Dripfield, arguably their most ambitious and musically varied album yet, is like lightning in a bottle. It encapsulates this exciting moment in time within the band’s history - in which fans are seeing their sound evolve and mature in real-time. Dripfield is a true representation and expression of the band’s overall sound, which is a melting pot of indie/alternative and jam band influences: from the arena rock anthem
“Hungersite”, to the afrobeat funk of “Arrow” and the earnest indie vibes of “Moonrise.”
At its very essence, music is one of the ultimate forms of self-expression. Artists subconsciously pull from their own influences and experiences, which culminate into something completely unique. Producers, in a lot of ways, help guide an artists’ (or bands’) sound, see what works and ultimately craft their vision into an album format. They’re the mad scientists that understand that there is no roadmap to what creates memorable music – rather, in order to break conventions and create something new and exciting, experimentation is crucial.
D. James Goodwin, a New-York based record producer, recording engineer, musician, and filmmaker, is known for his experimental and eccentric approach to recording – having produced albums for an impressive variety of artists, including Amy Helm, The Hold Steady, Bonny Light Horseman, The National, and even Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead. The el Goose Times had an opportunity to sit down with Goodwin to discuss his influences, Dripfield and more.
The dossier on your website mentions that you’re “the son of a perpetual tinkerer and gadget-head.” What did your Dad do for a living? Would you consider your Dad (and/or Mom) as an influence when wanting to pursue a career in producing?
My dad worked for NY Telephone (and then Verizon) for his whole adult life. He was actually the first male operator in the New York state! As his career progressed, he went onto building and installing phone networks - and eventually into computer controller systems for phone networks. I would say that both of my parents were influences, unwittingly. When I was a kid, my parents had a huge record collection and were big music fans. Neither of them played music, but music always played in the house and in the car. After my parents divorced, one way my dad and I bonded was to listen to records together on headphones. He built a box where we could both listen on headphones to a record. We listened to music like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Frank Zappa, etc… we bonded a lot over that.
As a fellow film buff, I noticed 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of your favorite films - even naming one of your cats after the legendary Stanley Kubrick. Did this movie (or film soundtracks in general) also have an impact on your recording style/methodology? In the case of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the soundtrack is brilliant: it invokes a true feeling of desolation and darkness - but also feelings of majesty and wonder. It really pushed the boundaries for its time.
Films have definitely had a big impact on my methodology – probably in the sense that I enjoy composition and lighting, both of which Kubrick was a master of. These things do translate into my work, for sure. I like juxtaposition, bold color choices, landscape…I think a lot of it is that when I listen and work on music, I am always seeing scenes in my head. It’s hard to explain, but it’s basically like I’m making a film in my head as we work.
Can you expand a bit on how you see "scenes in your head" as you work? There's a perceptual phenomenon that has always been extremely interesting to me, synesthesia, in which someone sees either colors or shapes when they listen to music (essentially experiences one of our senses through another) - and what you’re describing reminds me of that.
In fact, I have synesthesia. For me, it manifests like seeing colors around shapes while I hear music, and typically gets more intense with percussion instruments. I thought it was just normal, until I was in my late 20’s! In terms of how I see scenes in my head…it’s like I’m watching a film internally, as if the images just come and coalesce. It’s so hard to put into words.
One of the biggest takeaways I had after reading your bio and listening to The Great Beyond interview is that you’re very much about eschewing tradition and deconstructing material in order to push forward. Tell us about that – is that also something that traces back to your childhood/influences? Or is it something you learned over time, based off of your experiences?
I don’t know where that comes from. It’s probably my mother’s influence, as she has always been a bit of a contrarian. I think I get it from her. I have always been attracted to non-standard, non-mainstream, non-traditional choices, whatever form they take. I appreciate the mindfulness it requires to make non-conventional art. Even when it is done with abandon, I think it requires a cultivation of abandonment, if that makes sense. It always seems to feel more thoughtful than things made using traditional methodology or constructs.
You’ve worked with everyone from Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead to Amy Helm to Bonny Light Horseman. Which artists have been your favorite to work with so far? What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as a producer?
There is no way to choose a favorite, honestly. Each artist and project has brought me deep joy and discovery - so it’s impossible to single anyone out. Very rarely (if ever) do I work with someone who hasn’t become a true friend. The biggest lesson I’ve ever learned producing a record is that everyone has a different definition of good, and what moves them. You have to find their ‘body temperature’, so to speak. That requires learning who they are: learning their way of communicating and how they see the world. In the end, I think it taught me to be more open and empathetic to other perspectives, in general. It’s a beautiful gift.
Tell us what it was like working in the studio with Goose. You mentioned in The Great Beyond interview that you had to adjust to their style of working, which was different than what you were used to (i.e. slow, but methodical). However, Goose seemed receptive and willing to deconstruct their material that fans have known for so long. At what point did the process really click with you? Did you appreciate that the band was open to different interpretations of songs they’ve played hundreds of times?
(Chuckles) Some of that was exaggerated for humor! It’s mainly that you have five people, all potentially distracted by something different at the same time, so it’s a challenge to wrangle everyone all the time. But honestly, no - they weren’t that bad! And yes - they were so open, which was a big part I think, of why they chose to work with me on this record. That part clicked from the get-go. And frankly, though I like working very fast,
I was appreciative of their pace, because it let us focus on details in a way that I do really like. I am forever thankful that they trusted me to take these songs in different directions. I think it made a stronger record, and one that will last as a statement of art - rather than just be a passing moment. I think people will listen to this record in ten years, and understand that the band was trying to break different ground and explore their boundaries. That always makes great art, even if it takes a while for the audience to find that truth.
Was experimentation a big theme when producing Dripfield? A lot of the songs on the album are much different than their live counterparts in a cool way, challenging the status quo and pushing boundaries.
Oh, definitely. One of the big things we talked about very early on was experimenting, and not letting a rule book guide us. The band didn’t want to make a normal jam band record, and I was on board for that. We wanted to make something timeless and exciting. I think the more people live with the record, the more they will fall in love, even with some of the bolder choices, like “Arrow” and “Hot Tea.” I also think it’s a case of having fallen in love with the first version they heard… I think if people heard the studio “Arrow” first, they could never hear it another way. But, that’s what’s fun about the record and live shows. They’re different experiences - and that’s the way it should be.
How long did Dripfield take to produce, in total? It's truly a labor of love, as evident from the recording and the behind-the-scenes video Goose had shown during the live broadcast of one of the Radio City Music Hall shows.
I think all told, it was roughly a month of recording, and then a week or so to mix and master. It was spread out a bit, and we also recorded a few extra songs that aren’t on the record (but will be released), so it’s tough to nail down for just Dripfield alone…It was definitely a labor of love. We worked pretty much on one song per day. Sometimes it would bleed a bit into the next, but generally we would start with the basic tracking for a song, and then move into overdubs for the remainder of the day.
With Dripfield, did you determine the placement of each song or was it a collaborative process? The album has a
great flow stylistically!
It was definitely collaborative. The band knew the first three tracks were going to be “Borne,” “Hungersite,” “Dripfield”… I think it was also decided early on that “726” would be last. From there, it was experimenting with other placements. I think the flow is fantastic!
