The steady creative partnership between Britt Daniel and Jim Eno is the heart of Austin’s beloved Spoon. If Eno were “just” the drummer for the band, that’d be enough: he can do funk, rock, and just small details, all with an unflashy commitment to Daniel’s taut songwriting. Yet Eno also adds a producer’s ear to Spoon. So many of the band’s best songs push and pull between pop and the deeply strange, matching rock tradition with a hefty dose of experimentation. But this core ingredient didn’t fully bloom until Spoon got its own playground.
Eno started Public Hi-Fi as a home studio in 1998, first recording Spoon’s efforts before upgrading and throwing open the doors in 2006. The studio’s list of clients includes Austin favorites (Bill Callahan, Heartless Bastards, Grupo Fantasma) alongside international superstars (Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire). As Austin has expanded, Public Hi-Fi has grown into one of the most-revered studios in the country.
For Lucifer On The Sofa, Spoon’s 10th album, the group returned to Public Hi-Fi for the first time in years. There’s a thrilling energy to the record: one band, one room, all pulling in the same direction. And at the heart of it all is Jim Eno, quietly pushing this machine towards new horizons.
This week on My KUTX, Eno is our guest DJ. His selections include tour buddies, favorite drummers, and a song that guided “I Summon You” into a new direction. Hear Jim Eno’s My KUTX on Saturday, February 19 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime in the player above.
Playlist:
- Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “The Greatest Thing”
- PJ Harvey – “C’mon Billy”
- CAN – “I Want More”
- Moonshake – “City Poison”
- Jagwar Ma – “Uncertainty”
- William Onyeabor – “Body And Soul”
- Husky Loops – “Enemy Is Yourself”
- Warpaint – “Love Is To Die”
- Courtney Barnett – “Sunfair Sundown”
- Wolf Parade – “Dear Sons And Daughters Of Hungry Ghosts”
- Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – “Cool ‘N’ Out”
