For KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative, Cameron Henderson welcomed Eric Bjella of Good Carver into the studio for a live acoustic session and conversation about the band’s new album, The Steps We Have To Take. Performing solo for the session, Bjella shared stripped-down versions of “Sinking In,” “Questions from Leon Trotsky Trout,” and “Calmer Waters,” along with stories about the evolution of the Fort Collins-based folk project, collaborating with bandmates Lana, Maxwell Tretter, and Eric Smith, and the inspiration behind the new record.
During the interview, Bjella discussed songwriting influenced by literature, community-driven music spaces in Northern Colorado, and the band’s upcoming June 6 performance at Rich Farms in Fort Collins alongside The Friendly Reminders and Brogan Foster. (Air Date 5/14/26)
Listen to the studio session here:
Transcript:
Cameron Henderson: Okay, so we’ve covered all our bases there. We’re going to go into the studio and talk to Eric, see what’s going down. Eric, can you hear me?
Eric Bjella: Yes, I can.
Cameron Henderson: All right. We’ve got Eric Bjella in here from Good Carver. Thanks for coming down, Eric.
Eric Bjella: Thanks so much for having me. It’s a real treat. Had a really nice drive down, and it was a nice morning.
Cameron Henderson: A pleasant day to play music. KGNU loves having local live music in here, and we always like supporting you guys. Let’s kick into a song before we hear more about your band.
Eric Bjella: Sure, sounds good. This is a song called “Sinking In.” It’s off our record we released about a month ago called The Steps We Have To Take.
Cameron Henderson: In case you’re just joining us, we’re live in the studio with Eric Bjella from the band Good Carver. Eric, tell us why you’re running solo today, and more about the band that’s behind you that’s not behind you.
Eric Bjella: This opportunity came up after we were planning to release the record. I was going to be down here with my bandmate Lana, who plays cello and sings harmonies with me, but she’s sadly not feeling well.
Cameron Henderson: It’s going around. My daughter’s home sick right now as we speak.
Eric Bjella: Oh, bummer. I hope she feels better soon, and hope you feel better too, Lana, if you’re listening.
Then we’ve got Maxwell Tretter on drums and Eric Smith on bass. We’ve been playing together as a four-piece for almost a year and a half, I guess. This started as a solo thing and eventually evolved into playing with Lana and adding various band members as we looked to flesh out the sound.
Cameron Henderson: Where do you find them? On the mean streets of Fort Collins?
Eric Bjella: The mean streets of Fort Collins. Through various projects. Probably the most interesting bit is I had a songwriter residency up at the Wolverine Farm in Fort Collins. For one of those shows, my older sister Sarah, who’s a brilliant cellist, was able to come out and join me, and we arranged some cello parts. Lana was at that show, and I was already friends with Max. Max made the connection and said, “You two should probably play together.”
From the first practice on, I was like, “Yep, that was the right call.” Lana’s been great to play with. As we looked to flesh out the sound, it made sense to add drums. Eric Smith on bass is someone I’ve known for a long while. He’s also a very talented mixing engineer who was kind enough to mix this record for us. It’s nice to have someone else’s ears and expertise on the mixes.
Cameron Henderson: You notice it. It’s got a really good sound. I was listening to it when they said you were coming in. Really nice sound. George, by the way, your sound is really good too—the guitar and the voice. Speaking of which, let’s go on to our next song.
Eric Bjella: Thanks, George. It sounded really good in my ears too.
This next song is called “Questions from Leon Trotsky Trout,” which is kind of a mouthful. I wrote it while I was on a bike ride. I almost wrote it entirely on that ride, just thinking through the lyrics after I finished the book Galapagos. Leon Trotsky Trout is the narrator of Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut, so this was sort of a response to that book.
Cameron Henderson: Eric Bjella live in studio from the band Good Carver. Beautiful song. That song hits me a little bit because as you get older, time becomes super condensed. It gets really intense mentally, and not only that, but physically as well. Thank you. That was very beautiful.
Tell the folks about where you’re playing and what’s going down on your local scene.
Eric Bjella: We’ve got a fun show on June 6 up at a place called Rich Farms in Fort Collins. It’s on the north side of Fort Collins, and it’s kind of a DIY house show venue on this beautiful property. We’re playing with our friends The Friendly Reminders, also a fantastic folk band up in Fort Collins, and a guy by the name of Brogan Foster.
I think it starts around 6:00, and we’ll be hanging out. It should be a good time.
Cameron Henderson: Sounds like a nice place. It’s amazing—the new venues, the hybrid outdoor and studio stuff, and the sound is just so good these days.
Eric Bjella: It’s really fun. We played there last year at the beginning of the summer, and I’ve got to say, we’ve played a lot of really fun shows with amazing bands, but that was just a special show—maybe my favorite one of the last year.
Part of it was the outdoors and the people who were there. It’s always a little bit of a high-wire act when you play outside in early summer because rain tends to come through, and that definitely happened that night. But everybody huddled under this shelter area, and it was nice. It should be a fun time.
Cameron Henderson: You heard it here first on KGNU: Eric Bjella from Good Carver playing June 6 up at Rich Farms. Thanks for coming in. We appreciate your time coming all the way down here to play live.
Eric Bjella: Thanks so much for having me. Could I mention one other show that I’m not playing but I’m excited about?
Cameron Henderson: Yeah.
Eric Bjella: Some friends, Sturtz and Alexa Wildish, are playing at Planet Bluegrass. I think Sturtz is playing there for the first time this Saturday, May 16. You should go see that because they’re awesome.
Cameron Henderson: First appearance of Sturtz at Planet Bluegrass. Inside intel is always appreciated.
Eric Bjella: They’re lovely humans and even lovelier musicians.
Cameron Henderson: All right, well Eric’s going to close out with this song, and we’ll keep going with the Morning Sound Alternative. Enjoy the rest of your day, Eric.
Eric Bjella: Thanks so much for having me and letting me come by and play a few tunes. This one’s called “Calmer Waters.” It’s the first track off the album we just released.
