Music Historian video interview | Hear; Let's Listen

Each musician’s experience with songwriting and composition differs. Performers may choose to allow their music to reflect experiences that have impacted their lives. One of the beauties in listening to an artist’s different albums is noticing the change and evolution of the music between the records. This reflects my experience with listening to Avi Wisnia’s third studio album Catching Leaves.

As Avi alludes to in my video interview with him, 10 years, especially for the music industry, is a long time to release a follow-up album. Nevertheless, within this time, Avi has been sharing the new music for Catching Leaves with his audiences well before its release.

When it comes to preparing audiences for your new music, even during these unpredictable times, Avi says, “find the thing that excites you.” When you feel excited by what you are doing, so will your listeners.

Further, the three important lessons Avi learned during the recording of this album includes:

Slowing down and taking time; understanding when the album is ready.
Leaning into silence and growing more confident in his voice.
Being in the moment and learning to accept those times he did not know what he wanted and letting the songwriting process reveal itself.

Welcoming Avi back to Music Historian to talk about his journey in completing Catching Leaves seemed fitting. I first invited Avi Wisnia to an interview with me back in January 2012 and featured this interview in a full-length written story. Now, in January 2022, I bring Avi on to a video interview to share the life experiences and changes that have helped color the songs on his album and impact his life and musicianship.

Album cover art from Parker Woodland’s 2019 EP *The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love)*.

Earlier this month, I chatted with Erin Walter, lead singer of Austin, Texas punk-rock band Parker Woodland. From our conversation, I learned that virtual performances have made the touring process for musicians more comfortable. However, due to the increased accessibility of putting on remote performances, virtual tours can also quickly increase fatigue. Musicians can tire from balancing work and performance – even when it is all being completed from their home. Thus, Erin encourages self-care and taking breaks when necessary. Erin says, “To all the creative folks out there, take it one step at a time, rest when you need to rest, and don’t give up. Get your art out there when you are able. Whatever your timeline is, that is the right time.”

My conversation with Erin indeed raised my spirits, and I know it will lift yours too. I have video recorded our discussion here. I share it with you in the first video interview for 2021 on Music Historian’s blog, Hear, Let’s Listen.

A lyric within the chorus of Parker Woodland’s title track from their 4-song EP, The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love), is “the world’s on fire, and we’re not giving up.” I draw attention to this lyric and song as a whole because for many of us, the world, especially in early 2021, felt like it was set ablaze. Yet, despite the tragedies we continue to endure – whether it is the shocks that come from the Nation’s capital, the realities of economic setbacks, or dealing directly with the coronavirus – as a collective, we persevere. More Americans, those who qualify, get vaccinated for the coronavirus. This event, I personally hope, will open the path to economic recovery.

When it comes to music and the arts, people still make an effort to: promote virtual performances; and attend those online concerts. I now do my part to increase visibility around independent musicians, many of whom work one or multiple jobs and still perform music and share their art with the world. My reason for doing this is because the independent music I discover, including Parker Woodland’s The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love), is undeniably uplifting. This marriage between lyrics that inspire catharsis and driving guitar riffs creates an imagery of a physical concert space from a pre-pandemic world. If this is what you seek, this record with the same title as the track is for you. Listen to The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love) on Parker Woodland’s Bandcamp page and other music streaming services, which you can access on their website, parkerwoodland.com.