Meet Our Makers

70. El Perro Del Mar - A Sucker for Melancholy

In this episode, we get to meet El Perro Del Mar, AKA: Swedish singer, songwriter, musician, producer Sarah Assbring. In this chat, Sarah and I talk at length about her newest full-length EPDM record, Big Anonymous, out now on City Slang. It's been a while since the last one, and we had a lot to talk about. We talk about the dark and emotional (and very personal) themes on Big Anonymous, the ways in which her sound has (and hasn't) shifted over the years, her lyrical technique, and the ways in which this album was more therapeutic than she ever thought it'd be. We also touch on the peculiar but fitting choice to include a Burt Bacharach cover on this album, as well as how she wrestles with being a contrarian in a world of immediacy and people pleasers. Thank you for listening.

69. Bonnie ”Prince” Billy - Singing Life

In this episode, we get to meet Bonnie "Prince" Billy - aka Will Oldham. Will has had a great year in music, putting out one of his best records yet with Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You (by some counts his 21st record!) back in August. In this chat, Will and I discuss that album at length, including some of what went into and inspired it. We talk about his long history of selecting perfect singing partners and musical collaborators, and how important singing and voices are to him, and how much we have left to learn from older musicians. We also touch on his old material with Palace Brothers, his intermittent acting career (which was his original career aspiration), and the longlasting magic and legacy of his most famous song "I See a Darkness". It was a warm and rambling talk, like hanging with an old pal, and I think you'll enjoy it. Thank you for listening.

68. Jess Williamson - Texan Lightning

In this chat, we get to meet singer-songwriter Jess Williamson. Jess put out her most recent album, Time Ain't Accidental, back in June. (It also happens to be her most acclaimed record yet.) And in this chat, we get to be a bit reflective as opposed to anticipatory. We talk about what the songs mean to her now in the wake vs. the lead-up, and how proud she is of this album. We talk about how her year has gone since then, including touring and the general reaction to these personal songs. We discuss vulnerability and specificity in songwriting, rediscovering her love of her native Texas, and embracing imperfections (and her natural voice) in the studio. She also had a dream about Adrianne Lenker, so, there's that! It was a super fun talk, circuitous in the best way, and I think you'll enjoy it. Thank you for listening.

67. Jolie Laide - It’s Just Music

In this episode, we get to meet Jolie Laide, the new band fronted by acclaimed singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Jeff MacLeod. In this chat, Nina and Jeff and I discuss the makings of this debut record, which just came out this past November. We talk about how they met over 20 years ago, and how now felt like the time to join forces for a new creative project. We discuss the themes and moods of the album, including the desert-style landscapes they conjured for its nine songs, as well as what each of them brought to the record. We talk the ups and downs of band-dom, Nina's magnificent last solo album Riderless Horse, magical guitars, and so much more. I hope you enjoy. (And please forgive my sick voice in the intro for this episode - my cold was not going to stop me!) Thank you for listening.

66. Kevin Drew - Death and a Good Moisturizer

In this episode, we get to meet Kevin Drew. Best known as the sort of de facto captain of indie rock superstars Broken Social Scene, Kevin has just put out his brand new solo album, Aging. In this chat, he and I discuss the album, and its myriad dark, deep, personal themes, as well as what led to its conception and its status as a very piano-led record (which isn't something we've previously associated much with his music). We touch upon Broken Social Scene, and their recent celebration of the 20th anniversary of their landmark record You Forgot it in People. We talk what those songs mean to him now, the music industry at large, and also the staggering glory of Emily Haines and "Anthems for a 17-Year-Old Girl". It's a lovely, very candid conversation, and I appreciate the warmth and kindness Kevin brought to our talk. Thank you for listening.

