Rufus Wainwright speaks with Kyle Meredith about Unfollow The Rules, his first set of pop songs since 2012’s Out of the Game. The two discuss what he’s brought back to the genre, after spending the decade in classical and Shakespearian sonnets, and how he sees this as his second act with parallels to Leonard Cohen and Frank Sinatra’s late-career releases. Wainwright, who now lives in Los Angeles, also talks about the magic and history of Laurel Canyon, and its inspiration on the new songs, befri...
Mar 25, 2020•21 min•Ep. 301
Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann gives Kyle Meredith a ring to talk about the first new music from the Chapel Hill band in 23 years. Bachmann takes us back to the first reunion shows that happened early last decade and the specific character that he must inhabit to write for the group. On that note, he discusses single “Raleigh Days”, which tells the story of the '90s scene that helped birth so many of their peers. Later on , Bachmann details their plans for an ongoing singles series befor...
Mar 23, 2020•25 min•Ep. 300
Phantogram’s Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter give Kyle Meredith a call to discuss their fourth LP, Ceremony. The duo explain how the album is essentially a rebirth for them after 2016’s Three, which dealt with the suicide of Barthel’s sister. The two share how they've been working on their own mental health, especially within a touring life that pushes many artists to depression and substance abuse. The trip-hop revivalists also talk about co-writing with Billy Corgan, being named as an inspiratio...
Mar 20, 2020•19 min•Ep. 299
Soccer Mommy's Sophie Allison joins Kyle Meredith With... to unpack Color Theory. The Nashville singer-songwriter explains how the album is sectioned into three thematic colors: blue for depression, yellow for mental and physical illness, and gray for mortality. She shares how all three colors make up the stories of recent hurdles she and her family have faced amidst tough times. She also discusses her bouts of loneliness, why she relates water to sadness, taking inspiration from '90s music and ...
Mar 18, 2020•27 min•Ep. 298
Des Rocs is a man on a mission and that mission is called Rock And Roll. The New York native speaks with Kyle Meredith about his quick rise to prominence and a history that stretches back to the band Secret Weapons. Rocs explains how he uses loneliness as momentum for writing, shares how he's taken inspiration from David Byrne/Talking Heads, and tells an embarrassing story about opening for The Rolling Stones. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy --- This episode ...
Mar 16, 2020•21 min•Ep. 297
Circa Waves frontman Kieran Shudall speaks with Kyle Meredith about Sad Happy. The Liverpool-based singer-songwriter dives into the quick turnaround, his writing process, and how he sees this LP as a set to find out who the band really is after blasting off just a few years ago. Themes of class divide work their way into the music as the band becomes more politically vocal, siding with Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party in the recent UK election and comparing his platform to that of Bernie Sanders in ...
Mar 13, 2020•25 min•Ep. 296
U.S. Girls creator Meghan Remy speaks with Kyle Meredith about Heavy Light, the new LP that finds the Toronto-based artist looking back at her childhood for answers. Remy discusses the importance of having a voice conductor on her team, which allowed for a pallet of harmonic wizardry and also gave the record depth through spoken word pieces that weave between the songs. Along with tour stories of rude tour managers and working in a patriarchy, Remy also throws some love to classic girl groups, w...
Mar 11, 2020•23 min•Ep. 295
Kodaline’s Steve Garrigan brings Kyle Meredith up to speed on everything going down in 2020. That starts with the new single “Where you Are”, which sets up their yet-to-be formally announced new album. Garrigan takes us through the reasons they chose to self-produce this time and how they recorded the entire record in a kitchen. He also discusses how the album takes a hard look into anxiety and mental health, two areas the frontman has been raising awareness on with U2's Adam Clayton and his Wal...
Mar 09, 2020•22 min•Ep. 294
King Krule singer-songwriter Archy Marshall calls Kyle Meredith to discuss his latest album, Man Alive! The experimental songwriter details the effects of recently becoming a parent, writing about depression in the past tense, and getting inspiration from French film aliens. We also hear about collaborating with Nilufer Yanya on “(Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On” and how, as he says, he just properly heard The Beatles for the first time while producing this LP. For information regarding your data...
Mar 06, 2020•14 min•Ep. 293
Of Montreal singer-songwriter Kevin Barnes calls Kyle Meredith to detail the outfit’s latest record, UR FUN. Together, they dig into its '80s influences, especially the sounds of Cyndia Lauper, Janet Jackson, and the mid-decade pop era. Barnes also connects the political climate of that time to what’s currently happening in Congress, and how those bigger themes find their way through many of these songs. The psychedelic-pop wizard also talks about combining references of art and pop culture into...
Mar 04, 2020•18 min•Ep. 292
After 29 years, The Psychedelic Furs have returned with a brand new album, Made of Rain. Co-founder Tim Butler speaks with Kyle Meredith about the reason for the absence of new music, finding new fans while catering to older ones alike, and gathering influence from bands who were originally influenced by the Furs. Butler also talks about this new set having more band input than ever before, bringing Guns N’ Roses guitarist Richard Fortus to co-produce, and looking toward David Essex as a touchpo...
