Adam Washburn’s latest indie-pop-rock album ‘Lift Me Up’ is about washing away the hurt of past relationships, putting the pieces back together after everything’s been ripped apart, and looking towards a better, brighter tomorrow.
Washburn has stayed true to his Maritime roots, both in his music and his style. When you take a voice similar to that of a younger David Myles and compliment it with electric guitar, drums, and the occasional fanfare trumpet, you’ll get the sound Adam Washburn has worked so hard to develop. His music has been influenced by his Saint John upbringing, as well as touring across the provinces . On his song-writing process, Washburn states that, “Usually I write a song and come back to it later. If the melody has not stuck in my head by that time I usually forget about it altogether. Most songs on this album are written that way.”
Accompanied by The Elements and Dale Murray of Come Undone Records, Washburn’s ‘Lift Me Up’ is honest, optimistic, and on brand for what local fans have come to expect from the singer. As the singer-songwriter’s first full-length album, ‘Lift Me Up’ took three years to create. Washburn says that the creation of the full album has been a dream of his since the release of his EP back in 2013.
The new album speaks to young love and carefree attitudes in his title track, with love-ridden lyrics like, “I want you to stay. I’ll show you the way, the way it’s supposed to be. Come take me; lift me up, up, up, and away.” The music video for “Lift Me Up” is the epitome of puppy-love, school-boy themed fantasies and features shooting locations and actors from Saint John. It makes for an upbeat ballad of a young besotted man in love.
“Lift me up was an upbeat tune I wrote while living in Halifax,” says Washburn. “I was trying to write something a little more upbeat. The chorus for the song was a melody that was floating around in my head for a couple years. I put the lyrics for that song down really quickly and they were never changed. I felt insecure about that and re-wrote them while I was in the studio, but we actually ended up going with the original ones. It’s funny how sometimes you should just go with what comes out in the moment.”
While many of Washburn’s songs are upbeat, he also highlights difficult issues such as substance abuse and moving on from the effects of it in tunes such as “Say Goodbye”: “Substance just holds you back. Your future means more than that. Earth just don’t always last, so move on to the second act. Say goodbye to the high.” Young love, substance abuse, breakups, and carefree life are all highlighted in this album. It’s a ballad of living as a twenty-something-year-old man. It takes you through the ups and downs of a young adult’s life, and all the themes of youthful experiences.