Presenting her fresh record, Good For The Soul, Natalie McCool is fearless, honest, and rallying. Across the 12-track record, McCool doesn’t sell you a foolish dream; her introspective songwriting considers both sides of the coin and encapsulates the multifaceted trajectory of being alive.
Discussing the ins and outs of Good For The Soul, Natalie McCool makes sure to acknowledge her previous record, Memory Girl, which swam in the COVID-induced nostalgia. After writing, recording, and producing most of the new album in the corner of her bedroom, Good For The Soul finds comfort not only in self-aware reflection but also in contemplating future versions of yourself.
Split into two discs, McCool uses the album to celebrate both the light and dark sides, teasing, “it gets deep.” A standout track, ‘So Lonely, Lonely,’ tackles the very relevant screen-time pandemic, pleading for more community, more face-to-face conversations, and connection.
Twenty minutes after midnight, Noctis catches up with Natalie MCCool after a long but great day, spreading the word about her London album launch show on October 10th. She dissects songs like ‘Coming Of Age’ and gives us an exclusive on the inspiration behind ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ while promoting a message: advocate for yourself!
How is your Record Store tour going?
It’s going well thanks! I’ve just played Rough Trade Liverpool & Manchester’s Vinyl Resting Place – it was honestly so brilliant, felt so good to get out in the real world after working away at the album for so long – was really great to chat to people, for them to hear the songs really stripped back. Very, very good vibes. I have Newcastle Beyond Vinyl and Glasgow Strip Joint Records – both great venues too, so I am excited to say the least!
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Hmm I like to just take a moment and go to a quiet space / be quiet. I can’t speak to anyone before a show for about 20 minutes until I go on. I just need space and bit (or a lot!!) of quiet. It’s maybe something to do with re-centring before singing the songs. On a show day it’s so busy, lots to do, lots of engagement with different people. I just need silence for a bit.
What was the moment that inspired you to write ‘So Lonely, Lonely’?
It was actually the chorus melody and words that came first to me, I was lying in bed very late before going to sleep and the chorus hook literally just came into my mind. I can’t really explain it, sometimes that happens. I liked it because it reminded me of Michael Kiwanuka, something about the melody. So I decided to explore it a bit more in a writing session with my friend Paul, who co-produced the track with me, and he plays horns on it. I like co writing sessions because you end up sort of setting the world to rights, especially if it’s with a friend. So we set the world to rights in that session! The song is about the disconnect of being online vs real community, going out & living in the real world, real life connections, speaking up, joining the conversation, actually doing things. I’ve really felt that when I started the record store gigs. Community is so important, meeting people & having conversations face to face is just so important.
‘So Lonely, Lonely’ is a plea for less phone screens, and more in-person human connections. What do you do to savour the sense of community around you?
I have a bad habit of working working working on my laptop or phone until I fall asleep, and my screen time right now is probably way too much! It really helps me in the middle of the day to go and have a chat to someone and take myself away from the online noise a bit. Things have been very hectic and very intense due to the album release (I’m an independent artist) and I’ve missed my social life! I don’t realise how much it benefits you to just spend time with your people, that’s not for work or collaboration for any other reason like that. It’s nice to just play for a bit.
How did you link up with Renee Stormz and how was it working together on ‘So Lonely, Lonely’?
Despite my answer above I actually found Renee online! (so it can be good sometimes hey) – I’d written So Lonely, Lonely and had left the bridge section open for a harder vocal delivery from someone – I didn’t know who but I could hear what I wanted and what I thought would suit the track. I searched and searched and searched and nothing was working out, but then I just stumbled on Renee and thought – this is exactly the vocalist with the kind of delivery I’m looking for! And not just the delivery – she loved the track and wrote her own verse & sent it over the next day! And it was just so perfect. She really got the themes and the sentiment.
Could you talk us through the main conceptual points of your new album Good for the Soul?
The album is about knowing yourself. All the good bits and the ugly bits. It’s also about sort of looking at your life in chapters. The album is split down the middle into 2 Discs, 6 tracks per disc. I said this to someone recently & I think it’s a really accurate way of describing the album: Disc 1 I call the ‘light side’ – all about the heady euphoria of youth & discovering yourself for the first time. Then we have Disc 2 – the ‘dark side’ – where you’ve lived for a bit and you’re holding up the mirror & you really SEE yourself. Disc 2 goes deep.
How does Good for the Soul contribute to your vast discography? Is it revealing new parts of you?
Yeah definitely. My last album Memory Girl was about nostalgia, whether it be for your previous self, or relationships – it’s about looking inwards, looking in the rearview. I think a lot of songwriters wrote songs like that during Covid. Covid was in a lot of ways a really great time for me but also very, very tough. It forces you to be with yourself. And sometimes you don’t 100% love who that person is. Good for the Soul also looks at past versions of yourself – but more celebrates them, and wonders what their lessons are for the present and future you.
Where did you record the album and does environment affect your writing process?
I wrote, recorded & produced most of it in the corner of my bedroom! It’s so comfortable producing / writing from home. I absolutely love it. Maybe that’s why Disc 2 goes deep and a bit more experimental – because I had the time & space to feel comfortable to do that. On the other hand, I invited a few other artists & collaborators into my world – two of the album tracks were written in Berlin, one was part-recorded in Ukraine, some of it recorded in Liverpool, some of it in Manchester. Some of it in my living room! It took a while, but it was such a great process.
The first track of the album ‘Coming Of Age’ is a powerful introduction to the record. What are you envisioning and feeling when singing the track?
I am looking at the 17 year old me, the 24 year old me – and just cheering her on with all my heart. When I was late teens / early 20s in a lot of ways I was a different kind of fearless than I am now – but I was also deeply insecure and had a lot of anxiety. I just wanna say “ENJOY IT”. I feel like I enjoy things more now. Coming of Age is just a celebration of being young and hopeless because every past moment has pieced together who you are today and that deserves some fanfare, and lifting up. Your mistakes make you wiser.
Who are you referring to on ‘Sleeping Beauty’?
I haven’t actually explicitly said this anywhere yet, even to another person, so this is somewhat of an exclusive?! Sleeping Beauty is about a girl I went to school with, who was THE NICEST person I have ever met. But – almost too nice, like it’s masking something. And I always used to think, where is your ugly? You know! Where’s the darkness in you. Because it definitely exists, in everyone. Looking back, I think that sometimes the ‘nice’ is just people pleasing – I see it sometimes in myself. So the song is about waking up to your own needs and desires, even if they upset other people, and not being afraid to advocate for yourself. But I like to say it’s about primordial feminine rage.
What was the most significant pinch-me moment of your career so far?
Hmm I remember the first time I was played on BBC Radio 1 – I literally jumped out of bed & screamed ha! Other highlights – I also sing for other artists, and recently sang backing vocals for Imogen Heap at the Roundhouse, and also – the night before Good for the Soul came out – I sang backing vocals for Weyes Blood at BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with the Jules Buckley Orchestra! Those moments are so surreal – but absolutely incredible.
What is currently on your career vision board?
The Album live shows are Fri 9th Oct Liverpool and Sat 10th Oct London. I’ll have my band with me and also some of the guests from the album joining me on stage! I can’t wait!! Join us – tickets are on sale now.
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Words: Karolina Kramplova
Photographer: Robin Clewley