St. Vincent on the '70s Influence of 'Daddy's Home'
Inspired by early 1970s New York, from grimy days to glam nights, St. Vincent presents a new album with an irresistible groove.
To accompany her new album and explain its genesis, Annie Clark, best known as St. Vincent, has produced a little old-fashioned comic book, with a grainy design and bright colors. The concept took root in 2010, when her father was arrested and charged for stock market manipulation, a shock that the singer processed by writing Strange Mercy, her third album, released the following year. As she became a ubiquitous figure on the American music scene, her father proudly collected press clippings about her from his Texas cell.
The aesthetic was that of a glamorous woman who has not closed an eye for three days. At first sight, you tell yourself that she is pretty, but on a closer look, we realize that her mascara has smudged and her nails are broken and dirty.
When she joins us on Zoom from Los Angeles, St. Vincent is amidst rehearsing for a performance on Saturday Night Live. “The click came when I recorded the song 'At the Holiday Party,'" the singer-songwriter says. "I was with my friend Jack Antonoff [who co-produced Daddy's Home] at the Electric Lady studio, and I immediately knew that we had found the atmosphere of the record, which resembles what we can hear on New York albums produced between 1971 and 1976. I also have the impression that we are going through a similar period at the moment: a cultural revolt, a certain disenchantment, an economic uncertainty…This difficult period has seen the birth of brilliant music! We had a lot of fun in the studio. Each of these new songs portrays imperfect characters who are doing their best to get by.”
While some of her previous works assumed special effects and sonic complexity, Daddy's Home seduces through its immediacy, contagious rhythms, and intoxicating melodies. It has a simplicity tinged with sophistication that makes it one of the peaks of her career. “I produced this album between fall 2019 and the end of 2020, but the global pandemic has not really had an impact on the way I work," St. Vincent shares. "I had more time to devote myself to it without being interrupted.”
On the track "The Melting of the Sun," the 30-something feminist pays tribute to the female artists who matter to her: musicians, actresses, and writers towards whom the industry has sometimes been ruthless. “I just wanted to say thank you to Joan Didion, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Tori Amos, or even Marilyn Monroe for what they did, for their courage and their strength. They made my life easier and I hope to extend this process for the next generation.” Placed near the end of the album, the song "Candy Darling" is also a moving evocation of the transgender New York icon and muse of Andy Warhol.
Before striking out on her own. St. Vincent debuted in several groups at the dawn of the 21st century. She first accompanied The Polyphonic Spree, then Sufjan Stevens, before going solo. Her independence does not prevent her from appreciating collaborations. In 2012, she shaped the album Love This Giant in duet with the legendary David Byrne, ex-leader of the Talking Heads.
A few years ago, you may have seen her name pop up in the tabloids when she was in a relationship with Kristen Stewart or Cara Delevingne, but she has since kept her private life behind an aura of mystery. She continues to appear in the fashion pages and to attend numerous runway shows. “Clothes give me energy,” she explains. "They also help me tell a story. I grew up in the days of Nirvana and the grunge movement, which was characterized by its disinterest in fashion. Groups arrived on stage in the same clothes they wore the night before. Ironically enough, people started to copy that attitude, and it became a fad in itself. I admired the looks of Madonna, Björk, Marc Bolan, and Kathleen Hanna from Bikini Kill. With this new album, I really wanted to go back to seventies costumes and nightie-style dresses. The aesthetic was that of a glamorous woman who has not slept for three days. At first glance, you think she is pretty, but on closer inspection you realize that her mascara is smudged and that her nails are broken and dirty.”
On the black and white cover of Daddy's Home, next to the very '70s typeface, St. Vincent perfectly embodies this idea. Metamorphosed, she swaps her usual brown hair for a blonde bob and long bangs. Under her slip dress and white faux fur jacket, we notice that one of her stockings is ripped. Seated in an armchair, she stares at us, a discreet smile on her lips. Commanding and fulfilled, just like this new album.
