Photo by Jacq Justice
It might’ve been Rolling Stone’s David Fricke who said there’s a kid every day discovering The Beatles for the first time—and for that kid, it feels brand new, even though those albums have been around for 50-plus years. Labels and publicists build release strategies around tight timelines, but the truth is, music doesn’t care about schedules. A great record can hit just as hard years—or decades—after it drops as it does the day it’s released.
Meg Elsier self-released her debut album spittake last June, and while it caught the attention of a few early listeners, it mostly got lost in the flood of new music. That’s a shame, because it’s the kind of record that deserves to be discovered. spittake plays like a well-curated mixtape: there’s Nine Inch Nails-style distortion on “iznotreal,” ’90s grunge on “ifshitfuq,” shoegaze haze on “eastside,” a “Driver’s License”-esque ballad in “youngestchild,” and a hipster loft/St. Vincent vibe on “oldnews.” Tours with Finom and Blondshell have since helped get Elsier in front of bigger crowds and, as she tells it, the audiences have been more than receptive.
After the initial release and touring run, Elsier felt spittake still had life and started planning a deluxe edition with bonus tracks. That’s when Bright Antenna Records came on board. Believing the album deserved a wider audience, the label recently released spittake (deluxe), which adds six demos, live recordings, and alternate takes to the original eleven tracks. And just like a kid discovering The Beatles for the first time, the hope is that someone who missed it the first time around will stumble onto the deluxe edition and hear it like it’s brand new.
After college, Elsier moved to Nashville and began steadily building her career—writing, recording, playing shows, and becoming part of the local scene. That’s where I caught up with her, just as she was re-releasing her album and preparing for a major life shift: leaving the city she’s called home for the past eight years.
It feels like Nashville is the new New York, Chicago or LA. I feel like one out of every three interviews I do is with somebody that lives in Nashville.
MEG: Oh yeah. I feel like this is the same with every city, but there’s the mass influx and the max exodus. I’ve lived here for eight years, so I feel like I’ve seen that cycle three times at least.
Where are you in that cycle? Is Nashville a permanent home or are you figuring out what your next move is?
MEG: We literally signed a lease in New York today. I’m from about 45 minutes outside of Boston, and I have family in the northeast, so I’m excited to kind of go back home.
I lived in New England when I was a kid and since then I’ve never lived anywhere like it. There is something special about that area of the country.
MEG: It’s really funny because, growing up there, I was like, “It’s boring. I hate it.” And then I went to school in Boston. Now, I love visiting home, and all I want to do is be closer and have public transportation and a nice cold winter.
You released spittake last June and now, just a year later, have put out a deluxe version containing some alternate versions, some demos, some unreleased songs. Was there any thought into releasing that music as an EP rather than re-releasing an album?
MEG: We went through every potential path and emotion when it came to spittake and choosing the songs. We almost cut the title track. We tried every single outfit on it. Releasing it the first time and then re-releasing it, both times were equally terrifying. I thought releasing the deluxe version would have been chiller. The first time releasing stuff, it felt less vulnerable because it was such a collaborative process, and I was so excited for everyone to see this work we were putting in. The demos on the deluxe version were scary because that’s just me on the floor, that’s just me on top of laundry. It’s vulnerable in a way that kind of scared me more than just showing what’s in my heart and brain. This was the messy stuff and that was scary in a different way.
Was part of the reason behind re-releasing the album that you’re now on Bright Antenna Records and they wanted a chance to give the album another chance?
MEG: It was, kind of. We wanted to re-release it before we were talking with any labels or partners. There was so much more life in spittake that I wanted to push and so much that we cut that wasn’t seen.
You moved to Nashville eight years ago for music but spittake is your first release. How many full or partial albums are sitting on a hard drive that you’ve worked on in the last eight years?
MEG: Oh my God. I would say no full albums, but definitely at least ten songs, maybe a little less. Every version of myself that has lived here has a few songs on old computers, for sure.
Do you consider yourself a new artist even though you’ve been doing this for a while? I think most people discovered you in the last year.
