Jamie Lester has delivered a knockout. His new album, “Wander Lost,” is a collection of songs that feel both intensely personal and universally relatable. Today, we’re diving into the album’s creation, uncovering the stories behind the music, and exploring how Jamie’s own creative journey shaped this stunning new release.
BB: “Wander Lost” is a striking title. Can you tell us about the themes that are explored on this album? Is there a central narrative or a collection of different stories you’re telling?
The album did not start off with a central narrative. As I settled on the songs that would be included on the album, I became aware that most of the songs were about death or a loss of some kind. Except for the song Blue Book, the selected songs are about dealing with a loss.
BB: Your music has often been part of a full-band project with “The Lords of Lester.” What was the catalyst for releasing “Wander Lost” as a solo artist, under your own name? What creative freedom or challenges did that shift present?
I love playing with the Lords and I really miss that creative opportunity, but after almost 7 years of exploring that genre, I was ready to go in a different direction. A band becomes your family, and I am really proud of the songs and moments we created. I am used to creating visual art under my own name, but for some reason have never published music under my own name. It felt weird, but I wanted to explore that because in my experience the things that feel strange or out of your comfort zone are the things you should lean into.
BB: Can you walk us through the process of creating “Wander Lost”? Where did the initial ideas for these songs come from, and how did they evolve into the final tracks?
I wanted to make a country album. The first song I brought to the album was Gods Country which is inspired by Maraconne spaghetti western sountracks. I really wanted to make a very simple album with very little overdubs. But as the album progressed I kept adding layers.
BB: You worked with a few musicians on this album. Who all did you collaborate with on this album? Did you have a specific vision for the sound, and how did your collaborators help you bring that to life?
The pedal steel guitars added by Nashville’s Gary Carter transformed the album into a more country- something- but I still don’t know if it’s a country album. I wanted to bring the pedal steel together with the fiddle in a sound I had heard and liked on John R Miller’s “The Trouble You Find”album, so I reached out to Fiddlin’ Ray Bruckman. I wanted to add a female voice harmony, and I’d always wanted collaborate with my dear friend Emily Carlson on a record. It was a lot to juggle on the mixing end but Mark Poole did an incredible job of melding into a cohesive sound.
BB: You’re a celebrated visual artist in West Virginia. The album art for “Wander Lost” is a beautiful piece you painted. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the artwork and how you feel it represents the music on the album?
I had already decided that loss was a dominant theme for the album and I wanted to frame loss in a positive way. I love to paint skies, so I came up with the idea of a self portrait walking alone into the wilderness as a way to illustrate that loss. Loss and pain that drives you to find solitude, but in that quiet comes peace and self forgiveness.
BB: The music video for “Silent Heart” is incredible, and you created it yourself. What was the process like for translating that song’s emotion into a visual narrative? Was it a different creative experience than painting or sculpting?
Animation is one of the hardest forms of art I’ve ever attempted. The drawing aspect is challenging, but the hardest part is telling the story. In Silent Heart, I tell a very loose story about a man who has lost a love, though from what we don’t know. He is deeply scarred by this loss, and is losing his grip on reality. It is a reminder that when our heart is broken, we can’t go to it for wisdom or help. We can’t think properly or feel. Many who are in desperate situations in our society are there because of deep trauma. And this video is a way of trying to understand that.
BB: You work in different mediums—music, paint, sculpture. Do you find there’s a common thread that runs through all of your creative work, or do you approach each one with a unique mindset?
There is a common thread. The motifs repeat, the focus on the human figure, political and current themes find expression in both music and visual mediums. All forms of creativity come from the same place, the same muscle.
BB: Now that “Wander Lost” is out in the wild, what’s next for you musically?
I have another 10 to 20 songs I’m really itching to record. I’m going to schedule some time in the studio soon and start another album. This one I think will be much simpler. I’ve been really enjoying playing my harmonica and I think this one might be guitar harmonica and vocal based.
BB: What can people expect when they come to your album release show on September 11th?
I am setting up a comfortable living room experience at The Rustic Church where we can all settle in to listen. I’m going to play the album in its entirety, and then select a few songs from Lords era, and a few new ones I’m excited about. I’ll explain the songs if anyone has questions, but mostly I like to just play the songs. I will have records for sale, limited edition art print, the actual original oil painting I made for the cover, and Reid Harward will be there hand printing screen printed t-shirts. It should be a fun evening.
Find the album here. And listen to “Shoulders Of Giants” below.
