radionotes podcast episodes

Lisa Caruso

by | Sep 17, 2023 | episodes | 0 comments

Lisa Caruso

Lisa Caruso’s tune Shake Baby Shake features on episode of NBC TV show ‘Good Girls’ and is also a guitar number from the acclaimed Debut album – In Feelings.

Musically for the follow-up release Stretching (EP) the synths have come to play. For a collection of tunes around the latest transformations in Caruso’s life.

Hear here Lisa’s chat with radionotes…

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IMAGE CREDIT: Adam Singer (roadhouse pictures)

SHOW NOTES: Lisa Caruso

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Feature Guest: Lisa Caruso

Next Feature Guest: Hannah Cameron

  • 2023 album release is In Patterns

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CREDITS

Theme/Music: Martin Kennedy and All India Radio   

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TRANSCRIPT

First version provided by human REV team member – check to audio before quoting wider

John Murch:
Lisa, thanks for joining radionotes.

Lisa Caruso:
Thanks so much for having me.

John Murch:
Why the synths? You are known so much for the power guitar over the shoulder, supporting some of the big names. Why the keys? What happened?

Lisa Caruso:
Good question. With music sometimes it’s a beautiful accident, but I started writing on keys and then kind of stemmed this sort of inspiration, wanting to have more sort of synth drenched music. There’s just so much you can do with different synth sounds and music that I was listening to by Sharon Van Etten.
I was just obsessed with Remind Me Tomorrow album. Just love those sounds, very nostalgic, too. Some 80s stuff and very emotive and I think just a nice change. I kind of wanted to steer away from a bit of that rock genre that guitar can sometimes. Had a little trickle with all the settings on my keyboard and this sort of 80s synth kind of emerged, which I really enjoyed.

John Murch:
Can you talk to us about what you’re listening to at the same time that you are reintroducing yourself to the synth world?

Lisa Caruso:
Lots of Shaz. I’ve been listening around that time, so I wrote some of these songs over the past couple years and during that time, yeah, I wanted to listen to new music. I felt like I hadn’t heard new music or been drawn to new music in a long time. It’s always like when people ask, “Oh, what are you are you listening to now?” And I always felt like I was listening to older stuff, so it was really exciting to latch onto Sharon Van Etten, Weyes Blood, who I think is brilliant and I just love that she gets the credit.
I mean, it is in America. It’s a whole different scene out there, but it’s just not what’s going on here. It’s sort of that storytelling, cinematic kind of vibe. I also love Jonathan Wilson and he’s got that real nostalgic 70s vibe going on. I took a lot of inspiration from one of my tracks, Bright Lights. I feel is quite similar to that kind of 70s chill culture status.

John Murch:
Let’s start with the production team of this EP, if you don’t mind.

Lisa Caruso:
It started probably in January of this year, that I brought seven songs to keyboard player, Harry Sutherland, who’s extremely talented musician, arranger, and we kind of just nutted out some arrangements. He brought his laptop along and we put down some drum loopy stuff, just to kind of get started. And again, having two keyboards was pretty massive and fun.
So we started putting down some different parts and I gave him some melodic ideas and he kind of had some back. So we started off as a duo in the production world and then I gathered some incredible musicians, Tully Ryan on drums, Ollie Thorpe on guitar, and Josh Spolc on bass, planned a gig. So I booked a gig and that was my kick in the butt to kind of get things going.
Had a couple of days in rehearsal studio and started to arrange five of the tracks that I thought kind of were working a bit better after the Harry sessions. And after that about, it’s like a month later, I booked a studio, had another studio rehearsal and then just laid down the five tracks in one day.
We did lots of layering, obviously, afterwards, but we did all the bass and drums. They were all set in stone after that one day with engineer David Trumpmanis, who has worked with Sarah Blasko, Jack Colwell, Seeker Lover Keeper. A very modest, beautiful, humble guy. And then I did all my backing vocals on my own. I recorded my vocals at home. I just knew myself. I like less pressure at home than not in the studio.

John Murch:
And the technology’s allowing you to do that as well these days?

