What happens when you throw three of indie rock's most eccentric songwriters together in a remote cabin on Vancouver Island -- with only guitars and mics for amusement and the nearest bar over a dangerous mountain pass? Swan Lake, that's what."
Swan Lake is Daniel Bejar from Destroyer, Carey Mercer from Frog Eyes and Spencer Krug from Wolf Eyes and Sunset Rubdown, a sort of Canadian indie all-star team with one album, Beast Moans out on Jagjaguwar.
I interviewed Carey by phone, Daniel by email and Spencer not at all a few months ago and PopMatters just ran the story here:
MP3s of "All Fires" http://www.scjag.com/mp3/jag/allfires.mp3
and "The Freedom" http://www.scjag.com/mp3/jag/thefreedom.mp3
Posted on 01/18/2007
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My Trusted MOGs
Nice interveiw Jen. I enjoyed their album and hoped that it wasn't just a one-off. At least now I know that somewhere down the road, there will be at least one more Swan Lake album. Cheers!
My Trusted MOGs
Thanks...yeah more to come is always good news. Carey's got a new Frog Eyes coming too, which should be fun.
My Trusted MOGs
I love Beast Moans but didn't really know much about its production. It's too bad that the "boys' club atmosphere" prevented Mel Mercer from drumming on the album (that was a subtly noted and very interesting detail), but having witnessed and participated in such atmospheres I certainly wouldn't blame her... That said, the jerky style of the drums is one of my favorite things about the record.
Anyway, nice one! I very much appreciate how you gather and share the crucial information in the story behind a band or album. Too many interviews these days seem to dwell on things extraneous to the music, but your reviews always get straight to the stuff I want to know!
My Trusted MOGs
Thanks so much, Kent, glad you like my geeky music questions!
I don't think I put this in the story, but when Carey told me that about Mel, I immediately flashed back to the one and only time I sat down at the swim team table at dinner one night next to my then (and soon to be ex-) boyfriend. Boys in packs...gotta learn to stay away.
BTW, Kent, I got your friend's CD yesterday...Kaspar something? ( have to check). Haven't listened yet, will get to it soon.
jk
My Trusted MOGs
Great article. I'll pretty much follow wherever Bejar leads. I got into Destroyer's Rubies early last year (after enjoying his Pornographers work), and then just got into the whole back catalog. Also a bit of a Sunset Rubdown fan, too, so I was just real excited about this project.