Chris Walla

Known both as the guitarist/producer in Death Cab for Cutie and as an in-demand producer of other independent-minded artists (Tegan & Sara, Decemberists), Walla brings a refined aesthetic and melodic ear to everything he involves himself in. Walla's past recordings of his own songs (occasionally made available online under the name Martin Youth Auxiliary) have mostly been quickly-recorded lo-fi sketches unintended for widespread release. His upcoming release, titled field manual, represents the first time his own songs have been given the studio attention and thought-out approach to recording for which he is in such demand by others. In addition to the expected difficulties he encountered attempting to approach his own work with the necessary detachment of a producer (difficulties which led Walla to enlist the help of Canada-based British ex-pat and Midnight Oil/The The producer Warne Livesey), the project hit an unexpected snag when a data hard drive containing critical album files was detained by US Customs. The drive was held "to be analyzed" for several weeks on its way back into the US prior to final mixing of the album. Despite delays in meeting his production schedule, Walla has put the finishing touches on the album during breaks between his other commitments (using a back-up hard drive that was successfully shipped into the US following the detention of the first drive.)