American Idle

Nine years ago, a major label laid off Detroit pop savant Brendan Benson. Now he’s ready to make his third first impression with the help of another big label, Jack White and The Alternative to Love.

SW: How did you end up on V2?

BB: “I was on a tiny Brooklyn label called Star Time, and V2 handled the European distribution [for Benson’s second album, Lapalco]. Then V2 signed me directly to a worldwide deal. They’re like a big indie — it’s just major enough to have the resources but just indie enough to be cool about what kind of record I get to make.”

What did you do in the six years between your first two albums?

“I bought a house and was working on my studio mostly. It took me awhile to figure it all out. I was just learning how to record. I wasn’t happy with the sounds I was getting. Three of the bedrooms make up the studio” [in his east Detroit home].

You’ve probably figured it out by now, how each room sounds.

“Actually, no room really sounds any good.”

Now that you’ve customized the place, though, would you move?

“It’d be a pain in the ass from the sheer weight of so many heavy things in that house. I live in kind of a ghetto, though, so I do think about moving but maybe keeping the house to store all the fucking stuff.”

When you record alone, how do you know when to stop layering?

“I totally get carried away. I’m guilty of not knowing when to stop, but I know in the end I’ll sort it out. I figure there’s no harm in trying my ideas.”

How did you hook up with [mix engineer] Tchad Blake?

“I love those Los Lobos and Latin Playboys records, and when it came time to mix this, the guy at V2 said, ‘If you can have anyone mix this, who would it be?’ I didn’t think they’d shell out for him, but they worked something out. He did it in England, and I sent a tape, which wasn’t exactly what I pictured. I wish I could have been there. We talked a lot on the phone, and he’d put stuff on a server so I could hear it. I love it, though.”

You have a project with Jack White due out this year, right?

Probably early next year. There were ideas I didn’t flesh out for this album that we finished together and some new stuff. There most likely will be a tour.

You dislike the heading “singer-songwriter” and have said you regret not just giving yourself a band name ten years ago. You’ve had some time to think about it — any ideas?

I still can’t think of anything. I still haven’t come up with a good name.