By Chris Nixon
Union-Tribune
July 5, 2007
A lot of people may not realize it, but writing and performing your own songs takes courage. It's kind of like reclining on the psychologist's couch on stage every night, exposing your emotional innards for the world to witness. Ask Ben Bridwell. He's doing well now with the whole situation, but it took him a long time to write his own songs and sing in public.
DATEBOOK
Band of Horses
8 p.m. tomorrow; 'Canes Bar & Grill, 3105 Ocean Front Walk, Mission Beach; $15; (858) 488-1780
After working as a label owner and a member of Seattle indie rock band Carissa's Wierd (odd spelling), Bridwell forged out on his own with his Band of Horses. Seamlessly blending high-pitched Neil Youngesque vocals with the trademark Northwest indie rock sound (think The Shins and Death Cab for Cutie), the quartet's 2006 debut “Everything All the Time” (Sub Pop) is shockingly complete and beautiful for a first effort.
The ever self-effacing Bridwell credits producer Phil Ek (Built to Spill, The Shins) with helping provide structure and form to the recording sessions for “Everything All the Time.”
“I had never really been on a record singing or playing guitar before, so the first one was pretty tough for me,” Bridwell said. “Our drummer at that time, it was his first real record for him, as well. So we had some snags along the way trying to get it done.
“Phil was really good at not letting up on us and not letting us get discouraged. But at the same time, he didn't let us stray from the vision he had for the album and our performances for the record. He was essentially another band member on that record given the amount of work he put into it.”
“Everything All the Time” made many best-of lists for 2006, including that of Filter, The Austin Chronicle and The Onion AV Club. The album's 10 tracks represent one of the most accomplished debut albums in the past decade, complete with ethereal rock songs (“The Great Salt Lake”) and quiet ballads (“St. Augustine”).
After the success of “Everything All the Time,” Bridwell parted ways with guitarist and longtime collaborator Mat Brooke. The two had played together in Carissa's Wierd, and Bridwell had recruited Brooke to contribute to Band of Horses. But Brooke decided that he wanted to focus on his own business and his own band, Grand Archives.
“As much as it was kind of a bummer not to have him there anymore, things didn't really change much,” Bridwell said. “We had to keep going. If anything, we've grown so much as a band since that time. We've honed our craft a bit better since then.”
After a decade living in the Emerald City and making a name in the music business as a record label owner and musician, Band of Horses frontman Bridwell decided that he wanted to go home. So the native South Carolinian packed up his belongings and his band and moved back to the South.
“I lived in Seattle for about 10 years,” Bridwell says. “Last November, me and Creighton (Barrett), the drummer and who is also from South Carolina, and Rob (Hampton), our guitarist, we all moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. It's kind of strip-mallish in a way. It's a two-minute drive from the beach, and there are lakes everywhere. It's really beautiful. Once you get away from the strip malls, it's country and beautiful.”
South Carolina has provided the backdrop for a new set of songs.
“For the new album, it's basically the same process except we're more able to execute now that we're a little bit more seasoned,” said Bridwell, talking between recording sessions for a new Band of Horses album due on Sub Pop in October. “We're not veterans by any means, but a little bit more seasoned.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
