New Music: interview with Kris Delmhorst
May 19, 2008
Shotgun Singer, a new album from singer songwriter Kris Delmhorst, is a work of a true original. Blending the sounds of acoustic rock, country folk and other styles, this is a captivating record with a voice that reminds you of a friend you'd talk to over a cup of coffee. It is now 10 years since Delmhorst released her first album and she has since spanned an impressive track of records, each evolving her into a more polished artist.
Originally from Brooklyn, NY, she started out working with jazz and folk bands and has toured extensively. The latest album, Shotgun Singer, took her over 2 years to complete as she took the time to experiment layering a variety of instruments and adding a touch of enigma to each tune and word. Shotgun Singer goes in a different direction than previous, more upbeat, more country-folk centered albums. This new work is deeper, more introspective, and more temperamental. Alike a great movie, the tunes on this album leave you wondering about the possibilities.
What drives Kris Delmhorst? We asked this artist and soon-to-be-mom a few questions in this email interview.
How did you get your start in music?
I've been playing music in one way or another my whole life. The fact of it being what I do for a living was never something I really set out to accomplish, but I think looking back that it was the inevitable result of consistently avoiding doing things I dislike (which seems to include most activities that make money) and gravitating towards doing things I love. Music was always at the top of that list and one day I woke up and realized it was my occupation. I never spent a whole lot of time trying to figure out what my career path would be, so I feel really lucky that it all worked out this way.
What was the first album you ever bought? What is the last album you bought?
The first album I ever got my parents to buy for me was Help! by the Beatles. I can't remember for sure the first thing I ever walked into a record store and bought with my own money, but it was certainly something questionable from the 80's, possibly even the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.
You do a lot of touring - just recently coming back from Europe, Midwest and East coast shows for the release of Shotgun Singer. What were some of the most memorable moments on the latest tour?
The most unique thing about this recent stretch of touring was being pregnant - I am having a baby in June - so it was a bit of a different rhythm to life than I'm used to on the road. The obvious things, more sleep, less wine, etcetera, but also just a subtly different state of mind to be operating from. The other special thing about these tours was that I got to have the Winterpills as my backing band for some of them, and that was a thoroughly lovely experience both personally and musically. Their style of playing suits the new record perfectly.
Are you more in your zone in the studio or on tour?
Hard to know how to answer that question. They are two completely different 'zones' that bear very little relation to each other. Recording is entirely inward - even when working with a band or other people, the process is about focusing exclusively on the music and forgetting, as much as possible, that anyone outside the room will ever hear it. Performing, obviously, is directed outward, and the goal is to create some kind of journey for the audience, a moment with an emotional shape. I personally find recording to be a more fundamentally creative process, but playing the songs live is an important piece of the whole arc of creating music. It would be unsatisfying to record an album and then not take the final step of delivering the songs, interpreting them in person for listeners.
How long did you work on your latest album, Shotgun Singer? Did you collaborate with anyone?
I worked on the record in little fits and starts over the last 2-1/2 years - just a week at a time, when I had time off from the road and could hole up and work. I made the core of the album by myself, then brought it around to different studios to have the different players add tracks, then worked at the end with Sam Kassirer on the final process of arranging, mixing, and general decision-making.
What is special about Shotgun Singer to you?
My favorite thing about making this record was that I got to spend so much time exploring the unknown. I was lucky to be able to take a ton of time to work on it, which gave me the luxury of abandoning a lot of familiar ground and just bushwhacking around in musical territory that was mysterious to me. Of course I never know what a record will turn into before I make it, but this one was extra full of surprises for me. Also, it was a huge challenge to record so much of it myself, which i really enjoyed. I love to be on the steep part of the learning curve, and most of this record happened there, so it was an extremely exciting journey for me.
You use such a variety of instruments on this album - how did these ideas come about?
I just spent a lot of time with the songs and used whatever resources were available to me. I would notice there was something I wanted to hear on a particular track - usually not a particular instrument, but a musical role I wanted something to fill, like 'this needs a high variable melodic figure' or 'this would be cool with a low noisy drone.' Then I would just search around in the instruments I had and see if I could find something that would do the job. If a real instrument wouldn't work, i might try to use something found - a pencil hitting a water glass, or a recording of kids playing on my street. If it eventually turned out I couldn't provide the missing piece myself, I would put it on the list of things to try to have other musicians provide.
Your site has the lyrics to most of your songs. Do lyrics come first in your work?
No, I write lyrics and music together, at the same time, about 99% of the time.
What's next for you?
I'm taking the summer off from touring to have the baby, and then I'll ease back into it from there. I have a few little recording projects waiting to get done while I wait to see what the next album will be - at this moment, I have no idea what the next thing will sound like, which is actually a thrilling place to be.
What is one thing you can't live without?
Variety.
You can find more information about Kris Delmhorst on her website, www.krisdelmhorst.com
