by Michael Martin
mike.martin@lee.net
Lynn said when she starts working on an album, she picks an area of herself that she would like to work on and then uses music to explore it.
“I was taking a walk one day and the phrase ‘sundial tree’ came to me,” Lynn recalled. “Then it occurred to me that every problem I’ve ever had is a problem I’ve had with time.”
During her winter in Texas, Lynn — who is based in Decorah, Iowa but plays all over the tri-state area — wrote the 13 songs of what she calls “a concept album about nature, numbers and time. It’s about beauty and mathematics and different ways of looking at the world.”
After her return to the Midwest last March, Lynn traveled to Onalaska and Matt Olson’s Ghost in My House Studio to begin recording the album (a part of the album was also done at Chez Shack Studio).
According to Lynn, Olson’s basement studio is a kind of a musician’s co-op, a place where musicians who are friends of Olson can get their music mixed and mastered.
Bass guitar on the album was provided by Lynn’s boyfriend, Adam Ptacek, a former bandmate of Olson in Rearview Mirror. Olson, who plays drums on “Sundial Tree,” worked on two of Lynn’s previous albums.
“Matt is a multidimensional artist is the way I look at it,” Lynn said. “He’s talented in a lot of areas. He mixes and masters and has helped other artists besides me.”
Olson, who has recorded two CDs of his own songs under the name Brahman Shaman, enjoys taking time away from his own recordings to help others with theirs.
“I get as much satisfaction out of helping someone bring out their creativity as I do doing my own stuff,” Olson said. “I really like to see the reaction in their eyes when they hear it (the recording) for the first time.”
In Lynn’s case, Olson said he doesn’t have to do much. “She’s such a talented artist. She’s a really lyrical songwriter who has a strong idea where she’s headed — she probably works on her music more than anyone I know. I just use my experience to help her bring out what she wants.”
“Sundial Tree” is a little different from Lynn’s previous albums in that Olson and Ptacek play with her on every song. “It’s probably more like a rock album than anything I’ve done before,” she said.
There will be a CD release party at Del’s Bar in La Crosse on Nov. 11 and Olson and Ptacek — billed as the Bad Passengers on the album — will be there as well.
“It will be the first time I’ll have played in La Crosse since we did the album,” Lynn said.
Olson enjoys playing with Lynn and Ptacek, but his wife just had a baby last month so he doesn’t expect to be playing out much in the near future.
“When I can, I’ll probably be doing more recording. Computers and technology are getting more and more affordable — plus I really get a kick out of it,” he said.
During her hiatus in Texas, Lynn (known for her grueling performance schedule) did not play out at all. Instead, she spent a lot of time alone and listening to the music of others. “It was great for me — I was in my element. It was really good to take a break from performing,” Lynn said.
Asked how she would compare this album with others she’s done, Lynn said she’s grown up a bit. “I’ve matured as a person, and I think I have a little more playful mentality with my writing,” she said. “Music is a gift, something I live for. It’s my passion and I try to take what I do seriously, but not take myself so seriously.”
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