Olivia Mainville: Finding the indie-folk groove with a new album, a new band and a collaborative mission

The celebrated Holland teen who fronts Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe has a new album, with a major out-of-state tour lying ahead.

THE BAND: Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe
THE MUSIC: Inventive indie-folk/rock and gypsy swing
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE BAND: 9:30 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 28) at Founders Brewing Co. (with Deep Greens & Blues)

 

For a 19-year-old touring musician, Olivia Mainville already has racked up a dizzying career of experiences.

The Holland singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured Michigan and the Midwest incessantly, collaborated with countless fellow musicians, formed and re-shaped her backing band, honed her “gypsy swing rock and indie-folk” music and penned dozens of genre-spanning songs.

Tonight (Wednesday) at Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge, the esteemed teenager officially celebrates release of Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe’s long-awaited new studio album, “Maybe the Saddest Thing,” a project that in itself proved to be an epic adventure.

“There were some setbacks. The biggest one is that our music was still evolving,” Mainville said of the album recorded over more than eight months last year at Grand Rapids’ River City Studios, during a time when the band was still shuffling members.

“We had to re-do a lot of tracks. Everything got done eventually. Glad I waited. … We had an incredibly fun time recording ‘Maybe the Saddest Thing.’ We got to work with Roy Wallace from River City Studios, which was a treat.”

Mainville’s youthful enthusiasm for her distinctive, boundary-pushing music percolates throughout the 11 tracks of “Maybe The Saddest Thing,” and propels the band’s live performances which can feature anywhere from five to seven multi-instrumentalists on stage.

The core of the band features Andy Fettig (bass, keys, horns, guitar and vocals), Bleu Quick (trombone, bass, guitar, keys and vocals), Libby DeCamp (banjo, guitar, vocals violin) and Ian Burke (drums, sometimes keys), with another drummer and saxophonist/bassist joining in.

Mainville and three band members made a stop this week in the studios of News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW) to talk about their project and perform a couple of songs on the air for Local Spins Live. Check out the podcast here, with a video below.

PODCAST: Local Spins Live with Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe

The full seven-piece ensemble will be on hand for Wednesday night’s CD-release show in the intimate confines of Grand Rapids’ SpeakEZ Lounge, with singular Grand Rapids songwriter Dead Eye Zack opening the show.

“It’ll be a fun and lively show, especially with Dead Eye Zack on the bill,” Mainville vowed.

That lively, genre-twisting approach that incorporates an eclectic bunch of musicians has been an essential part of the home-schooled Mainville’s modus operandi since she began playing and writing music, releasing her first solo EP, “Full Steam Ahead,” in 2014.

“What drives me is just the thought of future collaborations – that and just the thought of something greater happening in the future,” she said. “We really love making connections with other artists.”

That love of “hearing different sounds” delivered by other musicians and “making eternal friendships” has helped produce a trove of compelling songs, which the band plans to take on the road outside of Michigan later this year.

Tours in March and April will take Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe out west to Colorado and to the East Coast for shows in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, with more bookings in the works.

And the new album already has received widespread critical acclaim and attention from radio and other media outlets.

“We’re definitely happy with it and so relieved that it’s finally out,” Mainville said.

VIDEO: Olivia Mainville & The Aquatic Troupe, “Qualities”

Copyright 2016, Spins on Music LLC