October 9, 2025 • 37 mins
What if the truest parts of a record live beneath the surface, shaping what you hear without ever announcing themselves? We sit down with Carson McHone to trace the layers behind Pentimento—from Austin’s all-ages venues to a late-summer desert in West Texas and a snow-dusted session by the Bay of Fundy, tracked to 8-track tape. Along the way, Carson shares the moment she said goodbye to restaurant shifts from the White Horse stage, the journal her mother kept during her first year of life, and how words, melody, and memory braid into songs that feel at once intimate and wide open.
We explore creativity as both posture and practice: the ear training of Suzuki lessons, the freedom of a gifted mandolin, and the patience to catch a song’s thread whether it arrives as a fully formed line or a slow, methodical build. The title Pentimento—borrowed from visual art—becomes a map for the album’s design: the underpainting that persists through time, the overlapping faces of influence, the way a project can hold multiple truths at once. Carson talks about recording to tape, embracing texture over tidy edges, and respecting albums as one living piece rather than a handful of singles. Listeners have responded by pressing play again the moment the last track ends, sensing a narrative that’s felt more than spelled out.
If you’re drawn to songwriting craft, analog recording, Austin music history, or the elemental pull of place—desert heat and ocean tide—you’ll find a lot to love here. We hold space for the practical and the poetic: paying the bills, protecting the creative spark, and building work that would be worth making even if no one heard it. Hit play, share it with a friend who still listens front to back, and leave a review to tell us what layer you heard first.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Carson McHone (00:06):
Heaven walks among us, ordinarily muffled in
such triple or tenfold disguisesthat the wisest are deceived,
and no one suspects the days tobe gods.
Chris (00:30):
So rolling with it here along season six, if it be real
podcast.
What a beautiful, beautifulperson I have here for today.
I have Carson McCone coming infrom her home in Ontario,
Southern Ontario.
I'll make a preference of that.
And me coming in from southernQuebec, right across the border.
Now, Carson, you are a nativeto Austin, Texas.
Carson McHone (00:53):
Is that I am so I'm I'm from south of this
nearest border.
I'm from south of the border.
Yeah, from Texas.
I grew up in Austin.
Chris (01:04):
Cool.
Great city.
Like yeah, yeah, it is.
Visited Austin many, manytimes, and it's just uh the
music scene there in particular.
I always was fascinated withthat.
Yeah.
You could find music any day ofthe week.
Any day you want to.
Carson McHone (01:18):
Oh yeah.
And like so many shows going onevery every night.
Chris (01:24):
So yeah, yeah.
So cool.
So Carson, I'd love to startthese off with a couple of
memories of the past.
Okay.
Of moments that you feelbrought you closer to what
you're doing today with music.
Do you have some of those teenmemories, early 20 memories of
moments that you feel changedthe trajectory of where you're
(01:49):
where you are now?
Carson McHone (01:52):
Gosh, I could probably point to a number of
things.
I mean, like you said, I I grewup in Austin, so I was really
lucky to be able to go see musicat a relatively young age.
Not only does Austin have a lotof live music all the time and
(02:12):
a, you know, bustling localscene, but it's also a place
where people stop on tour.
And so there's there's justmusic all the time.
And although my family weren'tnecessarily like my immediate
family directly musical, therewas stuff happening all the time
(02:32):
that we would go to.
And so my folks took me to seea lot of music live as a kid.
And and Austin's a relatively,I would say, all ages friendly,
or at least it was when I wasgrowing up, town.
And my folks were friends witha lot of musicians.
And so yeah, I think just sortof the nature of being a young
(02:57):
person in a town like that gaveme an interesting perspective on
making music my full-time gig.
I do remember in particular,there was one.
I feel like I spoke about thisrecently, which is why I guess
why it comes to mind.
(03:18):
But I worked for, you know, anumber of years doing, well,
many different odd jobs as likea teenager and in my early 20s.
And worked at restaurants andand stuff like that.
And I finally made the decisionto, or I guess it wasn't
(03:38):
finally.
I was in my early 20s, so I wasstill, you know, quite young,
but it felt like I was finallymaking sort of a career decision
or a path decision.
And I announced it on stage.
I was playing at the WhiteHorse in Austin, and I had put
my two weeks in at my job, and Ihad I was done.
(04:00):
I was done waiting tables, andI yeah, I announced it from
stage at I think I had a weeklyresidency at the time.
And so, you know, it was a crewof people that were a little
bit more familiar with me.
Like I'm sure many friends ofmine were there.
And so it was like okay, here'sthis is from here on out, this
(04:23):
is what I'm doing, which is kindof it's absolutely what I'm
pursuing.
But I I think those thingsobviously with with time and age
shift and change how you definethose things.
I mean, I was not a greatserver, but I would not be
against, you know, waitingtables again.
But you probably wouldn't wantme to.
But uh yeah, yeah, I think I'mI'm pursuing the thing that I've
(04:47):
at least for now I'm trying tobe the best at that I can be as
far as the other things I'vepursued in my life.
So yeah.
That was definitely a a turningpoint and a and a pretty, I
guess, a a profound moment in away.
I guess maybe I'd already madethe decision, but it became a
reality.
Chris (05:06):
Yeah.
Well, you've dabbled increativity.
You feel like your whole life,and creativity is sometimes hard
for people to welcome in orunderstand or accept or
understand how it works thatcreativity comes as you are
creative?
How was your process in alwaystrying to push your creativity
(05:28):
forward?
And maybe not only in music.
I know that you're you'reyou're a writer, and you know,
creativity seems to be centralas to who you are at this point
in your life.
Was that a gradual growing, ordo you make it a part of who you
are that that practicing ofcreativity has to happen
(05:49):
continuously every day?
Carson McHone (05:52):
You know, I think so much of that has to do with
uh the way I was raised, becauseI do think it's more of a I
mean it's absolutely a practice,but I think it's also just sort
of a disposition to a certainextent.
And one that that I was sort ofencouraged, I was always
(06:12):
encouraged by my mother and andstill am to this day, to sort of
be open to well, just open ingeneral, I think.