65. Empty Country - Haunted Places

In this episode, we get to meet Joseph D'Agostino, the frontman and lead songwriter of indie rock outfit Empty Country. Previously known for his now-defunct band Cymbal Eat Guitars, D'Agostino's newest record as Empty Country - aptly titled Empty Country II - is out now, and it's a real treat of high-emotion, high-impact, literary songwriting. In this chat, Joe and I discuss his specific lens through which he shoots his songs and subjects, tracing a litany of fictional characters and their various throughlines across his work and across the hour-plus of material on this new album. Joe has a knack for fictionalizing the real life heart ache and tragedies of the world around him, transposing them into appropriately emotional but never depressing or dreary mini-epics. We talk about his new life in Connecticut, his songwriting inspirations, and more. Thank you for listening.

64. Illeana Douglas - Connecticut in the Movies

In this chat, we get to meet actor and writer Illeana Douglas. Illeana is best known for her film work, costarring in films as wide-ranging as Scorsese's Cape Fear, Gus Van Sant's To Die For, or (one of my personal favorites) Terry Zwigoff's Ghost World. In addition to her film and television, Illeana is also an accomplished writer and film historian, and she has just published her second book, entitled Connecticut in the Movies. In this chat, Illeana and I discuss a LOT about her new book, which was especially exciting given that I grew up in Connecticut just like she did. We talk about the many different versions of CT that have been seen in the movies, the cliches and stereotypes, and the varied styles of films made or set here - from dark suburban dramas to sex comedies. We talk about how surprisingly integral CT has been to filmmaking, and how the state's perception has shifted and ping-ponged from accurate to, well, less-so. We touch on Mystic Pizza's place as our emblematic film, the idea that characters from CT have something odious to hide, and much more. Now, we recorded this while the SAG strike was still ongoing, so we couldn't talk much of her acting work. But fear not - there was plenty to talk about. Thank you for listening.

63. Marnie Stern - Call it a Comeback

In this chat, we get to meet Marnie Stern. Marnie is a singer, songwriter, and electric guitar wizard, who's back after more than a decade-long absence with her fifth record, The Comeback Kid. In this chat, she and I talk a lot about this new album - the songwriting, the production - and what it felt like to get back into her specific style and groove after so long out of the studio. We also discuss what she was up to in the interim, which included having two children and also playing in the house band on Seth Meyers. So needless to say - she's been busy in between albums. But now she's back! And she's ready to melt you. We also talk drumming's importance to her work, the fading glory of blogging, and that one time she ripped the sleeve of a record I bought from her at a show (it's cool). Thank you for listening.

62. Land of Talk - Impulse & Defiance

In this chat, we get to meet Lizzie Powell, the lead singer, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, general jack-of-all-trades of indie rock band Land of Talk. Lizzie and I get deep into the newest Land of Talk record, Performances, which is just out on Saddle Creek. We talk aboutart and creativity, their goals for this record (and beyond), weirdness in music, the almost-defiant attitude that drive a lot of their recent work, Twins Peaks, doggos, and more. We even get a little meta on your butts and talk about the very show that Lizzie is on, which gave me a nice chance to express my profound gratitude for everyone who's agreed to come on and everyone who's listened. (That's you, by the way.) It was such a fun time, and I think you'll really enjoy it. Thanks for listening.

61. Matana Roberts - The Weave

In this chat, we get to meet acclaimed composer Matana Roberts. Best known for their work as a saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer in the world of avant garde and improvisational jazz, Matana Roberts has been making a name for themselves for quite a while. We met on the cusp of the release of the fifth chapter in their ongoing Coin Coin series -- Chapter 5: In the Garden. In this chat, Matana and I go long on this new album, and how it fits into the overall arc of Coin Coin, which sees Matana exploring their own personal and familial history alongside some bitter truths and explorations of American cultural and social history. The new record tells the story of a relative of theirs from the 1920s who died following an illegal abortion, and it's just as beguiling and beautiful as the chapters that preceded it. It's a bit of a circuitous talk, but in the best way - it felt like an alive conversation, and I had such fun diving head first into these complex and nuanced waters with Matana, who met me with warmth and wisdom. Thanks for listening and please enjoy.