Digital Leather / Modern Problems

Fdh

formats available

LP
$14.00
FDH 111
Street Date:
February 7th, 2012
Ship Date:
February 6th, 2012

After seeing releases on Goner, Shattered, and Fat Possum, SHAWN FOREE of DIGITAL LEATHER began working on his next LP, only to see his friend and manager, JAY REATARD, pass away suddenly. His deal with Fat Possum expired, he fired his booking agent and publicist, and retreated to Berlin for some much needed time away. For his new full-length Shawn says: “Modern Problems is a narrative of the grieving process. I wanted to explore that universal experience with real ambition, so I created a kind of alter ego to relate the story of a loss, which is where the record starts—when the protagonist has lost a loved one and is in denial. He battles with despair and anger, vainly seeks hope. The final acceptance in ‘Door’ comes reluctantly. I didn’t want to get too cerebral so I decided to keep the music itself upbeat and somewhat simple in order to complement the heavy topics. For Modern Problems I took my time with the writing and just let life happen. The songs came naturally. I vocalized more on this record than in the past. My voice sometimes cracked like a pubescent teenager’s, but instead of covering that up I decided to just let it show. Actually, there’s no digital editing on MP. I wanted to keep it pure in that sense. Tracks were laid in one or two takes. Modern Problems was recorded 100% on tape. By myself. In my home. I’ve recorded albums in all kinds of studios on all kinda of rigs. These songs needed a warm medium and an intimate setting to work and I had the set-up. At first I tried to distance myself emotionally from the content, but I found out almost immediately that wasn’t going to happen. This is personal stuff, and I hope it will strike a note with listeners beyond the catchiness and directness of the compositions.”