SXSW Preview: Dolorean

Portland, Oregon rockers Dolorean recently released their critically-acclaimed album, The Unfazed, which they’ll be promoting at SXSW. We caught up with Dolorean’s chief songwriter Al James to discuss his band’s name, the SXSW scene, and what it’s like to read your own reviews.

How did you get your band name?

A decade ago when we started this band I thought it was a cool looking, balanced word without a real meaning. I still feel that way today in spite of the confusion it causes some folks.

A lot of labels get tossed around when trying to describe your music. How would you describe it?

If you held a gun to my head and said choose one label, I’d have to say “folk” because my music is most concerned with telling stories about people which is, to me, the thread of folk music. Other tags I’m comfortable with are “folk rock”, “pop”, and “rock.”

What are you most looking forward to about SXSW?

The best part of SXSW is reconnecting with old friends and watching them play their music.

What will you do down there when you’re not playing?

I try to get a little bit of swimming in. I definitely enjoy the Tex-Mex, the BBQ and the Lone Stars. But mostly, as I said before SXSW is about meeting up with old friends and catching up.

If you could jam with anyone at SXSW, who would it be and why?

If we could jam with anyone at SXSW it would have to be Cee Lo Green. We’d have him sing a laid back, soul-ed out version of our track “Country Clutter.”

Why should people pick up your new album, The Unfazed?

I think that The Unfazed is a great entry way into Dolorean’s music. It’s shows a lot of our best sides – dynamics, storytelling, honesty and restraint.

A lot of rock critics will be attending the festival. What’s it like to read reviews of your music — has anyone ever wrote something that really resonated with you, or do they often miss the mark?

It’s great to get feedback on what we’ve created. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s good or bad. Luckily for us, lots of great writers have been getting it completely right about us and The Unfazed this time around – Jaan Uhelszki, Ken Tucker, Jim Fusilli, and John Schacht have written spot-on pieces.

What’s the best thing about being a working musician?

The best thing about being a working musician is the escape. It’s a great feeling to always be moving.