Roseanne Reid Talks New Album, Favourite Instruments And More

Scottish singer-songwriter Roseanne Reid has released her latest album ‘Lawside’ and a single of the same name. She very kindly spoke to JLTT: 

Your latest album ‘Lawside’ is out now. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

I wanted to have more of a recognisably Scottish feel to this album. It was important to me that it was recorded locally, built by local people. From a production perspective, I wanted to have my vocals more prominent this time around – something that came with more confidence around my voice in general.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

Lawside was recorded at Counter Culture studio in Perth. It was produced by the brilliant David Macfarlane!

You also have your new single ‘Lawside’ which is released. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

Lawside was written in tribute to the place I now call home. It’s a reflective song looking at the journey from growing up in Edinburgh, to taking the leap and starting over in Dundee. I’ve pushed myself a lot since moving here and my life has changed in huge ways. Lawside is an exploration of the emotions that have accompanied that.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

That would be ‘The Road Home’ by Rose Tremain. I love stories of journeys, travel, growth. This novel follows the story of a man that moves to the UK for work and throws himself into the deep end of city life and a new culture.

What is your earliest musical memory?

That would be getting ‘T-Rex – Greatest Hits’ on cassette tape from my parents for Christmas. I played it to death and my cassette enthusiasm only grew from there!

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

The guitar is obviously what I play on stage and when that sound is just right, there’s nothing like it. I play a Sigma and it’s perfect for me, although I also love Tanglewoods!

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

I was born and raised in Edinburgh.

To me it is vibrant, historical, beautiful, resilient and unique.

Who plays with you on the album?

We got all local musicians and singers from the Dundee/Perth area (all names on album credits) to feature on Lawside. I feel so lucky to have worked with them all!

There are also collaborations featuring Rory Butler, Wildwood Kind and Bjorn Tomren.

How do you look after your voice?

I try not to watch any football before a gig – the shouting is a sure-fire way to wreck your voice for the night!

Other than that, I tend to have a hot drink before going on stage (mainly tea). I’ll usually have a beer to help relax a bit as well.

Was it a difficult album to write?

I’d say the difficult element was the pressure that comes with any second album. That probably weighed on me throughout, but the nice part was I spaced the song writing out. The whole record was written over a couple of years really (I’m not a fast writer!) and that eased a lot of difficulty. Songs like ‘What Constitutes a Sin’ are especially personal and I was torn whether to include it.

In hindsight, I think they’re the important ones to include, the songs that make you feel. There’s a good chance they’ll make other people feel too.

What makes Roseanne Reid happy and what makes you unhappy?

My family makes me happy. Our toddler is equal parts hilarious and chaotic so life is never dull! Being outside and watching the world go by makes me happy. If there’s music playing, I’m even happier.

Since turning 31, the passage of time makes me unhappy. Suddenly, it feels like things are speeding up and there’s no stopping it!

Other people’s suffering makes me unhappy. Knowing life is just a lottery and we have very little control over it.