Dog Days of Summer... feat. Séamus Scanlan
PA native, now San Diego surfer, Séamus Scanlan, released his 2nd LP last week entitled ‘Songs For Dogs.' Now while the title may insinuate that they are indeed tunes for our canine companions, after one listen you’ll find out that these tracks are not only well suited for pups, but also for the soothing of our souls.
Séamus has been releasing music consistently since 2018 and has worked with some of the greats, such as Nik Bruzzese and Ace Enders. However, with this new album, it seems he took the DIY path that a lot of artists have been on lately. Writing, producing and engineering the album himself, we can definitely hear a more intimate sound. And in true Séamus Scanlan fashion, we get very raw, personal, storytelling lyrics that never cease to paint us a beautiful picture. He also includes 3 poems which fit in quite nicely in-between songs and they add a nice narrative to the journey this album takes us on. Now to take us on a deeper dive into the album, Séamus was kind enough to give us some insight to its creation, some influences along the way and the meaning behind the album name. Grab your pint of ice cream, your pup and enjoy his in-depth interview!
First off, congratulations on the new album! Once again, it’s fantastic. Now this being your second LP, was there a different approach you took when it came to writing and recording?
Thanks! Writing the record didn’t look too different but the recording was very different. For one, I produced this record on my own. Perhaps the biggest difference was that it was a lot harder to know when I was done with a part or a song. In the studio, we have a finite amount of time and at least one other person making decisions. Typically, at the end of the day, you’ve got your song down. On my own, it was a lot more open-ended and difficult to pursue at times. And none of the rooms I did record in were intended for recording, so I’d have to pause for the birds or the neighborhood chatter or the helicopter suddenly circling above. Overall, the challenge was getting to the microphone and allowing what happens to happen, as opposed to sitting down and thinking “I am going to finish this song today.” A good surrender, now that I am outside of the process.
Was there anything you learned from recording ‘Blue Bright’ that you took into the process for the new record?
Totally – I learned how to make choices and proceed and check in down the road on how the song is feeling. When working with a producer, choices are happening often and quickly. By myself, I could sit on a choice for hours and not get anything done. I did that a lot, especially early on in the record. I probably got the first 60% of the record done in 14 months’ time. I got the last 40% done in 2 months’ time. Being the writer, producer, engineer, and performer takes a lot of juice! And I was only working on this in the off-hours, outside of work or weekends when I could get away from my commits. I love it, but it is exhausting, so being able to not belabor certain parts is a big skill I’m still learning how to harness, and in hindsight, have caught on a bunch from working in-studio before. It’s easy for me to want a part to come out exactly as I hear it in my head. But the longer I stay trying to get that to happen, the less I enjoy it. ‘Bandit, Boy’ came rolling out one evening after the 5th or 6th attempt at getting another song down that just never came to be. It’s less about being able to pivot attention and more about being able to let go of what you were wanting to happen. I’m getting better at recognizing on a given day “nah, this one’s not coming today” and letting it go so I can open up to something else. It’s really hard sometimes because if an idea sticks around in my head, I try to honor it and get it down.
Now in the past you were recording at what used to be The Lumberyard, you worked along side Nik Bruzzese and Ace Enders. As both producers now are working at different studios, can you give us some insight to where you recorded this time around?
Spanning a couple years and several moves, I recorded in multiple rooms, most of which were not designed for recording. That was OK because I did intend for this record to feel rawer, probably half out of understanding I wouldn’t have a choice given the rooms I would be able to record in. In total, I count 8 different rooms but I’m sure I’m missing one or two. I’d love to have a singular room to record in, have the mics set up and just press record when the idea drops in. But it’s also kind of nice not having that. There is a shifting of gears I feel when setting up microphones, making space for the songs. It feels like setting the table and saying grace before eating.
My two favorite locations to go to when working these songs have been Idyllwild and Pioneertown, both in CA but wildly different. Idyllwild is in the mountains, very piney and dense feeling. Pioneertown is pure desert, which feels so foreign to me coming from the east coast. It was so fun to pack my limited gear into my car and drive a few hours to a new place, set up and know for the 3, 4, or however many days, all I’m gonna do is eat, sleep and make music. The leaving of my normal surroundings helps me let go of the overthinking that comes so easily to me.
And I do want to say shoutout to Ace and Nik. I had so much fun with them on the Blue Bright songs. I learned a ton. I still text them for advice. I just did a couple more songs with Ace in April for a future release, too. Having friends who know shit, and are kind enough to keep an ear up for me, is really comforting since so much of my process is done in isolation.
Were there any specific musical influences you turned to while writing/recording the new album?
Yea! I bought my first Paul Simon record in 2020 and his song ‘Everything Put Together Falls Apart’ did something for me at the time. I had been finding it hard to listen to big, production-heavy music. All the instrumentation, movement and effects of most songs was too overwhelming for me to sit with. It still is, to be honest. But that song sounds like one mic and a person thinking out loud over music. There’s a part where he takes a beat and you can hear him sort of rub the stubble of his beard for a moment. When I heard that, I felt allowed to make music in a way I hadn’t felt before. Like, I am allowed to make a song that isn’t what I expect a song to be. It can be short. It can be sparse. It can sound like a human sitting in front of a microphone, being honest. I loved that. It was such a conscious moment of “you’re allowed to make anything you want, exactly how you want to make it.” Or however you are able to make it. And for me, with novice engineering skills and very modest gear, that was a gift to let that land on me.
Jake Ewald from Slaughter Beach, Dog is another one. He’s been publishing a monthly essay on substack called “Pause for Effect” wherein he includes a demo of a song. The simplicity in those recordings has been exactly what I’ve been craving from music. And I really like the way he shares his thoughts. It’s polite but clear, and it feels like an invitation to consider what I think, even while I’m still reading his thoughts. That’s really cool to me. It’s a bit of a lament but I don’t often feel invited to share my thoughts. I imagine a lot of people feel this way. Often it feels like an economy of trading thoughts without any space to sit with any one of them. That’s probably more to do with my anxious states than reality but even so, Jake’s writing in essay and song demonstrate to me that what I am craving is available. That feeling is extremely inspiring to me.
And lastly, with the album being called ‘Songs for Dogs’, is there a certain canine companion that influenced you to give the album this name?
Haha I have worried that this record would be perceived as a 13-song tribute to a dog. There’s really only one song on the record that is directly about a dog (‘Bandit, Boy’). But without explaining what I think the record is too directly, I like the metaphor in the title ‘Songs For Dogs.’ Wherever ‘Blue Bright’ resides on the emotional intensity scale, I wanted ‘Songs’ to be both lighter in tone and deeper in reflection. I think I got there in the end. That path can be difficult to navigate on your own. It’s much nicer to have a companion to go with you. For me, that was Bandit. It was also Maeve and Finn. It was friends I see daily, friends I haven’t seen in several years, and friends I won’t ever get to see again in this lifetime. And some of the time, it was me. All companions along the path of embracing one’s self. So, no, not any one dog bud – rather, a whole lot of them.
Taking the feelings that consume us, putting them into songs and then releasing them into the world isn’t for the faint of heart. Artists and bands put themselves in a very vulnerable state when sharing music they’ve created and there’s no doubt that with every release Séamus Scanlan does just that.
The transparency and raw emotion he puts into his songs never cease to amaze and also comfort. It’s truly songwriting at its finest. Be sure to take his new record for a few spins, share it with your doggos and if you don’t have a pup of your own share it with your friends doggos. Hit the follow button to stay up to date on all things Séamus and enjoy the video for his track ‘Ice Cream’ below ⬇️.
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