CREDIT: NIKI ORMEROD
Ian Fletcher Thornley's new album Secrets was written and recorded in such a short period of time that it gives the album a very real vibe and definitely is worth the listen.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. Let me set the scene: it’s early in 2004, still some time ahead of You- Tube and social media. Roughly a year after U.S. President George W. Bush declared their mission in Iraq “accomplished”, as the Billboard Hot 100 Chart is straight dominated by singles from OutKast and Usher, newspapers featured stories about Ian Thornley’s exciting new side project, a rock act bearing his name.

It certainly isn’t necessary to illustrate the longevity or diversity of his career now, but rather noteworthy that at the time, Thornley alluded to creative crossroads and the ultimate decision to pursue the rock sound that would become the band’s first release.

Exactly how close we came to hearing a more intimate, acoustic solo project is unclear all these years later, but what is obvious is that even then, this was an artist with more depth than first meets the eye.

Unafraid to take a creative chance with something new, it seems Thornley’s sense of adventure hasn’t changed. Yet his latest album Secrets, released Oct. 30 on Anthem Records, signifies a number of marked differences in the way he has made music in rock combos past.

“It’s definitely a much more personal album than I’ve ever done before, in many respects,” he confirmed recently in interview with Interrobang by phone. “We recorded and mixed the album in 12 days, it was a very concentrated time, a snapshot of a two–week period just before summer.”

Produced by Mark Howard, Secrets was recorded live off the floor in a quiet cottage as Thornley, bassist Dave McMillan (Big Wreck) and drummer Glenn Milchem (Blue Rodeo) sought to capture the song as close as possible to its conceived state.

While he had a lot of song sketches to work with, Thornley described how he intentionally entered the sessions with incomplete songs in order for them to take inspiration from the vibe in the room.

“The music that’s on the record was specifically chosen, songs that we finished writing just before or while we were in the recording process,” he said, admitting that the record reflects a lot of what he was going through personally at the time.

“I didn’t have time to mull over it or take stuff out that would have been too revealing, it was all done so quickly. When I listen to it now I hear all that [personal] stuff, right at the surface.”

Each of the songs were about 75 per cent done lyrically, he explained, with an idea of the direction or angle the lyrics would go.

These he would review the night before the songs went in the can, though at times edits were being made in between takes. The result is coloured with introspection and insight the likes of which Thornley hasn’t shown us before.

Similarly, he challenged himself not to over–demo the material in advance; in advance of albums for his rock outfits, Thornley would record detailed demos as roadmaps of songs for the sessions.

Not so with Secrets, wherein the musicians began with a fresh slate for each track, even changing instruments or drum setups between tracks to create new sounds.

“It was just like, ‘what do you want to try for this one,’” he recalled. “I think that helped dictate where everything would end up, and sometimes that would mean a bit of a rewrite lyrically, sure, but it’s a matter of being in the moment and following the song, letting the song tell you how it wants to be and what it wants to say.”

For more on Ian Fletcher Thornley or his solo album Secrets, visit ianfletcherthornley.com. Catch him this week as his Share Your Secrets Tour stops at the London Music Hall on Sunday, Dec. 13, before moving on to Hamilton and Toronto on December 15 and 16, respectively. Tickets are $25, available in advance from ticketfly.com or at Grooves Records or the London Music Hall downtown. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.

And for more of the latest music news, album streams and gigs coming to London, add @fsu_bobbyisms to your Twitter timeline. The stage lineup on the Share Your Secrets Tour sees McMillan and Milchem on the road with Thornley, reuniting the trio responsible for the album sessions. A magical proposition, get tickets while you’re still able. I’m out of words.