Brendan Benson is more than a Raconteur. Well, it might be better to say that he's a raconteur that's got more on his mind than the aggressive rock 'n' roll swagger of The Raconteurs, the powerhouse band he takes part in with White Stripe Jack White. On My Old, Familiar Friend, Benson's first solo record since joining up with the band, the singer/songwriter takes an easy stroll through '60s and '70s pop with big hooks and catchy melodies. Tonight, Benson will bring his neo-McCartney stylings to Cat's Cradle. The show starts at 9 p.m. and costs $15. In anticipation of the show, Diversions Editor Jordan Lawrence caught up with Benson for a quick chat about album titles, influences and the lessons learned from a taste of the big time.
Diversions: Does the album title refer to anyone in particular?
Brendan Benson: No. It's a lyric from "Eyes on the Horizon." I was having a hard time coming up with a name for the record. I sat down, and I listened to the record, thinking, "The title's got to be in here somewhere." That line came on, and I thought, "Yeah, perfect, I love it." I just like the way it sounds. It makes you wonder, and it's thought provoking. It's kind of lyrical but to no one specific.
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Dive: Why did you think that was an adequate title to describe the sound of this record?
BB: I just like the sound of it. It just seems fitting to me for some reason. I'm not sure really.
Dive: Do you find that album titles usually come easy to you, or do you always have a hard time coming up with them?
BB: I don't usually have a hard time. The records usually speak for themselves in that way. This one for some reason was really difficult. I was thinking of a name since I started working on it, and nothing seemed to fit. Nothing worked.
Dive: This album has a bit of a bigger, bolder sound than your previous work. Was that intentional?
BB: Yeah it was. The records I've made in the past, with the exception of the first one, I've done myself at home in my studio. It's tough when you're doing it all by yourself. You're spreading yourself kind of thin. I'm not any kind of great engineer or anything. I wanted to do a proper record, like go into the studio and work with a producer. I hadn't really done that in my solo career. I felt like it was time. I worked with Gil Norton. It was great. He was a real taskmaster and kind of a whipcracker. He had a heavy hand in the making of that record, with the arrangements. He influenced a lot on the record.
Dive: The record's pretty interesting in how many influences it has coming out of it. The first two tracks are these classic, big pop-rock songs, and then all the sudden on track three I feel like I'm listening to a Barry White song. What were you drawing from in your influences on this album? Was it any different from what you've drawn from in the past?
BB: I think it's just inevitable. I'm influenced by a lot of things, by a lot of different kinds of music, but also other things to like people and food and places and work. I think it just inevitably kind of comes through in the music. I'm not really in control of it. I'm not conscious about it. I'm not thinking I want this to sound like a Barry White song, you know what I mean?
Dive: This is your first solo album to come out since your work with The Raconteurs and all the big success with that. What kind of different perspective does that give you on your solo career?
BB: I don't know. I learned a lot being in that band. The Raconteurs, we never really recorded anything that couldn't be done live, which makes a lot of sense, but it's not something that I'm always aware or thinking of or considering when I'm making a record. When it comes time to play my songs live I'm like stumped because I can't pull of some of the stuff I did in the studio. I think that was a valuable lesson to learn because it makes it so much easier and more fun when you're playing the record, the songs live, and all the elements are there. You're not missing something. You're not wishing you had another guy on stage.
Dive: You just talked about how some of the things on your records can't be replicated live. What can people expect when they come to see you play?
BB: I got a great band. You can expect to see hopefully a good show. We manage. It's not a big deal, in this band especially. Like, for instance we don't have strings on stage, so we make do. We do a different version of the song. Luckily this band is able to do that, and it sounds great. You can expect a fun show.
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