In an era where artists are often pressured to stay within their lanes, Lee McAdams has made a career of refusing to be boxed in. The multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter has built a reputation for musical shape-shifting that keeps listeners on their toes—whether he’s crafting psychedelic epics with the Cosmic Factory, exploring roots music with the McAdams Brothers, or diving into entirely new sonic territories with his solo work.
His latest release, “Landmine,” marks another bold departure. Trading the industrial edge of his previous solo effort “Anxiety Incarnate” for electronic-tinged pop and R&B textures, McAdams has once again proven his willingness to follow his creative instincts wherever they lead. The track, built on a foundation provided by producer lonlioni, showcases McAdams’ ability to blend his signature guitar work and vocal harmonies with contemporary production techniques, creating something that feels both familiar and entirely fresh.
What makes McAdams particularly compelling is his refusal to let genre define his creative process. “I never really consider the genre when I write music,” he explains, and this philosophy has allowed him to develop a unique artistic voice that transcends stylistic boundaries. His influences span from Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page to Gorillaz and Tame Impala, creating a musical palette that’s as diverse as it is distinctive.
“Landmine” represents more than just a genre shift—it’s a meditation on memory, nostalgia, and the complex relationship between dreams and self-doubt. The song’s central metaphor explores how sensory experiences, particularly the smell of rain, can trigger powerful memories and emotions. It’s deeply personal work that manages to feel universally relatable, touching on themes that resonate with anyone who’s ever questioned their path while chasing their dreams.
In the following interview, McAdams opens up about his creative process, his approach to genre-hopping, and the personal experiences that shaped “Landmine.” What emerges is a portrait of an artist who’s found his voice not by limiting himself, but by embracing the full spectrum of his musical interests—maintaining consistency through quality and authenticity rather than staying within genre constraints.
- “Landmine” is quite a genre leap—what inspired you to venture into this electronic-tinged pop/R&B territory for your first 2025 release?
Lee McAdams: I never really consider the genre when I write music. My whole life, I’ve always loved and appreciated many different styles of music. The genre of this particular track was probably influenced by whatever I was listening to that week combined with the style of the producer, lonlioni, who made the beat.
- The song’s central image—memories triggered by the scent of rain—is deeply evocative. Do you remember a specific moment that sparked this concept?
Lee McAdams: There are many moments that come to mind, not really one specific one. I’ve always found it interesting how the brain could connect a smell to a memory. Whether it’s the smell of sunblock on a summer day or fresh cut grass or the first spring rain. The lyrics are really just my own reflection on that.
- You collaborated with lonlioni for the beat. What drew you to his style, and how did your creative exchange unfold?
Lee McAdams: The whole thing started with the desire to do more collaborative work. I had an idea for an EP of hip-hop beats that I would add Jeff Beck-influenced guitar playing to, so I started looking into various hip-hop producers online. I stumbled on lonlioni and I really enjoyed the slightly lo-fi elements and his creative edge. They weren’t your typical radio hip-hop beats. As I was writing the guitar parts for the track, the whole vision changed and I started humming melodies and writing words.
- You reworked lonlioni’s beat and added electric guitar and vocals—how do you balance preserving the original energy while imprinting your own sound?
Lee McAdams: The beat was already really well-crafted, but I felt like it lacked any sort of outro or ending. So I basically sampled parts of the beat and put the pieces in a different order, creating an outro but allowing lonlioni’s style to stay intact. I had considered not playing any guitar on the track at all, but I do feel my guitar playing is a major part of my musical style so it naturally found it’s way to the track.
- There’s a tension in the lyrics between nostalgia and self-doubt—‘Maybe I’m a landmine.’ How personal is that line to you?
Lee McAdams: Most of my lyrics these days stem from very personal thoughts and feelings. “Maybe I’m a dreamer, maybe I’m a landmine”. Sometimes it can be a bit self-destructive to chase a big dream. Even though it comes from a personal place, I think that notion is something a lot of people can relate with.
- This track feels both introspective and cinematic. Did you imagine any visuals while creating it? Maybe a place, a mood, or even a scene?
Lee McAdams: I was feeling nostalgic. There actually were a couple of images in my head as I was writing the lyrics. I thought of the streets of my old hometown of Riverside, Rhode Island, where I would walk my dog every night. I fondly remember walking there and smelling the first spring rain coming. The second was Thompson Point Beach in Maine, which is a beautiful beach where I’ve played some festivals with the Cosmic Factory. There was one moment there where I was standing waist deep in the water with a few people that mean a lot to me, and about 100 little horseshoe crabs walking around us. My brain always connects the smell of sunblock to that moment now.
- You recorded and mixed “Landmine” at your own Squatch Sounds studio. How does having that level of control shape your creative freedom?
