To coincide with our streaming exclusive of Trent Dabbs’ new album The Optimist, we talked
to the sonic storyteller and in-demand songwriter for our newest NoiseTrade One-on-One. Read on to hear Dabbs discuss the writing and recording of his tenth solo record, his collaborative partnership with Daniel Tashian, and his picks for a couple of favorite duo records.
NoiseTrade: The Optimist marks a creative milestone for you as it’s the tenth solo record of your career. What are some of the similarities and differences you hear between your newest album and your debut, Quite Often?
Trent Dabbs: The difference would be that my songwriting has been much more influenced by what I have learned from the greatest songwriters in the industry over the last decade. I’m a much happier person now and I like uptempo songs too. Ha.
NT: While you have been quite the collaborator throughout the years, you decided to work only with Daniel Tashian for The Optimist. What drove that decision to keep things tight for this album?
Dabbs: Daniel has always been one of my favorite writes in town. It’s always unashamed, fun, and mostly 70s influenced sonically. I thought it would give the songs more of a cohesive sound rather than scattered with many different writers. Also, I hadn’t ever tried that type of approach to writing and recording before.
NT: What song on The Optimist did you have the hardest time writing or feeling like it was “finished”?
Dabbs: “Optimist” was the hardest song to write for sure. We had maybe three versions of that song and I just wanted the most natural sounding version. It started as a stripped down, tremolo heavy (kinda “Everybody Hurts” from R.E.M. vibe) and then we added drums and I sang it in a few different keys. Once I heard the playback on the final chorus, I was sold.
NT: Once you got into the studio, it only took about a week to record the whole album. To what do you attribute the quick pace of the recording sessions?
Dabbs: While we recorded I basically tried channeling the time I played my first bar chord as a kid. I want to feel everything and experience everything while recording. The impulses are usually right when you stop thinking and start feeling the song as you write. We would just bring random sketches and riff until we landed on some serious inspo. Also, I told myself that whatever came about was what we would record and use because that was meant to happen.
NT: Consequence of Sound described your new single “Closing Time” as having “bubbling bass and sashaying guitars.” Do you feel those slick, soulful elements have always been ingrained into the DNA of your songwriting?
Dabbs: Soulful, yes, slick, no. I think everything I sing when it’s layered sounds more clean and I just can’t get around that. I’ve stopped trying to sound like anyone other than myself over the last decade. That being said, all of my heroes are soulful and I think that has always been in my DNA.
NT: Finally, seeing as you worked so closely with Tashian for The Optimistand you’ve also released duo albums with Amy Stroup and Ashley Monroe, what are some of your favorite albums by duos that you like to listen to from a fan perspective?
Dabbs: Is the XX considered a duo? I was all into those two voices when it came out. Other than that you can’t touch the original White Stripes albums which I considered a duo. The other end of the spectrum would be Kings of Convenience. Strangely, I don’t actually listen to many duos.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий