Drummer Abe Cunningham talks the journey behind Deftonesʼ eighth record, Gore, trying to make full albums in a singles-based world, and playing around with juxtapositions while striving for balance at this point in the band’s career.
I had a chance to chat on the phone with Americana star, Jason Isbell, about his album release, Something More Than Free. We talked about his philosophy on songwriting, the challenge of following up his magnum opus (2013’s Southeastern), the prospect of him becoming a father, his opinion on why women make better artists than men, the role producer Dave Cobb plays in creating his records, and the idea of blending fiction and non-fiction for songs that always strike a chord.
I got to speak on the phone with the ever-amusing and ultra-talented Matt Nathanson. In our interview, Nathanson described the disjointed but ultimately satisfying nature of his brand new album, Show Me Your Fangs. We also discussed the unpredictable audience-request format of Nathanson’s current tour, how some of the best records have “great topography” instead of being thematically or musically cohesive, and how elements of hip-hop and R&B have slowly crept into Nathanson’s singer/songwriter-oriented music.
I recently had the chance to sit down and chat on the phone with the great Brian Fallon. The interview runs a range of topics, including the inspiration behind Fallon’s folk-heavy new solo album Painkillers (due March 11th), working with Butch Walker, the uncertain future of The Gaslight Anthem, favorite Springsteen songs, and the intriguing possibility of an Elsie: Part II.
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I recently spoke with William Beckett. The Academy Is… have recently just gotten back together for RIOT Fest and are now ready to kick off their Ten Year Anniversary tour of Almost Here.
Was coming together for RIOT Fest the only reason the band started to talk again, or was it something that was in the back of your mind?
Well; RIOT Fest was always a bucket list goal being from the Chicago area. It’s potentially our favorite festival and I’m not sure if our band was cool enough to get it in the past. But the offer came up and we all got on the phone; Adam, Mike, and I, and we discussed it. The consensus was we really want to do this for the right reasons. Our tour with Jack’s Mannequin, we cancelled and that was not the ideal circumstance. When the RIOT Fest email came in we talked it over and always wanted to, it was like a festival in Chicago, where were celebrating Almost Here ten year anniversary and it just felt right.
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I had the opportunity to speak with the extremely humble and extremely talented Julien Baker about her recent album, Sprained Ankle. We covered everything from the album’s recording to spirituality and, naturally, we nerded out over David Bazan. Baker is a young songwriter with a lot to say, and luckily for all of us, it seems her career is only just beginning.
Frontman Justin Pierre discusses Motion City Soundtrack’s latest album Panic Stations, writing from a more instinctual place, how his relationship with music has changed over the years, struggling with writer’s block, and not planning the future too far in advance.
Vince Staples discusses his debut full-length Summertime ’06, giving people an understanding of where he’s coming from, telling both sides of the story, and wanting to have a legacy in music.
Frontman Keith Jeffery chats about aiming for a bigger sound on Atlas Genius’ sophomore effort Inanimate Objects, being overwhelmed by the whirlwind touring and success of the first album, and writing songs that always contain a glimmer of hope.
Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio talks about his debut solo album The Names, life in London, the challenges of singing for the first time, and not getting bogged down in expectations.
Lead singer Paul Meany details the four-year process behind Mutemath’s upcoming fourth album Vitals, continually chasing the euphoric feeling of finishing a record, why the band has come full circle creatively after 10 years yet still pushes forward, and how writing songs that embody a spirit of life has helped him navigate as he’s grown older.
Robert DeLong chats about being more intentional on his second album In the Cards, approaching dance from an indie/singer-songwriter perspective, his unique musical background, and predicts the future of electronic music.
Last week, I got the chance to spend a half hour chatting with Seattle-based folk singer/songwriter, Noah Gundersen. Fresh off the release of his 2014 debut album, Ledges, and already gearing up for the release of the follow-up, Carry the Ghost, Gundersen spoke candidly about the collaborative nature of his new album, about keeping the intimacy of his earlier music alive whilst moving into full-band territory, about exploring difficult subjects like religion and existentialism in his lyrics, and about why we’ll probably be hearing yet another new album from him sooner rather than later.
Lead singer Daniel Armbruster dives into the transformative experience of making Joywave’s debut album How Do You Feel Now?, going No. 1 with “Dangerous,” sampling Disney animated classics, growing up in Rochester, and dealing with the bumps in life.
Jim Adkins discusses taking a breather from Jimmy Eat World by going solo for the first time, exploring and reinterpreting ‘50s and ‘60s pop music, and why he’s releasing his songs individually instead of as an album.