As far as solo debuts go, Alec Ounsworth‘s Mo Beauty (Anti-) is impressive. The Philadelphia-based Clap Your Hands Say Yeah frontman travelled to New Orleans to record the album with producer Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) and a host of the city’s notable musicians, including bassist George Porter, Jr. (Meters), drummer Stanton Moore and keyboardist Robert Walter (Greyboy Allstars). The result is a mature, confident, 10-song collection that Ounsworth had only hinted at being capable of with his work in Clap Your Hands. He also has a second solo album, Skin And Bones (credited to Flashy Python and available online only), that features members of the Walkmen, Dr. Dog and Man Man. While all this new music is good for Clap Your Hands fans, you get the impression that the band (now on hiatus) is no longer a priority for Ounsworth, who became a father last year and is enjoying family life at home. Ounsworth is guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with him.
Ounsworth: I am writing this in and, in a way, about my dining room. Alfred Brendel plays Franz Schubert’s Fantasia In C, Op. 15, D. 760 (“Wanderer”) through the speakers. I understand and take from classical music as much as I can. I will go to see the Philadelphia Orchestra when I want to see a performance. I have never seen Brendel perform. Along with Tom Waits, he is one person who I am very interested in seeing perform. Has he retired? I think someone might have mentioned that to me but can’t remember. In a way, I guess I have him here now. Is this preferable? Sometimes. Video after the jump.
