Jason Iselin and Jeffrey Stevens seem to contradict themselves at every turn.
The duo, who make up the Denver experimental band George&Caplin, often think of their music as formulaic and pop-oriented, even though it’s wickedly atmospheric and innovative. They create electronics-heavy songs without using a computer or recording software. On their records, their guitars sound like keyboards and their voices sound like digital instruments.
And despite the fact they have self-released three albums and played dozens of shows, they sometimes think of themselves as timid and naive.
“We’ve never had our music pushed beyond Denver in a real way,” said Stevens, on lunch break from his job as a teacher at Fletcher Elementary in Aurora.
Things are about to change.
Beta-Lactam Ring Records, one of the country’s premier experimental music labels and home to such seminal noise groups as The Legendary Pink Dots, is releasing George&Caplin’s fourth album, “Things Past.” For the first time, the band plans to tour extensively outside of Denver and grow their fan base.
Iselin, who counts guitar, mandolin and keyboards among his band duties, said he and Stevens mailed hundreds of demos to labels, but it was a stray record review in The Seattle Press that caught the attention of Portland, Ore.-based Beta-Lactam Ring.
“This was our first experience with anyone being in control of a project and we wanted to be tight with (them) because it was a long distance,” said Stevens. The band’s fears were quickly allayed after traveling to Portland last year for a label showcase and meet-and-greet with owner Chris McBeth.
“We like control, which is why we don’t go to a studio (to record),” said Stevens, who handles vocals, drums, trumpet and other assorted roles.
Since forming George&Caplin in 2001, the two friends have met Saturdays at their Capitol Hill home-studio for improv and recording sessions. Having known each other since they were 4 years old, the guys have developed an unspoken system for supporting each others’ creativity, even if it sometimes displays itself violently.
“When we played back one of our very first songs Jeff was so pumped he threw a chair,” Iselin remembered, chuckling.
On “Things Past,” the songs at times feel like a gifted child’s crayon drawing, full of colorful, squiggly melodic lines and messy, impressionistic moments. A fond but clear-eyed sense of nostalgia reveals itself on tracks like “Stationwagon Sleepingbag” and “Filmstrips Fade.”
The influence of innovators like Brian Eno, John Cage and even early New Order can be felt throughout the album. But the music is unpretentious and surprisingly accessible.
Stevens, who helped Iselin land a job at Fletcher Elementary, too, sees all this as an extension of the childhood days when he and Iselin played in the cul-de-sac on their street.
“We were developing parachutes and secret weapons for our Big Wheels,” he said. “It’s just a different set of toys now. In the end, whether it all fades or disappears, we’ll still be there on Saturday.”
Staff writer John Wenzel can be reached at 303-820-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com.
George&Caplin
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