At least that's the way thatI've I feel it in me, is that
you know, we are constantlyshaping the world around us and
(06:37):
and our world and ourperspective and and and also
being shaped by the outsidethings, you know.
But but I think just that sortof recognition in general is is
more of a sort of dispositionthat I try to like carry as I
move through the day or youknow, my life or whatever.
(07:00):
And sometimes it's difficultto, you know, to to re you know.
I don't even know if if it'slike a recentering, because I
think maybe inherently ashumans, maybe as children even,
that maybe we are that way andthat we sort of lose touch with
(07:22):
that, or can we lose touch withthat.
And and as we get older and wehave sort of more structure to
our lives, that we can becomeremoved from that that state.
And so it's a balancing act.
But I will say that sort of inrelation to this record too, and
and my being up here, I wasgifted a a journal that my
(07:45):
mother kept when I was aninfant.
She kept it from in the firstyear of my life.
And every entry is addressed tome.
And I had no idea.
I knew she always, you know,journaled, but I she gave it to
me as a gift when I moved fromTexas up here.
And so that was kind of apretty profound thing for me to
(08:11):
have sort of this tangiblerecord, you know?
Yeah.
And I I mean the the very firstentry which made its way onto
my record, actually, she I haveher speak it at the end of the
album, opened the journal.
It's about creating.
(08:33):
And and so I think that I tryto nurture that sense of
creativity and that sort ofinherent what I would like to
think is an understanding thatmaybe that that's always it's
always there.
It's just a matter of uh youknow, aligning yourself with
(08:55):
with with that force, sort of.
And that is it's just how I wasraised.
So I don't know that I can takecredit for it, but I'm trying
to nurture that and and honorthat.
Chris (09:05):
It sounds like your mom was uh fundamental in that in
your creative development.
Y
Carson McHone (09:24):
And and it's she's not, you know, I she's not
like a she didn't make a careerout of that, but it it is just
an inherent part of who she isin conversation, approaching,
you know, in her approach todealing with issues, you know,
issues at hand, anything really.
(09:45):
And I so I I really respectthat and I've I try to take
after her in that way.
But it's slightly removed,yeah.
Chris (09:52):
Yeah, it's a beautiful painting I'm seeing of which,
you know, like thatacknowledgement of of such a
precious gift that you receivedjust because of who she is.
Carson McHone (10:04):
Oh my god.
Uh yeah.
I mean, it's just it's verymoving, moving to me, and I and
I I hope to honor that.
I mean, you know, it comeswith, as do all things, its own
baggage that but that is thething.
It's like, you know, you whenyou begin to go through that
stuff, it's like there arethings that are heavier about
(10:28):
it, this sort of sensitivity.
But but also, yes, what a gift,you know.
And so, you know, some somedays it feels more like one or
the other.
But yeah, no, I I'm here tosort of I hope honor it all.
Chris (10:44):
Yeah.
Well, I think you're doing awonderful job at it.
Thank you.
Sure, she is, you know, thebiggest proud that you can be
watching her daughter developinto, you know, a a pretty
amazing singer, a pretty amazingartist, and a very insightful
artist as well.
Which brings me to this.
My my next question for you ishow did you how did you find
(11:10):
that music was gonna be that uhoutlet for your creativity?
Was it was it stumbled intobecause tell me if I'm wrong, or
correct me if I'm wrong, thatpoetry was something that you
have been doing for beforemusic, and that music came in
through that avenue that you hadalready kind of been dabbling
(11:33):
in for many years.
Is is that an accuratetimeline, Carson?
Carson McHone (11:38):
Maybe not.
I mean, I I think so.
I started my any the first timeI ever played music was to take
violin lessons as a young kid.
And I I took Suzuki violinlessons, and so it started sort
of as like a 15-minute duringthe day exercise of sort of all
(12:00):
this stuff taught in Suzukiearly on is all sort of ear
training and just memory, and Iwas not very good at violin,
never became very good, but butthat was established at a very
young age that I was like, okay,this is a practice, and and I
think you know, I just sort of Imean, music, you know, and and
(12:23):
it is it's something that thenbecame how can I utilize this to
express myself because I'mfeeling a lot.
So yeah, I guess it became sortof this tool, but I I mean I
also just like love music.
But but yeah, so I guessthere's maybe an inclination
(12:47):
towards the written word and andpoetry, but I definitely am not
like uh studied in any way,really.
I read a lot as a kid, and Itry to read.
Actually, I on the last tour, Iactually I always carry around
way too many books, but it's notoften that I find or make time
(13:09):
to read them while on tour.
And I went through two books onthis last run, and it was just
like, oh God, I love this.
But yeah, so I guess I'vealways had that inclination.
And then the fact that musicsort of was always in tandem in
a way, a part of my life, when II picked up actually, my uncle
gave me a mandolin.
(13:30):
And so I was as a young kid, Iwas not into the the structure
and the classical style of thestuff I was learning on violin.
But the mandolin, which isstrung the same as the fiddle,
like I could I could pick outsome of the tunes, and then I
(13:52):
sort of started taking lessonswith actually this woman, Darcy
Deville, who's a Canadian livingin Texas, and I took lessons
from her and was then sort oflearned how to play stuff that I
was into more so than than theclassical Suzuki stuff.
Chris (14:09):
And that gave you your your the structure of process,
like going through those, youknow, yeah, 20 minutes.
Okay, gonna do it.
Like because you you have to develop that as well, right?
Like as we were speaking tocreativity, it's not something
you turn on and off, it's apractice.
And I think that process forartists is similar to that,
(14:32):
where it's it's something thatyou need to do, it's an outlet
that needs to get satisfied.
Carson McHone (14:37):
Um yeah, and and uh a muscle that needs to be,
you know, exercised.
Which it can be reallyfrustrating when you're in sort
of you know out of out of stepwith those things and and you
really because it feels good toum to utilize those those
muscles.
But yeah, when you're out ofwhen you're out of shape or out
(14:57):
of step, it's it's sofrustrating because you can't
just turn it on or off.
But anyways, yeah, so I thinkone thing kind of led to the
other, and I and I think thatthe sort of love for the the
written word and and poetry andalso the more musical side of
things kind of played off ofeach other and were in tandem
(15:18):
there growing up.