Lisa Caruso:
Absolutely. And my partner’s a engineer, so he has everything set up, ready to go for me.

John Murch:
Excellent.

Lisa Caruso:
And I just press record.

John Murch:
Can you talk to us about that different environment? Particularly, I’m interested in that dueting you were doing in terms of the keyboard. Compared to in the past, you may have been jamming with the guitar as you’re now jamming in a way with keyboard, which might be something new for you.

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah. I love the idea that it’s jamming. I’m laughing because I’m not… I shouldn’t downplay my skills, but I feel like I can do a lot more on keys in terms of chords and it’s all laid out for me and I can see it better and I can kind of make more interesting progressions, as opposed to guitar for some reason. And maybe because it’s more new to me. I’ve always used keyboard.
I also do high school teaching and I’m a vocal teacher and I use keyboard for those type of skills for teaching and I think when it’s all in front of you and laid out and you can see it, it just makes more sense to me. There’s a piano solo actually, at the end of track three on it. It’s cool and that was me. So I’m very proud of that piano solo.

John Murch:
You’ve always had that lead of knowing, I believe, what your vision is for the music and having that ability to have some of the most visually engaging for what the songs need.

Lisa Caruso:
I think just, what I’ve learned about this sort of third serving of releases, block of releases that I’ve released is that, listening back to the five tracks in full, it’s kind of like, “Oh, it does.” Although it’s very synth, the foundation is with the synthesiser this time. It still absolutely follows on from In Feelings. That was my last thought when I heard the songs from one to five and I was like, “Oh, it’s not…” It’s a bit of a left turn sonically, but it still remains the same.
And I think the tie is that cinematic kind of vibe that I’m always really drawn to. I can’t help but be dramatic. My songwriting stems from an idea and then it just goes elsewhere, which I quite like. I enjoy film… Music for film is pretty much why I do music, in a sense. I think that music tied with the visual is really fun and exciting and very artistic, I suppose. I like creating from that kind of vision, that it’s very encompassing of all the senses.

John Murch:
Shake Baby Shake has come to a lot of people’s minds because of the sync, which is where you get your music to be included into visual elements and it’s ended up in Good Girls. So that’s someone else deciding that your music will be good in this way, this visual way. How’s that been for you?

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, so good. It’s been such a nice… It’s such a struggle, being a musician and putting music out there and putting yourself out there… Well, this is my perspective, but it’s hard and when you don’t have that momentum of people still listening after you’ve dropped it and a month later, it’s like, “Okay.” Everyone’s like, “What’s next?” And you have to have all these new offerings. It takes time and money and so much energy.
So having something like a sync, it’s really… Specifically this one, it’s really prolonged new listeners and ears on it. So every week I’ll get new… It’s not all about the stats, but it’s a really good indication of how music’s going. I find Shazam’s really exciting and that tells me that someone Shazamed it.
They’re like, “oh, what’s this? I like this.” It’s just a shame that people don’t look at your other stuff. That’s what I’m finding. It’s just like, “All right, if you like this, why don’t you listen to the album?” Talking about TikTok and short attention spans.

John Murch:
Have you seen the tune in Good Girls? In what way did it transport your music?

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, good question. Absolutely. Of course, when I was like, “Oh, it’s on there? Great. Let me see it straight away.” It was really exciting and I think a big part of its success on the show as well that it was in quite a critical part of the show. I’ve had another song on an Aussie show that was just in the background and you could hardly tell. They were in the bathroom and so they’ve manipulated the sound, but this one was right up front, which served really well and it was such a moody part of the scene and a really integral part of the script.
Diehard fans of the show just clung onto this one scene. So it started off with my music, changed scenes, really dramatic line from one of the actors and then the chorus came up and then it rolled out to the credits. So it was really long and you go onto the film clip, and there’s all these hilarious comments going, “Who’s here because of Good Girls?” And there’s all these chat about Rio and Beth and the sexy scene, and it’s cool. I enjoy it. Whatever brings people to my music, great. I don’t mind at all.