Lee McAdams: Having the Squatch Sounds studio has been absolutely life changing. I’ve been doing home recordings since I was about 14, and I’ve since spent a lot of time with some true professionals in studios. I want to give a huge shoutout to George Dussault at Galilee Productions in Cumberland, RI. Working with George really inspired me to step my game up with recording. Having the freedom to do everything on my own and not rush the process for the sake of money, has completely changed everything for me. Including my entire song writing process, which is drastically different now since starting the studio.
- This is your first release since ‘Anxiety Incarnate,’ which had an industrial edge. Do you see a thematic connection between the two projects, or is this more of a reset?
Lee McAdams: Sort of both. I hope all of my solo releases have a musical connection to each other in some way even if it’s just my voice or guitar playing that connects the dots. But at the same time, I sort of look at every release like a reset. Every solo release I’ve done so far has had a different genre, different mood and different lineup of collaborators.
- The lyrics touch on sensory memory—the “olfactory sensation” line really stands out. Are there other senses or experiences you plan to explore in future songs?
Lee McAdams: I wouldn’t rule anything out, but I don’t really plan my songwriting topics like that. Maybe I’ll feel inspired by a similar feeling one day.
- What was the most challenging part of making ‘Landmine,’ and what part came effortlessly?
Lee McAdams: “Landmine” as a whole, happened pretty effortlessly. Maybe not “effortlessly”, but I didn’t have to force anything with this track. It all came together pretty naturally.
- Your guitar playing has drawn comparisons to legends like Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. How do you maintain that expressive style even when diving into more modern genres?
Lee McAdams: My roots are in classic rock, blues, funk and jazz. It’s players like Jeff Beck, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix and many others. They have been so deeply imprinted on my soul throughout my life, I don’t think it’s possible for it to not show up in my music. I do love tons of modern music too though so it’s just a natural blend of styles for me.
- You’ve been known for psychedelic and progressive rock with the Cosmic Factory—what did fans of that side of your music think when they first heard a preview of ‘Landmine’?
Lee McAdams: I heard a few “Oh, this is…different” lines. A few people also seemed really excited by it. The people who know me and my music well enough have probably come to expect something different every time though.
- You’ve cited influences from roots music to pop—can you name an artist or album from each genre that recently shaped your solo work?
Lee McAdams: I truly love all kinds of music and I take influence from all of it. The roots music influence usually shows face in the songs for The McAdams Brothers, another project I have. Some of the music that most influenced “Landmine” would be Gorillaz, Tame Impala, Massive Attack and Tom Misch.
- When shifting genres, how do you keep your artistic identity intact? What makes a song ‘Lee McAdams’ regardless of style?
Lee McAdams: That’s something I’ve worried about in the past. I think the things that connect all of my solo music, regardless of genre, would be my guitar playing, my use of vocal harmonies and I try to write catchy hooks. You can find those elements in all of my releases, I hope.
- How do you decide which ideas belong to your solo work, which go to the Cosmic Factory and which go to the McAdams Brothers? Do the creative streams ever overlap or compete?
Lee McAdams: My two bands and my solo project are all so drastically different in style, it’s usually pretty obvious where each new song will go. Cosmic Factory writes the vast majority of our music together as a band and the style is usually pretty psychedelic, progressive, groovy and heavy. The McAdams Brothers usually get all of my folky, bluesy and country influenced songs. Everything else goes to my solo releases.
- Do you write lyrics or music first—or does it vary depending on the mood or project? What was the case with ‘Landmine’?
Lee McAdams: The music comes first about 90% of the time. Sometimes I’ll get an idea for a verse, a rhyme or just a lyrical topic and that will go in my phone notes and be used later. But the music almost always comes to me first, whether it’s a riff or chord progression or a fully produced demo. I usually record some sort of music and then go back and hum melodies over it until I find the right words.
- How important is it for you to surprise your listeners? Do you ever worry about expectations, or is experimentation always the goal?
Lee McAdams: Experimentation and consistency is the goal. Not consistency of genre, but of quality. I don’t have a goal to surprise anybody with my music. I just really enjoy trying new things creatively and I try to make things that I like. If I’m happy with the way a song turns out, anybody else connecting with it is just a really big bonus.
- The line “We be the change we want to see” feels like a mantra. How much of your songwriting is personal reflection versus commentary on the world around you?
Lee McAdams: Personal reflection and commentary on the world around me are for sure my two biggest lyrical themes. I would say recently it has gotten more personal, but a lot of my personal feelings stem from my feelings about the world around me. So, both are probably pretty equal.
- With your hands in every part of the production process—from recording to mixing—how do you know when a song is truly finished?
Lee McAdams: Is a song ever truly finished? I’m not so sure.
- Finally, if ‘Landmine’ was the first song someone ever heard from you, what would you want them to understand about you as an artist?
Lee McAdams: I would hope that the listener could connect with my lyrics or the mood of the song. I would also hope that they are open to different styles and moods and that they don’t write me off next time I do something totally different. But music is all up for interpretation and if anybody connects with my music at all, that’s all I can really hope for.
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