Yeah, yeah.
And when you when you arewriting a song, what comes to
you first?
Or does it vary?
Like, is it a a lyrical or isit a a tune or a you know, a
series of chords, or like whenyou when you sit down in that
process of of doing your craft,I mean I'm I'm sure there's a
(15:39):
variety of ways.
Can you fill in some of yourprocess for us?
Sure.
I would say that when I firststarted writing songs, it was I
think just because I was Iplayed a lot less, that it was
always more of a lyricalbeginning.
(16:00):
And these days I think itvaries much more, you know, it's
and I'm so I'll I'll playaround a little bit more on on
guitar or there's there haveeven been a few songs that I've
written now that started out onlike a keyboard, which is still,
you know, kind of foreign tome, funny enough.
(16:21):
So so that's that's quite nice.
Yeah, it really it reallyvaries.
I would say I definitely leantowards like the things that I
am ruminating on sort oflyrically and but I I hope to to
(16:42):
find myself in the other zoneas well.
Yeah.
Chris (16:45):
Right.
And when do you know that whatwhat's the feeling you have or
the acknowledgement you get whenyou know you're kind of on to a
thread of something that thatyou want to see through rather
than, yeah, I've tried thisidea, just don't get it yet.
And you gotta shelve it for awhile.
(17:06):
The opposite of that when youknow that there are there's
elements in here that willblossom into something.
Do you have a feeling or a I'msure.
Yeah.
Carson McHone (17:16):
I'm sure that I do.
I think it's it's funny though,because I've I do feel like
even if I have been taking mytime with something had been
methodical and thought, oh no, Ineed to okay, I love how this
starts and I need to have therest of it come together, but be
equally as good, and I can'trush it, and I need to take my
(17:37):
time.
Still, no matter like after thefact, I always sort of feel
like I've blacked out and I'mlike, how do you do how did I
what you know?
Which I I think is, you know,not too uncommon, but that like
after you finish writing a song,yeah, sometimes you're like,
(18:01):
well, I don't know how howexactly that came together.
Yeah.
Sometimes it's all at once andit hits you.
And then other times, like yousaid, it's more methodical, but
even still, I feel like after,and I and I think too, I mean, I
haven't I've made a f a fewrecords now, but yeah, I'm it
(18:24):
feels like sort of chunks orlike project-based for me these
days.
And I'm I'm in this zone now ofhaving released a record, and
I'm like, what will the nextthing be like?
And then I'm like, what does itwhat is it like to do that?
I've forgotten, I've forgotten,you know.
It's it's funny how thathappens.
Chris (18:44):
Yeah.
And with the latest Pentimento.
Great record.
Thank you.
Came out just recently, guys.
So listeners out there,September 12th, are off the
press.
Where did the name come from?
We talked a bit about thisbefore we hopped on here, but I
just love this title because Ithink it represents so well what
(19:04):
you did with this with thislatest record.
Can you can you put some wordsto the title?
Carson McHone (19:10):
Yeah, I'm I'm trying to think about actually
the the timeline of things andand when I did actually stumble
upon that word, but I have asheet of paper that was ripped
out of like a sketchbook orsomething that uh that I was
keeping.
(19:31):
And I had done this drawing ofmy friend Layla, who I grew up
with and who is now the themother of my godson, and so a
very close friend, and Daniel,my partner, I had like drawn
them both on the same page andtheir faces were sort of
overlapping in this strange way.
And anyways, I I can't rememberwhat came first there, but I
(19:56):
remember being in the van andwriting down pentimento on
there, which is basically likethe underpainting, but not
necessarily the painting thatinforms what's on top of it in a
in an obvious and linear way.
You know, it can be somethingthat was painted over.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(20:18):
So, anyways, I had written thisword out.
And I think what happened isthat like I I stumbled upon this
page again, right?
But I was like, wow, that isexactly all of the this sort of
embodies the the stuff that I'vebeen thinking about, and it
represents so much, likeliterally but also
(20:41):
metaphorically.
And yeah, again, I feel as ifit was just sort of oh, it's
meant to be.
And I don't I couldn't tell youexactly how it came about.
But yeah, I mean it's funnybecause I did run across that
page again, and I was like, wow,I wonder how long this has been
sort of just sitting therewaiting for this to happen.
(21:03):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, very cool.
Well, in that photo shoot wedid, I was working with a
photographer out of out ofAustin, and we had the way we
(21:24):
got connected was because wesort of rec recognized we had
similar some similar tastes andinfluences as far as like
filmmakers.
And so we were kind of tryingto emulate these stills from
these these films that we loved.
And that one in particular,Daniel was a part of the shoot
as well.
He also like helped to light alot of the shots, but um, we did
(21:46):
some together, and yeah, so forsure, that's that layering is
always there.
I mean, I think to me too, isjust uh thinking about you know,
a timeline and how you'reinfluenced by things and that
whether or not it looks linear,these things are influences, and
(22:07):
so that underpainting, youknow, whether or not it
literally informs the subjectmatter is not necessarily like
the whole the whole picture.
And that the there are thesemultiple things that are true at
once.
That was another sort of ideathat that I wanted to play with.
(22:29):
And also I I think being akinto the last record I put out,
Still Life, which is also avisual art term, it felt just
sort of like a naturalprogression.
And yeah, I think that thingspick up for me where they left
off there.
Chris (22:49):
So speak the new record too, you had kind of wrote all
the songs in one isolated timein the desert.
M
Carson McHone (23:01):
And then you went to an analog recording.
It was you recorded all this onan eight-track.
Like it wasn't you moved awayfrom the digital and kind of
went like it just seems likenature is like infused itself
into this record in every waythat you could possibly do it.
Yeah, and you feel that whenyou listen to it, that it's
(23:22):
beautiful, it's a one painting.
You know, it's it's a onething.
You can't listen to one track,I find like the singles, they
were great when they were comingout, but when the record came
out, I was like, I get this.
I'm so happy, yeah.
I mean, that's how everythingthat you put in.
The I guess your nephew is inthere talking at one point, too,
just adorable.
