I only write maybe one or two songs every couple of years that I think are good enough to play alone without other stuff happening.

I only write maybe one or two songs every couple of years that I think are good enough to play alone without other stuff happening.

Our vocal harmonies started to feel like a cop-out: all group-singing, all the time.

Every time you pick up an instrument, it's not always out of necessity - for a certain kind of person, it's a choice.

As far as the music being inspired by Seattle, I think it's in some of the songs. Seattle is a really beautiful place in the right light, it's perched on a pretty unique geographic setting.

There are personal topics on the record that have nothing to do with creativity but were maybe amplified by the demands of the band. I can't say that none of these things would be present without creativity as a catalyst, but it was definitely on my mind a lot while writing.

You want to make music that reflects your ideals, but considering the isolating process of recording and the time and energy requirements of touring, there aren't a lot of opportunities to express those ideals anywhere but the music itself.