Guest List: Elk’s Inspirations

While recording his debut album Let's Get Married (available now as a digital download and on vinyl from Shape Up Records), Brooklyn-based musician/producer Elk (aka Justin Stein) ended up having to temporarily move back into his parents' home in Michigan. He completed the album in his sister's old bedroom, his grandmother having taken over his own. There, he created the seven tracks of Let's Get Married, a fascinating blend of Afro-Latin grooves, sophisticated 1980s Britpop and spooky electronics that's already one of 2011's most compelling debut albums. In an exclusive for Critical Mob, Justin explains his daily routine while making the album and names the 10 songs he listened to the most while making it.

Justin Stein (Elk): Basically, while I was recording I did almost the same thing every day. Woke up, went downstairs to the kitchen, made breakfast and brought it up to my room. Then I'd check my email and surf the interwebs while I was eating breakfast. Then I would basically work on music from about 10 a.m. to about 7 p.m. I took a break for lunch as well, and I'd usually shoot the shit with my dad for like 20 minutes when he got home at about 4:30. Around 7, I'd go out to my deck and grill dinner and listen to music. I pretty much listened to the same group of songs almost every day. Sometimes some of my bros would come over while I was grilling. The sun was usually starting to come down around this time so Prefab Sprout got a lot of play, more than anything else by far. Then after dinner I'd put on a movie and fall asleep.

Every Tuesday, one of my best friends from childhood would come pick me up and we would go to this Mexican restaurant (the only one in our town) called Border Cantina. We'd been going there since we were kids. We'd sit out on the patio, get sloppy drunk and eat quesadillas. They also had a killer jukebox that played some really great shit. Chicago's "Old Days" and Fleetwood Mac's "Hold Me" were two of the best. Whenever a song came on that I didn't know but I was stoked about , I would ask the waitress. She never knew and would have to go to the back to find out, and always seemed kind of annoyed. After we were done we would hop in my friend's car and blare music. My buddy would always ask me to send him music for the car. Only about 5% of what I sent him would make it into the car.

These are the Top Ten Songs That I Jammed Most While Making Let's Get Married.