Interview with Ross from Canyons of Static

A major milestone at 7inches, I just finished editing the 100th episode of the podcast. For the latest I talked with Ross from his ex-band, Canyons of Static, their 10" release on Fin Records and his own R.A.D. vinyl blog.
I wrote about The Canyons 10" a while ago and put on this epic every now and then when I start breaking out the Tortoise, Pelican and Explosions records...it gets emotional guys, I'm not going to lie.

I've been meaning to talk to Ross forever because of that 10" but also because of our shared love of writing about records...well probably not the love of the writing itself sometimes... but that we're both...let's say, compelled to share the stuff we've been listening to.
He hasn't stopped playing music of course and he and his wife have started a new pop project this time (yet unnamed?) out of West Bend, Wisconsin with a couple new members.
Go over to RAD and send Ross your records, he's a great guy who's really listening...and a great musician as well.

Also check out Canyons masterpiece full length Farewell Shadows and dream that someday this would be released on vinyl. RAD vinyl perhaps? Get in touch with ross at formerairlinerecords at gmail.com

20 minutes, download HERE

Interview with Christian at Fin Records

Fin Records in their first full calendar year have just put the wraps on something around 30 records in 2012 and don't seem to be letting up anytime soon. What started out focused on artists in the Seattle area has steadily expanded to put out releases by artists from around the country and soon - the globe.
I spoke to Christian from Fin a week ago about his shared love of the seven inch format and how important it is for the label to have that physical object be a part of the bands expression. They've got a bunch of surprises lined up for the coming year and even possibly a branch of Fin opening up outside the country.

The podcast opens with Christian's own project The Diving Bell and features excerpts from Canyons of Static, The Seacats and The Walkabouts releases throughout.

But it's all about putting the handcrafted artifact down on a record player at the end of the day and appreciating the work involved in this 7" work of art because like Christian says, "Everyday is record store day at Fin."

Download the MP3 here.

Canyons of Static 10" on Fin Records

Got a big single a couple weeks back from Canyons of Static on Fin records, known for putting out an impressive variety of bands, always with serious attention to the packaging... in this case pioneering the 10" seven inch single. Two tracks from this Wisconsin instrumental quartet, partially made up of the husband/wife team of Ross and Aggie Severson. If you have room in your listening heart for another Explosions in the Sky, or This Will Destroy You's massive soaring sound, then you'll want to make space on those record shelves for Canyons of Static.

The thing about working in this style for me is how it literally can actually change the passage of time. All music is based on that kind of short term memory part of the brain in recognizing passages or repeated melodies, and Canyons are, for me at least, testing that pattern recognition in the way they move slowly through these large acoustic areas, without big abrupt changes, subtly plodding away on a massive 10" journey, which ultimately leads to a much bigger place than even they can probably imagine.

In the middle of this swirling guitar melody A-Side's "Wake" has a bass rhythm section that separates it from that typical layered, dense shoegaze sound. Drums pound along with a forceful forward looking bassline that's coming for you, hugely epic and unstoppable. Crashing crescendos, letting the sound ring out, respecting that sense of space, works to keep the tempo as slow as possible. It's such a deliberate build that stays completely natural, it can't be identified as entirely synth or electronic. They utilize their ensemble perfectly, taking their sweet time to weave post rock together with sprawling melody. This second soaring eclipse section is damn impressive...a huge distorted speech of a single note in gorgeous delay and somehow this piano twinkling electronic synth manages to peek around the density here. Going for the biggest, deepest groove, a droning giant stomping across the landscape. But hopeful, and bigger than yourself.

"Drift" is the B-Side's equally expansive piece that takes an immense amount of time to build and deliver. The 10" was obviously a necessity for Fin when approaching these guys, and they've mastered it with plenty of room on the low end for vinyl which is completely rumbling. The high melodic shimmery guitar is sustained forever while this orchestrated piece works through multiple heavy changes. It's hard to pin down this extended journey, let alone imagine the effort it takes to keep this in line....sometimes it feels like an overhwelming exercise in sheer endurance. They make sure to leave plenty of space to work this into an incredible high while breaking down the second half of the track only to go through the whole peak and valley again. A crunchy sine wave sound peeks through the melodic distortions towards the end of this, and it's like Canyons of Static throughout are playing with the similarities of range between the guitar and synth sounds. When it finally takes the time to work down out of this religious experience, it's complete, they wrap it up expertly and no one is left hanging without resolution.

Anyone who gets a chance to witness this live would be crazy not to pick this up. It's not long for this world at 500 copies from Fin Records (listen to the tracks over there). Crystal clear green tinged vinyl - like a flat sheet of washed up bottle glass. Printed inner black matte sleeve with credits in giant lettering as clear and straightforward as this tsunami wave within.