Chris Brain: 'I’ve started to find a little bit more meaning in music'
With his fourth album in four years about to hit the shelves, Leeds-based folk singer Chris Brain is certainly prolific. But it seems that while songwriting is often part of his daily routine, he allows himself the occasional breather.
“I would say I go through stints where I’m doing it every single day for about three months, then it becomes a real part of my life, but then I take a little break and go to it back again,” he tells The Yorkshire Post. “I basically try to keep it as organic as possible, so whenever I pick the guitar up it feels like some sort of influence is going to come.”
One of his favourite places to “sit and think” is his allotment in Meanwood, where on the day we speak, he has just been planting seedlings. “It’s just a nice place to escape the world,” he says. Many of his videos have also been filmed in the great outdoors, and the Yorkshire landscape is a “always going to be an inspiration” for him, he says. “It’s firmly rooted within familiarity, I think, and the way that I see the world, but I would say musically I’ve probably become a little more introspective in these new songs, and they’re more personal.
“Before I was writing about a golden eagle that I saw and a lovely view or whatnot, now I’ve started to find a little bit more meaning in music that I suppose has affected me and my life, like a memory or experience. The music that I listen to that touches me usually tends to be that way orientated. I’ve still got the bucolic imagery but it’ll be in reference to my life or childhood.”
The 11 songs on his new album, Red Sun Rising, were “very much entwined”, Brain says. “I noticed that the (title) track is very much about looking out for hope… The sun brings a new day every day...and with a new day comes change and all those good things. The rest of the album, I suppose, is about change and hope and looking forward to the future, and reflection, as well. It’s all based around time. Thinking about it now, it’s all about hopeful thinking on the past, the present and the future.”
Now in his early thirties, Brain says he’s enjoying life. “I love getting older – well, I love it at the moment, I can still go running on the moor and it not hurt too much – but I would say I feel much more comfortable with life and that for me is the most important thing... It takes a long time to be comfortable in your own body, but I feel at that point now. Also, early thirties is time when you’re thinking about settling down. Not that I didn’t enjoy my twenties but I think I actually prefer a slower pace.”
Red Sun Rising features the piano playing and singing of Yorkshire Dales and London-based Natalie Wildgoose, with whom Brain duets of the track Big Hill. “She’s really intuitive with her vocals and it’s just great,” he says. There’s also pedal steel guitar played by Joe Harvey-Whyte, who Brain describes as “an absolute wizard...he’s usually playing cosmic country/psychedelic stuff”, and violin from Owen Spafford of Leeds. “He plays with all sorts of people, like Johnny Flynn, Sam Lee and Sam Amidon.” For only the second time on one of Brain’s records, there’s also a drums played by Sam Newton.
For his shows in Leeds, London, Bristol and Brighton, he will be accompanied by a full band. At others on the tour, he will be performing in a duo, trio or alone. “I enjoy playing on my own most of all, but it’s nice to have a bit of banter with the band,” he says.
In the meantime, Brain’s reputation continues to grow internationally. Last year he played his first tour of Japan. It was “unbelievable”, he says. “I played on Tokyo FM as well to all the people of Tokyo. I had eight shows scheduled but I didn’t play the last three, it felt too much to squeeze in...but (Japan) was otherworldly. The best thing was I’d go onstage and there would be complete silence whilst I’m talking in between in each song and then after a song there would be a rapid onset of applause and then they’d all stop together all of a sudden.
“Also, they do shows at 6pm, which is amazing, so people would come after work and listen to some music and then they’d go home and have their tea, which was great. I think we could learn a few things (from that).”
Red Sun Rising is out on May 1. Chris Brain plays at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds on April 23, Hebden Bridge Trades Club on May 7, The Crescent, York on May 13 and The Greystones, Sheffield on May 18. https://chrisbrainmusic.com/