On most days, Carl Broemels music needs no introduction, as hes a guitarist for My Morning Jacket. But, on Aug. 19, Bromel will be releasing his second solo album, 4th of July, and two days later, he will take the stage at Zanzabar with an all-star backing band featuring Russ Pollard (of Everest) and Tom Blankenship (also of MMJ). Broemel took some time to chat with us about recording and touring solo.
LEO: This tour is playing smaller venues. Is that an adjustment after playing arenas for so long?
Carl Broemel: Yeah. But Im looking at my solo thing as though Im starting a local band. So, if I get to play in front of 100 people or 200 people, Ill feel lucky. It is fun playing smaller places, and, quite honestly, thats where I deserve to be with my solo record, at the moment.
Do you miss playing rooms like Zanzabar?
When I first started playing with My Morning Jacket, we were playing clubs and driving around in a van. That whole experience is great. Being in the van forces you to see where youre going and be involved in it. That was kind of a magical time.
Do you have preference between playing with My Morning Jacket and making solo records?
I feel like I am much better at being in a band than being a solo artist. And its not that I prefer one over the other for me, its like one hand washes the other. When were off, I do still write music, and I would like to have an outlet for it. But playing in the band feels like home it feels like my true role.
How has your music evolved from your debut, Some Birds Say, to this new one, 4th of July?
I went in thinking I could expand the instrumentation a little bit, so thats what I tried to do. And I do fall back on my tendencies a little bit, but on songs like [the title track], I really pushed myself to do a lot of improvisation and experimentation. I really tried to push what could happen in the studio.
Carl Broemel plays on Sunday, Aug. 21 at Zanzabar. $12-$15.
This article appears in August 17, 2016.