With the release of St. Paul & The Broken Bones, the band’s sixth studio album and first self-titled record-frontman Paul Janeway tells Australian Musician’s Greg Phillips that the new project represents both a creative reset and a reaffirmation of who they are. “It felt like a renewal,” Janeway says. “After five albums, we’d explored so much musically that we
needed to strip it back and focus on what we do best-great songs.”
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Recorded at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the album was co-written and produced with Eg White (Adele, Florence + The Machine, Sam Smith) and brings the band full circle to the site where they mixed their 2014 debut Half the City. Janeway laughs about having to pause sessions to make way for studio tours, but also admits to feeling the building’s rich musical spirit, “You hope some of those ghosts come out and infiltrate the machine.”
The record’s ten songs are a vibrant mix of soul, pop, and classic songwriting craft. From the bluesy swagger of “Ooo-Wee” to the shimmering “Fall Moon” and the playful energy of “Sushi and Coca-Cola,” the album radiates warmth and confidence. Janeway recalls how one track, “Sitting in a Corner,” was nearly cut from the record until White reworked its arrangement, transforming it into a highlight.
Vocally, Janeway approached the sessions with the same mix of discipline and instinct that defines his live performances, keeping takes limited and spontaneous. “Usually three to five takes, and sometimes one’s just right,” he says. In rehearsals, the band has expanded songs like “Sushi and Coca-Cola” for the stage, keeping the music evolving even after the record’s completion.
Reflecting on his musical journey, Janeway laughs about how his younger, church-singing self might have reacted to this secular soul project, “He’d probably say, ‘What happened? You turned into a heathen!’” but he also sees continuity in the emotion. “You have to have some hurt in your voice,” he says. “That’s what makes soul music real.”
He also shared memories of seeing D’Angelo at Bluesfest, an experience he calls “transcendent” and expressed sadness at the recent loss of the R&B icon. Australia, and Bluesfest in particular, remains one of Janeway’s favourite places to perform. “It’s one of the most beautifully curated festivals in the world,” he says. “As soon as y’all have us, we’ll be back.”
Beyond music, Janeway’s creative curiosity extends to visual art and film. A longtime admirer of Caravaggio, he and his wife traveled to Malta to see The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, and he admits he’d love to compose a film soundtrack one day-though he doubts he’ll ever be in front of the camera.
At heart, though, Janeway is focused on connection, through songs, shows, and shared emotion. “You hope a record becomes part of someone’s life,” he reflects. “Maybe it helps them through something, maybe it’s the soundtrack to a special moment. That’s the beautiful part.”
With St. Paul & The Broken Bones, the Alabama band have rediscovered the joy, heart, and craftsmanship that made them one of America’s most compelling live acts, delivering what Janeway calls “comfort food” for the soul, served with renewed purpose and plenty of sweat and tears.
ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES – ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES TRACKLISTING
1. Sushi and Coca-Cola
2. Fall Moon
3. Ooo-Wee
4. Sitting In The Corner
5. I Think You Should Know
6. Nothing More Lonely
7. Stars Above
8. Seagulls
9. Change a Life
10. Going Back
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