Audio By Carbonatix
Keep Dallas Observer Free
We’re $1,500 away from our spring campaign goal!
We’re aiming to raise $10,000 by April 26. Your support ensures Dallas Observer can continue watching out for you and our community. No paywall. Always accessible. Daily online and weekly in print.
Bryan Wakeland just called. First thing he asked: “You remember me?” Well, uh, yeah, sure — drummer for Tripping Daisy and Polyphonic Spree, right? Right. Been a long time since we last spoke, I guess.
Anyway, Wakeland was calling with some news of his very own: He’s got a solo album just out — his first — and it’s available for purchase at this very moment. CD Baby’s carrying the download-only release, called Honey Fire; you can try each cut before you buy. iTunes has the 10-track album as well. For now, the thing’s unavailable in a …whatchacallem … record store, though Wakeland hopes to have a hard copy in shoppes soonish.
Honey Fire is Wakeland’s first solo recording, following a 1998 demo that was fairly low-key; “this is more rocked-up,” says Wakeland, and the samples bear him out. He recorded it at his house over an eight-month period beginning in February 2006, while the Spree was finishing its just-released The Fragile Army. Wakeland sings on every cut and plays nearly every instrument, save bass. Paul Williams (Sorta, Polyphonic Spree, Radiant, Reverend Horton Heat) produced.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Wakeland says. “This collection of songs I’ve been writing for five years. When I’d get one finished I like I’d demo it, and next thing you know I had 13. We recorded 12, and I picked 10 out of those. And it was the perfect time to do it, as Polyphonic Spree’s getting crazy busy now. I’d have no time to do it.” Indeed: The band just got back from playing Lollapalooza in Chicago over the weekend, and in about 10 hours, Wakeland and the Spree are on a plane to Japan. He called while doing laundry. –Robert Wilonsky
