Paolo Nutini’s new and fourth album “Last Night in the Bittersweet” was released on July 1, 2022. Eight years have passed since the release of the previous album “Caustic Love”. An extraordinarily long time, at least compared to the usual one to two year interval between album releases. Otherwise it was quiet for a long time about the songwriter, he doesn’t like to play according to the rules of the music industry.
In the ROLLING STONE interview, Nutini talks about the reason for this circumstance and, among other things, about one or the other unusual source of inspiration when writing songs.
ROLLING STONE: Eight years have passed since the release of your last album “Caustic Love”. What have you experienced in the meantime?
Paolo Nutini: Eight years is a long time, so it’s difficult for me to summarize my experiences in a nutshell. I consciously wanted to spend some time out of the limelight and have spent a while traveling. It was also fun just making music for myself for a change.
Between your last two albums (“Sunny Side Up” and “Caustic Love”) you deliberately took a break to travel. At that time you hiked through the Scottish Highlands and dealt with survival techniques. Were you similarly adventurous this time?
Yes, of course. In 2017, for example, I traveled through South America. At that time I was in Bolivia and Peru, among other places. I also visited Machu Picchu there. It’s always nice to learn about different cultures while traveling and I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to do so. Growing up in Scotland, I could only dream of it. I feel like I’ve put the time to good use.
In another interview you mentioned that you are always on the go with a recording device. Was that also the case with the making of “Last Night in the Bittersweet”?
Yes, I always do that. I always have a recording device or my cell phone with me and use it to record ideas and samples. It is good to be prepared in case of inspiration. Sometimes I also record everyday things, like the sound of a car engine. This creates a collection of melodies and ideas that I can always fall back on. Sometimes a whole song quickly emerges from these fragments, but it can also take longer. For example, right now I’m working on a song that I started when I was seventeen or eighteen.
Being inspired by everyday sounds sounds exciting. There’s a song on your new album that features the car engine you mentioned…
Possessions are not very important to me, I’d rather go out for a nice meal or go on a trip. But I bought a 1972 BMW a few years ago. It makes me happy just looking at him. I’m actually working on a new song right now that features a recording of the car’s engine on this BMW. It’s not very prominent, but if you listen closely you can hear the noise.
Could you go into a bit more detail about the creative process behind the new album?
My songs often arise from the recordings that I record with the recording device. Together with the band, or alone, I then complete it. But sometimes I dream my songs too. When this happens, I always try to reconstruct what I heard in the dream as soon as I wake up. On the new album, for example, that was the case with “Children Of The Stars”. I dreamed almost the whole song, including the arrangement. It is exciting how the subconscious continues to work during sleep. I recently read a book about dreams. But I really don’t want to know exactly why we dream. I like the mysterious part. In my opinion, good songs and lyrics should also have something mysterious about them and leave room for interpretation.
Is there a song on the new album that means a lot to you, or which stands out for you compared to the others?
Not really. I carried the songs on the new album with me for a long time, they all feel like a part of me. But there is one that the band and I especially like to play live: “Take Me Take Mine”. Everyone in the band contributed a bit. I think that’s why it’s so much fun.
In the past you have said that at times making music felt so much like work that you lost the fun of it. Did you feel similar before making your new album?
I didn’t mean making music myself, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the music business side of my career, for example promoters or extensive tours. When that happens, I slow down a little so I can give 100 percent again afterwards.
How are you doing now in this regard?
I’m having more and more fun with each show, although I still sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by large crowds. But I’m definitely looking forward to playing the new songs live and seeing the reaction from the fans. After the last two years I appreciate the opportunity to tour and travel even more than before. There were times when I almost took this for granted because it was such a common experience for me. But now everything feels more alive and intense. I am very grateful to everyone who listens to my music and comes to my concerts for being able to experience something like this.