Casandra Armour

[Originally printed in Performer magazine’s February 2013 issue.]

Though they shine behind the scenes in Hollywood, putting music to television and film, David Klotz and Emily Cook have been back in the studio with their L.A. indie rock outfit, Fonda, and they’re primed to take center stage again.

The band’s fourth LP Sell Your Memories is hitting shelves via Chicago’s Minty Fresh label, famous for launching nineties powerhouses like Liz Phair and Veruca Salt. Apt, as Klotz shared that the era is a tangible presence on the album. “Maybe for the first time ever in my song writing, I wanted to create the kind of music I listened to growing up;” he explained. “Early 90’s British imports like My Bloody Valentine: that was sort of the formation of my tastes, that period from high school to college. A lot of that stuff had an influence on me.”

But don’t mistake creative nostalgia for an old-fashioned approach to production. Hectic schedules and distance necessitated a more modern means. “We were able to get all of the tracks recorded over just a few months. I have a little home studio with a Pro Tools set up. I use that when I’m writing too, guitars and a drum program so that as I’m coming up with ideas I’m recording everything.”

Fonda took advantage of those digital innovations to weave their dynamic dream-pop sound together from across town, as well as across the pond. “Technology has enabled me to call up someone in England, upload my sessions, and he adds steel guitar and sends it back to me; our trumpet player as well. And our drummer recorded all of his tracks from his studio in Burbank. The album is mixed by a friend in Las Vegas. Opening my mind up to work that way has sort of made this possible, given everyone’s lives these days; it’s hard to work in a traditional format.”