(23:43):
But yeah, it just feels likehow you approach this record was
you wanted to get back tosomething almost.
Chris (23:49):
Is that accurate in saying that?
Carson McHone (23:52):
I likely.
I mean, I think uh no, I thinkthat idea absolutely and I think
is it makes sense that thatwould come up because I think
similar to what I was talkingabout with my my mom's journal,
sort of this like that abeginning is an ending as well,
and there's just sort of thiscycle that is continuous.
(24:12):
And I did write much of thisrecord in the desert in far west
Texas in like the late summerof 2020.
So it was sort of sequesteredbecause of COVID.
And I was out there, and yeah,it was I love to create out
(24:37):
there.
It's a beautiful space,expansive space that I feel is
conducive to a certain kind ofcreativity.
I I think sort of like a swampyplace too, can be, but in a
different way.
But so the desert was where somuch of this record was written,
at least lyrically.
And then funny enough, this allof these pieces sort of came
(25:00):
together, and we made therecording by the ocean on the
Bay of Fundee at a friend'shouse.
And so it was funny to sort,and it was in the like late
fall, it was the first snow thathappened while we recorded.
So it was very interesting tohave these sort of juxtaposed
(25:21):
influences, but all verynatural.
And I mean, I do feel likethere are certain songs that to
me are so such desert songs.
And then there are songs to methat I feel like I can hear the
the tide almost.
And I hope, and I think thatdoes come across in in a way, in
(25:46):
ways, whether or not whatyou're hearing is is literally
that or not.
But yeah, very much influencedelementally influenced.
Chris (25:55):
It's it's funny too when I speak with artists, like it's
hard for a non-musician tounderstand the cycle of an
album, right?
Like the it's like a a childalmost that you start to you
know rear, you know, like itgrows, it you hopefully
influence it in the right ways,and and then it it comes out and
it's like the bird flying outof the nest, all right.
(26:17):
On with how do you how are youseeing the record now with well,
maybe a few weeks betweenrelease?
Are what you hoped that peoplewould start to hang on to or
start to gosh, I I I I think so.
Carson McHone (26:42):
I don't know what people are getting, but what I
will say is that I've had anumber of people reach out and
say that they sat down to listento the record and they started
they listened through andimmediately started it over
again.
So not only are they listeningin full, but then doing it
(27:05):
again, which to me is just likeso beautiful and such an honor
that it people would do that.
And so I don't know what howlike what it how it's
manifesting in people or what itnecessarily if they're putting
a finger on something, or whatit's resonating, but it is
(27:27):
resonating, I think, deeply withthe people that it does.
I mean, for me now too, it'slike there was the gathering of
all of these songs and artifactsand and like voice sketches and
stuff.
And then the actual recordingprocess, which involved a group
(27:49):
of friends and theirinstrumental voicings, and so
then it's this whole other thingthat happens, which is the
actual recorded thing, and thento to then parse it, you know,
like parse it out and makevideos for singles, which to me
(28:10):
was so like like you said,having it in a whole is sort of
how I how it's intended in away.
But then fascinating to sort ofparse all that out and and
build on these single songs.
So yeah, it's just sort oflayers upon layers.
But I think that people arepicking up on some kind of
(28:32):
narrative, but I don't think itnecessarily has to be, you know,
something that is defined.
Same with like the desert orthe sea or the summer or the
winter.
It's like you feel you can feelthat it is of that, but you
don't have to necessarily definewhat exactly it is.
(28:55):
Right.
It's just there.
Chris (28:57):
I think it comes back to the start of this conversation
about creativity and I think howyou've harnessed creativity in
in your way and created thisbeautiful creative artifact that
we all get to enjoy for tillthe end of time, which I I mean
(29:18):
to me as an artist doing that,like just having this thing
that's out there, it doesn'tmatter the stuff around it.
It's that those songs are thereand resonate somehow with other
humans.
Carson McHone (29:29):
That's even that it just for me recalls the
session itself, which was Imean, that's been another thing
about this record too, is thethings that I'm sort of
considering and thinking aboutin in the songs and even the
process of making the record wasjust sort of the process
itself.
And that if nobody ever heardit, it it was worth my while in
(29:57):
a way because it's made up ofall these experiences.
And and I and it's beautiful tome.
So, you know, that's that'sanother thing is I just
appreciate the whole thing andand so it's really just that it
resonates with anyone, but yeah,because I just appreciate it.
Chris (30:18):
Those words are beautiful, like I mean it might
not be hydro, but you know, it'slike a way that you can do that
and try that for yourself inyour journey.
I mean those things that youjust get it, awesome.
(30:43):
But it was more about myprocess and my journey.
And hey, if you get somethingfrom it, awesome.
Carson McHone (30:51):
Well and I think that's that's that's the thing
is when you if you're able tomake something that truly feels
that way to you, often I thinkit is sort of open-ended enough
that people, you know like theysense that it's very personal,
but it's not so personal thatthey can't relate to it, you
know.
And that's really great.
(31:12):
And yes, I think it's likethese ideas are the things that
are profound to me.
And if I can carve out a littletime and space to to make an
artifact of that, which is therecord, it's that's beautiful.
But yeah, it's this finebalance of like, okay, what do I
literally have to do and getdone?
And am I safe and can I feedmyself and can we pay for this?
(31:36):
And and then also nurturingthat side of yourself that is
like I am a child of this world,and what does that mean?
And how what am I from andwhere am I going and all of
these things, and it's abalance.
And so yeah.
Chris (31:48):
Oh, I love it.
I love it.
Well, Carson, thank you somuch.
This has been so amazing.
I've loved your thoughtfulwords and and how you speak
about your craft.
I think it's they're wonderfulwords for others to hear to kind
of start to understand theirown because you've been thinking
about this for a while and ithelped the show.
(32:08):
So I thank you for for sharingthose words and thoughts with us
all.
And I wish you all the bestwith this record.
I think that it's anoutstanding record.
I hope that you come toMontreal and tour with it or
goodbye, you know, maybe hop inJulie's car as she has totally
anyway.
It's been a real pleasure.
