Cut Worms on Transmitter, Jeff Tweedy and Empathy in a Digital Age
“Talk is cheap when it comes to saying you understand someone's experience.” Cut Worms’ Max Clarke on Transmitter.
I got to take a moment to sit (virtually) and chat with artist Cut Worms, derived from Max Clarke, about his upcoming album Transmitter releasing on March 13th. We got to talking about the three year pause between his 2023 self-titled project and his upcoming release. Collaborating with Wilco’s lead vocalist, Jeff Tweedy, Cut Worms embarked on the creation of a project that harbours the sound of home while artistically surpassing the threshold of his earlier work. The synergy of Clarke's knack for all things folk, jazz, and Beatles, and Tweedy’s warm and soulful strings worked to make Transmitter a beautiful collaboration, both light and memorable.
Between the tangents regarding the modern day erosion of humanity from technological advancement, and the westernized blueprint of rugged individualism, Clarke and I got to chat about his creative processes for his upcoming project. “The photo stuck out to me as a really striking image”, Clarke remarked about his candid cover art. “It reminded me of a nuclear blast.” Transmitter’s cover captures Clarke saturated and gazing into a sunlit unknown, a sort of perfect homage to the project’s marriage of peace and the hardened edges of lived experience.
The making of Transmitter took place in none other than Clarke’s old stomping grounds of Chicago, alongside Jeff Tweedy. Clarke dove into his experience with Tweedy, making note of the natural harmony between the two in the creating process. “In terms of shaping the project, what he (Tweedy) contributed was the idea of not being too precious.” This idea became a pillar for the fashioning of Clarke’s tracks. Somewhere between overly fleshing ideas out, and leaving the mystery to the listeners ears, Cut Worms found a healthy balance in Transmitter’s tracks, claiming Tweedy inspired him to be able to drop entire verses while still packing the same punch. It’s clear to see this concept play out sonically. Tracks like “Out of Touch” and “Long Weekend” don’t breach the three-minute mark, yet are remarkably rich with warmth that intentionally deepen the project.
“The title is an idea I had about the nature of consciousness, and really being alive”
Clarke said about his choice to brand the project as Transmitter. Through the album’s nooks and crannies you can find a pocket of sound that feels warm, memorable, and deeply human. We discussed the idea of electronic correspondence and information flow, a very metallic topic considering the lightweight feel of his upcoming work. But what Clarke achieved from this juxtaposition was beautiful; In the face of adversity, and a troubled system that deems you docile, humankind can find a way to keep its head above water. Maintaining optimism amongst the cynicism is the name of Transmitter’s game.
“Windows On The World” was Cut Worms’ lead single to usher in Transmitter. He spoke about his process in creating the piece: “Usually the way that I write is when I capture a tune or a melody that’s suggestive of some story, and from there it's line by line that becomes a puzzle piece.” The lead single is out now with an accompanied video, and is some of Clarke’s best work. “This song fell together in the studio in a day, and I’m really pleased with how it went” remarked Clarke. In my pursuit of experiencing his prequel to the project, I clung to a lyric that floated so sorely atop the tracks floating guitar melody: “There’s a time and place I know, I just never found it then.” A heavy lyric that needed the spotlight moment, Clarke and I discussed the themes of past, present, and future melting into one concept within his upcoming work.
“There’s things that happen in moments of great trauma, it affects the nature of time. It’s a mystical experience where you're feeling the past, present, and future all at the same time”
Clarke said. And I feel this was a guiding theme in his upcoming work. Transmitter seeks to understand that despite our present-day selves, it's natural to feel the pangs of our past in truths that reveal themselves.
“Maybe this sounds trite, because empathy gets thrown out a lot these days, but putting yourself into someone's experience and trying to understand the world from their perspective is an idea I'd like people to take from it”, said Clarke about his upcoming work. This album for Cut Worms marks a moment of shifted perspectives, crafted storytelling, and subtlety.
“When I was writing these songs, I felt I was writing from other people’s perspectives, regardless if that’s a pleasant place to be.”
And in taking a moment to step outside himself, Cut Worms has created his most human work yet. Listen to Transmitter out on March 13th via Jagjaguwar.