By most measures, four years is a long time to wait between albums, but when the band is The Sea and Cake, it can occasionally border on unbearable. Fortunately, true to the spirit of the actively intertwined Chicago post-rock scene, most of the members in the group tide fans over with solo ventures and side projects in the interim: the past few years have seen vocalist Sam Prekop’s lovely sophomore solo record Who’s Your New Professor (2005), a new release and box set from John McEntire’s Tortoise collective, and guitarist Archer Prewitt’s magnificent and sorely overlooked Wilderness (2005). This May will mark the release of their seventh full length titled Everybody (2007), and if the two tracks on their Thrill Jockey mini-site are any indication, the record will be well worth the wait. In an unexpected twist, the band chose Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, Wilco) to man the boards instead of McEntire, who has always shared double duties as drummer and producer on their albums. The warm, bubbly synthesizers and triggered drum samples that have steadily crept into The Sea and Cake’s sound (beginning with 1997’s The Fawn) are noticeably absent on Everybody, which sees a return to the natural, initmate group interplay displayed on earlier records like Nassau (1995) and The Biz (1995).

To say that I’m excited for this album would be a gross understatement – I am wont to precede the band name with the phrase “my beloved” in my write-ups – so to stoke my anticipation, I asked bassist Eric Claridge a few questions about the upcoming release.

FWM: What are some of your thoughts or reactions to the new album?

EC: I think it’s some of the best work we’ve done, partly because of the experiences we’ve had independently of each other since the last album, and the fact that we really missed playing together. It was also a lot of fun recording in Michigan, getting out of Chicago, and having nothing else to do but the record.

FWM: The two tracks I’ve heard on the Thrill Jockey site sound more stripped-down and organic, very similar to the band’s earlier records. Was there a conscious decision to make more of a “rock” record, as opposed to the increasingly prominent electronic touches on Oui (2000) and One Bedroom (2003)?

EC: Yes. We limited the overdubs to emphasize the interplay between the instruments. We wanted the record to sound like four people just playing in a room.

FWM: John has worn the producer’s gloves for over ten years now, since the first record. What was the reason behind the decision to work with an outside producer for the first time in the band’s career?

EC: I don’t know, to try something different. It worked out well; Brian (Paulson) was a
great fit.

FWM: What was it like working with him at Key Club Studios?

EC: It was a great experience. Brian worked really hard for us, and the sounds he got
out of The Key Club were excellent. I really enjoyed living in the studio for the time we were there. There’s something very pleasant about rolling out of bed, drinking a cup of coffee, and tracking before you’re fully conscious.

FWM: What’s the songwriting process like in the group? Does one person usually bring in an outline of a song, or are they the results of improvising together?

EC: Sam brings in the kernel of the song, some guitar parts and some changes. Then we work as a three piece until the songs get hammered out to a certain point. Then John comes in and the songs get pulled in a new direction with the driving force of the drums. Finally, we get down to the final arrangements, tempos, etc.

FWM: Shifting into music-geek mode, I’ll reiterate what I’ve said before on the site: your bass playing is absolutely sublime. The lines are intelligently crafted, your tone is heavenly, and you never overplay. Who are some of your influences?

EC: I wouldn’t say I have any direct influences; I like Mingus and James Jamerson, but my playing is mostly inspired by the people I play with.

FWM: As an aside, what are your favorite/least favorite songs to play from the band’s catalogue?

EC: My favorite songs to play are “Parasol,” “Bird and Flag,” and “The Colony Room”; probably my least favorite is “Midtown,” for no particular reason.

FWM: The press release for Everybody mentions something about an upcoming solo
release from you. Can you give more information on that? Who will be playing on it?

EC: It’s been evolving for a few years. In between The Sea and Cake commitments and art shows it’s been somewhat off and on, but I hope to finish this fall. Some great people have played on it so far, including John, Archer, Mikael Jorgensen, John Herdon, Jeff Parker and Noel Kupersmith.

FWM: Any time frame for when it will be released?

EC: I’d like to get it out in ‘08.

FWM: How did you get into painting and illustrating? Do you have any upcoming exhibitions?

EC: I’ve been painting for almost fifteen years. Sam got me interested – we were sharing a space and he would paint while we were hanging out. One day, for no particular reason, I thought I’d give it a try and he lent me some watercolors and paper and I started painting. My next show is in September.

FWM: What are some bands or records you’ve been into lately?

EC: I’ve been painting a lot lately so I just put the iPod on shuffle and listen to everything I’ve got. It’s a pretty wide range of music, though I can’t say I’m really paying attention, since I’m focused on the painting.

“An Echo In” – The Sea and Cake 4:30 (Glass EP, Thrill Jockey 2003)

“Window Lights” – The Sea and Cake 3:39 (Reach the Rock Soundtrack, Hefty 1998)

Thrill Jockey will release Everybody on May 8th on CD and vinyl.