Melbourne/Naarm singer-songwriter Rin McArdle released her self-titled debut album on Friday, 28th July. The album, while rooted in McArdle’s pain, is committed to navigating suffering and conveying empathy for those who identify with McArdle’s experiences.
Featuring the singles ‘Splinters’ and the Georgia Maq collaboration ‘Something Blue’, Rin McArdle demonstrates the fruits of McArdle’s self-taught musicianship and stream-of-consciousness approach to songwriting. To tie in with the album’s release, McArdle takes us through the eight-song album one track at a time.
Rin McArdle: Rin McArdle
1. Splinters
Rin McArdle: I wrote this song when I was quite angry and at the time it brought me a lot of relief just to play it in my room to myself. I really like the energy this song ended up with after adding drums and guitar parts – even though it’s angry, it’s kind of fun.
2. Something Blue
Rin: There’s a common thread with this record – most of the songs are about a particular situation. ‘Something Blue’ was written before that situation occurred, but I still wanted to have it on the album as a foreword before the songs get quite heavy and somewhat specific.
I loved having my friend Georgia sing on this. Her voice is perfect and I love the way our voices interact with each other – her harmonies are stunning.
3. October
Rin: I was really unhappy and in turmoil when I wrote this song. It’s weird and a bit sad to look back on because I felt so helpless and like things were never going to get better. It’s strange realising how dark I must have been feeling to write a song like ‘October’. I almost find it hard to identify with the version of myself who wrote it because I feel so different now.
4. Never Name
Rin: I wrote ‘Never Name’ a long time ago, before most of the songs on this album, and over time it’s taken on a new meaning for me. I wanted to have a song on the record that was just a singular guitar track and vocals and I like how this song breaks up the record a little bit.
5. Perpetual Propensity
Rin: This song is the least refined and rawest song on the album. The lyrics are basically a stream of consciousness and I didn’t have a complete structure or anything before I went into the studio. I was so close to not putting this song on the record because I felt more exposed and vulnerable than I was comfortable with. I think I felt some shame around it, but now I’m so happy it’s on the record and find it empowering to listen back to.
6. Chances
Rin: ‘Chances’ was written as a soothing song. I wrote it with some friends in mind who have been in a similar situation to me with having something really horrible happen and then not being believed. When I sing that song, I feel like I’m singing it to myself as much as I’m singing it to other people who I hope feel comforted by it.
7. Famous
Rin: ‘Famous’ morphed over time, but even though I wrote it a long time ago, I changed some of the lyrics to make it truer to how I was feeling in that present moment. Usually when I play ‘Famous’ live, it’s a lot slower and longer but on the record I thought it would be fun to make it more upbeat. The lyrics are quite sad but the music is happy.
8. Another Word
Rin: This song ties the album together. I remember being very emotional recording the lines at the end that say “I forgive you”. I feel like I processed so much pain during the writing of this album and I wanted it to end with a sense of closure for my own sake.
Rin McArdle’s self-titled debut album is out now.
Further Reading
Georgia Maq Features on New Rin McArdle Song ‘Something Blue’
Camp Cope Announce Final Ever Show At Sydney Opera House
Track by Track: Hannah Blackburn Breaks Down Her Spare and Intimate Debut Album ‘I Want to Love You’
