INTERVIEW: Pfarmers (Members of Menomena, The National, and David Byrne & St. Vincent)

By Lauren Moquin

Pfarmers

Naturally, we pair like sounds together to suit a mood, whether it be on mixtapes or just an order in which we find ourselves listening to albums. When Pfarmers, the collaboration of Danny Seim (Menomena), Bryan Devendorf (The National), and Dave Nelson (David Byrne & St. Vincent and Sufjan Stevens), was announced, an idea of the product came to mind instantly. If anything, Nelson’s warm horn pieces could be imagined as an accompaniment to most tracks by Menomena and The National, the sounds just do not get any more compatible. In fact, I might even be able to find a mixtape I made in high school that features all three artists’ work if I dig hard enough.

Pfarmers’ first album, Gunnera, holds an eerily soothing tone. Seim’s lyrics whirl around Devendorf’s perfect touch and go rhythms and it’s nothing short of dream-inducing, which is no coincidence. Seim has said that the album as a whole was inspired by a dream in which he focused on being reincarnated into a Gunnera plant. Seim actually took the time to give us a little more insight into the album and collaboration.

Allston Pudding:  Why do you think the Gunnera plant specifically popped into your dream? What is its significance? 

Danny Seim: I spent most of the money I made from the last few Menomena albums (literally DOZENS of dollars) on landscaping my house in Portland, OR. I tried to turn it into a mini private jungle. Tropical plants don’t always do well outside in the occasionally chilly northwest, but there are a few that thrive with proper care. The Gunnera plant is one of them.

I love the cartoonishly oversized appearance of it. Its massive leathery leaves and its thorny, almost reptilian stalk.  Not to mention its nickname, “Dinosaur Food”.  Being cartoonishly oversized myself, maybe I felt some sort of kindred spirituality with the Gunnera.

AP: How is working within this project different than the other projects that you all have been a part of? Did you get the chance to experiment with any sounds that you hadn’t previously explored?

DS: It was very freeing for me. The collaboration was pretty quick and seamless with the other guys, even though we were across the country from each other. I’ve still never been in a room with both of them together, but I have a feeling we’d get along great.

AP: Were there any specific techniques that you have used within any of your past projects that you were looking forward to incorporating in Pfarmers?

DS: It’s kind of funny, if you would have asked about the techniques I used in making past-project music, I’d probably reply, “Ripping off Bryan Devendorf”. I’m glad he made my life easier by incorporating himself into Pfarmers.

I’ve spent the last decade mixing saxophones, but never worked with a trombonist until Dave Nelson came along. It’s been a real treat to add all of his melodic flourishes into these songs. He’s an incredibly quick and intuitive collaborator.

As integral as Dave’s contributions to Gunnera are, his playing on the next album is even more amazing. Same goes for Bryan. I’m having a lot of fun, thanks to these dudes.

AP: How did the collaboration work within the writing process? 

DS: We would just start little ideas and then Dropbox them back and forth until they picked up enough other ideas to get bigger and bigger, like building a snowman. From there it was just a matter of taking notes and carving out space while finalizing the mixes.

AP: How long has Pfarmers been an idea? What inspired you to come together as a band?

DS: The National curated an ATP festival in the UK a few years back, and they asked Menomena to play. We had our dear friend Holcombe Waller in the band at the time, and he knew Bryan from way back. He got us backstage together and said we should start a band because we’re both tall drummers. Bryan introduced me to his old pal Dave shortly after, and we were sending jams back and forth before we knew it.

AP: Do you feel that nature/wildlife has been a major inspiration in any of your other work? 

DS: Not directly. Oregon is so green and beautiful though, that I’m sure it’s all permanently hardwired inside of me somewhere.