Press folk love it.  We at Invisible Limb love it.  In less than a month you will fall in love with it too.  We are talking, of course, about Baby Dayliner’s much anticipated sophomore full length Critics Pass Away, set to be released this May on Brassland Records.  No other record this year has hit us this hard or this strong.  In fact, we dig it so much we’re convinced there doesn’t exist a stereo, iPod, or dance club playlist that can say no to this savvy hybrid of pop, new wave, and soul.

To officially start the countdown until Critics Pass Away passes to the masses, we interviewed Baby Dayliner himself, Ethan Marunas.  Here is what he had to say about the new record- which comes out in May.  Did we already mention that?

You’ve come a long way since your first album High Heart and Low Estate was released in 2002. Explain the musical transition between what we hear on High Heart and your new album Critics Pass Away.

I became a real producer for Critics. I labored for a long time over the composition and recording of the songs. I tried to approach the recording of each song differently. And lyrically, the songs are a lot more outside myself.

The most unifying aspect of the album is that the songs are especially geared for my one-man show: it’s very dance beat oriented, and vocally intense- there’s not a lot of spacing on any of the songs. If there’s too much instrumental break you lose the audience (as a one-man performer). Critics is my most fully-realized Baby Dayliner album in that it is so completely in synch with my stage show.

The production on High Heart was a lot more literal. I slapped the tracks down, sung the song, sung some backups, added a couple instruments, did a simple mix, and it was done. It’s a much more introspective and personal album than Critics.

The title, Critics Pass Away, can be interpreted in a couple of ways, most notably as a reference to music critics. Was this the intention?

No. The title track Critics Pass Away is a song about overcoming adversity and making the best of a bad situation, and about trying to live in the moment.  It’s about finding meaning inside our heads and through our craft, even if our physical circumstances are not the desired ones.

While searching online I came across a video for the song ‘Raid’ off your first album. Do you have any plans to shoot a video for Critics Pass Away?

A video was shot last November for ‘Silent Places,’ the tenth song on Critics. The final edit will be ready soon. Two more videos are in the works.

Do you plan on releasing any singles for Critics Pass Away?

Maybe. There’s been talk of it.

Like your recorded songs, your unique live show has been warmly received by writers and music critics. What is usually going through your head when you are on stage? How do you handle an unruly or difficult crowd?

If it’s a crowd that knows me and my music, I try to have fun with them because they’re there to have fun with me. We all sing together. A brand new audience is a little different. For them I try to be a bit more within myself and squeeze out every nuance of the song, concentrating on the quality of the vocal performance.

At a London show, a guy cursed me and then an erratic friend of mine threw ice at his head and that ended that heckling. I haven’t yet run into a truly unruly bunch.

In March you shared the stage with The National on their US tour. How did the tour go for you? Is this the first series of shows that the album has been made available?

I love the National, they’re a great band. I had such a good time with them, and met a lot of nice people. And yes, the album was first made available on the tour.

You’ve been in bands and of course, written music on your own. Is there any scene or environment that you feel most comfortable in? Have you noticed your preferences changing since Critics Pass Away has made its rounds?

Not sure I understand this question. Collaboration can be a good thing if the players understand that what is most important between them is the personality of their union. A band needs to exploit the tensions between them. Often they fail because they make music that is laden with cliché, but they believe it’s original. When you make music on your own you have to make sure you can work through the loneliness of it, and you have to envision a crowd that will enjoy your very personal creations, otherwise you might take a real crowd to a place that makes no sense.

I enjoy either form, but I happen to be concentrating on my solo music for now. Critics isn’t a purely solo album, though. A few people helped me on the album, most notably Damien Paris- a guitar whiz and an all around musician out of NYC.

You tread through a lot of musical ground on the new record. What are some of your lesser known influences? What do you listen to when you lounge around the house?

 Lately I’ve been listening to The Cocteau Twins. I’ve always heard their name, but I only recently got my first listen. I love them, can’t get enough. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Burt Bacharach. And I’ve forever been obsessed by ‘50s pop music and rockabilly. I’ll listen to rockabilly all night long.

According to their website, the working relationship between Brassland Records and its artists is a little different than your conventional record label. Have you sensed this more collaborate environment? How did you first get involved with the label?

Brassland fosters relationships between their artists, which makes it feel kind of like an exclusive club. On most labels you’re just one of many groups that have no connection to each other. The National started coming to my shows and then recommended me to the Brassland ‘brass.’ That’s how it all began. They re-issued High Heart and Low Estate a year later.

Out of curiosity, what is the most outlandish or confusing artist comparison you’ve received as Baby Dayliner?

One time I got compared to Dean Martin. That was definitely a funny comparison to make. I don’t really think I sound like Deano, but hey, he was a great singer so I’ll take it.

MP3
At Least

Websites
Baby Dayliner website
Baby Dayliner Myspace page
Brassland Records

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