I really, really thank you foryour time and uh all the best in
(32:31):
the future, and uh keep youreyes on uh Carson McHome.
She's uh horizon.
Carson McHone (32:37):
Thank you so much.
Cheers, we'll see you down theroad Oh, it's down from still
(33:01):
and stuff, this light stuff fromstun, the still, it's tough and
stuff to start and stand up,stuff with the steel ball across
(34:13):
the place tomorrow and dance onthe stop curious find the
(34:33):
colour and very eight constantto crystallize walk on me to
(35:01):
what it's done to what it'sdone, and see what a gift for us
(35:48):
to stand before this trustmirror.
No need to break your gaze tosee if all can be clear.
It's to you I'm found in lovewith all that happens.
For each other, we have found aplace that's but you have to
(36:29):
drink so you have
Heaven walks among us, ordinarily muffled in
such triple or tenfold disguisesthat the wisest are deceived,
and no one suspects the days tobe gods.
Chris (00:30):
So rolling with it here along season six, if it be real
podcast.
What a beautiful, beautifulperson I have here for today.
I have Carson McCone coming infrom her home in Ontario,
Southern Ontario.
I'll make a preference of that.
And me coming in from southernQuebec, right across the border.
Now, Carson, you are a nativeto Austin, Texas.
Carson McHone (00:53):
Is that I am so I'm I'm from south of this
nearest border.
I'm from south of the border.
Yeah, from Texas.
I grew up in Austin.
Chris (01:04):
Cool.
Great city.
Like yeah, yeah, it is.
Visited Austin many, manytimes, and it's just uh the
music scene there in particular.
I always was fascinated withthat.
Yeah.
You could find music any day ofthe week.
Any day you want to.
Carson McHone (01:18):
Oh yeah.
And like so many shows going onevery every night.
Chris (01:24):
So yeah, yeah.
So cool.
So Carson, I'd love to startthese off with a couple of
memories of the past.
Okay.
Of moments that you feelbrought you closer to what
you're doing today with music.
Do you have some of those teenmemories, early 20 memories of
moments that you feel changedthe trajectory of where you're
(01:49):
where you are now?
Carson McHone (01:52):
Gosh, I could probably point to a number of
things.
I mean, like you said, I I grewup in Austin, so I was really
lucky to be able to go see musicat a relatively young age.
Not only does Austin have a lotof live music all the time and
(02:12):
a, you know, bustling localscene, but it's also a place
where people stop on tour.
And so there's there's justmusic all the time.
And although my family weren'tnecessarily like my immediate
family directly musical, therewas stuff happening all the time
(02:32):
that we would go to.
And so my folks took me to seea lot of music live as a kid.
And and Austin's a relatively,I would say, all ages friendly,
or at least it was when I wasgrowing up, town.
And my folks were friends witha lot of musicians.
And so yeah, I think just sortof the nature of being a young
(02:57):
person in a town like that gaveme an interesting perspective on
making music my full-time gig.
I do remember in particular,there was one.
I feel like I spoke about thisrecently, which is why I guess
why it comes to mind.
(03:18):
But I worked for, you know, anumber of years doing, well,
many different odd jobs as likea teenager and in my early 20s.
And worked at restaurants andand stuff like that.
And I finally made the decisionto, or I guess it wasn't
(03:38):
finally.
I was in my early 20s, so I wasstill, you know, quite young,
but it felt like I was finallymaking sort of a career decision
or a path decision.
And I announced it on stage.
I was playing at the WhiteHorse in Austin, and I had put
my two weeks in at my job, and Ihad I was done.
(04:00):
I was done waiting tables, andI yeah, I announced it from
stage at I think I had a weeklyresidency at the time.
And so, you know, it was a crewof people that were a little
bit more familiar with me.
Like I'm sure many friends ofmine were there.
And so it was like okay, here'sthis is from here on out, this
(04:23):
is what I'm doing, which is kindof it's absolutely what I'm
pursuing.
But I I think those thingsobviously with with time and age
shift and change how you definethose things.
I mean, I was not a greatserver, but I would not be
against, you know, waitingtables again.
But you probably wouldn't wantme to.
But uh yeah, yeah, I think I'mI'm pursuing the thing that I've
(04:47):
at least for now I'm trying tobe the best at that I can be as
far as the other things I'vepursued in my life.
So yeah.
That was definitely a a turningpoint and a and a pretty, I
guess, a a profound moment in away.
I guess maybe I'd already madethe decision, but it became a
reality.
Chris (05:06):
Yeah.
Well, you've dabbled increativity.
You feel like your whole life,and creativity is sometimes hard
for people to welcome in orunderstand or accept or
understand how it works thatcreativity comes as you are
creative?
How was your process in alwaystrying to push your creativity
(05:28):
forward?
And maybe not only in music.
I know that you're you'reyou're a writer, and you know,
creativity seems to be centralas to who you are at this point
in your life.
Was that a gradual growing, ordo you make it a part of who you
are that that practicing ofcreativity has to happen
(05:49):
continuously every day?
Carson McHone (05:52):
You know, I think so much of that has to do with
uh the way I was raised, becauseI do think it's more of a I
mean it's absolutely a practice,but I think it's also just sort
of a disposition to a certainextent.
And one that that I was sort ofencouraged, I was always
(06:12):
encouraged by my mother and andstill am to this day, to sort of
be open to well, just open ingeneral, I think.
At least that's the way thatI've I feel it in me, is that
you know, we are constantlyshaping the world around us and
(06:37):
and our world and ourperspective and and and also
being shaped by the outsidethings, you know.
But but I think just that sortof recognition in general is is
more of a sort of dispositionthat I try to like carry as I
move through the day or youknow, my life or whatever.
(07:00):
And sometimes it's difficultto, you know, to to re you know.
I don't even know if if it'slike a recentering, because I
think maybe inherently ashumans, maybe as children even,
that maybe we are that way andthat we sort of lose touch with
(07:22):
that, or can we lose touch withthat.
And and as we get older and wehave sort of more structure to
our lives, that we can becomeremoved from that that state.
And so it's a balancing act.
But I will say that sort of inrelation to this record too, and
and my being up here, I wasgifted a a journal that my
(07:45):
mother kept when I was aninfant.
