Oh The Gold was recorded at Grandma’s Place, a studio on the outskirts of Brisbane, where she teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Lawrence Folvig and producer Matt Redlich. These recording sessions reflected Wills’ growth and development as a songwriter over the past two years, moving past the folk rock style that dominated You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine.
“The first song on the EP, Drive, has got this kind of new-wave ‘80s vibe to it,” she says. “You think that’s the kind of EP that you’re in for, but then it immediately descends into the song Hawaii, which goes for something completely different. It’s a very broad collection and I find it so liberating to not be limited by one style. a less folky vibe here – Matt’s contributions to the songs really helped make that leap. I always wanted it to be different from You Go Your Way, but the production choices helped steer that in the right direction. It’s much more of a reflection on who I am now.”
The arrangements on Oh The Gold feature a mix of shimmering guitar, layered harmonies and delicately woven melodic patterns that don’t stay in the same place for too long. There’s very little time for things to get comfortable, which adds to the EP’s exciting, exploratory nature. Although Wills’ upcoming shows will feature a full five-piece band, there was an immediate group that worked on Oh The Gold.
“Lawrence is talented enough to be able to play bass as well as he plays guitar,” Wills says. “That was his department. I sang all of the vocals and played the synth parts, plus any extra things that needed to be played. We brought in Aaron [Light], our drummer, and he flew through the drums and percussion that we had to lay down. It would have been nice to have a full complement up there with us, but I liked the intimate affair of just having the four of us. It helped to get things done a lot more efficiently. Matt had a very immersed approach to how he produces – he essentially become like a fourth band member, and his insight was really useful.”
Audiences will have the chance to hear the songs from Oh The Gold in the flesh when Wills and her full band play a string of launch shows later in the month. Although a relatively small run of dates, Wills is a little nervous about returning to the stage.
“I haven’t played one of my own shows since a residency I did back in June. The last time I was actually on stage was on the #1 Dads tour, and that wasn’t even my stuff – I was just singing on a couple of songs every night. It was pretty cruisey and a lot of fun, but I did miss playing my own songs. I’m trying to prepare a set that can do it all, with segues and a bit more of a performance element to it. Fingers crossed.”
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
