The Red and Black

Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Variety

Media Credit: PHOTO COURTESY TIM SCHAAR Members of Atlas Sound pose for a portrait. The group will [Click to enlarge]

Bradford Cox is a busy guy.

Frontman for the critically acclaimed Atlanta band Deerhunter, Cox now is focusing on another project.

Atlas Sound is the moniker Cox has given himself when he plays solo, and he is releasing an album entitled "Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel."

Cox writes the music and plays all the instruments on the record, though he will have a backing band on tour.

He said Atlas is not an exercise of ego.

"I just got tired of waiting for a whole band to get together and practice," he said.

Whether for Deerhunter, Atlas Sound or his blog, Cox is putting out music he said is inspired by the simplest things.

"I'll obsess over maybe a certain tone or sound of a drum-kit or a microphone or something, and then that can inspire me to make a whole song."

"It's just an obsession with music... I know it's unhealthy because sometimes I find myself staying up for 24 hours straight just to make music," he said.

He said his songs are written for their individual outlets.

"When I write an album, I'm writing it in order. I write like I guess some people would write a book or a screenplay. I have an idea of how I want it to feel at the beginning... and how to get from the beginning to the end."

For fans of Deerhunter, Atlas Sound might be a departure. Cox said the music is more primitive and basic.

"On the album, a lot of it is electronic, but definitely rock influence, garage influence," said Stephanie Macksey, 28, who plays with Atlas Sound.

Saturday's show at the 40 Watt will be the band's first on-stage performance.

Cox and Deerhunter, along with Atlanta band The Black Lips, have a reputation for wild shows.

Cox said the on-stage personas are spontaneous bursts he follows without questioning and are partly a result of the expectations many Atlanta bands had coming into the scene.

"We didn't expect anybody to care what we were doing, so we never really thought about how to be cool. I think it has a lot to do with our sense of humor," he said.

Still, though, he has some regrets.

"I don't really know what I was thinking when I did all that wearing dresses and fake blood and all that stuff. I wish I hadn't done that."

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