She kept it from in the firstyear of my life.
And every entry is addressed tome.
And I had no idea.
I knew she always, you know,journaled, but I she gave it to
me as a gift when I moved fromTexas up here.
And so that was kind of apretty profound thing for me to
(08:11):
have sort of this tangiblerecord, you know?
Yeah.
And I I mean the the very firstentry which made its way onto
my record, actually, she I haveher speak it at the end of the
album, opened the journal.
It's about creating.
(08:33):
And and so I think that I tryto nurture that sense of
creativity and that sort ofinherent what I would like to
think is an understanding thatmaybe that that's always it's
always there.
It's just a matter of uh youknow, aligning yourself with
(08:55):
with with that force, sort of.
And that is it's just how I wasraised.
So I don't know that I can takecredit for it, but I'm trying
to nurture that and and honorthat.
Chris (09:05):
It sounds like your mom was uh fundamental in that in
your creative development.
Y
Carson McHone (09:24):
And and it's she's not, you know, I she's not
like a she didn't make a careerout of that, but it it is just
an inherent part of who she isin conversation, approaching,
you know, in her approach todealing with issues, you know,
issues at hand, anything really.
(09:45):
And I so I I really respectthat and I've I try to take
after her in that way.
But it's slightly removed,yeah.
Chris (09:52):
Yeah, it's a beautiful painting I'm seeing of which,
you know, like thatacknowledgement of of such a
precious gift that you receivedjust because of who she is.
Carson McHone (10:04):
Oh my god.
Uh yeah.
I mean, it's just it's verymoving, moving to me, and I and
I I hope to honor that.
I mean, you know, it comeswith, as do all things, its own
baggage that but that is thething.
It's like, you know, you whenyou begin to go through that
stuff, it's like there arethings that are heavier about
(10:28):
it, this sort of sensitivity.
But but also, yes, what a gift,you know.
And so, you know, some somedays it feels more like one or
the other.
But yeah, no, I I'm here tosort of I hope honor it all.
Chris (10:44):
Yeah.
Well, I think you're doing awonderful job at it.
Thank you.
Sure, she is, you know, thebiggest proud that you can be
watching her daughter developinto, you know, a a pretty
amazing singer, a pretty amazingartist, and a very insightful
artist as well.
Which brings me to this.
My my next question for you ishow did you how did you find
(11:10):
that music was gonna be that uhoutlet for your creativity?
Was it was it stumbled intobecause tell me if I'm wrong, or
correct me if I'm wrong, thatpoetry was something that you
have been doing for beforemusic, and that music came in
through that avenue that you hadalready kind of been dabbling
(11:33):
in for many years.
Is is that an accuratetimeline, Carson?
Carson McHone (11:38):
Maybe not.
I mean, I I think so.
I started my any the first timeI ever played music was to take
violin lessons as a young kid.
And I I took Suzuki violinlessons, and so it started sort
of as like a 15-minute duringthe day exercise of sort of all
(12:00):
this stuff taught in Suzukiearly on is all sort of ear
training and just memory, and Iwas not very good at violin,
never became very good, but butthat was established at a very
young age that I was like, okay,this is a practice, and and I
think you know, I just sort of Imean, music, you know, and and
(12:23):
it is it's something that thenbecame how can I utilize this to
express myself because I'mfeeling a lot.
So yeah, I guess it became sortof this tool, but I I mean I
also just like love music.
But but yeah, so I guessthere's maybe an inclination
(12:47):
towards the written word and andpoetry, but I definitely am not
like uh studied in any way,really.
I read a lot as a kid, and Itry to read.
Actually, I on the last tour, Iactually I always carry around
way too many books, but it's notoften that I find or make time
(13:09):
to read them while on tour.
And I went through two books onthis last run, and it was just
like, oh God, I love this.
But yeah, so I guess I'vealways had that inclination.
And then the fact that musicsort of was always in tandem in
a way, a part of my life, when II picked up actually, my uncle
gave me a mandolin.
(13:30):
And so I was as a young kid, Iwas not into the the structure
and the classical style of thestuff I was learning on violin.
But the mandolin, which isstrung the same as the fiddle,
like I could I could pick outsome of the tunes, and then I
(13:52):
sort of started taking lessonswith actually this woman, Darcy
Deville, who's a Canadian livingin Texas, and I took lessons
from her and was then sort oflearned how to play stuff that I
was into more so than than theclassical Suzuki stuff.
Chris (14:09):
And that gave you your your the structure of process,
like going through those, youknow, yeah, 20 minutes.
Okay, gonna do it.
Like because you you have to develop that as well, right?
Like as we were speaking tocreativity, it's not something
you turn on and off, it's apractice.
And I think that process forartists is similar to that,
(14:32):
where it's it's something thatyou need to do, it's an outlet
that needs to get satisfied.
Carson McHone (14:37):
Um yeah, and and uh a muscle that needs to be,
you know, exercised.
Which it can be reallyfrustrating when you're in sort
of you know out of out of stepwith those things and and you
really because it feels good toum to utilize those those
muscles.
But yeah, when you're out ofwhen you're out of shape or out
(14:57):
of step, it's it's sofrustrating because you can't
just turn it on or off.
But anyways, yeah, so I thinkone thing kind of led to the
other, and I and I think thatthe sort of love for the the
written word and and poetry andalso the more musical side of
things kind of played off ofeach other and were in tandem
(15:18):
there growing up.
Yeah, yeah.
And when you when you arewriting a song, what comes to
you first?
Or does it vary?
Like, is it a a lyrical or isit a a tune or a you know, a
series of chords, or like whenyou when you sit down in that
process of of doing your craft,I mean I'm I'm sure there's a
(15:39):
variety of ways.
Can you fill in some of yourprocess for us?
Sure.
I would say that when I firststarted writing songs, it was I
think just because I was Iplayed a lot less, that it was
always more of a lyricalbeginning.
(16:00):
And these days I think itvaries much more, you know, it's
and I'm so I'll I'll playaround a little bit more on on
guitar or there's there haveeven been a few songs that I've
written now that started out onlike a keyboard, which is still,
you know, kind of foreign tome, funny enough.
