IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!
EILEEN CAREY TALKS TO BRIAN LUSH
ABOUT SWITCHING GEARS
HER NEW CD “HEARTS OF TIME”
AND
TAKING HER TIME

INTERVIEWED BY BRIAN LUSH

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Country Rock diva EILEEN CAREY came out to Los Angeles from Nashville to pursue a career as a film director, but music wasn't something she could simply shake off. "I've always been involved with music, either vocally or through theater." Says Carey. “It was only matter of time before the sound of guitars strumming resonated more readily than a world of director’s chairs and clapboards. She hooked up with the right people, wrote some songs, got behind the mic, and in fairly short order, got herself a job.

“HEARTS OF TIME” is Carey’s' sophomore release and it is certainly not a slump. This CD is a triumph! A sure-fire declaration that a new talent is here to stay. This is an artist on the up-and-up. Although it safe to bill her music as Country, there is definitely a Chrissie Hynde swagger, a Motown soul, and a Dianne Warren pop sensibility that can be heard on much of the material, namely on the tracks “Hearts Of Time,” “Hollywood,” “Good Time Charlie” (The CD's first single), and Someone Like You.” This CD rocks and rolls and does all of the things that a good album is supposed to do. This one stays with you.

I recently had a chance to speak with Eileen over the phone one especially sunny, Sunday afternoon. Here is how it went.

How did the music begin for you?
That happened about ten years ago. When I first came out to LA, I was acting and studying to be a film director and I got involved in going to vocal lessons and doing some musical theater and I hooked up with this girl who was a writer and producer and she said " You should write some songs," and I think that it took off from there. So we just started to sit down and write some songs and there it went.

So it kind of got you by surprise?
I think so, but I've always been involved with music somehow, either vocally or in theater, but I never pursued it until I came out to Los Angeles and got involved with some producers and writers.

Your style of music is billed as country, but when I listen to it I hear other things. I hear things like a Chrissie Hynde influence or someone of that ilk more than say a Martina McBride. Who influences you?
Of course there was The Beatles but it was also Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders. I'm originally from Ohio and that's sort of the heart rock n roll. Chrissie Hynde came from Ohio , so we were geared to listening to rock n roll and then when I moved to Los Angeles it was totally different scene out here. These days I like Sheryl Crow and Keith Urban - that style of country. As far as songwriters go I love Dianne Warren.

You've co-written some songs on this album and a lot of the material is from other writers. How did you come across the songs for this album? Was it people you knew or did you have a theme in mind for the album?
I co-wrote about five songs on this album and I love to co-write with people. As far as other writers, I wanted a blend of my stuff and somebody else’s’ stuff. How did I select it? I don't know how I go about selecting material. I guess it's just something that I hear, in the message. The way I write and the way I do music is, I try to find a balance somewhere and give people another route rather than be totally miserable or fantasizing all the time. I try to give people another route, you know?

Are you doing any live shows at the moment?
Yes, my next show is going to be on December 13th in Culver City at The Cinema.

How long did it take to record this album?
It probably took about six months and two months on top of that to put all of the finishing touches on it. We're working on the next album right now and in the process of writing and doing other people's material as well.

Your first single from this CD "Good Time Charlie" is a spunky little track. You want to talk about it?
Yeah, that song's doing pretty good. I just got an e-mail from a radio promoter. Out of 32 stations, “Good Time Charlie” was the Number One requested song this week!

Congratulations!
Yeah, it was pretty cool. I was on the way back from Nashville and I wrote that tune on an airplane. These were characters I had come across from traveling. And “Good Time Charlie” is about this guy who likes to party. He's a dreamer and he just likes that way of life. Sometimes people tend to stress out too much and there he is having a grand old time. That's just who he is.

Another track that kind of jumped out at me was “Hearts Of Time,” the title track.
It's a love song. The moral of the story is that you never know where you're going to find love. The two people in that song find each other on the beach and it goes from there. So you never know.

For live purposes, is it the same band as on the CD?
No, all of those players on the tracks are in Nashville .

Interesting! How was this CD recorded exactly?
My producer Travis Allen has this studio called Nashville Tracks. We recorded the tracks in Nashville and then they were mailed here and recorded the rest of the tracks here and added things like vocals and other instruments. The majority of the basic tracks were recorded in Nashville .

In the liner notes of the CD, it says that some of the proceeds will be going to certain children’s charities. Do you want to talk about them?
I am working with this one charity called “Angels Among Us” which helps homeless families that can't provide for their children.

What do you want a person to walk away with after hearing your music?
I guess if I've put a smile on someone's face, I've done my job. If I can get them away from their troubles for a couple of minutes, that's all I need. For me that's what it's all about as an artist: sharing your music and having someone sit back and enjoy that two- or three-minute ride.

You said earlier that you are working on another CD. How is that one coming along?
It's coming along really good. We've still got to record things like the vocals but we're getting there. I'm also still in the process of writing other tunes. It'll take me a little while. Probably like three months, but that's okay. I like to take my time.