Youth in a Roman Field is the project of Claire Wellin, the violinist/vocalist in Brooklyn-based indie rock powerhouse San Fermin, who has also toured with Delta Rae and was on Broadway in Once The Musical.
Youth in a Roman Field showcases the band’s progressive sound (described as a combination of ‘Appalachia, cayenne pepper, and ghosts’ and ‘like Radiohead but also folk music’) is reflected both in their inventive recordings and intimate, endearing live performances. Sweeping vocals, dynamic string loops, woven, textured guitars, and percussive bass come together to create music that gives the audience space and time to feel, reflect, or just take a breather.
Glide is premiering the sweeping and angelic “Albatross,” which slowly builds up with its valiant instrumental selection of voice and minimalism. Mixing Steve Reich with Beth Orton, Youth in Roman Field creates atmospheric splendor. We also had the chance to talk to Wellin about a few important items.
We’ve been digging your newest single “Albatross.” What inspired the song?
Hi! Thank you so much. We love it too. I wrote it as an anthem for myself, and hopefully others, as an answer to a question I asked often while writing the new record: “Am I here to break the cycle?” – specifically in regards to the experiences of my mom and the anger and sadness I carry on her behalf. Sonically, it’s influenced by the simplicity and subtlety of Nick Drake and Arthur Russell, whom I’ve loved for decades. Lyrically, it’s about sifting through what belongs to me, what I mirror and repeat in my own life, and what I can let go of or change. It’s an expression of my own struggles with self-worth and power, an examination of destructive thought and behavior patterns, and an offering of love and acceptance to my younger self. It encourages breaking free from debilitating thoughts and the social conventions that cement them. It is a pledge to rebirth, freedom, and celebration – that we, in fact, already know the ‘motions’ of our own way. And while we can’t retrieve any of our time spent in and on the past, we are here, for ourselves and for each other, now. Recording it was a thrill, as Jamie, Tiffany, Cassidy, and Scott all brought in game-changing ideas that had a huge impact on the song’s construction, specifically at the end, when Tiffany changed the entire vibe of the song with this incredible, nostalgic, wholly improvised tone-change that everyone else folds into.
We love the video you made to accompany it — what was it like making it?
Thank you! It was really fun and also very hot. My two best friends, Scott Stangland and Tiffany Topol, who have been in Youth in a Roman Field since the beginning, helped make all of it happen. We didn’t have a budget really, but knew we wanted to do some sort of movement video that had a lot of physical space in it – wide shots, a still camera, and a landscape that was as much a character in the story as the people in the space. The location is a place we’ve been going for years outside of Beacon, NY, that our friend Chris calls “The Secret Dia.” It’s this wild place where nature and industry exist at the same time, and is actually now being developed. I think this was the last time we’ll have been able to get in; it’s almost entirely closed off now and we found one entrance that wasn’t blocked. We’ve been going there for years, making videos and taking photos. It’s just a gem of a spot. So that was a bit of a pilgrimage. We’re using Tiff’s Canon and Scott’s iphone to shoot, and the movements in the video are based on/ inspired by Somatic Exercises used for re-learning and improving walking. Somatics is a practice I’ve gotten really into this year through physical therapy. It’s brought me a ton of relief from chronic pain related to years of repetitive stress injuries, for which I’ve spent time rehabbing since 2014. The simplest (and, interestingly enough, least capitalist) remedies have been the most effective, and we wanted to capture that discovery, joy, and simplicity of being to visually support the song.
You have a new album coming out soon! Could you share anything about that with us?
Yes! We are so excited! It’s coming out Nov. 11 on Better Company Records, which is run by my friends and San Fermin bandmates Allen Tate and Ellis Ludwig Leone. Allen co-produced the record, which is called Get Caught Trying, and I just love it so much. The title states my intention to live a life of celebration – inspired, bolstered, and made possible by the women who came before me – a life that would make them proud and create paths forward for other women as they did. I’ve struggled with depression and anger my entire life (grappling with it actually led to our band name) and it’s been really difficult to identify what is mine and what does not belong to me. I found that speaking and singing upwards and outwards to my mom, grandmothers, and other ancestors has opened a useful path forward. What started as an exercise in self-soothing grew into exploring generational patterns and trauma, and the anger that accompanies it, as a thread between myself and those who came before me. Women, and mothers in particular, have made unbelievable sacrifices – many forced upon them by our patriarchal society – and I believe it is my job to live a big, loud life when it comes to breaking down these continued pressures.
Lastly, if you could only play one record for the rest of your life, what would it be?
OH GOD WHY!? What a tough question. I think it would be Laura Marling’s A Creature I Don’t Know. I think. Yes. Damn. That record carried me through difficult times, and gave me such strength in holding space for my own pain and learning to stand up for myself. I don’t think it’s ever left my rotation. She is just an unbelievable writer, and seeing her play live (all six times, ha!) is the closest thing to a spiritual experience I’ve ever had. She’s just the best. She makes me feel seen and heard and understood.
