I am also helping Ben Magnuson record his first solo record, to be released this winter, and we have some I Let’s Can songs we’re writing now that we plan on putting out.

In the meantime, check out this video my brother Jeremy @ Agriculture Reader put together. I helped on the music.

The House That Joey Built from AGRICULTURE READER on Vimeo.

New tracks with Ben Magnuson are now up: http://iletscan.bandcamp.com

Read about it here.

01 Power Up
02 Make Him Rich
03 Lift-Off Kid
04 Fistful of Noise
05 Defective State
06 Instrumental
07 Big Wig Counterfeit
08 Jody
09 Ballad as Fuck
10 I Believed You

Produced by Erik Schmall
Jeremy Schmall contributed lyrics on 03 and 04
Layout by Mark Toerner

Free Download

Update on the new album, it is completely done, printed, and shipped out to cdbaby who I am patiently waiting on to put online. If you’re tired of waiting and want to get one direct from me (especially those who will be reviewing it) you can contact me and we’ll work something out. Otherwise, I should be posting a link really soon.

The result is darker than expected, a collection of songs featuring metallic-sounding guitars and coldly precise drum machines. It sounds like an infusion of industrial clanking and clacking into the quirked-out indie pop Woody Whatever is known for.

Of course, the old traits are still there Guided by Voices remains an obvious inspiration aesthetically and musically, especially on the triumphant hook of opener Rave Time and Schmall has used drum machines before on his The Great Pop LP.

Perhaps most interesting, the EP offers some alternate takes on songs Woody fans might be familiar with from the guitar-heavy live show. The highlights, Listen Up and Name One Time, both show off Schmalls knack for branding melodies on the brain. All in all, its a satisfying holdover until the proper album release later this spring.  -Chris DeVille

http://radio.dominican.edu is proud to debut the new Artist Spotlight column. Our first spotlight is Erik Schmall, the mastermind behind Woody Whatever. Out of Ohio, Woody Whatever has been a mainstay here on http://radio.dominican.edu. We recently caught up with Erik as Woody Whatever prepares to tour in support of their new album Smiles & Knives..

R.D.E – What influenced you into becoming a musician and what made you decide
to start recording and putting out music?

Erik Schmall – I guess when my older brother Jeremy started learning guitar I wanted in
on the action too. He was 13 and I was 11. It wasn’t long before we were
writing our own songs, mostly Beatles and Weird Al rip offs. I remember
we figured out some cool overdubbing techniques with the boom box but
sadly, those tapes are long gone. The first song I ever wrote was
actually on a snare.

R.D.E – According to the official site, the album that is in recording stage at this
moment for Ionik Records, is the first album done with a full band-why
was that decision made for this record and not for earlier albums?

ES – I’m pretty much a loner, especially when it comes to music. I’m not a
great communicator either so for me it’s just easier to record all of
the parts myself since I hear in my head how it should sound anyways.
There have been some albums that have other people playing with me, mostly
on drums, but for the most part, it’s just me overdubbing by myself. I
really like the Woody Whatever line-up now though. I have tried to play
the role of songwriter and let them create their own instrumentation.
We all brought our influences to this new record and the
result is the most diverse a Woody album has been. Very guitar heavy.

R.D.E – Recording fifteen albums in a five year span is impressive…has the
process ever seem tedious over the course of recording that many
albums?

ES – Oddly enough no. I wouldn’t say that I am slaving away in front of a
recorder anyways. My friends always wonder how I get so much done since
they see me do so little. When inspiration strikes, I ride it out. On a
good day I can write and fully record about six songs. The latest Woody
EP (which is free online) was recorded in two sessions, separated by at
least a month of lying around watching PBS.

R.D.E – What is the name of the upcoming record for Ionik. If that has, been decided?

ES – Smiles & Knives. It should be wrapped up by next week and available
sometime in late April. This stuff has been in the works since over the
summer, the longest ever for me, so I am looking forward to writing some
new songs this spring.

R.D.E – Does any one show stick out in your mind, good or bad and why?

ES – The last show on our mini Midwest tour last December in Toledo sticks
out for me. The bands we played with were all great and for some reason
we were just on. Pretty much only the other bands plus some guy who
thought it was movie night were watching us. I was not expecting much
from Toledo but the vibe at that bar that night was great. Plus we were
drunk.

R.D.E – What feelings, if any, are there about performing?

ES – I love performing for people who want to see Woody Whatever or at least
are enjoying the music. It’s a great feeling. I hate performing for
people who stand there with this look as if I am force-feeding my music
down their throat. I mostly try to shut my eyes and imagine everyone’s
really into it.

R.D.E – Is there any one song that is a favorite and why?

ES – I have a soft spot for all of the songs on Roar, my first EP. I really
wasn’t sure how people would take it. The songs were very unpolished
and mostly just had me and an acoustic guitar overdubbed on a few
tracks but there is something fresh about it. Every night I sat
in front of my 4-track and forced myself to write at least five songs
before going to bed. I filled up about 10 tapes, and then cut it down to
9 songs. Some of the remaining songs ended up on “I Can’t Aim When You
Keep Moving” and “Rock Monsters”. The rest of it is unlistenable. In
my opinion, you have to write many terrible songs before you start
writing
songs you like and Roar kind of shows that process.

R.D.E – Any thoughts for the future of Woody Whatever?

ES – There is going to be a shake up in the line up this summer. It looks as
though we are all moving from Athens, Ohio to different places around the
country. So I will be looking for a band again. I would also like to get
on one of the big indie labels, of course. That’s always a goal. Mostly
I am just going to keep doing what I have been doing, releasing albums.

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