INTERVIEW: Mariel Buckley Navigates the Strange Trip Ahead
In our interview, Mariel Buckley and I check in about her new album Long Strange Trip, liminal spaces, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Mariel Buckley's music has always served as a personal touchstone for me. There's that sense of not knowing where your little boat is headed, but a confidence that you'll get there eventually. But with the end of a long-term relationship and the continual frustrations of the music industry, Buckley's latest, Strange Trip Ahead, is some of her bleakest work yet. In No Depression, I write about how it still serves as a source of comfort, in spite of its raw vulnerability. In our interview below, Buckley and I discuss how this album came together. The album is out today, so grab it wherever you get your favorite music!
Strange Trip Ahead seems to have a sharper edge on it than your previous work. What did you tap into for this group of songs?
I think these songs live in a “transitional” space for me, both sonically and lyrically. I moved twice, ended a long term relationship, had to work a few part-time jobs to stay afloat, felt bitter and lost, and have been watching the world take on a sharper edge as well. I think the writing is the result of feeling very lost and struggling to find my place in it all.
Strange Trip Ahead seems to have a sharper edge on it than your previous work. What did you tap into for this group of songs?
As a queer person, I’ve often felt outside or transient in mainstream spaces. It can be very isolating and lonely trying to relate to a culture that prioritizes traditional values and heteronormative practices. Whether in my career or personal life, I often feel misunderstood. Songwriters with unique experiences and perspectives are so important, especially in such tumultuous times when minority voices are being silenced or weaponized.
Strange Trip Ahead dwells, as you say, in liminal spaces. How do you feel this ties into your own queer experience?
Haha, okay deal. During the pandemic I realized I needed to find a hobby outside of music, something that connected me to the world in a more tangible way. Smoking weed and scrolling all day was NOT working for me, go figure. Designing and planting a crude wildflower patch gave me a sense of purpose while everything was at a standstill. Post-pandemic, I kept up my hobby and had a pretty awesome succulent collection at my former bachelor pad, and I even picked up a part-time landscaping job on my off months to make ends meet. Working outside with the birds and bugs has been deeply restorative for my self-esteem and mental health. I’ve taken huge amounts of joy in the process of growing, pruning and planting; and t’s even transferred into the way I approach the world and my relationships.
Finally, the most important question – how does it feel to see your Jays finally make the postseason?
RACHEL you know how it feels. It feels fucking awesome. GO JAYS and GO OILERS.
Strange Trip Ahead is out now.
