Blank
slate
By Erin Randolph
erinrandolph@bpcdm.com
“Singers suck,” The Autumn
Project guitarist Jess Huffman says over lunch at the Court Avenue Brewing
Co. “A bad singer can ruin a good song.”
So goes a discussion with Jess Huffman and two other members of The Autumn
Project – band founder, drummer and keyboardist Mike Gustafson, and
Jess’ brother and baritone guitarist John Huffman – about why the Des
Moines arty instrumental outfit avoids the use of a vocalist in its music.
“It gives people the freedom to bring what they want to the music – to
bring their own narrative,” Jess Huffman says.
The Autumn Project is known for its dramatic, ambient post-rock textures
and aural marathon-length songs. The band’s forthcoming sophomore
release, “La Luna De Negra,” for example, is a hypnotizing six tracks
that clock in at 66 minutes and six seconds. Gustafson, a local filmmaker,
is also creating a new digital video – which he describes as a collage
of motion, dream and afterthought – to serve as the backdrop for the
band’s CD release performance at the Vaudeville Mews on Friday.
“La Luna” was recorded at Junior’s Motel in Otho, a step up from the
basement recordings of the first album, “Fable,” and the band did all
of the production work itself. The band credits its road treks through the
Midwest and West last fall with its growth musically and as friends. In
true touring fashion, the band weathered van problems, illness, lack of
money and sleep, a diet of cheap booze and peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches, and a mental breakdown in Portland just four shows in.
“I thought Mike was going to fly back to Des Moines,” John Huffman
says.
“Yeah, Mike had too many well drinks,” Gustafson says in the third
person, as if speaking about some alter ego. “Mike didn’t know what he
was doing.”
The combination of stress and liquor proved to be too much for Gustafson,
who took a cab to the airport, despite not having any money in his wallet
to pay the fare. “But that was good because we got that out of the way
and the rest of the tour was good,” Gustafson says. “Being out of our
element and being together made it a bonding experience.”
“It’s a coming-of-age tale,” Jess Huffman adds.
This coming-of-age tale will never be retold lyrically through The Autumn
Project’s music, however. They’re sick of having other people’s
problems thrust upon them through song. They’d rather create emotional
and textural music that is easily accessible, yet challenging, to serve as
the soundtrack for whatever narrative the listener chooses to bring to the
sprawling soundscape of “Fable,” and now “La Luna De Negra.”
Celebrate the release of “La Luna De Negra” on Friday at the
Vaudeville Mews. Showtime is 9 p.m. and cost is $6. Adelaide, an
instrumental band that also uses film, will open. The Autumn Project is
also scheduled play the Dog Town Fest, 24th Street and University Avenue,
on Sept. 11 at 9 p.m.
“La Luna De Negra” will also be for sale at Zzz Records, Borders Books
in Des Moines and through the Zurecords Web site, www.zurecords.com.
|