Dharma bums sounds like it should be the title of a "Lost" episode, right? In fact, the popular Portland group of the 80's was named after the Jack Kerouac novel. Banding together again to help member Eric Lovre create his latest album, the sound travels back yet another 20 years.

"Well, I hate to say it, but John Moen and I were heavily influenced by Phil Spector when we started making this record," Lovre said. "We’d been listening to the Phil Spector box set, so we recorded most of the drums on my record in mono with a single 1930's microphone through a ’60s tube preamp."

Lovre, who lives in Salem, releases his twelfth album on upstart Los Angeles label Get Deer Records June 20, with a release show at The Roxxy at 9 p.m.

This most recent project entitled "Broken High-Fidelity," features guests appearances by members of The Decemberists, Minus 5, and R.E.M.

John Moen (The Decemberists), Scott McCaughey (R.E.M., Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows) and Dave Mortensen all lent a discerning ear along their musical talent.

"They're all old friends of mine. I’m a lucky dude to know all these great musicians," Lovre said.

His own band consists of MC5 bassist Michael Davis, vocalist Magdalen Powers who is also a keyboardist and percussionist, drummer Joe Le Fore, and rhythm guitarist Rick Quedun.

" She [Powers] is the most dead-on harmony vocalist I’ve ever heard in my life," Lovre said. "It’s like having Emmylou Harris in your band."

Influenced by the sound of music in the '60's, Lovre recorded the entire album using only analog equipment. The conception of the project was based on the fact that he would make a record, not a CD.

"Dave Mortenson, the head of Get Deer Records, offered me an album deal, and he’s doing all vinyl releases," Lovre said. "There seems to be a big vinyl resurgence right now, so it seemed like a cool idea."

The old-school process complemented Lovre's wish for an authentic sound.

"The thing I do that’s different from most people is that every track I record is a complete performance from start to finish," Lovre said.

Recording a session as one would a live performance, (at his own studio, Stonehenge, in Salem, nonetheless) all of the instrumentation is real.

"I want the human element to be 100 percent present all the time in the music," Lovre said.

The over-production of many modern recordings leaves Lovre longing for real sounds and the creativity of a uninterrupted performance.

"Modern records are so fake-sounding; it just drives me up the wall," Lovre said. "I hate technical perfection."

The sunny sound of California pop pervades the record, accenting the "low-fi" vintage recording equipment used.

"I have an enormous collection of vintage analog gear, and I just like to see the big wheels turning and the tubes glowing," Lovre recollected.

Six years since his last recording, he has plunged into to the independent music world that the Northwest is well-known for.

As for the inspiration behind the lyrical content of his newest tunes?

"Most of them were inspired by the break-up of a long-term relationship, and that’s all I’m going to say about that," Lovre said.

"Broken High-Fidelity" is a 10-track record that leads off with the song "Hello," and wraps up with the equally succinct title of "Here."

Also on the bill for his record release show is Salem band Easterly. Doors open at 8 p.m.

In support of the album, Lovre has a series of shows planned in Eugene, Portland, Seattle and San Francisco.

Can't get enough.

Lovre's and his friend/collaborator John Moen also have a side project band called Perhapst with Chris Fun