Karma Vision’s Bobby Sauder on his solo debut; stream an exclusive track

Karma Vision leader and Whatever Forever co-founder Bobby Sauder has a new album out on his label. Dark Empire Fairgrounds, his solo debut, is a short affair, but despite its brevity and its quiet production, it’s an entrancing listen.

For those familiar with Sauder’s work in Karma Vision and Oils, this is a much less psychedelic affair, but no less impressive. Recorded by Ross Williams, it takes influences from Sauder’s recent digs into classic country and singer-songwriter records. I interviewed Sauder via e-mail about Dark Empire Fairgrounds, and you can listen to an exclusive stream of “Will You Bury Me?” below. The song was co-written written by Sauder’s friend and former bandmate in Alley Flowers, Jamie Lacore. 

The Pitch: I know you were listening to a lot of music like Townes Van Zandt and Gillian Welch when you were writing this, and it really comes through. What’s the appeal of artists like that, and what did you take from listening to their music?

Bobby Sauder: The appeal of artists like Gillian Welch and Townes Van Zandt is the realness and trueness that you can feel in their voices and lyrics. When I listen to them, I feel like they are real people singing about real things in a real way, rather than feeling forced or phony like so much of today’s popular music.

Hopefully some of that realness I hear in music like Townes Van Zandt and Gillian Welch had a positive effect on my vocal delivery and lyrics. I also borrowed ideas from their fingerpicking guitar styles and general sound. 

The fact that so many songs have that classic fade-out at the end of them really places Dark Empire Fairgrounds in that genre, as well. Why was that style chosen, in contrast with “warts and all” production such as the throat clearing on “Inside Forever”? Is it important for your music to have contrasts or contradictions?

I think my love of songs that fade out at the end stems from my obsession with 1960s pop music. So many of my favorite songs from the Beatles, Beach Boys, Motown and Phil Spector have the classic fade-out. It gives the effect that the song might just go on forever.

My friend Ross Williams, who engineered, mixed and coproduced the album, left that [the throat-clearing] in there during the mixing process. I was happy to leave it in there because I felt like it added realness. I always really like it when I hear yawning, coughing, laughing or talking in the backing tracks. I’ll be listening to a song I’ve heard 500 times and I’ll notice some yawning or talking in the backing tracks that I never heard before. It happens on Pet Sounds and Revolver and Sgt. Pepper.

Being as how ’60s pop music is so diverse, is there a song in particular which inspired you the most?

The ’60s pop reference was generally where I learned to appreciate the classic fade out. I wouldn’t say I learned it from a particular song, but a few examples would be “Good Vibrations,” by the Beach boys and “Michelle,” by the Beatles. 

When there’s harmony, are you doubling your own vocals?

I am the only one singing on this record, so all the harmonies are sung by me.

How was it working with Ross, and what did he bring to the songs?

It was great working with Ross. He was always researching different kinds of mic placement to get the desired sound. We would talk about music we were listening to at the time and how it could influence a song we were working on. The album was recorded at his house which made it pretty easy on us to schedule. Ross was also good at giving constructive criticism him throughout the making of the album. He is a passionate musician and producer and I think he did a great job.

Why just five strings on the guitar?

I wrote most of the songs after my son, Dagon, was born. I took about a year off from playing with Karma Vision. Spending so much time with my son led to a very introspective and quiet time in my life. This is another reason I was listening to more folk music at the time. The high-E string busted off my guitar, but it didn’t affect any of these fingerpicking-style songs I had written. This might sound musically lazy, but I was so involved in the day-to-day reality of being a father to a tiny baby, that I didn’t bother restringing that high easy for almost an entire year. It’s funny now for me to think back on it.

Speaking of your new baby, when did you find the time to record the record?

After my son was born, I did not play live music for a year and a half or something like that. I spent that time writing and recording demos at home many of which became songs on this album as well as future Karma Vision songs. It’s can definitely be challenging to find the time to work on music as much as I’d like. I’ve had to learn skills in time management. I’m also incredibly blessed to have a partner that supports my musical endeavors, and is a badass mama!

The release show for Bobby Sauder’s Dark Empire Fairgrounds is Friday, February 24, at Decade in Lawrence, with Nate Henricks of Youngest Children and Invisible Public Library. Details here.