John Murch:
I was going to ask, does that influence the kind of music you make? But the thing is, you’ve been making this music because you enjoy making that music already.

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah. And that’s the best thing about it. I just feel quite authentic and that’s where my music should live. Really happy about that because that’s exactly why, like I said before, why I enjoy being artistic and going on creative endeavours. And when you land little things like this that actually makes sense, it makes it all worth it.

John Murch:
Is this EP answering some of the questions that In Feelings was asking?

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah. That’s something I’m thinking deeply about. Stretching is definitely a collection of songs with a lot more confidence, which I suppose In Feelings had a lot more angst and wonder. I feel like there’s a lot of annoyance on there that I unleashed and let out. Stretching is a collection more that, it’s so much about confidence and reassurance in oneself, and sort of finding yourself and really being happy with where you’re at in life.

John Murch:
I sensed In Feelings, yet again, every listener can take their own approach and only you, as the artist, know the actual seed of it. But the sense of vulnerability of In Feelings has had a huge hug with Stretching and saying, “It’s okay. We’ve gone through these stories, but guess what? Me, myself and I are okay.”

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah. That’s really nice. And I think, because I write just from a place of honesty, I don’t think about it too much, but it’s just such a sort of an inverted comma as a “Dear Diary” moment where part of my life, I am exactly where I’m at and it’s just real. Like I mentioned before, I kind of exaggerate some stories sometimes, but maybe because me, the artist, is saying that I don’t exaggerate it. It’s just who I am and very emotional and heavy at heart. So yeah.

John Murch:
I’m not sure if this is going to be a single off the EP. You’ve already had two singles off the EP and maybe that’s the course of how this EP will go, but can I draw people’s attention to the track on the EP called, Do You Work Out? That’s with a huge question mark on the end. Can you talk to us about this idea of working out and the idea that when you’re talking about working out, you’re talking about the mind, possibly the soul, less so the body?

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah. It’s great that people have tricked their ears up at that particular track. I always find that when I play live or if we’re talking about the collection, Do You Work Out? will come out straight away. And it’s interesting because it’s not one of my favourites that stand out and I don’t know why I’m shying away from this. I find that track so pop, so hooky and I really enjoy it. When I started writing it, I was thinking about Martha Wainwright and her melodies, and how quite decorative they are. And then it just turned into this real pop banger that has a hip hop beat and I’m really glad with how it’s turned out.
But lyrically, it’s definitely my COVID lockdown song. So every artist has one of those or a couple, and it was around a time where things got just insane with opposing views about vaccines. You just really felt a big segregation between people and Do You Work Out?, whether you’re on this side or that, it was more a question of, “Okay, but have you done your research and are you thinking for yourself, no matter where you are on the spectrum of what was happening?”
Just yeah, the importance of that, the whole self-growth. I’m in my late 30s now and talk about your 20s and your 30s, and where you land at in your 40s. I just had some interactions with people that… I don’t know. I just gained more respect for people that actually do the work on themselves, in a sense. Do you spend time thinking about why you think this way or not being so closed in your opinions?

John Murch:
And also, it brings us back to the EP title in a sense, in terms of actually stretching one’s understanding of both self and how one might fit into whatever’s going on. And I also get a feeling there’s a little bit of aggressiveness, not from you, but just in the song’s title, that it could have bro at the front. Bro, do you work out? And then like Joe Rogan going, “Mate, I do.”

Lisa Caruso:
There is definitely a tongue in cheek in it, for sure. And then the kind of bridge will break down and talk on the seriousness of it because there’s always a gentle hug with anything that I do, a spot of optimism, but definitely an annoyance with it. That’s why, I suppose, I wanted to repeat that line over and over again, just to kind of get it through.

John Murch:
How has it been translating those feelings, the In Feelings into this latest EP?

