Anna Calvi’s journey of scoring for the popular TV show “Peaky Blinders” challenged her to adopt a unique approach, contrasting her solo album compositions. Calvi’s primary focus shifted from expressing her personal narrative to delving into the depths of the characters’ hearts and minds. This required her to forge a deep connection with the on-screen personas, interpreting their emotions and translating them into musical cues.
Calvi embraced experimentation and unconventional guitar techniques to effectively convey the characters’ inner turmoil. She played with a bow, strummed the strings with the guitar resting on the ground, and explored various other innovative approaches. Her aim was to sonically represent the characters’ thoughts and feelings, rather than relying solely on her own experiences.
One standout aspect of Calvi’s scoring process was her intuitive approach. She emphasized the significance of trusting her gut instincts and allowing her guitar to respond emotionally to the scenes unfolding before her. Calvi recognized that these spontaneous moments often produced her most compelling and authentic musical ideas.
Calvi’s choice of guitars held particular significance in shaping the Peaky Blinders soundtrack. She primarily relied on a Telecaster, drawn to its cutting clarity and ability to produce both angelic and growling tones. Calvi also incorporated a Gretsch guitar for specific moments, adding further depth and character to her sonic tapestry.
Calvi’s pedalboard played a pivotal role in enhancing and refining her guitar’s sound. A Crowther Hot Cake overdrive provided warmth and a retro feel, while a T-Rex Room-Mate Tube Reverb and an EarthQuaker delay added lush ambience and a sense of space. Calvi’s judicious use of tremolo added subtle yet effective texture to her soundscapes, particularly in scenes requiring a sense of emotional tension.
Slide guitar held a special place in Calvi’s approach, as she viewed it as a means of expressing the human voice through her instrument. She sought inspiration from slide guitar masters like Jack White and Robert Johnson, incorporating nuanced microtones that lent a raw and emotive quality to her playing.
Calvi’s ability to fuse her experimental techniques with a deep understanding of the characters and narrative of “Peaky Blinders” resulted in a soundtrack that seamlessly intertwined with the show’s visual and emotional landscape. Her innovative use of guitar, coupled with her intuitive approach, allowed her to create a sonic tapestry that resonated with audiences and critics alike, establishing her as a formidable force in the world of film and television scoring.