(16:21):
So so that's that's quite nice.
Yeah, it really it reallyvaries.
I would say I definitely leantowards like the things that I
am ruminating on sort oflyrically and but I I hope to to
(16:42):
find myself in the other zoneas well.
Yeah.
Chris (16:45):
Right.
And when do you know that whatwhat's the feeling you have or
the acknowledgement you get whenyou know you're kind of on to a
thread of something that thatyou want to see through rather
than, yeah, I've tried thisidea, just don't get it yet.
And you gotta shelve it for awhile.
(17:06):
The opposite of that when youknow that there are there's
elements in here that willblossom into something.
Do you have a feeling or a I'msure.
Yeah.
Carson McHone (17:16):
I'm sure that I do.
I think it's it's funny though,because I've I do feel like
even if I have been taking mytime with something had been
methodical and thought, oh no, Ineed to okay, I love how this
starts and I need to have therest of it come together, but be
equally as good, and I can'trush it, and I need to take my
(17:37):
time.
Still, no matter like after thefact, I always sort of feel
like I've blacked out and I'mlike, how do you do how did I
what you know?
Which I I think is, you know,not too uncommon, but that like
after you finish writing a song,yeah, sometimes you're like,
(18:01):
well, I don't know how howexactly that came together.
Yeah.
Sometimes it's all at once andit hits you.
And then other times, like yousaid, it's more methodical, but
even still, I feel like after,and I and I think too, I mean, I
haven't I've made a f a fewrecords now, but yeah, I'm it
(18:24):
feels like sort of chunks orlike project-based for me these
days.
And I'm I'm in this zone now ofhaving released a record, and
I'm like, what will the nextthing be like?
And then I'm like, what does itwhat is it like to do that?
I've forgotten, I've forgotten,you know.
It's it's funny how thathappens.
Chris (18:44):
Yeah.
And with the latest Pentimento.
Great record.
Thank you.
Came out just recently, guys.
So listeners out there,September 12th, are off the
press.
Where did the name come from?
We talked a bit about thisbefore we hopped on here, but I
just love this title because Ithink it represents so well what
(19:04):
you did with this with thislatest record.
Can you can you put some wordsto the title?
Carson McHone (19:10):
Yeah, I'm I'm trying to think about actually
the the timeline of things andand when I did actually stumble
upon that word, but I have asheet of paper that was ripped
out of like a sketchbook orsomething that uh that I was
keeping.
(19:31):
And I had done this drawing ofmy friend Layla, who I grew up
with and who is now the themother of my godson, and so a
very close friend, and Daniel,my partner, I had like drawn
them both on the same page andtheir faces were sort of
overlapping in this strange way.
And anyways, I I can't rememberwhat came first there, but I
(19:56):
remember being in the van andwriting down pentimento on
there, which is basically likethe underpainting, but not
necessarily the painting thatinforms what's on top of it in a
in an obvious and linear way.
You know, it can be somethingthat was painted over.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(20:18):
So, anyways, I had written thisword out.
And I think what happened isthat like I I stumbled upon this
page again, right?
But I was like, wow, that isexactly all of the this sort of
embodies the the stuff that I'vebeen thinking about, and it
represents so much, likeliterally but also
(20:41):
metaphorically.
And yeah, again, I feel as ifit was just sort of oh, it's
meant to be.
And I don't I couldn't tell youexactly how it came about.
But yeah, I mean it's funnybecause I did run across that
page again, and I was like, wow,I wonder how long this has been
sort of just sitting therewaiting for this to happen.
(21:03):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, very cool.
Well, in that photo shoot wedid, I was working with a
photographer out of out ofAustin, and we had the way we
(21:24):
got connected was because wesort of rec recognized we had
similar some similar tastes andinfluences as far as like
filmmakers.
And so we were kind of tryingto emulate these stills from
these these films that we loved.
And that one in particular,Daniel was a part of the shoot
as well.
He also like helped to light alot of the shots, but um, we did
(21:46):
some together, and yeah, so forsure, that's that layering is
always there.
I mean, I think to me too, isjust uh thinking about you know,
a timeline and how you'reinfluenced by things and that
whether or not it looks linear,these things are influences, and
(22:07):
so that underpainting, youknow, whether or not it
literally informs the subjectmatter is not necessarily like
the whole the whole picture.
And that the there are thesemultiple things that are true at
once.
That was another sort of ideathat that I wanted to play with.
(22:29):
And also I I think being akinto the last record I put out,
Still Life, which is also avisual art term, it felt just
sort of like a naturalprogression.
And yeah, I think that thingspick up for me where they left
off there.
Chris (22:49):
So speak the new record too, you had kind of wrote all
the songs in one isolated timein the desert.
M
Carson McHone (23:01):
And then you went to an analog recording.
It was you recorded all this onan eight-track.
Like it wasn't you moved awayfrom the digital and kind of
went like it just seems likenature is like infused itself
into this record in every waythat you could possibly do it.
Yeah, and you feel that whenyou listen to it, that it's
(23:22):
beautiful, it's a one painting.
You know, it's it's a onething.
You can't listen to one track,I find like the singles, they
were great when they were comingout, but when the record came
out, I was like, I get this.
I'm so happy, yeah.
I mean, that's how everythingthat you put in.
The I guess your nephew is inthere talking at one point, too,
just adorable.
(23:43):
But yeah, it just feels likehow you approach this record was
you wanted to get back tosomething almost.
Chris (23:49):
Is that accurate in saying that?
Carson McHone (23:52):
I likely.
I mean, I think uh no, I thinkthat idea absolutely and I think
is it makes sense that thatwould come up because I think
similar to what I was talkingabout with my my mom's journal,
sort of this like that abeginning is an ending as well,
and there's just sort of thiscycle that is continuous.
(24:12):
And I did write much of thisrecord in the desert in far west
Texas in like the late summerof 2020.
So it was sort of sequesteredbecause of COVID.
And I was out there, and yeah,it was I love to create out
(24:37):
there.
It's a beautiful space,expansive space that I feel is
conducive to a certain kind ofcreativity.
