Catching Up With Dylan LeBlanc
Dylan LeBlanc has always been in the right place at the right time—and that right place, apparently, is Muscle Shoals, Ala. Given the fact that he grew up alongside the mixing boards and microphones of Fame Studios, where Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Al Green laid their talents to tape before him, it’s no shocker that LeBlanc’s Cast The Same Old Shadow is a soulful rumination on American Gothic and a worthy addition to a regional soundscape most recently made famous by the Civil Wars and Alabama Shakes.
After Shadow’s release this week, LeBlanc will be heading out on his fall tour, playing a handful of dates with First Aid Kit and beginning and ending it in Nashville, where he currently spends a hefty portion of his time. Despite the hours he’s clocked on the stages there and elsewhere the road, it’s clear that LeBlanc is ready to move beyond Muscle Shoals without leaving his musical hometown behind.
Paste: You’ve credited dreams you’ve had and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass as influences on Cast The Same Old Shadow. What else were you listening to while you were writing the record?
LeBlanc: I definitely listen to and get inspired by new music. I just bought this album by Patrick Watson, you ever heard of him? He’s really, really good. Adventures In Your Own Backyard is great. I was also listening to Italian film composers, like [Ennio] Morricone. He’s probably one of my favorites. I love his film music.
Paste: How would you define a great record?
LeBlanc: I mean, I’m weird—if every song has a different kind of feel, and if the record has a bunch of good songs on it, I’ll buy it. Beggars Banquet is a really good record. I listen to a lot of music that puts me in a certain place—John Marshall, Allison Duke, The Kinks …
Paste: Are you a tough critic?
LeBlanc: I have high standards for myself, because living where I live, there are so many good musicians. You don’t want to come out half with it; you want to really keep the standard up, especially for Muscle Shoals. I try not to think about it too much. I try to write a record that I like, something I’d like to hear.
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