Ashley Campbell and Thor Jensen may seem like an unusual pairing at first, both coming from very different musical backgrounds.
However, as new duo Campbell Jensen, their blend of beautiful harmonies, delicate melodies and moving, emotional lyrics have been winning over fans and critics alike. After appearances at festivals throughout the summer, today they’ve released their brand new album, ‘Turtle Cottage’.
Ahead of the album’s launch I caught up with Ashley and Thor to chat about the project, writing for this record, their UK tour this month, playing at the British Country Music Festival and more.
Can you tell us a little bit about your sound and influences as a duo?
Ashley: Well, we both come from slightly different backgrounds. I’m most certainly from the country, Americana world. And Thor comes from New York City. So he’s very, very much from jazz and rock. And I mean, he can play anything, of course, but relatively new to country.
Thor: Yeah.
Ashley: So our influence is kind of a mishmash of that it’s kind of a melding of the types of music that we both love to play with, it’s a bit of a Frankenstein [laughs].
How did it come about with the two of you working together?
Thor: Ashley inquired with a friend of hers about learning some gypsy jazz style guitar. And just so happened that I had just moved to Nashville, so passed my number along. So we started with guitar lessons. And soon after that, I started playing in Ashley’s band. And then not long after that, we decided that a duo would be a logical next step for us. And it’s something that we each wanted to do independently from each other. We had this idea in our head of how good that would be. And it was sort of serendipitous to both learn that it’s something that we each wanted.
Is there anything from your solo work that you’ve brought to Campbell Jensen as a duo, in terms of your experience or approach?
Ashley: Well, yeah, I think all of our experiences have have had some influence on this. It’s hard to pinpoint it because it’s just who we are. But I think who we are, individually has come together, and we definitely complement each other in many ways.
You’ve just released your debut album ‘Turtle Cottage’ – what can you tell us about that?
Thor: Oh, yeah, sure. That’s a collection of songs that we wrote in the fall of last year. And we recorded it at this beautiful cottage named Turtle Cottage, up in Northern Ireland on this little tiny nature reserve. And it just a completely breath-taking place that we sort of locked ourselves into for a month to make the record. And every song is just as we are right now in front of you – just two people, two instruments, two voices. We just thought that’d be the best representation of the writing we’re doing.
Ashley: Yeah. And the best introduction to us as a duo. Yeah, not overcomplicating it with production. Yeah.
With the writing for this project, were there any songs that were either particularly easy or particularly challenging?
Ashley: I feel like the songwriting process from the beginning with with the two of us has been very natural and has just kind of happened with ease. You know, we’ve definitely put time into it of course, but it’s just been a series of joyful discoveries, if you will.
Thor: Yeah, I mean, of course, there was challenges but they were very welcomed. It was more of artistic challenges than logistical challenges so it was fun to figure out what the how to solve the puzzle you know.
I did particularly want to ask you about ‘A Song By Vampires, For Vampires’ – tell us a little bit more about that…
Ashley: Well, it’s funny that Thor and I, we love to laugh. And so it started from an inside joke where we were doing this silly vampire voice. [Thor laughs] And he, you know, the vampire started writing songs. So he said [in vampire voice] “at long last, a song by vampires for vampires”. [back to normal voice] So we wrote a song called ‘At Long Last’. And then the next song on the list for the album would be ‘A song by vampires for vampires. So to continue the joke, we got two songs out of it. But actually, the vampire song didn’t end up being jokey at all. I mean, it’s still an actual song about actual vampires in love. But it’s very serious, and I think it kind of shouts the praises of the eternal nature of love.
You’re going out on tour this month to promote the album. What can people who are coming to see those shows expect?
Thor: Oh, well, I mean, we’ll obviously play the whole record front to back. But we feel very comfortable on stage. And it’s a very happy place for us. So I think it’s a very wonderful way to hear the songs and hear them as just us in front of you, which is what we were trying to get out of the record. But obviously, it’s a record. Yeah. So we’re hoping to create a nice atmosphere with the music. And obviously, we’ll put in some other songs that we love and enjoy as well into the set, but I’m really just happy to present them to you, our face to your face, you know?
And are there any songs you’re particularly looking forward to playing on tour or that you’ve been enjoying playing live recently?
Ashley: I really get a thrill playing the instrumental songs on the album. They’re challenging. And I think, those songs in particular require you to be so present and to listen. All of them do, but those in particular, make it just really feel special and in the moment.
Is there anything you’ve particularly learned from making this album that you’ll take forward into other projects, either together or separately?
Thor: I think, honestly, the biggest thing, the biggest learning experience was just, I guess more of a reassurance than a learning that we enjoy working together. You know, it’s it went really well. And itwas great. It just made me excited for more also taught me how to use a woodstove a little bit better than I did before [laughs].
Ashley: Practically, like as far as recording music, what I learned, I learned that I want to give myself even more time. We had an engineer come out just for a week and not even a full week, I don’t think. But you know, I just wish we had had a little more time to luxuriate in the recording process, like it would have been so great to have had him for two weeks, or at least a week and a half just to to not feel rushed or anything, you know. So that’s what I would do next time is maybe if money allows to do a little bit [of a] longer process.
You played at the British Country Music Festival in Blackpool recently – how was that?
Thor: Oh, what a joy that was. I mean, the venue itself just is breath-taking. Even we could have done that gig without any microphones or amplifications. And you could have heard it from London. Because that room is just so resonant and beautiful. And all the detail work and all the art deco stuff. Everything about it was just gorgeous. And it was so well put together. The other artists, Robbie Cavanaugh, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Robbie Cavanaugh. But he’s wonderful.
Ashley: Yeah, that’s one of my favourite parts about playing a festival like that is you get to be exposed to artists you might not have met or heard and we were just so pleasantly surprised by all the acts that went on. Everyone was wonderful.
What’s next on the list for you guys? Are you thinking about a follow-up record at all or is that still way down the line?
Thor: I mean, that’s way down the line. But I mean, we’re always writing and we’re always coming up with stuff.
Ashley: And there will be another record.
Thor: Oh, without a doubt.
Ashley: But then, you know, we also have some solo things going on, like Thor just recorded a jazz album in New York. And I have a very nearly finished third album that I’m hoping to put out sometime later next year. So we’ll get to those and then go back to Campbell Jensen, or do it all at the same time. Who knows?
Thor: Yeah, there’s no such thing as downtime in our lives [Ashley laughs].
Campbell Jensen’s debut album, ‘Turtle Cottage’, is out now on Campbell/Jensen Music.
See Campbell Jensen on tour in the UK and Ireland this autumn/winter:
Friday 3 November – Edinburgh, The Voodoo Rooms
Monday 6 November – London, St Pancras Church
Thursday 9 November – Mid Sussex Music Hall, Brighton
Sunday 12 November – Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham
Wednesday 15 November – The Court House, Bangor
Thursday 16 November – The Court House, Bangor
Friday 17 November – Monroes Live, Galway
Saturday 18 November – The Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny
Sunday 19 November – De Barra’s, Clonakilty
Tuesday 21 November – The Ruby Sessions, Dublin
Wednesday 22 November – The Druidstone Hotel, Haverfordwest
Wednesday 7 February – Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre, Barnoldswick
Thursday 8 February – Music Room, Liverpool
Friday 9 February – Kirton in Lindsey Diamond Jubilee Hall, Gainsborough
Saturday 10 February – The Cluny 2, Newcastle upon Tyne
Friday 16 February – St Mary’s Church, Twyford
Saturday 17 February – Caryford Community Hall, Ansford
