KEXP Q&A: Benjamin Doerr of St. Paul de Vence

Benjamin Doerr is the sweetheart frontman for the Seattle-based band St. Paul de Vence. The group's newest album will be released October 1, and it comes on the heels of their WWII-inspired album - the songs of which written with Ben's grandfather and his stories of war. The band will be LIVE on KEXP tonight, September 20, at 6:30 PM. We had a chance to talk with Ben about the band's new album, what he likes most about working with a band, and much more!

Your last full length was inspired by stories your grandfather told you about war. What were you keeping in mind while writing the songs for your new record?

In this mysterious way, there's been a strong carryover, in narrative, from the first record. In fact, I considered doing an EP, just because their were things left to be said, but in the end decided to let the old narrative, about my grandfather, and the new narratives that are unfolding, blend together into a full length. Artistically, financially, it all made sense to go for a longer record.

For a couple of years I considered searching out a new central narrative for a follow up record, but it all felt forced. In the end, I just have to do my job, obey the songs that are coming to me and find a way to make them all get along.“Annecy Is On Fire”, from the new record, is actually the very first song I wrote for my grandfather. We even cut it for the first record, but weren't happy with any of the takes. So, the opportunity to re-envision it with producer, Mychal Cohen (of Campfire OK) was too good to pass up!

And there's a new one, “Mama”, that carries the narrative of the young man in time of war, but it's relatable on a lot of levels.

Then, “Farther Than Light”, the title track, comes from WWII as well, but from my grandmother - on the other side. She lost her older brother in the war, and it's been a heavy thing for her, even to this day. They were very close. The more she shared with me about her brother the more this song became about them. Their relationship, as siblings taken from each other by this horrible war thing.

But then there are songs like “Telling Me So”. I wrote that song a couple months after we were out of London Bridge and into mixing. I really wanted to write a real duet kind of thing for Lydia (Ramsey), the kind of song where the harmonies flow together through the entire song. When I showed it to Lydia she loved it and everyone thought we should put it on the record. So, we tracked it at Brickyard, on Bainbridge, and added it on.

Why do you think the idea of War gets your creative juices flowing?

I think it's more about the connection to my grandparents, and their stories, and the stories from their younger days. They happened to live through this fascinating time in our collective history, and maybe without the war those stories wouldn't have the same creative draw for me, but ultimately it's about the knowing for me. I want to know about them in their younger years - and those times. Their stories are really my only access. And the portal is only going to be open for so long. So, there's urgency to learning their stories - and any stories from WWII. This is it. These are the last 10, 15 years we have to gather them.

What did you learn about writing, tracking, making a record this go ‘round that you didn’t know last time?

Every record brings a totally new experience for me.  I feel like the basics are getting easier - knowing how to prepare.  But one thing I learned is that making a record in the "old-school" way (for lack of a better descriptive) is really great!  Being at London Bridge, those spacious rooms, the Neve board, recording to two-inch tape, working with a producer and engineer that we loved and tracking the songs live (isolated, but live) was so inspiring and invigorating!  We got to be a band, and record the music we play, how we play it. And then add in the sweet layers if stuff that are unique to the record experience.

A huge thing that Mychal taught me is that making a record and putting on a show are two different things.  So, that helped me be able to go in and make a record, explore a little.  But the flip side of that - the reason exploration was possible and successful - was because Mychal was with us for almost 3 months of pre-production rehearsals.  We were more ready than I've ever been going into the studio and it felt great!  It lifted a huge weight.

You went away from the accordions and more nomadic-style of songwriting on your first record and this is a bit more polished. Do you agree? And, if so, what were your thoughts there?

You know, we brought the accordion to the studio, it's still in our live show, and was just on the packing list, and at the end of the sessions we all looked around and realized none of the new songs on this record have accordion. So, there wasn't much thought behind it.

As for the polished-ness of it, I think it was just the nature of the songs that I wrote for this one - with the more recognizable arrangement with drums, bass, et cetera - all that mixed with the way we approached production. It all came out more polished for sure. But I hadn't ever thought, "This one will be more polished." I just put one foot in front of the other and happened upon this sound.

But I do want to make each record it's own thing.  So, who knows what'll happen next!

I had the chance to see you at the Triple Door in August – you had a big, full sound. It was a beautiful set. What’s been the most interest part for you as you’ve progressed and grown as an artist with the band?

I think the most interesting part for me remains the moments when I bring a new song to the band. I get to almost sit back and watch them each breathe life into it; with their own flavors and styles. It's always this mysterious, captivating process for me. Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes it takes a day. But we typically know within minutes if it's going to work. If a particular song is going to fit on the band. Although, in the case of “Nobody Else”, we had shelved that song in pre-production and then busted it out in the 11th hour at London Bridge. And just tracked it pretty raw, after a few run-throughs late night before our last day in the studio. When I shared that I wanted to sneak another track in everyone looked at me like I was crazy... because I was... we'd already been pushing 6 songs in 4 days and here I was adding another. But, it turned out being one of my favorites. Kale wrote my favorite bass line of the record (middle of verse 2) in about 30 seconds.

So, it's great to be a songwriter, and even greater to have people you love and trust your songs with. People you know will bring them to a place you never could on your own.