Lisa Caruso:
Going back on the writing process during… A lot of it was through lockdown. It was such an interesting time for people. It kind of either was quite surprisingly good that you could come and be quiet and not have distractions. And for others, it was awful. So I respect both kind of opinions and I’m sorry to those that it was awful for.
But for me, I felt like I was just kind of getting government pay because I’m a casual worker and it just gave me an opportunity to write. Looking back on it now, I was thinking, “Wow. There’ll probably be no other opportunity where I can really look into myself,” and have these writings appear from such a quiet time when there’s so much… You can’t help but be in a moment of thought.
I kind of described this EP as it’s provoking thought, questioning and asking all the big questions, like first track is, What If My Body Could Love Like You. And that was huge for me at the time. Maybe because everyone was on social media more, but just so annoyed at still these issues with body image. I shouldn’t say still. It’s probably getting worse because of TikTok and all of that.

John Murch:
The word body in your body of work, Lisa, has been an ongoing theme throughout the songs that you’ve done. The way that you drop these ideas regarding what body means, represents, is seen or not seen, how does it relate in your life? Because you use movement a lot now in your work, but you did then as well.

Lisa Caruso:
I’ve thought about the word body quite a bit. It’s always interesting. A lot of musicians do use the word body. I guess, body, mind, soul. We use our bodies in so many different ways. I had Borrow My Body on the In Feelings album. It’s a very giving kind of word, I think, because when you’re giving your body, you’re talking about your body. It’s quite personal, but it can also share a lot of what you’re feeling and what you’re going through.
Yeah, the movement, I really enjoy. I don’t think… Not necessarily dancing, but in the What If My Body Could Love Like You film clip, I wanted to have some movement that felt natural to me. Yeah, I really enjoyed exploring movement within music, how music makes you move and what it makes you do intrinsically, and how it forms like a stretching of expression to what you’re trying to say.

John Murch:
Also in that film clip, we get a sense of multiples of you as well. Is that multiples of personality or is that of different places in time meeting?

Lisa Caruso:
I worked with Adam Singer of Roadhouse Productions and I’ve worked with him on all my film clips. We just have a really good team. We kind of direct and do all the production together and the editing and everything. Yeah, he came to me with that idea of having the doubles, just because it’s something that he’s been working with lately and I was like, “Absolutely.”
We found such a cool space and I really liked the idea, joined with those synth sounds, to have a little bit of a futuristic… We’re living in this new AI world and for me, that was really fun to kind of draw upon and having the doubles, I suppose, looking at yourself in different ways. That’s what this song’s about.
What If My Body Could Love Like You means, if only I could see myself the way that other people do. We can get so down on looking in the mirror and thinking, “Oh, I don’t like this part of my body or this part of my body,” whereas your mates and your lovers and things like that will be like, “You’re amazing. You’re beautiful. What are you talking about?” These extra leases popping up, reflecting on how we can look at ourselves better.

John Murch:
We were talking about there, about those you care about and how they see your body and how they interact with it, but we’re also being asked to produce images of ourselves for the rest of the world to consume, the consumerism of the self-image of body these days.

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, for sure. I’ve always wanted to feel really good about it and I’ve always wanted to put out a positive image, especially if you’re in the limelight. I feel like it’s so important to do so, doing photographs and things like that. I always feel like as long as I kind of drop into myself, then I’ll be happy.
These past photos, it was really cool talking about the idea of stretching and being happy in yourself. Adam also takes my photographs for this release and he kind of made a mention of… He photographs lots of people and he’s like, “Something’s really changed in you since In Feelings and you can kind of just drop into that moment.”
I think it’s half of just wanting to get it done so I can get off the floor and have a break. So as an artist, you start to learn, it’s such an art. You just get the work done. But also, it was really nice to hear that he felt like I was in a new place where I was just being me. And I think that’s all you can ask for when you’re taking photos and putting them out there, not trying to be someone else or mimic anything. Just sort of drop into yourself and feel good with where you’re at.

John Murch:
Because the idea of stretching is both about the mind, the soul, but also this idea of body as well. Going for that walk, going and making sure that you might be able to get a bit of yoga in, if that’s your thing.

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah-

John Murch:
Not saying it is, but if it is.

