Sylvie Lewis - by Marie Helene
from england with love

Syvlie Lewis has a generous laugh and answers questions without hesitating. She is from London, by way of Switzerland and Italy. Hearing her sing, you would think her speaking voice would sound rugged and oversexed, but in reality it has a lilt to it that brings to mind a sassy Mary Poppins, a spray of freesia, gossamer scarves.

She is instantly kind, runs to get me napkins when I spill my tea at The Grey Dog Cafe, and is as thoughtful answering a question as she is at crafting lyrics. She spends minutes explaining to me the shape and consistency of a true scone (small, circular) and what to put on it when in England (clotted cream). She wears red socks as a tribute to one of her heroes, Django Rienhardt, notorious for his questionable fashion sense.

Her new album, "Tangoes and Tantrums" has her singing in French, a language in which she is fluent, and showcasing her "family of songs," from the pitch perfect "By Heart," to the crowd favorite "All his exes."

When did you land in America?
About 10 years ago. To study at Berklee school of Music. I went and did a degree in songwriting and Composition. I started out as a jazz student and then switched to more of the composing, songwriting parts because that was my true love.

Why did you move to New York?
I knew New York would get me in the end. I was just postponing it. I think John Lennon and Yoko did that when they met. Didn't they meet and decide they weren't going to date for a year? Because they knew that that was it. That would be the ultimate for both of them. That's how I felt about New York.

Was yours a music filled house?
Yes, it was. Mostly from my grandparents rather than my parents. My grandfather was a guitar player and the other grandfather was a choral scholar and a piano player. (She sings a scale). One of my grandmothers loved to dance, so that was music for her and my grandfather who played guitar loved Django Reinhardt. My father and I have all his records, so I grew up listening to Django and Oscar Peterson, all those great jazz records, so that was a great gift given to me.

Whose career, if anyone's, would you like to emulate?
I think Tori Amos is someone who is continually evolving. Also, PJ Harvey and Bjork. I think what happens is you tend to make one album that blows up and then after that you are defined and all you can do is sort of maintain that fan base. And, I really like the way that, although Tori Amos has a sound, she doesn't repeat herself. It's always women that you hear are crazy or insane. I'm sure they're going to be stories about me being crazy and insane, too, just because I stamp my foot and won't give in. Anyone with longevity. That's my ambition.

Why did you decide to write descriptions/stories/musings in your liner notes instead of lyrics?
One of the ways I feel about music now is that music has become a visual art form instead of an audible art form and I wanted it to be something that was oral before it was visual. That's why I didn't put in the lyrics. I thought, I'd like you to hear it first. And I think my enunciation is quite good, so if you have a hard time hearing the lyrics, you could either make it up or go to the website and take a look.

What are you reading right now?
I'm reading Poems, Poets and Poetry by Helen Vendler. I'm reading a book by Wallace Stevens about his process of creating art, and what he was going through. And, the Dairy of Anne Frank. Since I've been keeping a diary on my website, which I've been a bit lax at updating, I've been really pondering the question of diary writing and how to do that in a genuine way, but yet edit out the parts that aren't relevant or too personal, and yet say something relevant. I've been reading as many diaries as I can get my hands on. Which is ironic because diaries are supposed to be secret.

Do you really think people write diaries expecting people not to read them?
That's the big caption across my brain as I'm writing. I always think to myself, 'Don't worry Sylvie, there's not a person in the world who has ever written anything down on a piece of paper with the absolute knowledge that no one will ever read it." We all have that editor who sits on a couch at the back of our brains.

You always write to make yourself look good. And that's actually what the song "Rockwell's blues" is about; artists are notorious at making art that paints themselves in angelic hues and shapes.

You look at Charlie Parker and Miles Davis and Robert Frost, even Norman Rockwell, people who are badly behaved in their personal relationships, not nice people, and yet they made this angelic, amazing, wonderful art that survives well after their monstrous lives are over.

I thought Robert Frost was supposed to be a great guy.
Wasn't he mean and awful? I heard on his wife's death bed, he left his wife and kids to starve. And, he came to her and said, can you forgive me for all I've done to you? and she said (deadpan)"No." And, I always think good art should never be a compensation for bad life.

(We have seven minute conversation debating what we have heard about Robert Frosts' personal life that ends only days after the interview, when Sylvie emails me a link to an article, and it turns out (oops!), she was right).

There is a common belief that Americans like the sound of British and Irish accents. Do English people think American accents all sound like Fran Drescher?
English people like the sound of their own voices. Can't you tell?
I can't speak for all English people. But for myself, growing up I was fascinated by the American accent. I used to imitate it all the time. I thought it was really cool, sort of akin to smoking cigarettes. I think the French accent is the sexiest accent ever.

Have you noticed women musicians treat you any differently than male musicians?
I don't know that many women musicians, that's the tragedy of it. I know a lot of women singer songwriters, maybe a bass player or two. Sadly, most of the musicians I work with are men just because that's who's around. It's very sad.

What was your goal in recording/ writing Tangoes and Tantrums?
I wanted to make a piece of work with continuity running through it, a family of songs. I waned them to very much connected sonically. To be honest, I think my next album will be a concept album. Making an album I like writing a book of short stories, it's really nice when there's a thru line, integrated idea. Some of the songs in there are sort of call and response songs. I would say that "All his Exes" kind of parallels with "Old Friends." They're about the whole ex situation and different ways to look at it. That's why I want to make a concept album.

You wouldn't make a concept album like Sylvie Lewis in Outer Space?
No, more like Ten Summoner's tales. (She laughs) Although that might be funny. 'Sylvie Lewis completely out to lunch and off her rocker.'

You seem to have an incredible respect for the craft of writing. At what age did phrases and word patterns begin occurring to you?
I would have to say that it began when I was about 13 years ago with studying First World War poetry. I had this English teacher who was incredibly influential and he used to cry during the verses when we read, he would end up choked up and crying. That was when it hit me. I really got poetry, it touched me emotionally. That's when I fell in love with language. This is the meaning of life people, don't bother me with taxes, I'm reading ee cummings! Writing music and words is really so much effort and editing, which I feel good about, cause I don't relate to writers that say it comes easy to them. I think you may get some good stuff from that, but I think to develop craft, you have to develop ways of working.

Do you have a regimen?
When I'm writing I do, but since I'm on the road so much, it becomes more I write when I can get a spare hour. I wrote in a taxi this morning on the back of an envelope. My favorite place to write is on the backs of envelopes.

When I wrote this album I would get up at 6 in the morning and write for, well, I would try for 8 hours a day, although I would inevitably work for two or three hours, take an hour's break, write for another two hours, take an hour's break.

What are your thoughts on the music industry?
It's hard being a woman in a male dominated industry, I keep expecting people to protect me, not because I'm a woman, but because I am a well mannered human being. I hold the door open for old ladies, old men, young children. And, if someone needs help crossing the street, I'll do it. Being kind to humanity is just a good feeling. I keep expecting the same in return and I feel a little naïve in that I'm shocked when I don't get it. It's made me tougher, but I also think your innocence can be a great protection as well.