Every once in a while a debut album comes out and hits you right between the eyes and directly in the heart. The highly anticipated album by Charlotte’s Courtney Lynn & Quinn is certainly no exception.
Courtney Lynn & Quinn (CLQ) will share their debut EP Remiss with everyone this Saturday night at the Visulite Theatre in Charlotte.
Courtney Lynn and Quinn Russell call Charlotte home now but originally met in Los Angeles in 2012. They reconnected a few years later in Phoenix, AZ and that’s where Quinn, who had been performing and playing music for years convinced Courtney, an otherwise shy but blossoming songwriter, to take up music full time.
After settling in Charlotte, the duo (now a couple that married in late 2018) worked their way through the Charlotte singer/songwriter scene. They continued to hone their performance and songwriting chops at local opens mics all while Courtney worked on releasing her first solo record “Wander Years”, a diary of her life growing up fast in small-town Indiana and her wanderlust across the country.
Prior to recording Remiss, CLQ have been featured in Queen City Nerve, performed on NBC’s ‘Charlotte Today,’ and won the national Songwriter Universe Contest for their original music
“Fire” – from the upcoming EP Remiss
After getting a chance to listen to the EP ahead of Saturdays release, the CLQ sound is undoubtedly Americana/Folk but with a splash of pop influence. You can hear the inspiration from Brandi Carlisle and the soulful grit of Grace Potter in their music.
Remiss is filled with heartfelt lyrics and captivating songwriting. However, their vocal harmonies are what pull at your heartstrings and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. These girls can flat out sing.
Earlier this week we caught up with Courtney ahead of their upcoming show on Saturday and before they embark on their East Coast tour this spring.
Records On The Wall: While CLQ fronts the band and handles the beautiful songwriting, tell me about the personnel on this EP and where it was recorded. I noticed some nice violin and guitar work on a few tracks.
Courtney: We have always felt very fortunate to be surrounded and supported by incredibly talented musicians. From the beginning, and I mean the very beginning, we have had the pleasure to work with our drummer, Steven Cornacchia. He spotted us at an open mic within a few months of us moving to Charlotte, and has been by our side ever since. Aside from Quinn and I, Steven has played the most fundamental role in helping to arrange the songs on the EP.
However, I would be remiss (see what I did there) if I didn’t also mention our bassist, Luke Barnette. He is not only a talented musician but he was also a creative mind in the production stage. Luke co-owns Evolve Productions with Dylan McLain and the two of them were the engineers behind the EP. Luke and Dylan were responsible for expanding the songs sonically. One example we love is the chorus for ‘Tired’, the electric guitar part is actually five different rhythm tracks, layered on top of each other to create that reverb-drenched chorus.
Additionally, we had Jason Atkins on the keys and Emanuel Wynter on the violin both of whom have blown us away with their musicality and sheer artistry.
ROTW: Was there anything in particular that helped or influenced your writing process for this album?
Courtney: Songwriting has always been like journaling for me and so many of the songs are directly influenced by my life experiences. Although occasionally I borrow from friends’ stories as well.
ROTW: Did anyone else contribute to the songwriting and/or arranging process?
Courtney: Quinn and I often write together and most of the time she is my sounding board for any new ideas. As far as arrangements, I tend to find a chord progression I like first, then I build the melody with nonsense words and go back later to write the actual lyrics. This is where Quinn usually becomes my sounding-board. As mentioned above many other artists have contributed to building upon this initial arrangement to create the final product. A great example of this is the way Emanuel Wynter created a beautiful, melodic violin part in “Better.” It is hard for us to imagine the song any other way now.
“Tired” – from the upcoming EP Remiss
ROTW: My favorite song of the remaining four you haven’t released yet is “Forgive You”, particularly the way you arranged the chorus, using two and three-part harmonies (and also a tasty Santana-like guitar lick in the bridge part). How did you approach that chorus’ vocal arrangement?
Courtney: Sometimes when we are working on a song, it is just that, work. Sometimes the lyrics or the arrangement come almost faster than we can get it out. It was the latter for “Forgive You.” To answer your question, in the initial stages there wasn’t much of an “approach.” Later on, of course, we sat with what we had and figured out ways to put the seasoning on if you will. It was in these final stages that the “Santana lick” came about. We knew what we were hoping to hear there and Dylan McLain was able to execute it perfectly.
ROTW: Americana/Folk/Bluegrass are musical styles we hope to cover more of, is there a band or artist either locally or regionally that inspired you or given you advice along the way?
Courtney: We have taken cues and inspiration from many bands and artists in the area. Attending shows has always been a good way to ignite new excitement. While they aren’t regional the band “Joseph” put on an incredible show at The Visulite Theater last year that inspired us in a lot of ways. We are continuously trying to grow and are always looking for ways to learn from others in the industry.
ROTW: Who will be joining you on stage Saturday night at the Visulite for the EP release and can we expect any surprises?
Courtney: We will be joined by Steven Cornacchia (drums), Luke Barnette (Bass), Mike Ramsey (electric guitar), and Emanuel Wynter (violin). Opening for us will be Charlotte’s Kaska Sun and Greenville’s Darby Wilcox. We could not be more excited to share the stage with all the fine individuals! As for surprises… you’ll just have to come and see for yourself.
Tickets to Saturdays album release party at the Visulite Theatre can be purchased HERE