John Moen (Perhapst, Decemberists, Stephen Malmus & the Jicks)
SPB: Writing a solo record is a much different project than writing with a band. How did your approach on the new record vary from when you put together the self-titled release? What did you learn or adapt in the five years in between?
Moen: Quite a lot of time went by between projects, but neither were written with a band—so I don't think my method really changed all that much.
Before I start recording it is easy for me to declare that I will take a different approach to a record, but once I'm down the road with it, I'm using the same instincts I did the last time around. (I suppose my overall taste in music is pretty much the same as it was five years ago.) The two things I did try to do differently were to turn up the vocals even if I was feeling shy about the lyrics, and to try to simplify the musical arrangements. I also tried to "release the kraken" a bit more...Know what I mean?...Me either.
