Melanie Radford Interview: “I hope people can find comfort in it”

Throughout the year in new music, there will always be lovely surprises that fly out of left field. From a personal point of view, Melanie Radford is one of those artists. The Seattle-based songwriter, spending years on the road as member of Built To Spill as well as a part of the stoner alt-rock three-piece, Blood Lemon.

While both different bands completely, Radford continues to shift, moving centre stage for her debut solo release, For the Sake of Stillness. One of the most gorgeous debut albums this year. It’s an album in which to seek refuge. Something designed for safe spaces and headphones, as Radford gently guides you into a sound world built by a less-is-more approach.

Backed by former Built To Spill-er, Jim Roth (synth, pedal steel, vocals), cellist Lori Goldston (Earth, Nirvana), and drummer Cacá Amaral (QMAR, Firefriend), For the Sake of Stillness is equal parts wistful and triumphant. Radford’s songs, stirring with wonderful subtleties and nuance.

The droning undercurrent of Philadelphia, a patchwork of strings and field recordings that encompass For the Sake of Stillness. Hangin’ On and Hail Mary, hushed slowcore that finds you yearning for Low’s early releases. Then there’s the beguiling Sink & Swallow where Radford completely dismantles Jackie O Motherfucker’s Hey! Mr. Sky. Few have written a better song this year; the same atmospheres, drifting into the closing instrumental, Outro: A Walk Away.

Elsewhere, and Valentina just about reaches the heights of Sink & Swallow. Deep echoes conceived in lonely corners, it’s a song for solitude. There’s room for contrast, too. The folk drone of Back Again, a wicked outlier that one would expect from, say, Wrekmeister Harmonies. It exposes the wonderful juxtapositions on For the Sake of Stillness. An album that unveils an aloofness that, at times feels exclusive to your ears only.

Last week, in the lead-up to her forthcoming U.S tour, Radford answered a series of questions about For the Sake of Stillness, her creative life, and more.

Sun 13: Who was the first artist you fell in love with that made you want to be an artist?

Melanie Radford: “Honestly, Patti Smith.”

S13: You’ve toured constantly over the years. How long had you been working on For the Sake of Stillness?

MR: “Only a couple of years actually! I began writing it in 2023 and finished recording it at the end of 2025. I worked on it on and off, either while I was on the road (using mobile setups) or during my downtime.”

S13: Was the album both inspired by and a reaction to the fast-paced nature of the modern world?

MR: “Yeah, totally. I think we’re all pretty overwhelmed by the modern world at this time. It kind of feels like everyone is releasing music with the purpose of escaping that feeling now. At the time I started writing, I was also dealing with a lot of grief and going through a very big change in my life, so I needed music to soothe my heart.”

S13: What was the most important aspect you wanted to capture?

MR: “I wanted to capture warmth and what it might feel like to be overtaken by stillness… like being wrapped in a weighted blanket.”

S13: The sparseness and less-is-more approach adds so much depth to your songs. Regarding your writing process, how important is quietness to your practice?

MR: “It’s all about presence for me, like my spirit needs to be present and grounded in my body so I can really convey what I’m feeling. I think the less-is-more approach can really add weight to a song when you do it right.”

S13: The field recordings add lovely layers and meaning, too. How much did the environment play a part in your thinking?

MR: “Some were directly inspired by the field recordings themselves (like Seagull for example), while others felt like complimentary partners to an already-formed idea. I wanted the field recordings to feel like another person adding their voice to the song.”

S13: Sink & Swallow is such a beautiful song. What can you tell us about it?

MR: “It’s a song that I used as a vehicle to reflect on what distance meant to me and my relationships. It was also very fun to record because I got to gather so many people I admire and, one by one, they all slowly built up the song into this sun-soaked swell that I was envisioning. It was a really beautiful experience.”

S13: Valentina follows it. While similar, there’s more of dark undercurrent, which underlines the contrast and shifts in mood with the album. Was that something you also wanted to capture?

MR: “Yeah, that was a particularly dark one. A bit ominous and lonely… The lyrics (though subconsciously at the time) formed into a story about a woman lighting herself on fire and, in a dark way, it being the only time she actually felt alive. When I realised what the song meant to me, I decided to lean into the subject matter and reinforce that darkness.”

S13: Had you known Lori Goldston long before you worked on the album?

MR: “Lori became a fast friend after I moved to Seattle a few years ago. I am a big fan of her work (especially her experimental solo material) and would come to her performances as much as I could. She is so cool… We naturally became friends and I’m fortunate that she agreed to collaborate.”

S13: You’re on the road so much these days with Built To Spill. Is touring still as exciting now as when you first started?

MR: “Yes and no. I’ve certainly become used to the physically demanding aspects of touring – after all, I have a healthy system for myself that is time-tested – but weird mental curveballs still sneak up on me sometimes.”

S13: Is the road a direct influence in your songs, or do you think Seattle also plays its part?

MR: “Living on the road has been the catalyst to this record, absolutely. I had to find ways to ground myself with mindfulness and meditative practices that influenced the vibe of what I was creating. But it also helped me understand my relationship to my home, too.

“I really love my apartment now. I feel like a little owl taking respite in her hidey hole when I return from touring. It’s that exact feeling of a home’s warmth that I wanted to find and distil in this album. I hope people can find comfort in it.”

For the Sake of Stillness is out now via Jealous Butcher. Purchase from Bandcamp.