Last we talked with Carrie Akre, she was gearing up for the release of her latest CD, Last the Evening. Now, a couple of months later, the CD is officially out, and Akre is buzzing from the aftermath. Indeed, most of us music critic types have had nice things to say about the disc, which showcases her exuberant, imagery-laden lyrics and alt.country sensibilities, and shows off the great musicianship of her backup players. We gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars in October's issue of Sound magazine, the P-I called it "her best so far," and we're not at all surprised that other heads are turning in the wake of the record's release.

Meanwhile, Akre's just hoping the heads that are turning include well-known artists in search of an opener. We gave her a call and grilled her about the disc and her future plans, as she sat in some Starbucks somewhere sipping a holidays-themed drink of some sort.

I see you’re playing the…what is this [on Sunday]: the Young and the Restless?

Yeah Sunday [on 107.7 The End], they do some kind of locals show, so I think we’ll do a couple of acoustic versions of the songs and talk about the record on there.

Right on, well, let’s talk about the record. Since the last time we talked, it came out. How is that going?

It’s going really good. I was just talking to Amy from Loveless [Records], we were just talking about how impatient we are. We like to get stuff done and we forget that the record’s only been out like two weeks. But I think it’s been really good. I hadn’t put out a record for a few years, but this one has gotten great reviews and it’s selling well online and in stores, and it’s just a matter of keeping up with that and pushing it forward, doing shows. I’m really interested in getting [gigs] that propel it through.

Well you’ve got some good shows coming up at Showbox and Triple Door….that’s kind of exciting.

Yeah I’m really excited about that. I’ve played with Maktub before and I really like playing shows with him.

I know last time we talked, you had been talking about how you stopped making music for a while. You were kind of like, "I don’t know what I think of the industry"….so when you finally decided to come back in the time between recording this and releasing it, was there any anxiety about, is this going to be worth it? Are people going to receive it well?

I think there’s always a little bit of that worry, but I enjoyed myself so much it kind of didn’t matter. I enjoyed the record, and ultimately that’s all that really matters. What everybody else thinks, you can’t control. So, I’m really glad other people like it and really surprised that total strangers feel really strongly about it. That’s the best compliment when somebody that doesn’t know you at all is really torn by this record. So that’s just really exciting. After having recorded and realizing how much I like it, now I just kind of want more.

So are you planning a tour to do some out of town shows, or are you just focusing on following up on the release [locally]?

Well right now until the end of January, we’re doing local stuff, and in between I’ve got to have a baby.

Oh wow, congratulations!

Thank you. But, like, I was just telling Amy that we’re proceeding like I’m not having a baby. [laughs] So we’re all looking at bookers and trying to find a booker who can help me out with touring. That’s kind of the next phase. Just gathering all that up so we can go do more. So probably in May or June….If, in the meantime, if we can get on short stints or in an opening slot….if we can get on big opening slots just locally, that’s what we’re going to try to get. So there’s all that work to do.

Are you taking a break from writing to focus on all this?

I have a little bit. I had written enough for more than one record, so when that record was done, there was enough material for almost another record. What I’d love to do is make like an EP and do something where we record just one night on the fly, make a short EP like that. And then at some point we’ll make more time close to touring to start recording again. I like being able to write, because then you’re kind of in the middle of [the music] all the time, as opposed to, "I’m done with that, now I can do something else."

Well and there’s always that period where, by the time the [last] record is done, you’ve kind of moved on to a different style and new songs….

Oh for sure. Some of these songs are like three years old for me, so yeah….but I like it.

How do you see having a kid having any bearing on the kind of stuff you write, the kind of music you do, and where you take your career?

I don’t know. I have no idea. [laughs] I guess we shall see. Luckily I have really good support so even before I got pregnant, my mom was like, "You can do this. The kid’s not going to fall apart if you go on tour," and I think [doing this with a kid] really possible. Because, in my mind, it’s a huge responsibility and a big change and all that, but [my support system has] been really inspiring in the sense that, "You can do this, you can figure it out, we’ll find ways [to help out]." My thing is that I’m just excited to be back in music and I’m sure I’ll find a way to do this. The whole first year with your baby has got to be amazing, but I’m also a firm believer in that parents have to have their own things and their own life so they can bring something back to the child.

Well people do it all the time, touring with their kid.

Yeah exactly, I don’t know what we’re going to do, but we’ll figure it out [laughs]. I mean if somebody calls up, like if Brandi Carlile calls up and says, "Hey do you want to come on tour?" It’s not like I’m going to say no. We will figure it out. [laughs]

Right on. So who would be your ideal person to hook up for a tour with? Would it be Brandi Carlile?

I’d love to tour with Feist. That would be amazing. I like Sia a lot, um who else? Band of Horses would be pretty cool.

That would be a pretty cool pairing.

Yeah. It would be cool music to be around. I don’t think Martha Wainwright tours much, but I like her work. Even Rufus Wainwright, that would be amazing. Just the people whose music that I like would make for a good bill, so we’ll see. Do you know any [of those people]?

Nope. [laughs] I’ll mention you, though, if I get interviews with any of them. I’ll be like, you know….Carrie Akre….

Yeah! Brandi Carlile, come on, she’s local. You’ve got to mention it to her.

I’m actually working on getting some time with her for an article, so if it works out maybe I’ll have to slip in a mention. I’ll be all, "So, CarrieAkre.com"….

Dude, I would owe you, and I would pay. [laughs] I’m serious. You’d call me and say, "I really need an expensive dinner," and I’d say okay. [laughs]

Word. So what about, speaking of other local artists, is there anyone you’d like to work on a record with or collaborate with that you could see happening in the future?

I’d really like to produce people, I’d love to just produce. But moreso come in to do vocals with people. Mark Pickerel was doing a record, and he said, "Would you ever be interested in coming in and producing when someone’s just singing and doing things, help them explore different ideas with their voice?" And I was like, I’d love to do that. Because I’ve produced stuff before, but I’m not like the technical engineer [type] at all. But if someone said, "hey I’m going to be doing vocals, I want you to be there for like three days to help me focus on what I want from this record," I would love that.

I was just thinking...[doing something with] Sean Smith, that would be amazing. But, again, if you know them, mention me. [laughs] You’re going to be name-dropping me to everyone.

[laughs] You’re trying to get me to be your networking tool. I want to be on the payroll before [I'd do any of] that.

No problem. [laughs]

Anyway, you were talking about lending your voice out. Do you consider yourself more of a singer than a guitar player? Or do you see yourself more as a whole package?

Um, I really consider myself more of a writer, but in terms of the tools of music, I’d consider myself a singer first. I learned how to play piano and guitar so I can write more. I’m not really a guitar player [laughs]. I play enough to perform and enough to write, but I don’t see myself playing like other guitar players who take it to a place where you know that’s their instrument. But, I do think of vocals as an instrument. I’ve always been interested in what keys you can get with your voice, or how do you get your voice to do whatever it is that you want. That’s what I’m interested in, the way that guitar players would be [with their guitar].

Well, we just zoomed through all my questions, so is there anything else you want people to know, other than that you’re available to open for Feist?

[laughs] Yeah, I’m available to open for any big artists, or up-and-coming, whatever. Well, I guess we’ve been talking about how it’s one of the gifts to give if you love music, if you love something and you just want to play it over and over. So I’ve just been telling people to go to Loveless [Records] and get the CD and it’s at a really great price there, too. It’s $9. I think people forget music [when they’re Christmas shopping]. It’s like…why don’t you give music for Christmas instead of a sweater?