Lisa Caruso:
Well, you’re spot on. Walking and yoga is my thing, and swimming. Never forcing yourself to do things that you don’t want to do. When you become comfortable, I think you just want to do them because they make you feel good, but it’s all about balance and that’s something I talk about in your show at the end.
I talk at the end of your show and it speaks of balance and it’s a huge summary of what the Stretching EP is about, trying to juggle being a musician, and working and making a living, but also having that balance for your mind, body, and soul so you don’t go crazy.
It’s something I’m trying to juggle at the moment, where I need to earn money, but also find the time and stillness, that I feel good in my body and I don’t feel like I am overworked and run down because then you get sick and that’s useless.

John Murch:
Over the course of anyone’s life, their body can put them through a lot of challenges. How do you prepare yourself for life’s challenges?

Lisa Caruso:
Well, through that balance, I guess. I’m someone and I spoke of it so much in the album, In Feelings. I’ve lived with a chronic illness, I’ve got Crohn’s disease, and I got that when I was 14. And I think at that age as well, you’re in such a fragile state. Being so unwell at that time of my life really set up where I started travelling to, I suppose.
So health is really important and I’ve been really fortunate that I’ve been quite well over the past couple years. Forefront of my mind constantly is being grateful for health and making sure that… I know it can get bad if I’m doing too much of one thing or feeling upset or stressed. That’s when the yoga comes in, the walks. Just taking a break, getting out in the sunshine.

John Murch:
In terms of the optimism across this record, how are you feeling for the future generations, for example? How are you feeling about where we’re heading?

Lisa Caruso:
Oh, it’s pretty tough. I just mentioned I’m a high school teacher and lately, I’ve been going into schools and thinking… Well, obviously, there’s all these teacher shortages and stuff and I’m in the pit of it being a casual, being that sub, it’s hard. It’s so challenging.
You get all these different opinions of home life is quite hard for some kids, but at the same time, it’s really difficult. They’re putting out laws, not having phones in New South Wales schools anymore, come October, which I think will be really good. But in terms of the future, I’m hopeful. Hopefully can turn around.

John Murch:
Are you concerned about that engagement that they’re having with technology instead of with each other or is that me just reading into your thought there?

Lisa Caruso:
No, definitely. That and the attention span of people, like 10 seconds. And I find myself doing it, too. I get on my phone and I’m like, “Oh. Why am I all of a sudden on Instagram? What was I here for?” But it’s that attention span and not being able to have that stillness and stop and think, and more than ever… Obviously, kids are more… They’re like sponges. They’re going to be consuming more than, I suppose in general, that adults might and there’s just a lot of crap out there.

John Murch:
I remember when we were concerned that we’re getting to that stage that it was all going to be the three-minute pop song and that no one would ever listen to a long song ever again. It’s like even the three-minute pop song’s getting a little nervous now.

Lisa Caruso:
Absolutely. It’s like, if you can’t grab someone in the first 10 seconds, then forget it. Or even when you can, it’s like, “Okay, what have I got next?” There’s so much music out in 2023. Have you found that?

John Murch:
I found there is a lot, but it doesn’t mean I have to listen to all of it.

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, but you’re a responsible adult that understands.

John Murch:
Let’s talk about another one of the tracks of the EP, so people can find their way there. Bright Lights?

Lisa Caruso:
This is a sort of 70s, Jonathan Wilson inspired track. It’s quite bare when I wrote it, too. I just played a chord, each bar and lots came from it, but it’s essentially a pretty, womanly powerful. Always got to have one of those on my collection, a powerful song about a breakup and feeling really good about it.
So the verses juxtaposed against a more, like bottom heavy chorus where the verses talk about, sounds like a cry, from my vocal perspective. It’s about a lover constantly turning a blind eye, going away so much and then expecting things to be okay. So the chorus hits and it’s like, “Too late buddy, see you later.” That confidence in oneself, I suppose.

John Murch:
And actually finding it, whilst what would be seen as such a negative and draining kind of situation, tapping into what you had before, if that person even turned up.

