| Dan Wilson: Sweet Release |
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| Written by Andrea Myers | |
| Sunday, October 7, 2007 at 09:35 PM | |
 Dan Wilson - Photo by Steve Cohen Embodying many of the same elements that made Semisonic so accessible, Wilson has done a remarkable job of creating a friendly ambiance on disc. High-powered production is eschewed in favor of a more relaxed, off-the-cuff recording style, and a revolving cast of guest musicians (including a sparkling guitar solo by Gary Louris on "Cry" and a surprisingly unobtrusive Sheryl Crow singing harmonies on "Sugar") keep the songs sounding fresh. "I wanted it to be really social. I wanted it to be about food and wine, I wanted it to be about everyone discovering something at once," explains Wilson during a telephone interview. "Like you are in a room with a group of people while something amazing is happening... I really wanted to capture the magic of the interaction between musicians." Listen to Dan talk about his hopes for the album. The delay allowed Wilson to continue to write and tweak songs between recording sessions, including the last-minute addition of "Easy Silence," which he originally co-wrote for the Dixie Chicks. "My record label, American Recordings, moved from a Warner Bros. affiliate to a Sony affiliate, which takes time... I would have rather put it out last year, but then I wouldn't have had had this version of "Easy Silence'"so, you know, you get something when you give up something else." Considering Wilson's musical accomplishments of late, it's really not surprising that he was able to assemble such a thoughtful and plush collection of songs. Earlier this year Wilson was awarded with his first Grammy (Song of the Year for his work co-writing the Chicks' hit "Not Ready to Make Nice"), and he continues to split his time between his own songwriting and producing albums for his musical peers. And although winning a Grammy gives Wilson plenty of bragging rights, he's keeping a level head about his career. "It's interesting, because I don't think I ever dreamed about it, or thought about it, or schemed about winning a Grammy," he says. "But when it happened, it was unbelievably exciting." Listen to Dan talk about winning his Grammy. The excitement was drawn out for a few months after the fact, as the physical statuette didn't arrive until the flurry of press and attention had died down. "All my friends want to touch it now," he jokes. "I'm going to build a little Roman pedestal and put it right in the middle of the front entryway so you have to walk around it to get in the house."  Photo by Steve Cohen With the album finally finished and ready for release, Wilson is looking forward to the future and continuing to write as many songs as possible. "I've been harboring a fantasy of doing some Semisonic recordings or gigs sometime in the not so distant future," he says. "We had such a blast at last year's Aquatennial, it almost surprised us how great it turned out. None of us expected it to be quite such a rush, it was great." But even the best of intentions will likely take time to be realized. "If I have an idea, it happens eight months later," he admits. "I feel like I'm the pilot of a big giant ship that takes a mile to turn around." Listen to Dan talk about staying in touch with his Semisonic band mates. Dan Wilson website Dan Wilson MySpace UP NEXT: Dan Wilson will play a free in-store performance at the Electric Fetus on Friday, October 19. 7pm. All Ages. 612-870-9300. Dan also plays two sold-out shows at the Bryant-Lake Bowl October 16 and 17. |
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| Last Updated: Monday, October 8, 2007 at 11:37 AM |
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