Clare Follett chronicles the anticipation, agony and, ultimately, acceptance of the end of her first love in her new album, Reclamation. Follett lays herself bare as she lyrically navigates through the stages of grief, at times revealing her youth but displaying a self-awareness and musical ability beyond her years.
The multi-talented Newfoundland teen took the opportunity of her sophomore album to dive into the role of producer, sprinkling it with the hallmarks of raw emotional lyricism paired with the ragged edge of an emotive guitar that can be found on her 2017 debut album, Neck Deep. Both remain central to her sound, but by adding bandmates she admits that the process required her to loosen her stylistic reins “a little bit”.
Allowing herself to be more open to the input of others, particularly that of fellow Reckless Hearts bandmates, drummer Dan George and guitarist Nick Earle, Follett says that, ultimately, the final product still meant following her instincts. Follett acknowledges, “Music is a weird and difficult industry to be in as a woman” but that “you have to trust your gut.”
In the primarily male-driven industry, Follett says, “don’t let people talk down to you or make you feel like you don’t deserve your place. You have the opportunities that you have for a reason and you are worthy of them.” And though she is a self-described “control freak” in terms of her creative process, Follett’s musical versatility, determination, and confidence in the value of her perspective are inspiring.
The result is a more refined sound on Reclamation while staying true to her voice.
“I grew a lot as a person,” says Follett about the experience, adding that not only was she growing as a producer but that the album evolved organically as a way to express herself while tackling the fallout from her breakup.
This story plays out with the progression of the melodies and lyrics, paralleled by the evolution and tragic end of her relationship. Follett remarked that she’s grateful for the experience as catharsis through the creative process that she can now share with others.
Follett’s personal emotions shine through in the album in its soft, romantic moments reminiscent of fond memories. We see this softness in the first track, “Sunless,” and it is juxtaposed with beautifully heated lyrics in later songs, like “The Guy I Once Knew” and “Crashing Cars.”
When Follett belts out catchy lines like “sparks don’t fly like they used to” and “I hate that I love you,” you may commiserate… And hit repeat.
“Fight the Truth” holds a place of honour as Follett’s chosen favourite on the album. She says it was initially intended as a “vent song,” unrelated to the relationship and that she knew as soon as she finished the demo that it would be the closing track.
“It takes you through the realization that you and your partner aren’t right for each other, and that even though it will hurt, it is best to let go of the relationship,” says Follett.
The song’s bittersweet end brought a greater sense of context to the rest of the album, she explains.
On the track, 19-year-old Follett aptly conveys this lesson that takes some of us decades to appreciate. Closing out the album with this song, Follett not only concludes her relationship story on an emotionally mature note but also demonstrates how far she has grown as an artist and producer.