Courtney Marie Andrews discusses the inspirations behind her terrific new LP ‘Loose Future’

Gina Alexander

Courtney Marie Andrews' new album Loose Future finds her adding a little pop into her twangy sound, with help from producer Sam Evian, Grizzly Bear's Chris Bear and Bonny Light Horseman's Josh Kaufman. "This album was made with the intention of testing sonic boundaries," Courtney says. "I love the idea of re-birth, and I wanted to surprise myself. No idea was off limits. Exploring is one of the most beautiful parts of making music, and I feel that Sam and I adventured everyday in the studio. The album cover, a painting of mine, embodies what this record is about — falling in love after being hurt, space, hesitation, living in the now, acceptance, letting go. The window, the stairs, the mountains, they are all symbols of change— new horizons"

In our Notable Releases review, Andrew wrote, "it just feels like everything she's always been working towards and some of her strongest songwriting and most gorgeous sounding music yet." You can stream the whole thing below.

For more on the album, Courtney has made a list of influences behind it, complete with commentary. How does The Cure figure into Loose Future? Read below.

Courtney will be on tour starting in November, including NYC's Brooklyn Made on 11/12 with The Dead Tongues. All dates are listed below.

loading...

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS - INSPIRATIONS BEHIND 'LOOSE FUTURE'

Summer
For the first time in a very long time, the pause of 2020 allowed me to feel the seasons changing. I was staying in a friend’s beach shack on the Cape, and walking miles along the shores everyday in a nostalgic and meditative state. Sun soaked in all the space, I was coming out of a personal fog and wanted to hear that feeling sonically. Summer felt like a personal blossoming— an awakening of sorts. The waves, sun, sand, and walks inspired me to write music outside of my typical ballad box. I wanted the record to sound like driving down a coastal highway during a summertime sunset.

The Cure
An influence of mine that has gone unsaid for too long is The Cure. I adore the way they mix natural and processed sounds. Robert Smith’s pop melodies and feel are things I’ve always been inspired by. The Cure sounds like falling in love to me, and they were a huge influence in making this record.

Drum Circles
During the pandemic I accidentally ended up at a few distanced drum circles in parks and city squares. Participating, I noted the way the deep djembe hits felt healing and communal. Cymbals have always been very grating to me, and one of the first things I said to Sam Evian before making this album was that I wanted to make a record free of cymbals and full of percussion. I wanted the rhythm section to sound soulful, like a drum circle.

Self-Love
Working on healing some inner-childhood wounds and facing some past demons helped me embody these heart-filled songs. That work allowed me to welcome external love into my life and create a record that does not hide from demons, but names them alongside embracing others’ love. This is my first record that has love songs without caveats and I truly believe that wouldn’t have been possible without learning to love myself as much as I can.

Walking
Where would I be without walking? Walking helped me find so many of these songs. Walking has been one of my greatest co-writers. I’d walk for hours every morning and come back to my shack with an idea. It’s a form of mediation, a spaceship, a healer. This record wouldn’t have been written without long walks

--

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS - 2022 TOUR DATES
Oct 7 - Leeds, UK @ Crash
Oct 8 - Brighton, UK @ Resident
Oct 9 - Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade Nottingham
Oct 10 - Oxford, UK @ Truck
Oct 12 - Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Oct 13 - London, UK @ Rough Trade East, London
Nov 2 - Indianapolis, IN @ White Rabbit Cabaret
Nov 3 - Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village *NEW
Nov 4 - Ferndale, MI @ The Parliament Room at Otus Supply
Nov 5 - Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
Nov 7 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground - Showcase Lounge
Nov 8 - Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Upstairs
Nov 10 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd Music House
Nov 12 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Made
Nov 13 - Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy
Nov 15 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
Nov 16 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle Back Room
Nov 17 - Atlanta, GA @ Smith’s Olde Bar
Nov 18 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
Dec 2 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Dec 3 - Kansas City, MO @ recordBar
Dec 5 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
Dec 6 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
Dec 8 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos *NEW
Dec 9 - Vancouver, WA @ Wise Hall
Dec 10 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Dec 12 - Healdsburg, CA @ Little Saint *NEW
Dec 13 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Dec 14 - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
Dec 15 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
March 1 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
March 2 - Bristol, UK @ Trinity
March 3 - Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall
March 4 - Glasgow, UK @ Saint Luke's
March 5 - Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
March 7 - London, UK @ KOKO
March 8 - Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
March 9 - Brighton, UK @ The Old Market
March 11 - Paris, FR @ Le Hasard Ludique
March 12 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique
March 13 Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso | Tolhuistuin
March 15 - Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
March 16 - Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
March 17 - Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA
March 18 - Malmö, SE @ Plan B
March 20 - Uppsala, SE @ Reginateatern
March 21 - Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Strand
March 22 - Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
March 23 -Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik