The Local 913: Molly Alphabet
The title track to Molly Alphabet’s new album – Broken Record – just might make you laugh out loud. "I think humor absolutely belongs in music," she says. "All of my favorite songs are songs where the writer managed to wield humor in a way that was still inspiring or poignant or thought-provoking. The classic example of that being John Prine and I would say he’s my favorite songwriter as he is many musicians’ and songwriters’ favorite songwriter. I think he’s the king of that. At first glance, the song might sound sort of wacky or just silly, but then he really makes you feel something with that and I think that’s a really powerful way of grabbing people and making something unique."
Molly Alphabet is certainly unique. She grew in Lawrenceville and now calls the neighborhood home along with her husband – Chet Vincent – and their new daughter. Molly also works full-time as a Physician Assistant. It almost makes you wonder how she even finds time to write songs. "It sort of makes you appreciate the time more that you have to sit down and do anything creative," she says. "You sort of have to funnel your energies into this one moment. So, I think it almost forces this boiling point for creativity when you really have to cherish that time to get it in."
Molly keeps a running list of song ideas on her phone so that when inspiration comes knocking, she’s ready. "Walking down the street or driving in my car," she says, "A thought will pop into my head that kind of makes me pause or, often, makes me laugh. For example, on the song “Broken Record,” there’s a whole little bridge about, 'When we first got those new kitchen counters, I’d come down at night and just stare,' and that’s an actual thing that I did! I thought, 'Well, this is a bizarre little moment,' and I would just jot that down."
Molly Alphabet will tell you all about those new kitchen counters at the Broken Record release show on July 26th.