MEG: Yes and no, to be honest. I feel like I’m not a new artist, but I feel really excited because I haven’t experienced playing a lot of shows and all of that. So, the sharing of music, I’m new, but the making of music, I’m old.
What did the last eight years look like musically for you? Was it just writing and recording? Was it playing every Tuesday night at the club down the street?
MEG: It shifted. It was such a slow burn. It was moving here right after college. I was so nervous to play out, so it was going to writers’ rounds. It was me with an acoustic guitar, safe. And then it slowly became an electric guitar. I had some friends sing with me. We were playing The Basement once every three months. Then I started playing with a band. All I wanted to do was play. As soon as that happened, and I heard my music with drums and bass, I feel like we went on a little rampage because playing shows here is so fun with all the different lineups you can make and just playing with your friends. It’s really fun.
Do you have a small community of musician friends that you play shows with often?
MEG: Yes, but there are so many incredible bands here. The community is small, so everyone’s friends. But you’re not playing the same shows with the same people all the time. What’s cool is you can go see a show with the most beautiful, acoustic-style Adrianne Lenker lyrics and then, right after on the bill, it’s going to be a 20-minute punk set followed by violin strings. You get the coolest lineups because of that.
One of the Nashville artists I interviewed said the best guitar player they know is their mailman, that musicians are everywhere. To an outsider, it feels like a movie.
MEG: A thousand percent. My sister visited me from Boston and everywhere we went, I was pointing people out. “They’re in a band. They have a show next week. Let’s go to that.” It’s wild, but it’s perfect.
When you finally had songs that you wanted to share, did you go to (producer) Ryan (McFadden) and say, “Let’s do something with these ideas,” or were the songs fully baked?
MEG: It was both, but he opened me up a lot. I found out, while making this album, that I wasn’t an “album” person. He was like, “What are your albums?” and I was like, “Abba’s Greatest Hits.” I was like, “I guess I’m such an individual song type of person.” I came in with a batch of songs I knew we were going to use and a lot of sketches. I felt confident enough to say, “This is a basic enough map that you’ll get to the place you want to go.” From there on, it was Ryan and I trying to make what it was supposed to be and not be self-conscious about what we found during it and what we wanted it to sound like. I was so nervous to release anything because the music I was playing before felt pretty and clean. It had harmonies and it was stuff I was confident in. But it wasn’t exactly saying anything. It was really safe for me. I knew I sounded good, but it was Ryan who pushed me. The goal for this album was not to have someone not like it, but if they didn’t, it was reframing it. If people don’t like it, it’s saying something that you can get different reactions, which was very scary for me. Ryan is the main reason why I got out of that comfort zone.
It’s funny you say you’re an individual song type of person because your album sounds like a mixtape. There are songs that are grungy. There are songs that have a shoegaze influence. There are songs that could appeal to Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift fans. It’s a cool blend of different styles.
MEG: I don’t think I could make anything other than that. That was intentional. I didn’t want to shift a song that’s not real into something a little sweeter and poppier because it would have flowed better with the other songs. My Spotify playlist has 700 songs, and it’ll go from Beethoven to Prince to Death Grips to Fiona Apple. Everybody’s playlist is so different so I’m not going to change that. I can’t. It’s how the songs came out.
I love that. Not only do you recognize that as an artist, you recognize that as a music listener. You want variety. You wanted to make something that you would listen to. You didn’t want to settle into that comfortable lane and have everything sound the same.
MEG: Yeah, and I feel like albums that have motifs are gorgeous. I’m happy that that was my introduction to people because the most consistent thing about me is I’m never going to be consistent. I think that’s a very important thing for people to find out with album one.
I assume that means that you’re always going to mix things up on albums in the future.
MEG: The next one definitely isn’t going to be cohesive. But who knows? I’d love to write a musical. I’d love to score something. I could not do that right now, but I might write a full album where it sounds connected.
It seems like having variety can also open doors when it comes to touring and getting added to playlists. You could end up on a ‘90s-rock influenced playlist but also on a teen pop playlist.
