After a dozen years and seven tries, the Connells think they've finally got the sound right.
The North Carolina six-piece group released "Weird Food & Devastation," its seventh full-length album, this year. According to guitarist Mike Connell, the band's founder, it's their first release that actually sounds like the band's live show."We haven't always done a very good job of capturing our live sound," Connell said in a recent telephone interview. "At least, from my perspective, we've come off sounding stiff rather than natural."
For the album, the first release by the group in three years, the Connells worked with producer Tim Harper, who has been their live sound engineer for several years.
"(Tim) really helped create a relaxed atmosphere, so I think that really helped things unfold naturally. Nothing he did seemed forced, and things just came off better," he said.
The Connells will bring their brand of Southern pop-rock to Salt Lake's Zephyr Club, 301 S. West Temple, Friday, Nov. 22.
"Weird Food & Devastation" may be the band's most democratic effort. Five of the six members contributed to its 14 songs. Yet the album is also its more coherent release, according to Connell.
"With the exception of (guitarist George Huntley's) songs, everybody's sort of adopted a reasonably uniform style of songwriting," he said. "There's no real explanation for that, but it sure helps."
Though fans may astutely notice the influence of both R.E.M. and the Replacements on the Connells' sound, Connell also says the group has learned from British art/folk-rockers Jethro Tull.
"For me, Ian Anderson taught me how to write songs," he said. "Especially early on, I kind of tried to imitate his chord progressions - those weird, minor-chord, British folk sounds."
Punk-pop act froSTed, led by former Go-Gos member Jane Wied-lin, will open the show at 10 p.m.
Tickets for the concert, which is open to patrons 21 years old and up, are $12 in advance from the club during business hours or at all Smith'sTix outlets, which also includes a service charge. The Zephyr Club is a private club for members.