of cherries stands for offering someone your love; doing anything you can to make them happy. “Dropping cherries,” she begins, “is such a strong, visceral image that I tried to channel throughout recording in Somerset and Wales, to capture the vibrancy, unpredictability, and occasional chaos one experiences within a relationship”.
I am not sure whether a lot of the album is influenced by her experiences in relationships and what she has learned and lost, but I think this could be Billie Marten’s most affecting and memorable album. Writing of Blues and Yellows will always hold the most special place in my heart, but Drop Cherries is going to be a remarkable album everyone needs to investigate. I can’t include them all in here, but visit Marten’s YouTube page and see her videos. Like her songs, they have a way of drawing you in. I love the fact that she has found a worldwide audience. America holds a lot of affection for one of the finest songwriters of her generation. Sunlight Magazine spoke with Marten last year after she had embarked on her tour of the U.S. Following the worst of the pandemic, it was this moment when Marten could bring her new songs to a wide audience across some very memorable states and cities:
“What’s your favorite part of live shows?
Usually the 'any requests' line brings a lot of happiness, you get to play songs that maybe aren't in your usual set, and some people go way back with your catalogue, so I enjoy re-playing and re-learning obscure songs on the spot. It brings a lot of interest to a potentially repetitive style of job.
How did you approach writing your latest release, Flora Fauna, vs your earlier albums?
This time around I'd been dropped by my previous label, and wasn't in a very good headspace, so I took up the task of learning a completely new instrument - bass, which really flipped writing around for me. I've by no means perfected bass, but it was a relief to know the painter can sometimes pick up a new brush and something good can come out.
Do you think this change impacted your audience and your performances?
There's a general shift in sound, which is bound to happen on your third album, it can almost be a cry out for stability, to let people know you aren't a one-faceted writer I guess, and it felt great live to be able to make a lot of sound vs me and the acoustic. As uncomfortable as I am with that type of performance, it's still within my musical realm, and I'll always revert back to the core of songwriting, so a departure doesn't seem too dramatic. In terms of audience, I hope it didn't put too many fans off, because I'm usually that fan when an artist changes their direction, but as I said it's not too extreme.
What are your favorite things to write about? What’s your writing process like?
It's very much an automatic, spur of the moment process for me, so mostly it's a time of reflection to pinpoint a section of life down in history, or to clear that nook in your brain that maybe needs a little dusting. Sometimes writing comes from boredom, or from listening, being an open ear to society, always a voyeur, never the other side of the camera, which is where I find the most peace.
Do you have any new releases brewing?
I've just released a cover of Roxy Music's More Than This, which was actually the first thing I trial recorded in my studio last year (to begin the process of another album), so you can listen to that for now.
Who are some musicians that inspire your music?
I'm such an enormous fan of music, which sounds silly to say, but I often meet people that work in the industry that have actually stopped listening, or lose interest in finding new and old music. It's my main hobby and I'm always listening, all hours of the day, which brings a lot of inspiration. For now it's a lot of Mark Koselek's stuff, his album Ghosts of The Great Highway is really something. My support artist for a couple of shows on this tour has been Marina Allen, who I think is glorious. Her song 'Original Goodness' blows me away.
What was it like getting so much attention from your music at such a young age?
Luckily it was left field enough to be able to avoid the immediate mainstream lane of music, but there was quite a lot of pressure put on me then. I remember very clearly once finishing a radio session in London, after one of my first headlines, then putting my school uniform back on, getting the train back home and sitting in a physics lesson pretending nothing had happened. It was certainly an emotionally confusing time when all you're trying to do is discover the world and grow up, but in a way I'm thankful that I got to do that so soon, because without music I'd probably be flailing around at life currently, having not figured out that elusive thing”.
This year, I feel, is going to be one of the biggest for Billie Marten. She has an album coming out in April, there are going to be gigs around the world, and there are also going to be a fair few festivals. As she prepares to release her fourth studio album, she can start to look back on a remarkable career. It is almost seven years since she put Writing of Blues and Yellows into the world, and I knew then that she would be a major name. There are so many years ahead of her, and it will be excited to see what comes. If you have never heard of Billie Marten, I would urge you to check her out and buy her music. I can definitely recommend you pre-order Drop Cherries, as it sounds like it will be a phenomenal and beautiful album. Here is an artist who deserves awards and the chance to play the biggest stages. I can also see her music used on T.V. and film. It has that powerful quality where listeners close their eyes and let the song take them. Her three albums so far show variation in terms of sound and lyrics. I can see more evolution as the years go by but, as I said, it does seem like Drop Cherries will share some D.N.A. with Writing of Blues and Yellows. I wanted to draw people towards Billie Marten’s forthcoming album, but I also wanted to show my praise and affection for her music. I have been spellbound and fascinated by her music even before Writing of Blues and Yellows was released. It has helped me through some difficult times and been a source of strength and comfort. It is the very best music from…
SUCH a stunning artist.