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, for sure. That’s the whole self thing, I think, people kind of forget about. It’s like you were okay before this happened. That medicine in drawing back in. Just constantly having that conversation when something goes wrong. It’s like, “I’ll be okay because I was okay before this.” Hopefully you can reflect back on times where you’re feeling that was a really good part of my life and I feel really proud about that moment when I did this for myself.
I come from that perspective because I met my partner at… How old was I? 32? 31? I think 31 or something like that. Not that that’s old, but there was a lot of self-discovery. It’s an opinion that might sway with different people, but when you are on your own, there is a lot of self-discovery that’s made differently, as to if you’re sharing most of your memories and lives with a person.

John Murch:
This EP is definitely going to have its own tour now that you can get back out in the road and do performances as well. Are you feeling more comfortable as the solo artist sitting up there by yourself or are you getting to the stage now where you just want a couple of extra people? Do you want the band atmosphere back?

Lisa Caruso:
Oh, I always love a band. Absolutely. It’s just more difficult. People are busy. I mean, I think I shot myself in the foot with getting these musicians at a touring constantly. Not that I… Being a solo artist, you have the freedom to hire other people, absolutely. But with that, just comes a lot of work and I just cross my fingers and toes that people are available.
But in saying that, I did a lot of shows with Ben Fletcher for the In Feelings. He’s such an incredible guitarist, musician, person. He’s such an amazing singer that I really enjoyed those duo shows as well with duel guitar and two vocals, and I really felt like it still represented a lot about what the album’s about.

John Murch:
The album was called In Feelings. It’d be a miss of me not to ask you, Lisa, how are you feeling right now?

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, good. Feeling like this EP, like I’m running the race to kind of finish it. You always record music and think it’s going to be done soon and then factors come in and it’s not done. So it, all in the nick of time, did these tracks get recorded, mixed, mastered with enough leeway time for some music videos and different artworks and things in a neat nine months. Feeling good and also feeling good in life and I’m expecting a child very soon. So I’ve also been pregnant along this journey, which is-

John Murch:
Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ll ask the question. Congratulations. I’ve been not mentioning this, listener, because it’s rude to talk about pregnancy status.

Lisa Caruso:
Not at all.

John Murch:
How’s that been going for you?

Lisa Caruso:
Yeah, good. I’ve been really lucky to be talking about health being quite well, which is great. So the new arrival is coming in a couple weeks.

John Murch:
That’s the EP, but what about the child?

Lisa Caruso:
Both. That’s what I mean. They’ve come at the same time, just happened that way. It was all planned and everything, but it’s just been so funny and interesting how… That’s why I called this EP, Stretching. Stretching in more ways than one, sonically and musically in my life, in my belly. Yeah, it’s a good chapter. There still is a stigma, if I’m honest, with ageism and females and in the music industry and being with the age that I’m at, and just feeling really good with where I’m at with life.
I’m super proud and happy that I’ve made this EP. I could have waited. It might just mean that I have to delay some shows, but I’m so happy that it’s going to be out there and I can just continue on authentically, what I’m doing and have that balance. It’s so much about balance. I just think ultimately, absolutely, I just want my music to be heard, but I need to do life alongside of that.

John Murch:
Lisa Caruso, our time has run out today, but thanks very much for joining radionotes.

Lisa Caruso:
Thank you so much for having me. It was a great chat.

AI summary generated by Rev: Lisa Caruso, a musician known for her power guitar playing, discusses her transition to using synths in her music. She explains that she started writing on keys and was inspired by the synth-heavy music of artists like Sharon Van Etten. Caruso also talks about the importance of listening to new music and mentions artists like Weyes Blood and Jonathan Wilson as influences. She discusses the production process of her EP, “Stretching,” and how she worked with a team of musicians and a producer to create the tracks. Caruso also talks about the significance of balance in her life and the themes of confidence and self-discovery in her music. She mentions the impact of a sync placement of her song “Shake Baby Shake” in the TV show “Good Girls” and how it has brought new listeners to her music. Caruso also discusses the challenges of the music industry and the importance of staying true to oneself. She concludes the interview by mentioning her upcoming EP tour and her excitement about becoming a mother.

 

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