Emily McLoud
Update: Emily McLoud performs songs from her recent EP release, Shine, on Rush Evan’s show, “The Singer and the Song,” on KOOP FM on Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Emily McLoud’s six-track solo EP, Sugar Shine, her first solo EP, is a blend of folky, bluegrass, and modern sounds that include upright bass, acoustic guitar, drums with brushes, pedal steel, and mandolin—somewhat reminiscent of the early days of Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange). Sonically and thematically, it expands on her previous work in The Light Upstairs: ruminations on the passage of time, contemplation of opposites, and redemption in day-to-day living. The melodic tunes are couched in country and bluegrass sounds—arising gently from the fertile musical soil of McLoud's home state of Texas. The centerpiece is the title track, “So They Say.” It’s a conversation between parent and child, where the parent side-steps the temptation to say it’s all gonna be okay—instead offering something more honest and potent: “I could say to you, my precious little sugar shine…if anything can make the world a better place it’s me, and you, it’s time.” Emily recently released her debut EP, Sugar Shine.
Emily resides in Austin and is many things: a poet, songwriter, observer, mother, a self-described nature junkie, and a deeply introspective human, and she has also been a musician most of her life. She is always pondering life's mysteries and big questions and loves to step back and watch the world, which is often the catalyst for her creations. "If something stands out to me—a phrase or sentence—I jot that down to look back on later. But sometimes, I'm struck by something and get inspired in the moment, and I feel like I have to run off to sing into my phone hurriedly. Sometimes a song comes quick. Other times I plod along and rewrite lyrics for six months," she says.
Sugar Shine was produced by Micah Wagner and was mixed and recorded by Micah Wagner at Mister Studios in Austin, TX. Tom Dolbear mastered the EP at Eclectica Studios in Nashville, TN. The musicians on Sugar Shine include Emily (vocals, acoustic guitar), Harry Clark (mandolin), Shawne Byrne (bass, mandolin), Luis Espaillat(bass), Randy Kohrs (dobro), Nick Chambers (drums), Michah Wagner (electric guitar, pedal steel), Dave Lovett (keyboard), Joshua Shilling (keyboards, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond B3 organ) and Andy Ellison (pedal steel). Christian Glakas of Merciful Heavens and Emily's friend and bandmate from The Light Upstairs, electric guitar performance completes the title track. “The equally talented and delightful Micah Wagner took me under his wing, and over the past year, we chipped away at this little thing every Friday morning for about an hour at a time, and the result is six original tracks produced by Micah.”
Emily's life has always been rooted in music through her dad's Neil Diamond records, classical violin training, or musically rich family road trips. She sang hymns in a Methodist church choir as a child, took piano lessons in first grade, and fell in love with the idea of playing violin after a presentation was given to her third-grade music class. She studied the Suzuki violin method and participated in high school orchestras and competitions. "I always created music in some way or another, but it wasn't until after college that I taught myself to play guitar," she says. Growing up, Emily loved classic artists like The Beach Boys, The Everly Brothers, and Simon and Garfunkel. She listened to an oldies station as a child, even into middle school when classmates discovered grunge rock bands like Pearl Jam. She was fond of Nirvana and developed an affinity for jam bands in her formative years. Emily loved the Grateful Dead early on—especially their deep cuts and Jerry Garcia's solo projects. From this came her love of bluegrass and folk, which she listens to and plays today.
"I've played in bands since my early twenties—mostly in a duo. So this is my first time releasing something solo—under my name. Me making all the decisions and writing all the songs. I'm more in charge of the creative vision, differentiating from what I've done in the past."
Being a musician is a deeply innate state for Emily. "I do what I do because I can't not do it. I feel compelled. It's a creative outlet. I almost indulge in it, as it feels indulgent to create in those ways. It's tricky and challenging, which is part of the fun—and also what can drive you crazy. "It just comes out of me—it wants to find a way out," she says. "My goal is to be human and not be beyond human by any means."
Links for Emily McLoud:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/51F5xANuZ6phsIvT8tAdYa?si=pKG2P9H0TPKKOEAJRSvLAA&nd=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilymcloudmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilymcloudmusic/
Website: https://www.emilymcloud.com
