Grizzly Bear producer and bassist Chris Taylor is releasing his new solo album Dreams Come True under the moniker CANT. Taylor once joked that the name was a reference to the fact that he “can’t” finish his own projects. All that seems to have changed since meeting George Lewis, Jr., the man better known as Twin Shadow. Last year, Taylor co-produced Twin Shadow’s Forget, and with Lewis working on Dreams Come True, the duo hasn’t missed a beat. Taylor recently spoke with American Songwriter about the difference in the two projects, how he sets up his studio, and what he didn’t learn at NYU.

What’s it like working with George Lewis, Jr.?

In meeting George and becoming really close with him through working on his record, I felt like he’s the person I’d like to make music with. You know how a friend or lover or whoever can empower you – you can do something bigger than you could before. We became really close. He’s one of the most important musical people that I’ve collaborated with. I feel really lucky to have met him. That really helped me. It was very encouraging. I think that records are generally more interesting when more people are working on them.

Was the process similar for working on the Twin Shadow and CANT records?

For Twin Shadow’s record I was in on the production, mixing, and recording side of things. Not necessarily really writing with George. I spent like five months or so working with George’s material for Forget. We spent a week and half or two weeks together writing Dreams Come True. The rest of it I had to finish myself because he had to go and tour Twin Shadow.

Where did you record?

My studio is mobile. It goes anywhere there’s a power outlet. For Forget, we did it in this church in Brooklyn. [Also] in New York at a friend’s house that they let us use. We set up in a large bedroom and made music like that.

What kind of gear do you use?

I have a ‘70s Neve eight-channel console that I use for some pre-amps. [I have] some Chandler pre-amps that I like. Weird effects from the ‘80s, crappy digital effects that I like. Weird effects that no one cares about. I don’t use plug-ins.

What are the synth and drum sounds on Dreams Come True?

Most of the synths were Yamaha DX-7 or Yamaha CS-80. CS-80 is the most amazing synthesizer I’ve ever come across. Definitely used that heavily. My friend had one up at the house we were using. Drum machine-wise, it was just a crappy Alesis from the ‘80s. Real, real basic. Sounds cool. I heard it a lot on noisy industrial bands from the ‘80s. I don’t really know much else about it. Either George or I would program beats in Ableton, or on the drum machine or MPC.

Did you record to tape?

I really wish I had tape. But I don’t. Tape sounds so much better. But it’s expensive and I don’t have it. I’m kind of writing as I’m recording, so for me to pay for a studio with tape would be a pretty big bill, because it takes some time to do it. So no tape unfortunately.

You just mentioned that recording is part of your songwriting process. How does that work?

Production is hand and hand [with songwriting]. I don’t think about it specifically. It’s just kind a part of how I think about music.

Did you study composition at NYU?

No, I studied music technology, which is learning how to record. It’s a pretty crappy program, but I managed to get something out of it because I asked a lot of questions. I grew up playing jazz. Saxophone player. I guess that’s where I learned how to play music.

What’s your favorite song on Dreams Come True?

Honestly, I’m proud of the whole thing. I have to be proud of the whole thing or I wouldn’t be able to release it. I stand by all of it. It’s all really important subject matter. They’re no throwaway lyrics for me as far as I’m concerned. That’s the only way I could release it – to believe in it.

With the advent of digital recording, the number of “project studios” across the globe is higher than ever before. If you have a computer, you can have a decent recording set up for just a few hundred dollars. Released at Winter NAMM this year, the Sennheiser MK 4 Studio Microphone looks to offer these project studios a quality large diaphragm condenser mic at an affordable price.

Instead of boring you with technical specs, I’ll just let you know how this thing sounded with my own recordings and field tests. I assume any beginner studio would have at least one Shure SM57, so I’m going to compare the results of these two mics for voice with acoustic guitar accompaniment. I used GarageBand, a Tascam interface and a Planet Waves XLR cable.

I recorded myself playing an acoustic guitar and singing on a single track, which is where the MK 4 really showed its dominance over the SM57. The microphone really captured the ambiance of the room with its side-addressing capabilities. There was a great balance between the bass and treble notes of my guitar, while my voice had a nice spot in the midrange. The treble was never too harsh, while the bass was nice and tight, but with a richness all its own.

The SM57’s recording produced solid results, but it just didn’t have the warmth and ambiance that the MK 4 produced. I also had to move only a few inches away from the mic to get a solid signal, but such is the nature of dynamic mics. The track was much more sterile and the bass and treble just didn’t have the presence heard on the MK 4.

Several producers have raved about the MK 4 since it’s release, commenting that it “sounds expensive,” despite its $300 street price. Engineers have used it for everything from overheads for drums to rap vocals and reported stellar results. So if you’ve just started a studio, or if you’re looking to upgrade to a better mic for vocals and acoustic instruments, the Sennheiser MK 4 is a solid investment for your recording setup.

Even though I’m mostly an electric player, I have been known to strum a few chords on an acoustic from time to time, but always sitting down. For one reason or another, I’ve never been able to find a nice strap for my acoustic that combined comfort, ease of use and stylish looks into one: Leather straps look great, but they’re too stiff and a pain to get on and off my strap buttons. Nylon straps are comfortable, but just didn’t look right on my acoustic.

New for 2011, Levy’s Leathers' MSSC80 2” Heavy-Weight Cotton strap combines all the features that I look for in an acoustic guitar strap -- the cotton strap is comfortable and loose, while the contrasting colored threads look great and compliment acoustic instruments. The tri-glide adjustment makes changing the length simple and quick. The “cowboy boot design embossing” on the leather ends adds a lavish touch to the strap and it was a breeze to get them on my Taylor’s strap buttons.

Another qualm I always had with leather straps was that I had to take them off when I put my guitar back in its case. It was always a pain to get the straps back on because the leather is so tough. My guitar is still able to fit in its case with the strap still attached and there are no metal parts so I don’t have to worry about it scratching my guitar’s finish.

The MSSC80 is available in Black, Tan or Brown, in lengths of either 63” or 75”. The strap retails for $36.23 for the 63” version and $42.17 for the 75” version, but if you do a bit of bargain hunting, you can find them for around 20 or 30 bucks. I’m happy to say that I’ve finally found a strap that won’t be leaving my acoustic's strap buttons for a long, long time.

We took The Apache Relay, one of our favorite Nashville indie rock bands, to the venerable musical instrument fiesta that is Summer NAMM.

Hijinks ensued, new products were tested, and "Careless Whisper" made a cameo. Check out the resulting video below, featuring possibly the most apathetic drum solo of all time.

Click the image to watch the video