The singer known as Slim Cessna is a cornerstone of the Colorado music scene.
He and songwriting partner Munly Munly pioneered the so-called "Denver sound" — a mix of country, rock and folk with gothic overtones inspired by the American West — with their long-running band Slim Cessna's Auto Club.
That band is known for its physically demanding live shows and wide range of instrumentation. But with the quartet DBUK, Cessna and his Auto Club band mates take a sparser, more acoustic approach to their unique sound.
Cessna said the new DBUK album, "Songs Nine Through Sixteen," is among his best work. The band's understated folk style allows the musicians reduce the wear and tear on their bodies during live shows.
Cessna and DBUK multi-instrumentalist Dwight Pentacost talked to Colorado Matters about how they struggle to define the band's sound, the collaborative nature of the Denver music scene and memorializing the late John Denver on their new album "Songs Nine Through Sixteen."
DBUK performs at Denver's Lost Lake on Jan. 30.
