Chris Walla will release his debut solo full-length field manual on
January 29, 2008, on Barsuk Records.
Known both as the guitarist / producer in Death Cab for Cutie and as an
in-demand producer of other independent-minded artists (Tegan & Sara,
The Decemberists), Walla brings a refined aesthetic and melodic ear to
everything he involves himself in. Walla's past recordings of his own
songs (occasionally made available online under the name "Martin Youth
Auxiliary") have mostly been quickly-recorded lo-fi sketches unintended
for widespread release. field manual represents the first time his own
songs have been given the studio attention and thought-out approach to
recording for which he is in such demand by others.
In addition to the expected difficulties he encountered attempting to
approach his own work with the necessary detachment of a producer
[difficulties which led Walla to enlist the help of Canada-based British
ex-pat (and Midnight Oil / The The producer) Warne Livesey], the project
hit an unexpected snag when a data hard drive containing critical album
files was confiscated by U.S.Customs. The drive was held "to be
analyzed" for several weeks on its way back into the U.S. prior to final
mixing of the album. (Apparently the U.S. government is unfamiliar with
FTP sites, and believes that physically transporting hard drives across
the border is the technique of choice for foreign individuals trying to
move sensitive information into our country. Brilliant.)
Interestingly, a strong political thread runs through the record's
lyrics; Walla takes more than a few shots at U.S. policy, both at home
and abroad, and challenges at least one senator to find the exit door...
For whatever reason, the drive has still not been returned, and so Walla
is working with his original tapes and a back-up drive (during his
breaks from the studio where he's currently producing a new Death Cab
record tentatively slated for release in late spring or early summer of
2008) to re-apply the finishing touches on the album.
Walla played all the instruments on this record, except for drums. Drum
duty was shared by Jason McGerr (of DCfC) and Kurt Dahle (of New
Pornographers).
