Langhorne Slim has been gradually clawing his way to the top of the rootsy, boyishly handsome singer-songwriter heap for the past several years. His spirited self-titled 2008 album (recorded with his two-piece touring band The War Eagles) successfully captured the boisterous energy of his concerts, which remain his strongest calling card. Producer Chris Funk of The Decemberists expanded Slim’s straightforward sonic palette on last year’s Be Set Free, adding string parts and horn sections to The War Eagles’ skiffle-like arrangements. But hearing Slim on record still doesn’t have the same power as seeing him in a live setting, where his simple, folky laments are injected with an invigorating dose of rock ’n’ roll fervor. In advance of his show tomorrow, Feb. 10, at the Hi-Dive, The A.V. Club talked with Slim about his rigorous tour schedule—which keeps him on the road eight months out of the year—his approach to songwriting, and why he doesn’t like Elvis Costello.
The A.V. Club: You are on the road most of the year. Is that by necessity or design?
Langhorne Slim: It’s something I really love, but we got that way by accident. I didn’t realize not every band did that. Before I had a record deal, I was living in New York and playing anywhere I could, from somebody’s house to an open mic to coffeeshops. As the years went on we became touring machines. Then I realized later that not every band does that. But it’s really helped get our names out there. You’ve got to get in front of the people.
AVC: Do you ever get weary of the road?
LS: I’d be lying if I said there was no weariness, because there is. But it’s sort of a cyclical thing on the road, where you can be very tired one day and sick of being in the band, and then you have a great show and you feel completely revitalized. There are people that quit bands because they can’t take the road. But we don’t have kids or anything like that, so it’s easier to be on the road, I guess. But, personally, I love it. I get a little tired sometimes, but it’s good work if you can get it.
AVC: What’s your songwriting process like? Do you sit down and say, “I’m going to write a song right now”?
LS: I really admire songwriters or any kind of writer, painter or artist that says, “I’m going to get up at 8 o’clock in the morning and spend this time to this time creating.” I do that sometimes, but the songs I like the best come as gifts from somewhere. It’s almost like you didn’t do anything, like you can’t take credit for it because you sat down and the melody and words came out.