Lilly Hiatt's love of the '90s alt-rock she was raised on shines through on Trinity Lane in the distressed guitars and urgent backbeats. She cites the Pixies, Breeders, Dinosaur Jr., and her favourites, Pearl Jam as influences, but there is also something distinctly Americana lurking in the songs. After moving out of an ex's house, Hiatt settled into a new apartment off of Trinity Lane in her East Nashville neighbourhood and went on tour with friend John Moreland to the West Coast and back.
The intensely personal, autobiographical album was written largely upon her return, in isolation, facing the issues she escaped while on the road. Every time she wanted a man, she picked up her guitar. Every time she wanted a drink, she picked up her guitar. Hiatt says, 'Love will take you to the darkest places but also the most honest places if you let it. Learning how to love myself is something I've always been lousy with, and I spent some time on that. I thought about my sobriety, what that means to me, the struggles I'd had throughout the years, since I was a 27-year-old and hung up my toxic drinking habit. I thought about my mother, who took her own life when I was a baby, not far from my age at 30 years old, and I related to her more than ever. As you can see, there was plenty of time spent on my own. I didn't talk to that many folks, albeit a few close friends, and leaned into my family. I stayed away from men, and danced alone in the evenings, looking out my window observing my humble and lively neighbourhood. I found power in being by myself. I found peace in the people I was surrounded with we didn't really know one another, but we smiled when passed on the street. One time I almost rear-ended an older woman in her car backing out of my driveway and I said, Oh man, I'm just not used to any cars coming around this bend. She replied, This is our little hideout, baby, And it really was.' She continues, 'After a while, I had all these songs to play, and wanted to share them. I wanted to get out of town to get some distance from everything, so after an ongoing conversation with Michael Trent, I took my band to Johns Island, SC and we holed up for a few weeks. I poured my heart out, and trusted them with it, and these guys gave it right back. I think we all understood what it's like to question home, intention, demons, love I think most people understand that.'
Lilly Hiatt returned with Trinity Lane in August 2017. The 12-song set was produced by Michael Trent of Shovels & Rope and engineered by Andy Dixon at Trent's Studio Bees in Johns Island, SC. In addition to her backing band, Trent is featured as a musician throughout, and is joined by his wife and Shovels & Rope partner Cary Ann Hearst for backing vocals on Everything I Had.
'Lilly is as real and honest of a songwriter as they come,' says Trent. 'Fearless and thoughtful and a total joy to be around.' NPR Music is premiering the full album as a First Listen, stating, 'On Trinity Lane, the third album by this fixture of Nashville's indie scene and first for New West she's devoted to excruciatingly revealing expression, deftly manipulating the tone and perspective of her songwriting from track to track. Her treatment of pain can, remarkably, feel both considered and diaristic.' They continue, 'Her willingness to portray herself in moments of anger or neediness that others might deem unseemly, particularly coming from a woman, and to examine gender divisions in emotional labor at close range, is courageous and affecting.'
Paste Magazine previously premiered the video for the album's single The Night David Bowie Died, exclaiming that Trinity Lane is 'going to be one for the books'. Of the song, Hiatt offered, 'The night David Bowie died, I was in disbelief. I wanted to talk to someone, but it was too late to make a phone call. I cried quietly and went to bed. The next day, I picked up my guitar and hit record on Garage Band. I started to sing and those were the first words that came out. I felt like Bowie was giving me a little gift.'