MEG: Yeah, and because of that, for a lot of the bands that we’ve toured with, we don’t sound exactly like them, but because the music is kind of all over the place, it’s worked well. The fans just want to listen to music. I love a mixed-up set, and with our music, we get to indulge in that a little more when it comes to opening gigs.
You’ve had a year to promote spittake. Is there anything that you haven’t been asked about the album that you want to talk about?
MEG: There’s not a “I had something in the lyrics and nobody found it and now I’m trying to get the Easter egg.” I feel like every person has songs that are their favorite that don’t get highlighted. “takeout” is such a silly song that’s hard to play live and that got a second look.
I think with spittake (deluxe), the main thing that people don’t know is that I almost named this record Check Engine Light. The album was going to be about cars and what I was feeling for the song “sportscar.” It’s funny how that song got cut. Now, I’m like, “It feels like deluxe is us going on the side street that we made the wrong turn on, but the view’s really cute. There’s a farm on the left, and the cows are awesome.” That’s kind of what deluxe feels like to me.
I’ve heard you talk about the “unreliable narrator” in your songs. How do you define that and how does it work its way into your songwriting?
MEG: I think for me, the biggest part of what I find important is that “unreliable” isn’t exactly “not truthful.” I really like how it can emphasize things when you’re like, “You’re completely contradicting yourself in all of these songs.” The experience that I’m telling you is so unreliable but it’s very honest. I think that’s a very important factor, because it’s not like she’s lying. And there’s something a little worse and sad about that in a narrator and in a character explaining their life and what’s going on.
As a kid, did you play an instrument? Were you a writer?
MEG: I did both, mainly singing, but I was so incredibly shy. I would take voice lessons for a week and have to quit because I was nervous. But I always played flute and piano. I quit everything and then picked up guitar in high school. But for writing and singing, it was the only thing I could do. I kind of sucked at school. I was very much a stanza songwriter. Poetry is my medium. I’m not the best at short stories. I find that so interesting how I’m really good at this small medium of writing. Journalism? No. Thesis? No.
Looking back on the last year, did the album meet your expectations? Did it exceed your expectations? Did it fall short of your expectations?
MEG: I had literally no expectations, because the win for me was pushing through the anxiety and releasing it. When that was done, the most likely thing is that it doesn’t do a lot. The win is the grace that you’re like, “It’s gone, and I did it, and I said something.” And that gets to bounce around the world a little bit, which is awesome. But it surpassed it in every capacity. I feel less lonely. So many people connect with it. And I think they feel this connection, which is awesome, but I’m also like, “Thank you all,” because this feels a lot better knowing that I’m not the only one.
It must be an amazing feeling knowing that there are people around the world listening to the songs you wrote.
MEG: I think the best part is when we’re on tour and we have people come up to us who are like, “We came to see you.” That’s the biggest thing. It’s not a friend of a friend, it’s somebody that doesn’t know me who came to see me play music. Also, when I check to see where my music is being played and I’m like, “Who’s listening to this in Tokyo?” That’s really cool.
Just as your songs are working their way into people’s lives, what’s a song that takes you back to a specific time and place in your life?
MEG: I think there’s a lot of them. “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” by Warren Zevon is me in the backseat, and my dad’s driving me to school or soccer practice. That’s what that is. The music, I feel like, is mainly the music that I remember the core memory of listening to it for the first time and being like, “Oh yeah, it’s that instant, ‘My body remembers completely.’”
The Blondshell dates seemed to be in decent-sized venues and many of the shows appeared to be sold-out or close to being sold-out. Does that give you confidence, like, “I can go out there and not play to an empty room” or do you get nervous and think, “These people aren’t here to see me, I hope they don’t hate it”?
MEG: It’s both. I feel really spoiled because Blondshell and Finom’s fans came early to listen to music and not just to get drinks at the bar. So that was a relief. But, going on stage and seeing how many people are there, I was like, “Thank God it’s not empty, but I want to throw up.”
