Trim For Victory :: An Interview With Dean Wells

The last we heard from Dean Wells, the creative force behind AGP favorites, The Capstan Shafts was last fall when he quietly released three 4-song EP's under the moniker Loud Springs. That is until last week when Wells returned as Rare High only to release 12 new tracks over three more EP's. We are sensing a pattern here, nonetheless the fuzzy low fi pop that he delivered with The Capstan Shafts and more recently with his Loud Springs project, is on full display throughout the new EP's. In fact you'll  need to look no further than EP #1's opening track, Sullen Leers to be reminded of Wells' gift for crafting scrappy and endearing songs with undeniable pop hooks.

Just last night Dean was gracious enough to answer a few questions about the recording of the new material, forgoing record labels, and the possible future of The Capstan Shafts.

Bryan Hamill: What was the recording process for the material the ended up being released for the Rare High EP's?

Dean Wells: It's pretty straight forward really, once I've got a fairly good idea of the song I run through on guitar,add drums,then bass,then vocals. I record it all to 4 track from there I mix it down and start over.

BH: Do you have any plans for a physical release of the these EP's or does the Bandcamp model suit your needs better right now?

DW: There are no legitimate release plans right now. I like that Bandcamp has a complete absence of consequence, it reminds you to do it for fun.

BH: Just last year you released three 4-song EP's as Loud Springs and in the last week you've issued three more EP's as Rare High what is behind the name changes?

DW: It's nice to clean slate things, but then I'll listen to it all later and and it all sounds similar so I don't have a good answer.

BH: Your last live shows were in support of The Capstan Shafts 2010 LP Revelation Skirts, Do you have any plans to play these new songs Live?

DW: I can't seem to keep a band together or else I'd play out far more often than was healthy

BH: Have we seen the end of you recording as The Capstan Shafts?

DW: If I had a bunch of material that I wanted to put out under that name I wouldn't hesitate. For now I'm just having fun with other presentations and the idea that a collection can exist independent of any history, at least for me.

The Rare High EP's which can streamed below and are available as a pay what you want offering at Rare High's Bandcamp dojo, we recommend supporting Mr. Wells as well as these fine releases with a monetary donation of your choosing. Thanks to Dean for taking some time out of his Thursday night to answer these questions and for sharing these new songs with us.







Photo Credit: The Capstan Shafts @ T.T. The Bears 01/18/11, photographed by Brian Rutledge of Hallelujah The Hills

Reviewed :: The Capstan Shafts - Kind Empires

Last summer we were completely bowled over by Revelation Skirts from Dean Wells' The Capstan Shafts, you can find our review here. That album found Wells jettisoning some of the lo-fi aesthetic of his earlier releases in favor of recording his 1-3 minute pop songs in a professional studio. Now The Capstan Shafts have returned with a new LP, Kind Empires released last month and offered as a pay what you want deal via Bandcamp. The album finds The Capstan Shafts returning to their lo-fi ways on 14 unfettered and completely addictive tracks in just over 22 minutes. One of the many strengths of The Capstan Shafts is their no nonsense approach, vocals come in with the first 10 seconds, no slow build ups or pointless guitar solos, just concise pop anthems in rapid succession . The album opens with the one-two punch of Degenerate Era Sweetheart and Come Wilder that effectively set the tone for the approaching hook fest. Up For Being is a charming snippet of a song, and what we can only imagine The Capstan Shafts would sound like from your front porch. The guitar fuzz goes back up for Porn Name Equation, a song with a great self deprecating chorus "I'm the last boy you should kiss", if you're into that sort of thing and we most certainly are. Throughout the album Dean Wells (once again) exhibits a penchant for writing intelligent and engrossing melodies that have a habit of bouncing around your head for days on end. By the time you get to the albums closing track, Onetime Milwaukee Suicide in which Wells seems to have saved his best track of the set for last, don't be surprised if you feel the need to relive the last 22 minute all over again (and again). Above all, what makes Kind Empire such a pleasure to listen to is the fact that it's comprised of so many great songs.

The Capstan Shafts will play TT The Bears on September 8th with Slowdim, The Blue Ribbons, & Ryan Lee Crosby.

Order Kind Empires from Bandcamp