Vaudeville Etiquette. (photo courtesy Sunyata Records)
Vaudeville Etiquette front woman Tayler Lynn will surprise you. Whether emerging from a bathtub in a music video or grabbing your attention with her powerful vocals, the Michigan-born singer demands attention. This is exemplified most recently on the band’s newest video for their pulsing track, “Ontario,” which we’re happy to premiere today. The Seattle-based five-piece, which has evolved over time from country twang to restrained rock, next has its sights set on an ambitious European tour starting mid-September. But before the band takes off across the ocean, we wanted to catch up with Lynn to premier the new video and ask her about how it came together.
In the video for “Ontario,” water plays a major role, from the giant glinting lake to the bathtub you emerge from. How did you decide on this theme?
The song is based on my childhood. I grew up on the St. Clair River, which looks out over into Canada, into Ontario. I grew up around water and lakes and have always found myself near water ever since. Everywhere I’ve moved, there’s always been a body of water. Water really represents the journey in terms of potential goals and getting there and also being carried by something.
The chorus for “Ontario” references not getting old and VCR’s. Is the changing of generations something you think about a lot?
Yes, absolutely. That theme ties back into the whole water theme. The song is really about whether or not you notice what you leave in your wake as you go through life. There’s a lot of reconciliation with parental elements there and acknowledging people’s growth and where they’re moving. The mention of the VCR – I wanted it to be, I guess, a reconciliation of childhood into adulthood and that just happened to be a really great symbol of my generation. I also think there is a sense of timelessness in video. There’s a real temptation to maintain a full sense of nostalgia when things never change on the things that you’ve taped.
Some of Vaudeville Etiquette’s earlier songs felt more like what I’ll call “Wagon Wheel” Americana. But your music more recently seems more restrained and produced. How, in your eyes, has the band’s style evolved?
It’s been interesting for us because that “Wagon Wheel Americana” thing really caught us by surprise. We’ve always set out to make music that we like without having any goals, like, “This is going to be a country tune!” It just kind of evolved that way. And we’ve always met in the middle in terms of a more Classic Rock, synth-heavy vibe with the things we listen to. So it was a natural evolution to where things needed to go and where we felt we would evolve to as a band – a more produced, electronic, crunchy vibe.
The video for “Ontario” is visually amazing. You could have told me you spent $4,000 on it. What was the shoot like?
Well, we shot it all by ourselves. [Guitarist] Brad [Laina] directed and shot it. It was really a DIY, organic shoot based on his and my vision of the water playing a large role. We did it for next to nothing.
Next up for the group is a long European tour starting in September. What are you excited and nervous about?
We’re excited to be back, this will be our second tour in Europe and we had a blast last time. We’re really excited to see how it’s evolved and hopefully to continue to build a fan base and see some people again. What am I nervous about? Personally, I’ve quit drinking since the last tour. It’s going to be an interesting exploration in terms of being on the road that long in a situation where you’re normally pretty inclined to party. So, that’s going to be a new experience.
Do you want to talk about that a bit more?
I just celebrated my one-year anniversary, actually. And I’ve started a blog about it. So, I’m having that discussion there as well. It’s all been really positive. I think that my performance has benefited from it and so has my headspace. I just feel more focused and more optimistic.