I I think sort of like a swampyplace too, can be, but in a
different way.
But so the desert was where somuch of this record was written,
at least lyrically.
And then funny enough, this allof these pieces sort of came
(25:00):
together, and we made therecording by the ocean on the
Bay of Fundee at a friend'shouse.
And so it was funny to sort,and it was in the like late
fall, it was the first snow thathappened while we recorded.
So it was very interesting tohave these sort of juxtaposed
(25:21):
influences, but all verynatural.
And I mean, I do feel likethere are certain songs that to
me are so such desert songs.
And then there are songs to methat I feel like I can hear the
the tide almost.
And I hope, and I think thatdoes come across in in a way, in
(25:46):
ways, whether or not whatyou're hearing is is literally
that or not.
But yeah, very much influencedelementally influenced.
Chris (25:55):
It's it's funny too when I speak with artists, like it's
hard for a non-musician tounderstand the cycle of an
album, right?
Like the it's like a a childalmost that you start to you
know rear, you know, like itgrows, it you hopefully
influence it in the right ways,and and then it it comes out and
it's like the bird flying outof the nest, all right.
(26:17):
On with how do you how are youseeing the record now with well,
maybe a few weeks betweenrelease?
Are what you hoped that peoplewould start to hang on to or
start to gosh, I I I I think so.
Carson McHone (26:42):
I don't know what people are getting, but what I
will say is that I've had anumber of people reach out and
say that they sat down to listento the record and they started
they listened through andimmediately started it over
again.
So not only are they listeningin full, but then doing it
(27:05):
again, which to me is just likeso beautiful and such an honor
that it people would do that.
And so I don't know what howlike what it how it's
manifesting in people or what itnecessarily if they're putting
a finger on something, or whatit's resonating, but it is
(27:27):
resonating, I think, deeply withthe people that it does.
I mean, for me now too, it'slike there was the gathering of
all of these songs and artifactsand and like voice sketches and
stuff.
And then the actual recordingprocess, which involved a group
(27:49):
of friends and theirinstrumental voicings, and so
then it's this whole other thingthat happens, which is the
actual recorded thing, and thento to then parse it, you know,
like parse it out and makevideos for singles, which to me
(28:10):
was so like like you said,having it in a whole is sort of
how I how it's intended in away.
But then fascinating to sort ofparse all that out and and
build on these single songs.
So yeah, it's just sort oflayers upon layers.
But I think that people arepicking up on some kind of
(28:32):
narrative, but I don't think itnecessarily has to be, you know,
something that is defined.
Same with like the desert orthe sea or the summer or the
winter.
It's like you feel you can feelthat it is of that, but you
don't have to necessarily definewhat exactly it is.
(28:55):
Right.
It's just there.
Chris (28:57):
I think it comes back to the start of this conversation
about creativity and I think howyou've harnessed creativity in
in your way and created thisbeautiful creative artifact that
we all get to enjoy for tillthe end of time, which I I mean
(29:18):
to me as an artist doing that,like just having this thing
that's out there, it doesn'tmatter the stuff around it.
It's that those songs are thereand resonate somehow with other
humans.
Carson McHone (29:29):
That's even that it just for me recalls the
session itself, which was Imean, that's been another thing
about this record too, is thethings that I'm sort of
considering and thinking aboutin in the songs and even the
process of making the record wasjust sort of the process
itself.
And that if nobody ever heardit, it it was worth my while in
(29:57):
a way because it's made up ofall these experiences.
And and I and it's beautiful tome.
So, you know, that's that'sanother thing is I just
appreciate the whole thing andand so it's really just that it
resonates with anyone, but yeah,because I just appreciate it.
Chris (30:18):
Those words are beautiful, like I mean it might
not be hydro, but you know, it'slike a way that you can do that
and try that for yourself inyour journey.
I mean those things that youjust get it, awesome.
(30:43):
But it was more about myprocess and my journey.
And hey, if you get somethingfrom it, awesome.
Carson McHone (30:51):
Well and I think that's that's that's the thing
is when you if you're able tomake something that truly feels
that way to you, often I thinkit is sort of open-ended enough
that people, you know like theysense that it's very personal,
but it's not so personal thatthey can't relate to it, you
know.
And that's really great.
(31:12):
And yes, I think it's likethese ideas are the things that
are profound to me.
And if I can carve out a littletime and space to to make an
artifact of that, which is therecord, it's that's beautiful.
But yeah, it's this finebalance of like, okay, what do I
literally have to do and getdone?
And am I safe and can I feedmyself and can we pay for this?
(31:36):
And and then also nurturingthat side of yourself that is
like I am a child of this world,and what does that mean?
And how what am I from andwhere am I going and all of
these things, and it's abalance.
And so yeah.
Chris (31:48):
Oh, I love it.
I love it.
Well, Carson, thank you somuch.
This has been so amazing.
I've loved your thoughtfulwords and and how you speak
about your craft.
I think it's they're wonderfulwords for others to hear to kind
of start to understand theirown because you've been thinking
about this for a while and ithelped the show.
(32:08):
So I thank you for for sharingthose words and thoughts with us
all.
And I wish you all the bestwith this record.
I think that it's anoutstanding record.
I hope that you come toMontreal and tour with it or
goodbye, you know, maybe hop inJulie's car as she has totally
anyway.
It's been a real pleasure.
I really, really thank you foryour time and uh all the best in
(32:31):
the future, and uh keep youreyes on uh Carson McHome.
She's uh horizon.
Carson McHone (32:37):
Thank you so much.
Cheers, we'll see you down theroad Oh, it's down from still
(33:01):
and stuff, this light stuff fromstun, the still, it's tough and
stuff to start and stand up,stuff with the steel ball across
(34:13):
the place tomorrow and dance onthe stop curious find the
(34:33):
colour and very eight constantto crystallize walk on me to
(35:01):
what it's done to what it'sdone, and see what a gift for us
(35:48):
to stand before this trustmirror.
No need to break your gaze tosee if all can be clear.
It's to you I'm found in lovewith all that happens.
For each other, we have found aplace that's but you have to
(36:29):
drink so you have
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