On those tours, you played as a trio. I’ve seen a number of shows where the opener is just a single person with an acoustic guitar. Sometimes it goes well, often it doesn’t. I’ve been to sold-out shows where the crowd is louder than the opener. It just looks miserable for the musician. Do you ever play solo, and have you ever had any of those experiences?
MEG: All the time. I haven’t played solo in a while, and I think I’m afraid of that. I was so well-versed in that, that’s all I did for years, and now I’m like, “I haven’t been skiing in ten years, and I think maybe if I were to go skiing, I would tear my ACL.” I feel similarly with playing solo. We’re slightly spoiled with the solo thing in Nashville because it’s a songwriter town; people want to listen. But being the opening act for certain crowds who aren’t there to see you and they’re not giving respect, nothing sucks more. It’s just distracting and rude. But I think those solo acts can capture a crowd. Some of the opening sets, when they’re solo and amazing, you can hear a pin drop in that room.
What was the best part of touring with Blondshell?
MEG: I’ve never played shows the size of those. It was so nerve-wracking. But when I knew what her fans were like, it was delicious and awesome. I tour with Hayden, who plays drums, he’s my partner, and Sean Smith, he’s my best friend. We’re just best friends in a van. That is the best.
And what’s the worst part of touring?
MEG: When you have to drive after the show. That sucks. And then double parking to load your gear. Everyone hates you. Cops hate you. People hate you. You have so much gear, too, and you take up the whole sidewalk.
Is there a venue that stands out to you from the Blondshell tour as being a “dream” club?
MEG: The one thing that’s popping into my mind is that Ryan, my producer, is from Chicago. We have so many friends there. We played at the Metro, which is really cool. They were very legit. We had a parking spot. That felt very luxe. I’m trying to think, like Union Pool is awesome in New York and has a cool vibe. But, maybe just the Metro and the parking.
You’ve covered Gwen Stefani live. Is that who you were pretending to be when you were standing in front of your mirror as a kid and singing?
MEG: For sure. I was also singing along to a lot of musicals. I would force my cousin to come down to the basement with me and sit on the couch while I was singing “Misery Business” by Paramore and pretending to be Hayley Williams. I would also repeatedly sing into the mirror “Boom, Boom, Boom” by the Vengaboys. That is a song that I wish was mine that I would have performed as a pop star.
You also played some new songs on the Blondshell tour. Have you started thinking about what comes next? Are you actively writing?
MEG: It’s all I want to do. We’ve been playing some new songs live to feel it out. I really like this stage of writing these songs and where it’s going. You get to test it out as a band and see what people connect with. We’ve been doing that for a little bit, definitely for the Blondshell tour. And now, it’s just making the next one, which is all we want to do.
Ryan’s in Nashville and now you’re moving to New York. Seems like it won’t be as easy to make a new record.
MEG: A lot of people have moved from Nashville and a lot of people have been moving to Nashville. I see friends who have moved away sometimes more when I visit New York. It’s like, “Oh, I saw you in New York. I’ll see you when I visit Nashville.” I see people more than if we’re both in town. But to be honest, I’m kind of excited to record differently. I learned how to make an album with spittake, and now I’m really excited to be in a moment of change and shift. I think that’s a cool element to throw into making the second album and the energy that puts onto songs.
What’s next?
MEG: We have some shows. The move is going to ruin my life in the best way, but I’ll be stressed for the two weeks that we’re doing that. We have the live videos that we’re releasing, and I’m very excited for the longer-form version because it’s not just the short ones.
The live videos showcase a different side of you and are in stark contrast to some of the videos you’ve made for the album. Plus, you’re playing the songs differently than how they appear on the album.
MEG: There are some of the songs that I love the way that they’re recorded, and it’s supposed to be that. But there are some songs that I learned to sing where I wouldn’t go back and change the vocal take at all. But I’m like, “Oh, I learned that the melody is different when I play it live.” That’s something that took me recording the song the way it was but learning to play it because I do purposely… I think there’s a life in live performance, and my favorite thing is when it’s a little different.
