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Caribou Doesn't Follow The Herd

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By CURTIS ROSS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 12, 2007

When Dan Snaith, who records under the name Caribou, named his new album 'Andorra,' he says he 'imagined it as a warm, beautiful place that matched the physical home for the music I was making.'

The real Andorra, located between France and Spain, turned out to be something else entirely.

When Snaith visited last year, he found that Andorra 'was like a tax haven with crappy duty-free stores selling cheap booze and smokes,' he says. 'The title refers more to the place I imagined than the place in the real world.'

If the terrestrial Andorra is less than idyllic, the one Snaith created in his studio more than makes up for it.

Although 'Andorra' was put together with loops and samples, it retains an organic feel thanks to Snaith's serene vocals and luminous melodies, such as the one that courses through the album's opener, 'Melody Day.'
Snaith began recording in 2000 under the name Manitoba, releasing an EP, 'People Eating Fruit,' and following that with a full-length, 2001's 'Start Breaking My Heart.' 'Up in Flames' was released in 2003 but it was to be the last under the Manitoba moniker.

Richard 'Handsome Dick Manitoba' Blum, lead singer of The Dictators and owner of an East Village bar called Manitoba's, threatened a lawsuit over the name.

Re-christening himself Caribou, Snaith recorded 2005's 'The Milk of Human Kindness' and released 'Andorra' earlier this year.

During live performances, Snaith handles guitar, keyboards and occasional drums. He's joined by bassist Andy Lloyd, Ryan Smith on guitars and keyboards, and drummer Brad Weber.

Touring with a band means re-learning and even re-imagining the music he records alone in his studio.

'I really like it,' Snaith says by telephone from a tour stop in Boston. 'It's such a production thing in the studio. I play each part once and it's just another sound, another layer. I don't think about how it could be played differently or how it could be expanded.

'As we tour we the have freedom to change things and adapt however we like,' Snaith says. 'The fact that the music has never been played by other musicians makes playing live exciting.'

Recording alone has its advantages, however.

'I like controlling the music. I want everything to be exactly as I want, no disputes,' Snaith says. 'I also like the fact figuring out what I can do, the challenge of doing it myself.'

Also, 'I don't have to work on a schedule. I can stay up to 5 a.m. and then get up at 8 a.m. I can work all the time,' Snaith says.

That attitude has served Snaith well: He recorded and toured for 'The Milk of Human Kindness' while completing his doctorate in mathematics.

'I was studying for it while making all the other albums as well,' Snaith says. 'It was very hectic at times. But I'm the kind of person who likes having loads of things going on every second.'

'Andorra' is the first album he's made while focused entirely on music.

'Music has expanded to fill all my time,' Snaith says with a laugh.

Math and music both allow Snaith to enjoy his solitude.

'They're both very individual pursuits and I can get lost in both, playing around with natural ideas fitting together in an elegant way,' Snaith says.

ON TOUR

Caribou

WITH: Born Ruffians and Dumbwaiters

WHEN: 9 p.m. Tuesday

WHERE: Crowbar, 1812 N. 17th St., Tampa; (813) 241-8600

COST: $9

Curtis Ross can be reached at (813) 259-7568 or cross@tampatrib.com.

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