Senora May: All of My Love
When you open a photo album at your mom’s house it’s like a portal that takes you to a place that is half dream and half memory. All of My Love operates the same way. Sometimes it’s poetic, sometimes it’s musically inspiring, sometimes it’s both, but it’s always warm and comforting. An album that wraps its arms around you and draws you in, and in the middle of what may be one of the darker times in the history of our lifetimes, it reminds you, in the end, it’s just about love. Who you love, how you love, why you love, that’s what defines us. Senora May’s writing is the kind of writing that has an airy breathiness about it that by default feels intimate. It’s a portal that transports you to a place, because every story happens somewhere. You remember what the room looks like and smells like when you recall memories that change your life. Sometimes a place is like a two way mirror, something you see yourself reflected in, but you know it’s watching you; places are alive, and no one captures that better than Senora May.
I, like many other people, know about Senora May because she was the girlfriend, and now wife, of Tyler Childers. That’s a shame in my eyes. This album, if anything, lets you know she is proud to be that, but when it comes to her art, the subject is not the most interesting thing you’ll find here. She’s a songwriter who has a sensibility and voice that feels timeless. There’s something classic about the vibe and sound of the record, especially her vocals, that will immediately catch your attention. Once she has your attention, you’ll stay for the songwriting. She doesn’t rely on sleight of hand; it isn’t always a clever turn of phrase; and instead it’s a transportation and completeness that can only come from setting a perfect scene. She takes you to a place, settles you in, and in the case of All of My Love, she unfolds a beautiful story.
Senora shows vulnerability on this record, which is present when she performs live, but there’s also an odd dichotomy that only comes with real depth. She’s giving, and kind, with graciousness that lets you know she’s there hoping you walk away with something. She backs that up with a strength and intelligence that lets you know she won’t compromise to give it to you. She will do her part, and her expectation is that you’ll return in kind. This record expresses the same in love. It isn’t about being submissive, or being in control, it’s about contribution and partnership.
It’s refreshing to hear an album that’s so complex in its texture, rich in its sound. This album isn’t a great album for being made by women, it’s a great album that is possible because it’s made by a majority cast of extremely talented women. That’s an important distinction, especially considering the underrepresentation of women in the current musical landscape.
When people talk about Appalachian art, it often becomes a parody of itself. I grew up in a place where Appalachian Heritage Week was a highlight of the year. Too often we allow our region to be pigeonholed, tropes used for a cheap pop. Senora dodges this trap at every turn, instead representing the real down to earth people, with giant hearts, mountain landscapes, and sincerity. The honesty of this region and its lack of pretense pours out of this record. Too often the beauty that comes from simplicity and untying yourself from the rest of the world is lost. Thank all things holy we have artists like Senora May to put that in perspective. It’s a powerhouse record, from a powerhouse writer, in a room full of powerhouse women.
All of My Love is an album that was meant to shed light in a dark time, and I think now it feels as vital as ever. Senora in spite of everything going on in Kentucky, and the personal impacts took the time to do an interview that you can read below, which I think highlights a spirit wise beyond her years, if her art hadn’t proven that already.
Colors is a track that stood out to me, it has a vibe that could fit as the montage track of an 80’s movie. Was that intentional or did it just piece together that way?
“Colors” really fell together organically in the studio. I played a Wilcutt 50th Anniversary telecaster on it and the switch to electric felt natural and appropriate for the depth of that song. Jessica added baritone guitar and then Hayden added the percussive heartbeat on toms and kick and then those rattle-snake hi-hat accents (on a drum sampler). I get how the song could seem reminiscent of the 1980s, with its electric droniness and spacy digital sounds, but I have to admit I don’t really dig the 80s. I was born in ‘91 and a lot of what I’ve seen or heard from the 80s, except for Whitney Houston of course, just seems so foreign to me. I guess I just missed it. When I listen to “Colors,” I think about the merging point between man-made and the natural world. It’s like resting in the vertex of digital and ohm. Does that make sense? Anyway, people keep saying it reminds them of some show on Netflix. I kinda don’t wanna watch it and ruin the song for myself. haha
I know that the focus is on All of My Love, but you mentioned that there was a planned project for a more eclectic genre bending affair. Is that planned with the same group that brought these songs to life?
I don’t necessarily have an organized or committed plan for upcoming projects, so much as I have things that interest me I’d like to try out. I prefer to keep as open a mind as possible going into something new, creatively so I don’t feel limited by boundaries. If there are songs that feel they should have similar instrumentation to something on this album, or if something has worked really well in the past, I may end up trying to use the same people to play. It always feels more rewarding to me when I can include people I already know, that deserve and appreciate opportunities to work. The most exploratory days in the studio have happened when everyone was just feeling a song and felt comfortable. I reckon that’s what I’m chasing for upcoming projects.
