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I loudly declared singer songwriter Scott Lavene’s 2019 album Broke to be my top favorite album of that year, and even though it’s not out yet, his upcoming album is already in my top two of 2021 (the other being Cathal Coughlan’s superb Song Of Co​-​Aklan). The title of his new one is Milk City Sweethearts, but you can’t buy it until mid-September (pre-order vinyl here.) It’s really good. I reckon it’s even better than the first one and that’s a tall order.

There have already been three new videos produced for the album and we’ve got the first two for you below. I asked Scott Lavene some questions via email.

Is “Nigel” based on a real person that you know?

The song was supposed to be for a theatre show I was almost part of, but it didn’t work out so it ended up being the first song I wrote for the album. It’s based on a friend of mine who was once a very pretty man but is now lost to the deep. I often see him, thinner and more ragged each time, cycling around town. I’ve fictionalized him for the sake of the song. Really, “Nigel” is about damaged people finding comfort within each other.

Your Lou Reed tribute?

I wrote the song in a different key. It was a bit more shouty. Then, after playing around with it one night I recorded the demo in a more relaxed key and spoke the vocal which felt better. And yes, a bit more Lou Reed. Also it mentions standing on corners which is very him. I mean, sub consciously I’m probably always trying to make a Lou Reed tribute and maybe this song is the closest I’ve got. Accidentally, of course.
 

 
”Lord of Citrus” starts out sounding a bit Beefheartian. Were you listening to the good Captain when you were writing your upcoming album?

I’m never far from the Captain. I was listening to a lot of stuff. Mainly 80s alternative music but also Brain Eno’s first couple of albums and ESG.  The intro to “Lord Of Citrus” was a bit of a happy accident. I played the guitar to the intro in the ‘wrong’ key but it sounded so bloody right.

Your videos are always so well done on an indie budget. What’s the story with the excellent new animated video?

Well, it’s a guy called Ryan Anderson. He’s a fan and we started a back and forth and a mutual admiration for each other’s work. His Instagram animation was so good, the early stuff is just very twisted and right up my alley. I asked him if he could splice a few pieces together and he just made me a video. First for last year’s “Lover” and then I knew I wanted him to do a couple more for the album even though we have virtually no budget. He’s a sport and completely wonderful. I’d get him to every video if i could but they’ll definitely still be a couple of videos of me pissing about. Luckily I like making my own videos. It’s a challenge to do them for no money and with limited equipment.