Podge Lane’s debut album ‘Outer Monologues’ was released November 26th via Teip Records.
The record showcases Lane’s prowess for emotive storytelling balanced with compelling swells of alt-country and folk instrumentation.
The flowing, interconnected tracks on ‘Outer Monologues’ are all written, performed, arranged and produced by Lane.
Following the story from the point of view of the narrator, the album moves through an anxious haze on a lonely, southern city night. ‘Outer Monologues’ highlights Lane’s ability to build tension through seemingly bright music melded with biting and vulnerable lyricism, which can be heard throughout his back catalogue of self-released EPs.
This rich dichotomy is reflected in the record’s lead single ‘Reasons To Scream’, where the narrator is fighting against the world and the music.
Developing on from his usual guitar based writing style, Lane initially wrote instrumental and lyrical fragments for each song, forging ideas for multiple tracks until an overall story started to take shape.
Lane reflects, “I started writing early in the year and had this idea of this one long walk, we meet the character, get to know him, watch him fall apart and build himself back up. Simple premise, but with some fun (and not so fun) twists and turns.”
With the album fully written, Lane began recording the majority of the instrumental and vocal duties. The album’s cast was kept to a minimum with backing vocals from Rebecca Dermody and all keys performed by Peter O’Sullivan.
Lane explores this intimate DIY feeling as he admits, “I wanted to record as much of this album as possible on my own at home, to really make it feel like there’s a band playing this one guys thoughts in his head, but in reality it’s just him.”
Lane has been recognised for his emotive writing style with alt-country and folk-rock leanings, which speak to his inspirations from Jeff Tweedy and Waxahatchee to John Prine and Harry Nilsson.
Gaining steady acclaim in response to his previous EP releases, Lane received the nomination for the Irish Post’s Indie Artist Of The Year 2018. In the run up to his records release, Lane has received notoriety as being a “serious one-to-watch” from Hot Press Magazine and IMRO.
Placing honest reflections at the heart of his music, melded with his love for country stylings and off-beat humour, Lane’s music emote the trials and tribulations of life, and how we can blame the world around us or choose to face our own short comings. Ultimately, the record holds a feeling of hope as the light breaks on a new day that promises to be better than the night before.
