The Crash That Took Me made a splash in the local scene with its 2007 debut album Orchestrated Kaleidoscopes. Frontman Dylan Silvers (formerly of DARYL) and his bandmates created a mix of dreamy vocal harmonies and bombastic arrangements, citing the color spectrum as their inspiration.

Expect an even bigger and bolder sound from the seven-piece band's sophomore record, Chlorine Colored Eyes, out this week on Idol Records' new art-rock sub-label Exploding Plastic. Silvers (who also helps find other acts for Exploding Plastic) told us in an interview that found sounds and experimental recording techniques played a substantial part in shaping the new record.

"I am always trying to find new sounds to manipulate for studio use," Silvers said. "Once you step over certain edges and see things in a different light, there's no going back."

Joined by Eddie Thomas, Fatima Thomas, Beau Wagener, Becki Howard, Seth Bohlman and Kevin Howard, Silvers will celebrate the release of Chlorine Colored Eyes at a show this weekend at Sons of Hermann Hall. Here's more from the singer.Q: Tell me a little about your background – how and when did you first get into music, and who were one or two artists who caught your ears early on?

Silvers: My older brothers were the ones who turned me on to music. They had record players before I did. They would play their music so loud that I would be forced to hear what they where listening to. I would have to say the Who, especially Quadrophenia, was a big fave early on.

Q: Considering the sound of the Crash That Took Me's last record, where did you guys want to take this new one in sound and themes when you started it?

Silvers: Sonically, we developed the songs at a nice, slow pace. We definitely wanted to have more dynamics than the last one. We started using a lot of open tuning at the beginning. And that opened a lot of new doors to finding unique chord choices. We were very influenced by the musical movements of the late '60s. We tapped into all these experimental tape-recording methods from the Beatles' Revolver sessions. ... The methods were not only time-consuming doing it the old-school way, but also mathematical. But we were definitely able to create something more organic and dense that way.

Q: Talk more about some of the experimental recording techniques you guys tried. What, in layman's terms, is double-track recording? Did you speed up voices at all?

Silvers: Double-track was an analog recording technique to enhance the sound of voices or instruments. It basically creates a double without having to sing it or play it again. Sort of like a tape delay. You have to have two tape machines to do it proper. By doing this, you can create a lush double that can't be matched digitally. My producer Casey [Diiorio] spent countless late-night hours to perfect the method. We used it on every song. Varispeed was a big player, too. We used it a ton on the vocals. We would slow down most of the band tracks, then I would sing over that, then put it back to its original speed. And that would create a totally different variation on a vocal take. ... Lots of fun!

Q: What's the band's working dynamic? Are recording sessions fairly loose?

Silvers: I usually come up with the chord progressions and the arrangements. After that, everybody brings their two cents in, and we start to mold it into a wall of sound. There's a lot of input from everyone by the time a song is complete. ... Casey and I drove the boat on this last record. We both had a vision for how we wanted it to sound. Once the tape machine was full, I moved over to my house to work out a lot of the psychedelic landscapes. I would have different people come over and do things. I stayed up late every night trying to find interesting sounds to put over the recording. I even recorded a live cicada in my room.

Q: Will there be a "single" for the album?

Silvers: You should pick one out for us!

Q: OK, I might need suggestions. Tell me about a couple of tunes that stand out to you.

Silvers: "Through the Pattern and Out the Other Side" and "The Longest Winter's Gone" are two of our faves. Both kind of take you on a rollercoaster of emotion and sound. I love the way "Empty Vacuum" came out. We vari-speeded almost all the parts on there. And everyone likes the bombast of "Patricia Lynn."

Q: You sent the album off for mastering at Abbey Road, just like the debut. What has the staff there told you about their impressions of the music?

Silvers: One great quote from Sean Magee, our engineer at Abbey Road: After he had it for a couple of days and had some time to soak it up, he sent back an e-mail saying, "This record is pretty [expletive] brilliant." He was the first person to hear it. So that was encouraging.

Q: There are definite Beatles influences here – can you talk about the eras or albums that guided you most and why?

Silvers: It starts with Revolver. It's the beginning stages of their experimentation that I adore, right in to Sgt. Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour. They have made a huge impact on ideas for a while. And the orchestral side of these records is brilliant and beautiful.

Q: What else do you have in store for Exploding Plastic? What are your day-to-day duties involved with the sub-label?

Silvers: I spend a lot of time when I have it, searching out bands known and unknown. I have talked to bands like the Lilys, Serena Maneesh and Steven Severin about doing 7-inches or splits. ... I have contracts out with various people. Nothing is for certain at this point, but the reception with the artists that I love has been warm and inviting. Erv [Karwelis] does all the paperwork. I am the seeker.

The band releases Chlorine Colored Eyes at a show Saturday at 8 p.m. at Sons of Hermann Hall,

3414 Elm St. With opening act Stereo Is a Lie.

$10 (cover gets you a copy of the CD). 214-747-4422. sonsofhermann.com.

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