We’ve been indulging in the warm desert nights as we split time between our home in Joshua Tree and our new Inn in Tucson, AZ. Our September New Moon Playlist is inspired by the “bathwater” evening air that draws out the subtle nuances in the environment around us. The atmospheric music of the magic songstress Melaena Cadiz seems like a perfect fit for this time of year. Her song “Neon Moon” is a pared-back interpretation of the Brooks and Dunn classic. NPR praised Melaena’s music, saying, “Cadiz has a voice that grabs you within seconds.” Visit her website to purchase a vinyl record, or follow along on her Instagram for new releases and live shows.
Featured Artist: Melaena Cadiz
Q: Your cover of “Neon Moon”, does so much with so little. The spare arrangement puts the listener’s focus straight on your voice, while the atmospheric guitar lays out a big, open space for the voice to fill. What was your goal in interpreting the classic, country-soaked version by Brooks & Dunn?
I love how this song captures that communal space for the lost and the lonely. I love the line “watch your broken dreams dance in and out of the beams of the neon moon.” I picture everyone’s sadness out on the dance floor, making something beautiful out of heartbreak. I’ve always been really inspired by Catpower’s album of stripped down covers, I think you hear the songwriting in a different way. So I wanted to give my favorite songs that sparse, wide open treatment. I want to do a whole series of 80s & 90s pop country songs this way! I recorded this with Max Hart who plays pedal steel and organ on it and he did a beautiful job of giving everything a lot of space.
Q: We read in an interview that you moved from New York City to California a few years ago. Has that shift affected your artistic pursuits in both practical and conceptual ways?
Absolutely, I of course miss my friends and bandmates in NYC but I feel a greater sense of openness and possibility here in L.A. I think being able to have a connection with nature here is one of the biggest things. I also became a mother around the same time — so much changed for me at once! I can hear it in my songwriting thematically. In Brooklyn I was writing from a place of longing for escape and meaningful change. Now I find myself writing about embracing the moment, letting go of the past and doubling down on my chosen life path. I’m a believer that people wrestle with the same story that evolves over their artistic journeys. I think mine is about finding center and a sense of purpose and belonging.
Q: Solitude seems like a repeating theme in both the songs you write, and the ones you choose to cover. Is time spent alone important for you artistically?
Yes! I just went back out to Joshua Tree to write for my new record and it was heavenly. It’s so replenishing to go and be alone for awhile. When I come back I’m able to give more.
Q: Lately, we’ve been back and forth between our new Inn in Tucson, and our home in Joshua Tree. That constant movement is new for us and has taken some adjustment. How do you remain grounded when you are touring and traveling to new places?
I think I feel grounded when I feel I’m where I want to be and nowhere else.
When I’m touring I feel a real sense of purpose to be out there doing what I love and getting to share my songs with people every night. I think that grounds me and I makes me totally present and in the moment. My husband and I love to just drive for hours too and for the last record we toured as a family. That feeling of not needing anything but the contents of the car makes me feel like I’m right where I should be.
Q: What’s next for you and your music?
I’ve been chipping away at a new record for a few years now. Its taking longer than I anticipated but the up-side is that I keep discovering new things that I become obsessed with and that inspires a bunch of new songs. Right now I’m really into that bebebe tuning that Nick Drake used all the time.
About the New Moon Playlist
On the New Moon, the earth, moon, and sun align making us unaware of the moon’s presence in the sky. Without the visual presence and glow of the moon, other celestial bodies typically hidden now shine brighter. Our chances of seeing the sky clearly are heightened on this day, making it a day of clarity and new beginnings. Creatively it’s the perfect time to set intentions for a new cycle of dreams and goals, and ways of manifesting them.
To honor this monthly opportunity for fresh starts and creative beginnings, we’ve asked our friend and musician we admire, Chase McBride, to curate a seasonal New Moon Spotify playlist.
Follow The Joshua Tree House on Spotify and be the first to hear new playlists. Last season’s New Moon Spotify Playlist featured artist Chase Mcbride.
