The name Sera Cahoone may not ring any bells, but if one scratches just below the surface of Seattle's vibrant music community, it just might. After relocating from Colorado approximately 15 years ago, Cahoone lent her drumming skills to the indie rock band Carissa's Wierd. That group also included Ben Bridwell, Mat Brooke, and Creighton Barrett, who would later form Band of Horses, whose debut album, Everything All the Time, Cahoone played on.

After the breakup of Carissa's Wierd, Cahoone stepped out from behind the drum set, picked up a guitar, and recorded her eponymous solo debut, which was championed by Seattle's famed indie tastemaker KEXP-FM and distributed by Sub Pop records. Two years later, Sera is back with Only as the Day Is Long an expansive album that reflects her country-western heritage while simultaneously retaining a lo-fi indie aesthetic.

Sera spoke with MP3.com about recording her sophomore record, her influences, and the Seattle music scene.

Audio Sera Cahoone
"Only As The Day Is Long"

How are you? Good. Where are you from? Where are you calling from? San Francisco. Oh, cool. And you're in Seattle, correct? Yep. And, do you like that? I do. I mean, you know, the weather gets a little rough, but what can you do? Well, apparently, make music that reflects that roughness. Yeah, that's true. It's true. Yep, that's what happens. Well, I had the privilege of getting a copy of Only As The Day Is Long early yesterday. Oh, cool. And wow. This is sort of record you put on, you know, have a glass of wine and cry about the one that got away while staring out the window. Good. That's good, I think. You think? Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah it can be... Good or bad, I guess. ...good or bad. Yeah, exactly. I think the album definitely has the potential to be either therapeutic or potentially tear-inducing so...which are often the same thing. Yeah. Maybe you could shed a little light on some of the inspiration driving the material on this particular record. Well, pretty much, I mean, I just always seem to write kind of more depressing songs or just sad songs in general. That's just the way that all my songs seem to come out, you know? Where do you think your personal affinity for ennui or just sad music in general stems from? You know, I don't know. I mean, I'm not a super-depressed artist or something. I mean, I just have always had this huge connection with sadder songs, you know? And they just always affect me so much more than pop-ish stuff. I just seem to relate more to that style of music, I guess. But, you have no overt disinterest in anything popular or...? No, definitely not. No. OK. No, no, no, I just seem to connect more with that style of music, I guess. But, I mean, I listen to all different kinds of music. Right. But, if I had to write a crazy pop song or something, that would just be hard for me to do. Right. Like if iTunes needed a song for its next commercial or something? Yeah, I mean, it would just be a very strange thing. Well, Only As The Day Is Long has been two years in the making. Is that correct? Yep, it's been about two years. Because you're self-released eponymous album was released in...? 2006. 2006, yeah. So, was that first album something that you did with the intention of setting yourself off into the realm of solo-dom or was that more just something you did for personal satisfaction? And then the rest of this has just happened? Yeah, I started writing songs, and I got together with my pedal [steel] player. And we played for a long time together, just the two of us. And I just was like, "Let's get these songs recorded and whatever happens."

I was not at all expecting anything really. I mean, I just wanted to get it out there. I've always wanted to do my own record and also play the drums. That was, kind of, something I always wanted to do, which I did on that record; just kind of put it all together and just got it out there.

And I really...all of this has been pretty unexpected. I mean, it's like I sent it to KEXP, the local radio station here, and they just started playing it and it's gone from there, you know? Right. So, that led to Sub Pop approaching you? Or did you go into a studio just to record the songs again for your own personal satisfaction and then the relationship started? You mean, for the first record or...? No, no, no. I'm just curious about this one in particular--about the latest album. The first one, Sub Pop picked up and distributed it. So I built a relationship with them on that. And... And then they just decided to fold you in? Yeah. So that's, kind of, how it came about. OK. And then, how did you go about putting together...I mean, my understanding is that now you're actually working as a full band? Yeah, I've had a band for a couple of years now. OK, OK. And how has that affected your own personal songwriting? Or has it not? It hasn't really affected the actual songwriting. It's more affected the sound of the songs. They're a little bit bigger on this record, you know? They're more of a band feel because obviously we went in the studio as a band. And you know, the first record...I kind of pieced it together. And this one just sounds a lot bigger. It's still pretty... It does sound pretty big, very spacious, though. Yeah, you know, not a ton of stuff going on. So that's that. And then, obviously, there's a very distinct emotional or emotive sound here that taps into a lot of traditional Americana, musically speaking. And for our readers who may not be familiar with what you've done in the past, where would you say that this sort of sound comes from within you? I mean, I listen to a ton of old country. I mean, I just love it all...Merle Haggard and Buck Owens and Patsy Cline, Laura Lynn. I mean, that's all a huge influence in my style I guess. Are these musicians that you fell in love with later in life or from your childhood? I would say it's more...my dad always had some old country stuff. But it's definitely more in my later life that I really found a connection with it.

And it's definitely been the most influential music that I've found because I have gone through phases where it's like certain kinds of music but...you know, that definitely affected me the most. OK. And then, what are your intentions for promotion of the record? I mean, I assume you'll begin touring? Yep, it should be happening soon. We just got a booking agent set up. So we're getting going on that. Are you excited? Oh, yeah, of course. Of course. Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready to head out on the road. And then my last question is a bit...well, take it at face value. But there's a leaning toward sincerity--specifically what you're doing--and I think a lot that has come out of, say, the Northern California folk movement. And now there seems to be--all the way up the Northwest-- this really very clear interest in no-frills, non-trend-oriented traditional music styles.

And I'm wondering if you've noticed this yourself and if you feel that there is possibly a desire among musicians and audiophiles to maybe...to tone it back a little bit, to get back to something more real. I mean, I can't speak for everyone obviously, but it definitely seems like it's growing, you know? I mean, there're just so many good bands, especially in Portland and Seattle, that I've noticed that are coming out and using more traditional instruments. I guess that's the word.

I mean, yeah. I would say yes. I've just...it just seems like there's a new band every month or something that I'm like, "Whoa, you know, that's cool," or like the recent Fleet Foxes that are on Sub Pop. They're pretty super...they're just pretty amazing. Are there other acts? I guess, I mean, there's just so many I could name... Well, I was just going to say, are there acts just locally, like, within Seattle that you feel are really strong that people should be paying attention to? Definitely. I mean, there's, of course, the Fleet Foxes, Carrie Beal [ph]. There's a band called Widower that's really good. Are these people that you perform with? I have, yeah. OK. But, you know, and, like, Jesse Sykes, of course. Most people know her. There're a lot of really talented musicians here. It's pretty crazy. Well great. Thank you for talking. Yeah, thank you for the interview. And yeah, no problem. And yeah, I really have enjoyed the album so far. So I sincerely wish you great success with it. Thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah, no problem. All right. Well, take care.