The sunny skies and warm weather of Southern California seemingly have no influence on San Diego's The Black Heart Procession. Founding members Pall Jenkins and Tobias Nathaniel (both of Three Mile Pilot) have worked since 1997 with a variety of collaborators, including bassist Jimmy LaValle and violin player Matt Resovich. On first glance, the group sounds familiar, but somehow out of context; further exploration reveals serious musical expertise, combined with a drive to stay unpredictable.

BHP plays moody indie-rock, often described as doomy and sinister, in spite of some explorations into lounge/blues territory on the 2002 CD, Amore del Tropico. Incidentally, the cover of that album bears an uncanny resemblance to fellow Touch And Go Records alumni Big Black's 1987 album, Songs About F***ing. While Amore del Tropico has none of the wounded-rhino fury of the Big Black release, it might not be such a stretch to consider them as two sides of the same coin.

Overall, the BHP sound is quite cinematic. Not quite Morricone territory, exactly, but there are traces of the Maestro's influence in BHP's use of instrument-blending and melancholy atmospheres. For those who absolutely require a point of reference, consider BHP America's edgy answer to Belle and Sebastian. Gearwire caught up with Pall Jenkins to see how the band gets down to business in the studio.

Pall Jenkins: The Black Heart Procession started off with no rules; the idea was to do the things that Toby (Tobias Nathaniel) and I felt, with neither one being able to say no to the other person. Of course, that only lasted for the first record, but we always would experiment in the studio -- coming up with several of the songs in the studio. We started off just writing in our home when we were living together, never meaning to be a "real" band, but as things progressed we realized we were having fun with this new avenue for expression.

GW: Writing songs in the studio can get pricey. How long did it take before you got tired of spending money on studio time?

Jenkins: After the third record, we bought a lot of gear and started recording our own records.

GW: Freedom from studio charges is liberating -- no more worrying about whether or not your latest sonic experiments are going to run into overtime. With that kind of freedom, what techniques do you play with when coming up with a new recording?

Jenkins: I find that we have many different ways of writing and expirement with things to mix up each record. We use Moog and other synths, I usually run a direct line and a amped line for synths with good mic preamps like API or Trident; then also will send it through a Distressor Compressor and stereo when possible.

The synth we use the most is a Nord Lead, I also like the Micro Korg, and I sometimes run the signal through a Space Echo. We have a Studer 24-track, two-inch tape machine that helps things sound great as well.

GW: What advice can you give struggling bands-on-a-budget to get better recordings in the home studio? How can a musician maximize sound without spending a fortune?

Jenkins: The best thing for me was that I saved my money and bought gear that was not cheap -- so buy a few great pieces of gear rather that a bunch of low-end crap. Low-end stuff can be great as well, but the recording has got to sound good in the end. Also, a good song will sound good either way. It's all really about the song and vibe. Vibe is way importanrt to me, but the better the equipment, the better end result.

GW: Your song, "The Spell," is a good example of the kind of multi-layered textures many bands aspire to but can't reach because of a lack of understanding about recording techniques. What's your technical advice for someone struggling to understand the "physics of good sound recording?"

Jenkins: I try not to force things. If it's not working, move on. Maybe later things will come together and with a little time, a sound will find itself and the recording will be a matter of just pushing "record." A lot of it is luck, and experimenting till you have that sound that really moves you. Some things recorded may sound strange when alone and in solo, but put them in the mix with the right EQ, and it suddenly fits. It's also about having a good line running to your recording device. Start with a musician, like Matt our violin player. He is really talented, so it's easy to record him. We communicate the idea, and work till we get it. Starting with him, then a great mic like Royer Ribbon on his violin, a good mic pre to a good compressor. Or no compressor. Then, if you're going to a computer, a good analog/digital converter. We use Apogee. If [recording] to a tape machine, [keep it] aligned and cleaned.

A really important thing is good wiring of your studio. Mogami is great, or any other high-end wiring will sound great and stand the test of time.

GW:What is your favorite piece of studio gear, and how do you use it to enhance your overall sound?

Jenkins: I love Distressors by Empirical Labs. Very pricey, but a great compressor. I love ribbon mics. We just got some Shadow Hills mic preamps I'm really excited about. My baby is the Studer 24-track, two-inch tape machine. I love to use it, and my Neotek board.

GW: One last question. How do you approach your live performances? Obviously you can't recreate everything you record with lots of multi-layered sounds. How do you handle the "live problem?"

Jenkins: I always see recording and live as two different things. Some stuff that happens in the studio doesn't sound right live or needs to be approached in a different way. It's live, you can do anything, as long as it sounds good and people recognize the song. It actually is more fun sometimes for people to hear the song performed in a new way.