Recently I was able to connect with singer-songwriter Adam Lytle to discuss everything that went his new single and video for the track “Heaven.” The song comes from Lytle’s sophomore album, Altars, that hits streaming services on May 2nd. If you’re enjoying the video for “Heaven”, please consider pre-saving Altars here.
Where did the inspiration for the religious and gothic themes in Altars come from, and how did it influence the songwriting and overall feel of the album?
My songwriting is forever influenced by experience. I have been a student of theology for much of my life. I guess you could say I’m interested in humankind’s search for meaning and that has had a profound influence on my songwriting. While I was raised in a Catholic family and educated in Catholic schools, my studies have led me through other religions like Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam. At their best, all of these belief systems help us navigate our lives. At their worst, they are just another flag people are willing to kill in service of. But “Altars” aren’t exclusive to religion. We all have people, ideologies and desires we kneel before. This album explores these concepts by peering into the darkness and sometimes the results are frightening.
You mention that “Heaven” drew on influences from psychedelic rock and Kosmiche; how do these specific genres enhance the track’s message and overall narrative?
Both musically and lyrically, “Heaven” is all about a journey. With their hypnotic rhythms and sprawling soundscapes, Psychedelic Rock and Kosmiche lend themselves well to this idea. They are genres that strive for transcendence. They are aimed at expanding consciousness and freeing the body from the mind. It felt fitting to embrace this sound in the studio as a way of propelling the song’s protagonist forward.
In what ways did the live recording of “Heaven” enhance the song’s narrative, and did that performance shift your perspective or connection to the track in any way?
Recording “Heaven” live enhanced the song’s narrative by involving an element of risk. It forced the band and I to take a journey of our own. We recorded three takes of the song. There were a few more verses at that point so each take was about twelve and a half minutes long. No take was the same and we weren’t exactly sure how the song would end. A funny thing happens when you approach a recording this way. It leaves room for discovery. A simple idea can explode into something beyond what you could imagine. That’s what occurred here. The moment drummer Will Logan switched to his hi-hat near the end sent guitarist Cameron Kapoor into overdrive all while Kevin Copeland was driving full-throttle on bass. It’s my favorite moment I’ve ever recorded both because it sounds incredible and because it enhances the lyrics in such a profound way. Try creating a moment like that using overdubs. It doesn’t happen.