Into It. Over It

When Evan Weiss set off to write the songs what would become Standards in the early winter months of 2015, he holed up in a Vermont cabin an hour from the nearest gas station and grocery store. With no internet or phone, and only solar panels and a generator for heat and electricity, the Chicago-based songwriter dove into the process without the schizophrenic distractions of modern technology and media. In many ways it was a needed escape from the past few years, which had seen the blogosphere propel Weiss to new heights and greater recognition. While the exposure that came with this phenomenon was helpful, leading to major features, late night TV debuts, touring opportunities and slots at major festivals like Lollapalooza, it increased the pressure to deliver with future material. For Weiss it made sense to get away from the background noise in order to zero in on the songs and lyrics kicking around in his head.

It feels wholly appropriate that when it came time to record the songs written in that secluded lo-tech Vermont cabin, Weiss ended up working with Vanderslice (an accomplished and beloved songwriter in his own right) at his all analog Tiny Telephone Studios. The connection between the two was apparent to Weiss upon completion of their first phone call. “Evan is one the most challenging and surprising songwriters I’ve ever worked with,” says Vanderslice, “he’s also the best guitarist I’ve ever been in a room with. No joke.” Aside from a meeting of minds musically, both Weiss and Vanderslice are highly respected by their peers, and whether they’d admit to it or not, positive catalysts within the greater music community. While Vanderslice’s contributions and connection to a myriad of influential records and accomplished musicians is well documented, Weiss’ own prolific impact is lesser known. When not touring or working on material for Into It. Over It., Weiss lends his time to other projects including the bands Pet Symmetry and Their/They're/There. He’s also produced records for The Jazz June and You Blew It! among others, and has been a sought after tour mate for respected bands with long histories of their own.

Recording to tape and without the help of pro-tools for the first time in his career took the ability to edit any given song to perfection off the table. On past albums, mused Weiss to SPIN in a recent in-studio profile, the process could end up a bit “clinical”. “Everything about them is very meticulous and perfected, and that kind of approach made me hate writing songs. I love Intersections, but it wasn’t a very fun record to make,” Weiss says. But working with Vanderslice by no means meant a step back in time. “He wants to make music that sounds like it was from the future, made on gear from the past,” explains Weiss. On Standards, as SPIN notes, Vanderslice went to work “inundating the material with Moog synthesizer, looping pedals, and acoustic guitars distorted through electric amplification.” And as a first for Weiss, had one of his studio engineers compose a string arrangement for the song 'Anesthetic'. The result of those five weeks in San Francisco is Weiss’s most aggressive, free ranging, and dynamic records yet.