Gibbard and Farrar bond over 'Big Sur'

(Autumn de Wilde/Shore Fire Media)

Frontmen for Death Cab, Son Volt blend sounds on Kerouac tribute

Two successful bands and a recent marriage to a Hollywood starlet aren't going to slow Ben Gibbard down.

Mr. Zooey Deschanel, head of Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service, has paired up with Son Volt's Jay Farrar to record "One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur," a tribute to Beat pioneer Jack Kerouac and soundtrack to Jim Sampas' documentary by the same name.

The frontmen, who had never met, were approached nearly three years ago to record select tracks for the film. Mutual admiration for the much-lauded poet/novelist, however, morphed the project into a 12-track LP. Resulting is a blend of Farrar's Americana alt-country and Gibbard's unique rock -- heavy on acoustic guitars, piano and excerpts from the text. The album is being supported by the duo's live performances in six cities, including Tuesday's set at the 9:30 Club.

If you go

Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard (with John Roderick of the Long Winters)

Where: 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW

When: 7 p.m. Oct. 27

Info: $28; 202-265-0930; 930.com

"I'd never met Jay before, and we found ourselves in a studio with a film crew, just blinking at each other, diving right into recording sessions," Gibbard said in a recent interview. "In that first session, we did three or four songs together. We had the trepidation of not really knowing each other; getting to know each other in real time as we were recording made for a beautiful recording."

Production shifted from four studios including early recording in San Francisco, summer 2007, to one week in St. Louis during February 2008 and final tracking in Los Angeles last January.

The two split vocal and guitar duties on the album, which features contributions by members of their respective bands, as well as Brad Sarno on pedal steel, Aaron Espinoza on bass and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster. Farrar also contributes percussion and harmonica, with various drumming by Gibbard.

"It wasn't so much an effortless recording session, but it felt like the songs were in the driver's seat," Gibbard said. "We were very conscious not to overproduce them and add layers of vocals or overdubs."

"There was a familiarity to Kerouac's words," Farrar said. "There was an element of a kid being left in charge of the candy store, in a way. Jack's method of writing -- the idea that you get raw ideas out there, the stream of consciousness method -- I've always appreciated it."

F-Stop/Atlantic Records released the soundtrack and film in multiple packages on Oct. 20, the day before the 40th anniversary of Kerouac's death. Options include the CD, CD and DVD, a box set featuring the film, soundtrack, novel and a 40-page book, as well as a vinyl issue. The film features appearances by Gibbard, Tom Waits, Patti Smith and many of the late author's colleagues.

While crafting the 2008 Death Cab release "Narrow Stairs," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Gibbard stayed in the same cabin that Kerouc used to write "Big Sur" -- a novel detailing an alcoholic's refuge on the central California coast.