Carly Thomas hasn’t quite figured out how to sit still. Inspiration has come with many departures and turning points, but during a difficult 2020 of staying put and digging into some “songs that got away”, this blossoming artist has arrived.

Throughout her celebrated career, the award-winning singer/songwriter has been turning her most beautiful– and most difficult– moments into evocative songs about love, pain, loss and hope, providing a soundtrack for the human experience.

Behind The Ficus is Carly’s third full-length album, following 2003’s Distance and 2009’s Up This High. She released her acclaimed Explode EP in 2014, as well as acoustic arrangements of her most popular songs on 2017’s Versions.

Behind The Ficus is rich in imagery of Parisian train stations, Toronto rooftops, coastal vistas, and gritty middle America highways. It is those distinctly different backdrops that bring a varied, yet cohesive, feel to the record. Along the way she guides the listener, thoughtfully through her stories of love, growth, impermanence and in finding home in unexpected places. Proving time and again that the darkest moments can provide the brightest revelations.

While Behind The Ficus pays homage to Carly’s indie rock roots (September, Carolina) and draws from the rich history of American folk music (Impossible Bottle, Stay With Me, Empty Room), the album also branches into exciting new musical territory. Production began in early 2020 alongside producer Kyle Ashbourne (London, ON), infusing lush soundscapes and a dark pop vibe into songs including Train Station, Can I Be The Fire, Front Row, and others. Together, they represent not only a brave and very personal collection, but the expression of a self-assured artist with a clear musical vision.

The collection of songs is a lyrical evolution for Carly as well. While she has always been known as an evocative and insightful writer, her new songs offer both an intense vulnerability and immediate resonance. They reveal an evolved and seasoned artist who has come to grips with what she wants to say. As she sings on Carolina, “I’ve been afraid to light up, and I don’t want to live that way.”

Behind The Ficus is Carly laid emotionally bare. Poignant, poetic and even whimsical, the album is both a confession and an encouragement to listeners to face and reveal their own truth.
All 11 songs are delivered in Carly’s strong, clear voice – which is always thick with emotion. During the opening line of her first single “Stay With Me”, we hear a clear and disarming cadence creating an instant connection to the minimalist Americana ballad.

Having cut her teeth initially in the folk clubs of Manhattan as a teenager, Carly has since performed extensively around Canada, the United States, and Europe, charming audiences with her charismatic stage presence and quirky storytelling. She spent her childhood and adolescence being constantly uprooted to locales all over the the globe. This nomadic upbringing groomed Carly for a certain comfort, adaptability and passion for the road. It’s also given her a sense of perspective and a sense of wanderlust which she uses to good advantage in her art. Whether she is playing to 20 people in a coffee house or to thousands with her full band on a festival stage, she has way of captivating and connecting authentically, taking us on a beautiful musical journey.

As the world re-opens to live music, Carly Thomas is poised for the next level. Behind The Ficus is a statement of her firm intent: it’s time to be even more vulnerable, even more hopeful, even more real.

It’s time to dive in.

FIND CARLY
BandCamp | Instagram | Facebook | Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music

The post Carly Thomas genre-bends her truth in a brave new full length record, ‘Behind the Ficus’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY CARLY THOMAS
Very Special to Lesbian.com
“With a strong, clear voice, thick with emotion, Carly’s skillfully crafted songs are underpinned with a sincerity and truth that enthralls, she grabs listeners attention with gutsy stories of love and witty onstage banter, yet Carly isn’t afraid to expose her heart in order to help her listeners mend theirs. We can’t wait to hear what’s next.”

Hello friends and supporters of Independent music!

My name is Carly Thomas.

Over the past year I have been piecing together my next release, and now I am welcoming you to be a part of its creation. This is a collection of songs I’ve been carrying with me for the past few years, quietly waiting for their time to shine . While I rustled through all of the moments and melodies, I decided on ten songs to bring to life and send them off into this wicked world. With the help of some amazing collaborators and musicians, we are creating a record of high caliber and a true expression of the journey I have been on as an artist and human.

SUPPORT CARLY’S NEW ALBUM.

To continue the work, I am inviting you to take part in the making of this album. I would be nowhere if it weren’t for my amazing friends, family, and fans. I consider myself so extremely lucky – with your love and support I have been able to follow my own path and live a life of purpose and creativity. Thank you.

When you support this project, you are directly contributing to my musical vision without compromise. You are directly contributing to the livelihood of musicians and friends of mine in an industry that has faced some major challenges this year. You are directly contributing to me as an artist, an artist who is building a career that is deeply rooted in creative integrity.

I want to inspire and be inspired by the world around me, and continue to grow personally and professionally while doing and sharing what I am passionate about. You are a true patron of the arts and in a time when it is needed the most, Thank You.

What exactly you are supporting:

– Pre-production sessions
– Hiring of independent session players: guitar, drums, piano, strings, bass, and more.
– Studio costs
– Producer/Engineer costs
– Mixing and Mastering
– Artwork and design
– Marketing and PR

I am asking you to be a part of this with me, and in return I’ve got some great rewards and unique perks that will only be available for this fundraising campaign. I can’t wait to share what I have been working on!

The road to success is filled with twists and turns, especially in a constantly changing ever evolving industry. Especially in 2020. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

The post Inspire and be inspired by Carly Thomas and her new album first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Carly Thomas is making the best of her social distance dilemma. The Canadian-based songwriter was prepping for some California events when the world changed dramatically, and she found herself self-quarantining in the Bay Area with friends. Pouring out hilarious “Quarantunes” on a daily basis, Carly is often joined by Susan “The Doctor” singing songs from artists that have influenced her, popular requests from fans all over the world, and many outtakes and giggles from “Mrs. Doctor” behind the camera. Their songs are heartfelt and sincere, and their comedy, dare we say, is contagious. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be at the very least entertained. Do yourself a favor and follow Carly on instagram and facebook to add some light to your day.

Find Carly on Facebook and YouTube.

The post Carly Thomas sings Quarantunes first appeared on Lesbian.com.

She grew up playing everywhere from street festivals in Paris to the folk circuit in Manhattan, influenced and inspired by a life of constant change. After spending almost a decade on Canada’s west coast, she returned to London to record her EP, “Explode,” which won her a 2015 Jack Richards on music award (and again in 2017) leaving a mark on the London music scene.

She has gone on to participate in various outreach projects, with a strong commitment to giving back in her community. She has toured Canada and Europe, performed at several festivals including Home County, CMW and NXNE. Writing with honesty and integrity, Carly has a voice easy to relate to, and makes folk“ish” music interesting and intelligent.

What gives you the heebie jeebies and why?
I have a huge fear of hospitals and anything medical. I think they call it “white coat.” I’ve fainted several times just after getting a shot, but strangely enough I can handle tattoos and piercings like a pro. I have no idea why, it started in childhood and I haven’t been able to desensitize no matter how many ex-girlfriends have tried.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done while driving?
Probably changed my pants once or twice on way to a show.

If you could host a dinner party and invite any five people — past or present — to attend who would be on that guest list?
Shara Nova, Ani Difranco, Joni Mitchell, Margaret Atwood, Tina Fey. I will quickly move on because this is definitely a question I would overthink and have a million rough drafts.

What’s the last book you read?
“The War Of Art” by Steven Pressfield

What are the biggest culinary differences between the United States and Canada?
Vinegar on fries.

Learn more about Carly Thomas.

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