NEW ALBUMS
Q&A
INTERVIEW: STEPHEN DEUSNER
Jake Xerxes Fussell
“I’ve always liked music that expresses optimism and sadness”
How did you end up working with James Elkington for this record?
We’ve become friendly in the past couple of years. I played a run of shows with him – maybe four or five around the Midwest. We enjoyed traveling and talking about music together. He puts out records on the same label I do, and I love his records – the production quality and the arrangements. I didn’t know if he was working with a really hotshot producer or something, but as we got to know each other, I realised that he’s the producer and arranger. He’s very self-deprecating, but he’s a really brilliant producer.
What was the studio like?
We worked at this little studio here in Durham called Overdub Lane, which is very low-key. It’s in a shopping centre. But it’s got a lot of great gear and a great board, and a lot of great records have been recorded there. I wanted some place close to home, some place easy. I didn’t want to go somewhere else to make the record. I don’t have much attraction to fancy resort studios, not that I could afford that anyway.