Americana Highways pulled over out in California to chat with Sir Canyon’s Noah Lamberth, filmmaker and occasional pedal steel player for Katy Perry, about his upcoming release, Ventura Skies, produced by Andy Davis and due to be released March 2nd.
When asked about the project, Lambert responded, “Ventura Skies is all about connotations of the west. Whether we consider it as a cultural state of mind, or as a physical state, it’s wide open and cinematic. This album is an attempt to echo everything I love about the west: mariachi trumpets, pedal steel guitar, baritone reverb guitars, lush background vocals, it’s upbeat and vibey! I’m hoping the listener is actively seeing and experiencing being in the west.”
When urged to tell us about his favorite song on the album, he said, “It would have to be “Angeleno Daydream.” The lyrics: “so hold me close, darling, or set me free” are really about Los Angeles. People have talked about Los Angeles as a mythological place for years but until one has spent time living there it’s hard to get a sense of how “dreamy” the place really is. It’s like living in a bubble where the most beautiful, talented, creative and wealthy people in the world all descend to strike it rich in some profession. Some never want to leave and others can’t get out fast enough but it keeps luring people again, hoping for fame, fortune or a sense of identity. Los Angeles can be a dream, both good and bad, and that’s what this song is about.”
“I used to live on a street called Angeleno in L.A.; it was up on a hill and I could look out on where I used to live across the valley. The view felt like a dream with all the memories in that scene. We wrote the song at that house on Angeleno. The song was also musically inspired by Neil Young. I wanted to write a Neil Young-esque song with those big wide open baritone guitars and some melodic pedal steel guitar, like the beginning of a Western movie.”
“I also had a sense that we could make a good video for “Angeleno Daydream,” so I grabbed my brother and a few friends and we went to downtown L.A. on New Years Eve morning around 6am with no real plan, and thanks to great camera work and rad drone footage we pulled it off.”
“The funny thing about the bridge shot towards the end of the video is that I look like I’m on the edge of the bridge and the river is about 100ft below but we shot that at the very beginning of the bridge and I was only about 4ft off the ground, it’s movie magic!” (laughs)
Asked what are his greatest songwriting influences, Lamberth said “Merle Haggard, Radiohead, Hank Williams…the list could go on and on. Henry Mancini, Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, I love their sense of melody! I’m all over the place with songwriters and genres. A good song is a good song no matter the style. “
How did the album turn out? Lamberth remarked “I love it; from start to finish it’s one complete, cohesive idea, it’s the west! We were very specific with the sounds: instruments, mics, e.q.’s, and I think it shows. We had a great producer to guide the way with Andy Davis. And fantastic players: rhythm section Josh Moreau and Joey Esquibel; Patrick Matera on guitars and baritone; Ran Jackson, Stephan Hovsepian, Martin Saavedra, and Evan Weatherford also, to add their touch to the songs. Our mixer/engineer, John Rausch, killed it. I’m very happy.”
On another, more somber note, he noted that “halfway through making the record, my Dad passed away and we put everything on hold for awhile. During that time I wrote a few more songs that ended up on the album. I think the record gained a little more depth and significance when we got back into the studio. The lyrics became more real for me, and the songs became a bit of therapy. “Shine Bright Diamond” is like a hymn or prayer and I felt like it was a great way to finish the album. I wish my Dad was still with us but I know he would be proud of this record.”
What’s next for Sir Canyon? “Our record comes out March 2 so we’ll be playing some shows in the L.A. area and I’ll also be playing some solo acoustic shows around the country to support it. Also be on the lookout for a few more videos from us. We’re excited to get the record out and let some people finally listen to it!”
To get your copy of the album, check it here:
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