In Earnest are a UK-based trio comprised of Thomas Eatherton, Sarah Holburn and Toby Shaer. Previously highlighted on Cut It Out, we’ve had the incredible opportunity of seeing how the group has grown with each new release. As they gear up for the debut of their first EP, I had a chance to catch up with them on the vulnerability of their tracks and their journey as a group.
The cover for your debut self-titled EP is stunning yet simple. Is there a specific meaning or story behind it?
Tom: At first we struggled to come up with a cover that we felt represented the three of us and the songs it contained, mainly because the individual single artworks came together so organically… until we experimented with some shots from an old photoshoot of ours. The final artwork has a few overlaid side-profile shots of us all blended into one – to us, it represents the essence of the EP – the grittiness, the ethereal sounds and also the magic that we feel when we play music together.
I love how passionate you all are about discussing mental health and the hardships you’ve endured. Your debut single, “Put Me Under”, is Sarah’s own personal account of her anxiety and depression, with the accompanying music video documenting how much quarantine has affected her. When releasing songs like this, does it feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders or is there a newfound fear releasing such personal accounts to the world?
Sarah: Writing so openly and from the heart feels quite normal now, ever since I started a blog about my mental health and found the process cathartic. There is 10% of me that is scared of putting everything out into the world and leaving nothing for myself. But I also know that I now wouldn’t be able to hold back with things I have to say, having written from such a genuine and candid place.
Your songs “Come Upstairs” and “Fables” are so impactful. Whereas “Put Me Under” and “29” have more of a chill tone, these two have such a climactic end. Almost as if it’s a last call for help. I’ve learned that “Come Upstairs” is actually a direct response to “Put Me Under”. Does the contrast of these two songs, especially as the former plays immediately after the latter, help emphasize the meaning of both or is there another reason behind this?
Tom: Yes, you’re spot on! Those two songs have this call and response relationship and that’s exactly why they ended up next to each other on the track listing – to create emphasis and for a listener to receive those two songs as a pairing. ‘Put Me Under’ is very much about Sarah’s struggles with her mental health and ‘Come Upstairs’ responds from my point of view, being Sarah’s partner and sharing her burden, despite how difficult that may be at times. One of the unique things we’re able to offer as songwriters is the story of our hardships told from both points of view, hoping that it moves and inspires others.
I read in a previous interview that you actually recorded this EP last summer at your friend’s converted barn. I’m curious why you decided on the release date of October 7th rather than some time earlier?
Sarah: We sat on the songs for a while and explored the idea of whether there were any industry folk that might be interested in helping us work towards the first release. As it turned out, no one seems too bothered until you’ve begun to release music and build a following on your own, which we totally understand! Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we had set a release strategy in place and we chose to stick to it despite the following events. We do all of our own press and PR work, so we wanted to make sure that we had enough time to release the three chosen singles and still have some wiggle room to alter things along the way.
Has working together as a trio strengthened your relationship with one another? Was there anything you didn’t know about each other that was uncovered during your songwriting process?
Toby: We’ve definitely all become closer and more open. ‘in earnest’ was formed out of the ashes of a previous band, so the three of us have been working and performing together for some time now. Writing deeply personal and genuine music has definitely brought us together and we’re finding it easier and easier to all be on the same wavelength as time goes on. It’s also led to us being closer as friends and more open to each other when it comes to our personal lives, which is exactly what the intention behind our music is, so it’s amazing to feel that happen in reality.
How old is your dog, Murph? She’s such a cutie!
Sarah: She’s a rescue dog from the Dog’s Trust, so we’re not sure exactly how old she is! We’ve had her for 4 years, so we reckon she’s about 5. Murph always tries to steal the limelight whenever we do phone/video call interviews by doing her yawn that sounds like she’s singing. She literally just did it as a I typed that, so she says hello!
How has your journey as a band been so far? What are you most looking forward to in the future?
Tom: It’s been great but mostly online up until now! We’ve only actually played a couple of live shows together so far due to the pandemic and we’re so looking forward to being able to get ourselves out there again, most likely in 2021. We’ve also just finished recording EP #2 which we estimate will be released in 2021 – lots to look forward to!
In Earnest
