John Vanderslice - "eeeeeeep"

John Vanderslice is a bit of a Luddite when it comes to recording.  His Bay Area studio Tiny Telephone boasts an incredible all-analog set up, and over the years, he’s developed a reputation for his studio savvy through his work with artists like Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, Okkervil River, Deerhoof, The Mountain Goats, The Magnetic Fields, Tune-Yards, and Spoon -  in addition to his many excellent solo releases. However, the mandatory pandemic-imposed lockdown separated Vanderslice from his studio, so he threw himself into digital recording - a medium he was completely unfamiliar with.  Despite the initial learning curve, Vanderslice immersed himself in the medium and came out on the other side with a very solid finished product in his off-kilter new ep, eeeeeeep, which is out today. 

Whether it’s “Lure Mice Condemn Erase,” a song that imagines Vanderslice as a cult leader, or the David Lynch referencing “Song for Jaime Sena,” the blend of lyrics and sounds on eeeeeeep is both delightfully weird and abstract. Vanderslice is adept at creating atmospheres that change with each song: the first track, “Xxxxx” is darker and kinda trippy at points with pummeling sequences that mesh with Vanderslice’s voice, which he essentially uses as an instrument. The aforementioned “Lure Mice Condemn Erase” incorporates brighter sounding acoustic guitars and a glitchy beat before transitioning to the eerily pulsating “Team Stammer Savior Machines” and “Song For Leopold,” where Vanderslice layers on more vocal treatments and saturating effects.  Things get a little folk-y on the final track, “Song for Jaime Sena,” as Vanderslice’s voice is crisp sounding and the guitars are front and center with little blippy accents floating around him. 

Stream eeeeeeep on your platform of choice. Check out John’s website and keep up with him by following him on Instagram and liking him on Facebook. Stay tuned, as John will be my guest on next week’s edition of Look At My Records!