blog post Bahamas Barchords' producer, Robbie Lackritz on the secret behind the sounds

Robbie Lackritz has produced albums for Jason Collett, Zeus, Feist and most recently, Bahamas' latest effort, Barchords, which is our Album of the Week. 

We recently caught up with Robbie to find out what it was like working with Bahamas, and how he helped them achive a finished product.

1. How was working on Bahamas album, Barchords, different from working with other artists and their albums (Feist, Jamie Lidell, Jason Collett, Zeus)?

Afie has a core bond with simple melody. There is no compromising that in the recording process. Afie would rather write a song that has 1 instrument and 4 notes than an opus... it is a special special talent and very undervalued.

 2. What is it more challenging to reign in Afie or get him to express himself fully?

Anyone who is close with Afie would probably describe him as one of the funniest people that they know. And there are moments in Pink Strat that are playful and hokey and invest his sense of humor in storytelling. Barchords is earnest and vulnerable, though. I don't know if it was a challenge for him to express himself fully, but sometimes when one of your strengths is being funny or clever, it is really easy to hide behind. I'm proud of him that he didn't hide on this album.

3. What drew you to this project versus other projects?

I feel like I got to watch the genesis of Afie as a songwriter after Paso Mino start with a collection of songs that turned into Pink Strat but something really clicked with his prowess over the guitar. I remember the first time I saw "Bahamas". It was crazy. He had just written "Caught Me Thinking" and "I Got You Babe". There was a melody to his guitar playing, and a melody to his singing, and they both had you humming instantly.

4. What do you feel like your job as a producer is?

Capturing moments in time. Because the songs were written for a reason... heartbreak, fear, love - emotions that you never experience the same way twice. The same way you wouldn't want to recreate a sunset after it is over, or a first kiss, you don't want to spend time reconstructing emotion in music. Albums are a document that can live forever.

I get hired more as an engineer, but people started calling me a producer more recently...  maybe because I am ardently (and ironically) against "production" in any sort of modern sense. I think of recording as an abstraction that artists shouldn't have to think about. Put everyone in a room, let them play and discover something, and capture it. That's it. The biggest role I can play is to not let the recording process get in the way of capturing a moment. Maybe you never have those emotions in the same way again...

5. You’ve been referred to as the ‘secret-weapon’ of Canadian music, what’s your secret?

Who said that???
I don't know if I have a secret... I think if anything the nature of recording has changed so much that my secret might be not working on albums unless I feel like I really bring something to the table (which isn't that often). I think a lot of bands are better off learning rogue recording techniques and discovering something that works for them than hiring someone who doesn't really understand them because they did something else that was popular.

6. What is one of the best produced albums of all time?
Best? I don't know... the ones that have influenced me the most growing up are The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks (And everything the Beatles made)

In Canadian  music? And why?
Neil Young - After The Goldrush
The Band - The Band
Because there is no "production". Just great great songs and great playing.

7. What else can we expect from you in 2012?
The Bahamas album is out this week obviously...

The new Zeus is out in April. There are some insane songs on that...
There is a Neil song called "Hello Tender Love" that is a 5 minute epic journey that perfectly captures this moment of hope after your relationship falls apart where you wish you can find each other in innocence again. I couldn't keep it together in the studio while we were working on it because it struck such an emotional chord with me.

Doing a split 7" with Feist and Mastodon where they cover each others songs for record store day. It was really fun to put on someone else's clothes and do something people would never expect from her. And I think it came out really well. I don't think I'll get a single "DEATH TO FALSE METAL" email.

I have a few things on the horizon for the fall but they are secrets!