The Great captures both the highs and lows of life as an artist. What was the biggest challenge you faced while creating this album, and what moment made it all feel worth it?
Just keeping the band together was a struggle. There were periods where things weren’t working as fast or as well as we were hoping or expecting them to, we lost people and were definitely barely hanging on at some points. We had an intense bonding jam which was almost a group vision quest. It snapped things into focus and showed us what we could accomplish together.
“She Comes to the City” has a dynamic, anthemic energy—can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the song and why it felt like the right single to introduce The Great?
Well, the song was inspired by a girl who lived by a swamp in the middle of nowhere who would come to the city just to see me. It was the first song we played and recorded, and the first thing that we got to hear that had a real quality to it. Who doesn’t love an anthem?
Your album features a mix of sounds, from spacey, jazz-tinged tracks to swampy, fast, and dirty rockers. How do you balance such a wide range of influences while keeping a cohesive identity as a band?
Our identity as a band is just the channel for these songs. If the songs came from us then we have every reason to believe that whatever one would define as our identity will remain in tact. It’s a lot of fun getting to play in all these genres and arrangements that I wouldn’t have expected to before.
Songs like “Alright, Alt-Right” and “Don’t F-ck With The System” tap into social themes. How important is it for you to use your music to comment on the world around you?
I wouldn’t say it’s important so much as unavoidable. If you’re not writing about the world around you, what are you writing about?
Chris, after two decades in the music industry, what made this the right time and lineup to form Empaths in Retrograde?
There’s some power in letting go. I decided that I was just going to play music with my best friends and we sort of got to the point where I get to do that.
You recorded The Great in your basement over eight months. What was that DIY process like, and did it bring any unexpected creative discoveries?
It was a grind, but there was a lot of freedom, as we had no real financial or time crunch to deal with. You got to see the growth and changes as these songs were recorded over the months, as we went through different phases as a band, whether through lineup changes or just the way we were gelling at a certain point as we were learning to play off each other in different ways
You’ve been described as “roots/punk/soul psychedelica”—how did you land on this unique mix of genres, and do you think your sound is still evolving?
The majority of the songs were written on the acoustic guitar by a guy who wasn’t particularly great at it with a weird voice, and produced by a nerd who liked jazz. Put that together with a guitar/amp combo that only has a volume knob and we’re going to have a hot mess. Our sound is still evolving. We’re playing with new sounds every time we work on something new, and it’s showing in the new batch
You’ve played various venues in Winnipeg, from The Royal Albert Arms to The Osborne Taphouse. What’s been your most memorable gig so far?
We played our album release as a 7-piece band with trumpet, trombone, and keyboard. It was the coolest. Felt like a Motown legend. Hoping to pull that lineup out more in the future
Your music has been compared to The Hold Steady, B.A. Johnston, and even The Replacements. If you could share a stage with any band—past or present—who would it be and why?
My greatest sadness in life is never getting to see The Ramones live. The chaos seems appealing. The Flaming Lips are pure spectacle and write such beautiful songs.
Now that The Great is out, what’s next for Empaths in Retrograde? More shows, more recording, or are you taking a moment to enjoy this milestone first?
We have a couple of shows booked, April 19 at Bulldog Event Centre and May 24th at The Osborne Taphouse, hoping to get some festival love for the summer. We are recording our next album and working on a mini-doc and music videos for all the songs on “The Great.”
Interviewed by: Eric Alper
