Buttless Chaps Navigate Beautifully

11/04/08 6:00pm

by Shannon Whibbs (CHARTattack)

Vancouver's The Buttless Chaps celebrated their 10th anniversary as a band in April with a hometown show at The Biltmore Cabaret that was recorded by the CBC. Ten years is a pretty big milestone for a Canadian band — especially one that's not on a major label. But then again, given the way they prefer to work, that could be exactly why they're still together.

At the time of their anniversary, the Chaps were putting together their latest record, Cartography, their sixth studio album and third release on Mint Records. Sort of. The band had decided that they wanted to keep making music together, but didn't want to necessarily commit to the idea of making a record.

"What we actually did with this recording was that Dan [Gaucher, the Chaps' new drummer, who replaced Torben Wilson] suggested that we just book studio time and just rehearse and play and not try and think about making a record and not worry about giving Mint another record because they don't pressure us about stuff like that," says singer/guitarist Dave Gowans. "So there was no need to think about that and just practice and enjoy playing music and see what happens."

This relaxed approach to recording is a luxury, and in the case of the Chaps, it worked wonderfully.

Cartography is a beautifully conceived musical achievement that soars and swoops back and forth over the alt.country/electronica line that The Buttless Chaps are renowned for blurring — though the electronic element is a bit more pervasive this time around.

"We would discuss what we wanted to do with the song, where it would go, and then come up with ideas," explains Gowans. "Just to try and put a lot of little extras on each song.

"There are some songs that are recorded really dry, and some that have a lot of reverb. We were just trying to make it sound a little different than the last Chaps record. That last one [2006's Where The Night Holds Light] was more rootsy. It was pretty conscious to put more electronics in."

Cartography's cohesive nature is another major difference from previous Chaps albums. One song flows into the next, and the ebb and flow of energy and arrangements sound as purposeful as any concept album. But according to Gowans, it's not intended to be one.

"We weren't going for a concept, but there is that feeling where we said, 'Hey, did you notice that the songs actually kind of flow nicely together?'

"That's something the band has always tried to do and had a hard time with, so it's been naturally happening on this record."

The album speaks of the dichotomy between the cold power of modern life and technology versus more organic and rural influences. This battle between bleakness and warmth provides an irresistible dynamic that drives the album from beginning to end. It's like Blade Runner with acoustic guitars, which makes a lot more sense upon discovering that it's one of Gowans' favourite films.

"I remember seeing that film as a child, and I can't remember what year it was set in — 2019, maybe?," he says. "And there's the opening scene where they pan across the city and it's so industrial and terrible.

"I think, when writing lyrics, I always write from a visual sense, and I'm always trying to create that image in my head."

After 10 years of hard touring, the Chaps have pulled back a bit. They can afford to tour less and to take more time on their records because music isn't their main living. Gowans and his partner just welcomed their baby daughter into the world, and their working style has evolved to reflect these changes, with each band member working more separately before bringing the results to the group. But Cartography is proof that they continue to evolve and feel challenged and excited by creating new music. And that's pretty much the whole point, isn't it?