Tyler Kamen On the Making Of ‘Cornucopia Modus’
Can you share any interesting or unique stories or perspectives in 'Cornucopia Modus?'
This is my 16th full album and its also the final chapter in the Vegetable Gnome Trilogy and the prequel to the Spectacular Machine Trilogy. 200 years after the events of Bamboozle Tesseract, Gnome City and the surrounding areas of Sunken Valley have been overrun by vegetable mutants. The gnomes and citizens of Sunken Valley have managed to survive underground and in the surrounding hills, but a brave young warrior from the peaceful Vegetable Tribe named Jinx Loon (aka Mr. Loon) grows curious about the outside world. After the gnomes send a recruit to bring Jinx Loon back to their underground city for training, Jinx finds and repairs a broken transmitter (aka The Spectacular Machine) and hears a strange message about how to fix the Bamboozle Tesseract. He then sets out on a quest to Lizard House to find a mechanic and The Cornucopia Modus at Zezop Mountain. This ancient text holds the key to restoring the exploded Bamboozle Tesseract at Gnome City Labs. He packs up and heads out on an adventure to Lizard House to find a mechanic (who we will come to know as The Headmaster). After traveling to the school, finding a mechanic and The Cornucopia Modus, our warrior returns to Gnome City Labs for a final battle against the vegetable mutants, repairing the Bamboozle Tesseract and restoring Gnome City and Sunken Valley to its former glory.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for this album?
Most of the album was recorded over the summer of 2023 with vocals and finishing touches scattered throughout early winter. Most of the electric guitar was done with my Ibanez Artist Hollowbody and it’s a beautiful instrument. You get some great warm tones and sustain and can really dial in between soft and clean vs. distorted/gritty textures. The bass I used is a Jackson Spectra series and it is also equally as beautiful as the Ibanez. I have used it for the past few albums. All music was recorded at Kamen Studios in NYC by yours truly.
What has been one of your most favorite memories along the path to making this album?
The challenges that come with albums like these are almost like a puzzle. How can I push the limits of what I can do compositionally, sonically, etc? Some of my favorite moments are when I get to do those Zappa-like sections that sit somewhere between jazz, classical and insanity. A great example is the track "Bamboozled!", I had a lot of fun with that one.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a musician, and how did you overcome them?
I am always second guessing if something is "good" enough. Projects like this and the rest of the Specatacular Vegetable series are super complicated and come with a great deal of experimentation and risks. At the end of the day, it comes down to what you enjoy to make and what makes you feel good. The greatest challenge is really myself and the emotions that come with being an artist. You also get to see what you are truly made of as a musician with these types of albums. You have to find a balance between intricate composition and emotional song writing that bridges to accessibility, which can always be a difficult task. But I just push through until it all clicks, that is where the magic happens.
Are there any unconventional techniques you've experimented with that led to interesting results?
Some sections get really complicated to a point where you need to just take it in pieces. 'Zezop Mountain' is a great example. There were some lines on guitar that I had to record in bits and fit them together. Then comes the keyboard lines that weave and synchronize with the guitars and bass and that often comes with having to sit and focus on on certain runs of notes.
