Over the last few months, the PopWrapped team has been blasted with absolutely amazing music. One of those being the new self-titled EP from A Tale of Two, an incredible duo based out of Nashville – composed of vocalist, Stephanie Adlington and guitarist, Aaron Lessard.
No doubt, whether you have heard their music or not, you have probably heard of them solo, before they started doing music together. One thing is for certain, A Tale of Two has such a unique, stunning, sound that you are sure to never forget.
With one listen, A Tale of Two reels you in, leaving you wanting to hear even more. & luckily, with the release of their new EP – you get to indulge in many incredible tracks. There truly is a track for everyone, you will not be disappointed.
PopWrapped (PW): First of all, I want to talk about your overall sound before we dive into this project, as this is the first time I have heard your work – Your sound gives me a very old soul, singer-songwriter, folk-perfection. Are there any artists that influence your overall sound?
A Tale of Two (A): Our musical interests are so broad. We love so many styles like Jazz, Blues, Roots… I would say the more genre focused artists who impacted us in making this record were people like John Paul White, Ray LaMontagne, Brandi Carlile, Punch Brothers, Tom Waits, Patty Griffin, and so many more.
(PW): You two, even though you sound beautiful together, you both offer 2 different sounds that blend perfectly, together. Tell us a little bit about your back story and how you met, how did you, both already successful solo, decide you wanted to work together?
(A): We met in the local Nashville scene. Stephanie has a successful local following in the Jazz scene, and I was more so doing a solo rockabilly project. Eventually, I found myself playing for Stephanie, and we wanted to start touring together. Stephanie’s original music always had an Americana influence, and I wanted to play on that further. Ultimately, we created this project from the ground up, and the blending of our different influences. I think the biggest factor in our collaboration was this constant desire to be different from the norm, which is still the case today.
(PW): “A Tale Of Two” was fully recorded live, with no major production work, editing, and all of the stuff that comes along with professional recording. What made you two decide to go live with it, rather than spending hours doing multiple vocal tracking, editing, etc?
(A): We pride ourselves in putting on the best live performances we can. Our goal was to create a record that we could replicate on the stage. So many acts today run tracks behind the band, or create something in the studio that is near-impossible to replicate. For our introduction to the music world, it was important to showcase ourselves in an authentic way.
(PW): During the current pandemic, we have talked to many different types of artists who have taken this pandemic to focus full time on their music – & they have all had a variety of ways they have stayed motivated to be heard. Have you experienced any burnout during this time and how are you both staying motivated?
(A): It has been easy to feel defeated during the last year. Everyone has faced so many unique hurdles and challenges. I think it is important to count the small victories and realize how important those are to keep you going. We have certainly been burnt out at times, and writing songs can be hard when you’re under so much stress. That being said, it has brought us closer, and I think we have built a lot of toughness and patience throughout the last year. Releasing our music for the first time has kept us motivated to stay busy, and to look at next year as an incredible opportunity to grow.
(PW): In the new project, “Chicago Lightning” really stands out the most for me. You have a writing style that kind of dabbles in stories of revenge, and drinking. Is that a common writing style for you? Or does it just work for tracks like this?
(A): We have a lot of fun writing stories that accent southern culture and history. The story of a song can really come from anywhere, whether it’s a phrase, a hook, or an entire idea from start to finish. Who knows what future stories will entail for us, but we wanted to introduce ourselves with themes and tales that helped birth “A Tale Of Two”
(PW): You worked on this project in Nashville – we have worked with a lot of artists that have told us they are thinking about moving from big cities to Nashville to focus more on music. If you could leave them with one piece of advice, what would it be?
(A): Show up. It is important to show your face as often as you can, and that can be really hard when you have to pay bills, or hop around clubs you want to play in. Year one in Nashville really needs to be about your presence and networking with others. You may be one of the lucky ones to land a steady gig or tour with someone, but that is a rarity. It is about playing the long game, because everyone quits. From the pandemic alone, we have witnessed thousands of Nashville musicians leave town, and many for good. The ones who stay around the longest and build relationships are often the ones with success.
(PW): Your music has an old soul, folk, vibe throughout the whole debut project. Is this the sound you plan to go forward with, or do you feel like you are still trying to find your voice?
(A): I think we have certainly found our voice. Whether we go in a folkier direction or Americana, who knows. We really love what we have created, and we hope others do as well. It is a unique space to be in, and we continue to find ways to stick out from the rest. Our musical interests are so vast, it’ll be interesting to bring it all together for another record in the future.
(PW): I want to keep this short so that people can go experience this beautiful body of work. Before we go, what do you want our readers to know about this project and what can we expect from what’s next?
(A): Thanks for having us! We hope readers take time to listen to the full record on all streaming platforms. They can follow us on all socials, and watch our “Treehouse Sessions” on YouTube, which are live performances of songs off the record.
Upcoming show dates include our Album Release Show at City Winery Nashville on 9/19, and a “Sunday Spotlight” Bluebird Cafe debut on 10/24.
2022 is looking to be a bigger touring year for us, so head to www.taleoftwomusic.com for dates. We are hopeful to be back in the studio this Winter for a potential follow-up record.
“A Tale of Two” the EP is out now on all major music platforms, now.