I definitely find the idea of being tied down to no one genre very attractive. I wouldn’t mind meddling with heavier sounds, rock and punk, maybe toy around with synthesizers and beats at some point. I think it’s just important to focus on not defining or labeling something I might create in the future at this point. I don’t think anyone can really say what’s going to happen in the future, and I just go where the music makes me feel like it needs to.
Your songwriting on this record paints some beautiful landscapes. Appalachia sometimes gets boiled down to trope, something you manage to avoid. Is that on your mind writing these songs?
If someone is really doing something, really open to seeing all sides of it, and immersed in it so much that it becomes a part of that someone, it’s easy to write about. I don’t sit and think about how people perceive the place I’m from, or try to come up with hypothetical, metaphorical ways of describing my place so that others get it. Instead I think about what it is to me. That’s it. I guess the landscapes seem beautiful in my lyrics because I know them to be that. I see them every day and have been lucky enough to grow up learning about plants and animals here and I cherish it all so much.
I have to bring up the production of the record. I know you’ve mentioned what a joy it was to work with Jessica Lea Mayfield. I listen to a lot of records from a musician’s perspective, and this record has textures that I find extremely inspiring. Did the composition and production spark any ideas for the record, or was that just a part of building these songs?
Having so many creatives in one space at a time really spawns all sorts of fresh ideas about a song. I went into the studio with this handful of written love songs, literal pieces of paper, and each person brought different flavors and their own ears and backgrounds of genre and taste to add to the project. I was elated when Jessica agreed to produce because without having expectations of what my album might end up being, I knew she would add so much light to it. I have listened to her albums and they’re so diverse but well executed, so raw and full of emotion when you listen under the surface. Something I really didn’t expect though, is the amount of encouraging feedback the songs got from everyone we involved. The recording was collective.
The complexity of layering that sounds so simple and the instrumentation that feels so well acquainted with my voice on those songs, that all just fell into place as we worked together. I don’t think I would have ever thought of the parts for cello or lead riffs and harmonies, without the ladies humming their ideas in the studio, or adding in subtle changes in tracking. I loved hearing the songs come together in that way. We all inspired each other a bit during this project.
How did Seth Avett end up as a part of the record? Any plans for future collaboration?
Jessica knows Seth and had mentioned their work together in our conversations in the car or hanging out in between recordings. I just listened and admired the idea of her working with him. I really love both of their voices and have been inspired by work from both of them during pretty crucial developmental years for my own voice and songs. Anyway, we were at Fat Baby one day, recording the strings, and she pulled me aside and asked how I felt about her friend Seth maybe singing or playing piano on a song or two.
You know in the movies when someone’s vision kinda gets clouded and there’s a whistling noise while they try and evaluate a climactic event? I calmly told her that should be fine, or cool or something, but it just felt so surreal to think they might both be on this project. It was hard enough to hold it together working closely with Jessica Lea Mayfield, to be honest, after so many years of listening to her songs, singing along in crowds of people in dimly lit bars. I just felt like a tea kettle was screaming inside my head. Ha!
It ended up all being comfortable and normal. We sent the tracks, he sent them back, I listened with noise cancelling headphones and smiled til my face hurt. I’ve never actually met him and that’s alright.
I saw the Avett brothers a couple times through the years, then watched their set at Forecastle from the side stage with my hubby who played just before them. I love their stuff, but yeah, no plans to work with Seth in the future, not to say I’m opposed to it, it’s just not on the table at the moment.
This is a question I like to ask in most of the interviews I do. It’s a take on the desert island question. If you could make the world listen to any single record, or read any single book, what would it be? (You can list both if you want, bonus points for why)
Nina Simone Sings the Blues makes me feel something inside that I just can’t have enough of. So maybe the masses could use that. I feel like people are so numb, overexposed and underwhelmed and this album screams. It’s fiery and passionate and robust. A lot of people seem stressed TF out though, so, I would like them to sip something coconutty and listen to This is Marijata too. The rhythm, horns, chill of that album...man oh man. Sorry I can’t do the “single one” thing, I like when things are in pairs. It’s more romantic. :)
Ok, a book. I would have to say everyone should read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I suppose it might make us think about the significance of mistreating women. Too many people overlook the little things with gender inequality, and it adds up.
All of My Love is an album of simple, beautiful love songs. Luckily for all of us, Jessica Lea Mayfield’s influence made this an ambient and immersive affair. Knowing that there’s still music out there to be made that further bends genre in store for Senora May is exciting. If you’re not already listening to All of My Love, take the time to read the interview that Senora was gracious enough to take time for, and give it a spin. Please also take the time to visit the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky https://www.appalachianky.org/ and The Hickman Holler Foundation https://www.hickmanhollerappalachianrelieffund.org/ to donate to a cause that is close to home for this Estill County songwriter. These floods impacted places important to her history, her home, and her family and friends.
Find out more about Senora May here: