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Honestly, sometimes I feel the only way to get human beings to think about things other than themselves is by means of some sort of outward focus that's grounded in the supernatural or whatever. I think we're inherently selfish, and whatever it takes for people to rid themselves of that, be it religion or a great love affair or something, is good.
-Chris Thile |
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In February, he'd expressed a distance from the first two Nickel Creek albums and assured me that this next release was "The One." True to his word, the third long-player shows huge growth on nearly every level.
Nickel Creek by Peter Feldmann 1991
S. Watkins, C. Thile, Scott Thile (bass), S. Watkins |
"I'm a proud parent, man!" enthuses Thile. "If I had to pinpoint something, there was a dramatic increase in self-editing inside the band, and we also polled our peers about things we need and didn't need. That's something we'd never really done before. It was funny. Despite the solidity of the relationships in the band and how long we've been together, I think we were self-consciously worried that too much criticism about anybody's song or solo or whatever would lead to more tension than the band could handle. That was not the case, and even if it was, there's no point in being in a band where you can't use the pruning tools."
He continues, "Some good songwriter buddies of ours asked, 'Are you guys really getting into these songs? Are you happy with the chorus? Does everybody understand the song?' We just weren't using the tools that we had yet. So this is the first example of that."
"The other thing is we over-wrote for it," Thile states. "There were like 30 songs in the pile, and I think that helps immensely. We ended up being able to select a more cohesive, higher quality of material." The end result hangs together marvelously as a whole album. Thile says, "That's how we listen. We listen to records. It's a dying breed - the actual record as opposed to a selection of downloadable singles."
The first single is a vaguely apocalyptic ditty called "When In Rome" that ends with this verse:
Where can a dead man go
A question with an answer only dead men know
But I'm gonna bet they never really feel at home
If they spent a lifetime learning how to live in Rome
Not exactly radio friendly stuff, eh?
Watkins & Thile by Adam Brimer |
"No, no definitely not! There isn't a surefire smash on the whole record, but 'When In Rome' seems a lot more modally driven and ethically charged than a lot of things you hear on radio," expresses Thile. "It's a bit of an oxymoron to hear it on the radio. The idea behind the song – and I do love it! - is if there is something better, it's worth leaning towards just a little bit because you'll have a great time here regardless. That, of course, gets into some completely indefinable territory."
What's refreshing is the track doesn't tell us how to behave, but merely cautions us about being too comfortable in this world and its ways because who knows how this all plays out.
"That's kinda where I'm at. 'Doubting Thomas' is the same kind of thing. For me, the more people I've met – and particularly artists - the less polarized and defined everything has become for me. That being said, I still feel like there's something out there. I want there to be. If there's not, I'd rather just be wrong."
Chris Thile by Evan French |
"Honestly, sometimes I feel the only way to get human beings to think about things other than themselves is by means of some sort of outward focus that's grounded in the supernatural or whatever," continues Thile. "I think we're inherently selfish, and whatever it takes for people to rid themselves of that, be it religion or a great love affair or something, is good."
In an age of higher and higher fences and a constant push to self-absorption - where everyone walks around in their own carefully sculpted world, having it their way, everyday - anything that pierces that bubble should be welcomed.
"I love that whole iPod thing, but gosh darn it, it's a little scary to be walking around New York City at night and not one person is hearing what's happening in the world they're walking in," observes Thile. "I haven't totally come to terms with that yet. Everybody has their little earpieces in, and they might take them out to answer their cell phone (laughs)."
This all ties into the subliminal theme of disconnection on Why Should The Fire Die? Thile comments, "There's a lot of loss going on and why it's there and people coming to terms with it."
Like the narrator in the title track, Thile pushes to know things rather than hide from them. His reach is persistent and almost painfully sincere. It's a trait that will help him find more friendly ears in the years to come. He makes music that wants to know you just as much as it wants you to know it. If that ain't worthy of love, then I don't know what is.
You're shining still behind the clouds
Saying I won't figure you out
It might be true but let me try
And try and try for the rest of my life
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