In the world of Bummer Camp's Eli Frank, creative momentum is everything. While waiting on mixes from another project, Frank channeled that restless energy into writing and recording the band's sophomore album "Stuck in a Dream" (out February 14 via Trash Casual).
What emerged is a record that embraces contradiction – where spontaneity meets perfectionism, intimate acoustic beginnings transform into shoegaze epics, and imperfection becomes its own kind of perfection.
We spoke with Frank about finding magic in the unplanned moments, the evolution from bedroom recordings to full-band revelations, and why some of the best creative work happens when you're caught in between.
The album was written between projects while waiting on mixes from another unreleased work. How did that liminal creative space—being caught between projects—influence the themes of being "stuck" versus "waking up" that appear throughout the record?
In my past, especially with projects where I’ve had to wait on others to keep writing, recording, or releasing, I’ve definitely had the feeling of being "stuck.". I’m not sure I felt that here, maybe moreso a feeling of anticipation or anxiety to keep pushing.
That definitely “wakes” something up in me. Even now, I’m working on demos, but when I feel inspired, I don’t want to let that escape. So you could also apply it to feeling artistically stuck and awake.
You mention that the songs began as simple humming melodies with acoustic guitar before expanding into these "shoegaze powerhouse" arrangements. What was the most surprising transformation you witnessed as these intimate songs evolved into their final forms?
I have to give credit to my friend & creative coworker Peter Gargano, who plays drums on all these songs (except for "Pass Out"). I demo out all the songs with Peter, and that’s 100% where the greatest transformation happens & where we work out a lot of the kinks. He also helps me decide what songs are worth working on, so big ups to him. Beyond that, they develop more and more as I add things on while I record; it’s a very “in the moment” process.
There's an interesting tension in how you describe the record's emotional landscape - "what's bleak is also beautiful; what's beautiful is also bleak because it is ephemeral." How did you work to capture that duality in the sonic texture of tracks like "Destructive Harmony"?
I’m not sure if I worked precisely to capture that feeling; rather, it’s just what happened. What comes to you naturally ends up being the most powerful. I’ve had issues in the past of forcing ideas, and they never ended up working. With “Destructive Harmony,” the words come to me based on what melody and structure I come up with. Sonically, the production then followed the mood of the words. I fully want it all to blend and feel cohesive, so in that way, it’s deliberate; it’s a bit paradoxical, I guess.
The press mentions that these songs transform significantly when performed live as a four-piece band. When you were recording the album largely solo, did you already have those fuller arrangements in mind, or did the live versions evolve organically through playing with the band?
I fully want the live set to be its own thing. The live experience should have a greater impact; if it doesn't, then I think that’s a huge letdown. Anytime I’ve really gotten into a band, it’s because I saw them live, and it blew me away. I do love recorded music, but there’s something magical about live shows. This band changes around pretty frequently, but I’ve been playing with Peter Gargano, Brett Bivona, & Luk Henderiks for a while in other projects, and they know what I’m after and how to bring it, and they did just that.
You've made an artistic transition from what Flood Magazine describes as "detailed lo-fi bedroom recordings" to this more expansive sound. How has your approach to perfection versus spontaneity in the recording process evolved alongside that sonic growth?
The lo-fi bedroom thing was a means to an end; being stuck at home during COVID-19 made loops, and that’s what came out of it. This is fully what I’ve wanted to make for a long time, and I’ve finally had some time to do it and really focus. The spontaneity occurs in the initial songwriting, and the desired “perfection” occurs during the recording process, even though that is also extremely spontaneous.
The lead guitars & vocals are often thought up in the moment, even though I’ll do 795 takes to make sure it’s the right one. I fully believe perfection cannot happen fully planned out. There needs to be imperfections, spontaneous occurrences, and colors that you can’t see.