Mar 02, 2020•22 min•Ep. 291
Caribou mastermind Dan Snaith speaks with Kyle Meredith about his new album Suddenly. The songwriter discusses the differences in where he left off musically on 2016’s Our Love to produce a set inspired by Alternative R&B and classic soul. Snaith also details how the album began by whittling down over 900 draft ideas, working with his best friend/sounding board Four Tet, and creating an album with loss as a central theme without creating something sad. We also get a preview on what to expect...
Feb 28, 2020•26 min•Ep. 290
Nathaniel Rateliff rings up Kyle Meredith to discuss his latest album, And It’s Still Alright, which finds the “S.O.B.” artist returning to his singer-songwriter roots. Rateliff details how much of the writing came after the latest Night Sweats LP where he could look at his recent divorce with the clarity of a little more time. It was around then that his friend and longtime producer Richard Swift passed away, which gave the resulting songs even more weight. Still, Rateliff says that the main at...
Feb 26, 2020•24 min•Ep. 289
Mike Campbell gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss Wreckless Abandon, his debut album with The Dirty Knobs. The Heartbreakers co-founder gives us the history of the project, which stretches back over a decade, and talks about what it was like to play nearly-secret live shows with an unknown band that carried no hits to fall back on. We also hear about collaborating with Chris Stapleton on "Fuck That Guy" and the story behind the title track. Campbell says that he would have liked to have seen w...
Feb 24, 2020•20 min•Ep. 288
Lisa Loeb gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss her latest album, A Simple Trick To Happiness. Her first true-blue adult album in over a decade, the singer-songwriter explains what she brought over from her string of children's albums, why she's focusing on more piano-driven music, and how she's finding inspiration from 70's artists like Elton John and Carole King. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of her major label debut, Tales, so we head back to 1995 to hear about the making of that ...
Feb 21, 2020•54 min•Ep. 287
Zac Brown gives Kyle Meredith a call to detail his two new records: The Owl features the Zac Brown Band, while The Controversy is billed as his first solo pop album. Both albums showcase an artist stretching out into new sounds and working with some of pop's biggest producers, including Max Martin, Benny Blano, Ryan Tedder, and Skrillex. Brown gives us details into why he chose to take this direction, his need to explore, and some of the comments that critics and purists have given in response. ...
Feb 17, 2020•22 min•Ep. 286
Walter Martin jumps on the line with Kyle Meredith to dive into the details behind his new album, The World At Night. The co-founder of The Walkmen discusses writing much of the new record as a tribute to Stewart Lupton, his childhood friend and collaborator in Jonathan Fire Eater, which more or less launched the NYC indie scene of the late '90s/early '00s. We also hear about Martin's penchant for using animals, nature, and theatrics in his songs, writing "Do-Dilly-Do" for Missing Link, his day ...
Feb 14, 2020•18 min•Ep. 285
Drive-By Truckers co-lead Patterson Hood speaks with Kyle Meredith about the band's latest LP, The Unraveling. The Athens, GA group found themselves writing arguably their darkest record, an unintended follow up to 2016's American Band that surveys the political landscape in real time. Hood talks about the difficulty of explaining the latest headlines to his kids, from school shootings to our own government putting babies in cages. We also hear how the song "21st Century USA" became a turning po...
Feb 12, 2020•25 min•Ep. 284
Derek Sanders chats with Kyle Meredith about his debut solo EP, My Rock and Roll Heart, which finds the Mayday Parade lead singer recording acoustic covers from Saves The Day, Something Corporate, and The Juliana Theory. The title itself comes from Jimmy Eat World's "A Praise Chorus", which gives the two a chance to discuss the genius of the Bleed American record. Sanders also remembers the Tallahassee scene that gave him his start, local legends But Lauren, and how 20 years on, emo and punk-pop...
Feb 10, 2020•19 min•Ep. 283
The Naked and Famous guest on the latest Kyle Meredith With... to discuss their latest release, Recover, a record that finds them once again becoming a duo after a decade of various lineups. Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers expand on the the new LP's darker patches, including Powers having a near-death experience after a bout of sepsis, and the moment that love meets mortality. And with their debut album Passive Me Aggressive You turning 10 this year, we also hear about the importance of that brea...
Feb 07, 2020•29 min•Ep. 282
Silverstein singer Shane Told jumps on the line with Kyle Meredith to dish about the band's latest LP, A Beautiful Place To Drown, which arrives on the emo-metal group's 20th anniversary. Told discusses writing on synth and employing saxophone for the first time, knowing when to scream, and the importance of hope in a set of otherwise despair-filled lyrics. The new record takes a hard look at mental health and mass anxiety surrounding the current landscape, and even gives a history lesson on the...
Feb 05, 2020•33 min•Ep. 281
Dave Clark of The Dave Clark Five gives Kyle Meredith a call to talk about the band's new compilation, All The Hits, which finds the legendary group's songs on vinyl for the first time in decades, remixed and remastered at Abbey Road Studios. On that topic, Clark dispels the long-running notion that there was ever a rivalry between the DC5 and The Beatles. We also hear about taking on their record label to release "Because" as a single, the Coast To Coast LP (fun fact: "Any Way You Want It" was ...
Feb 03, 2020•14 min•Ep. 280
Poliça vocalist Channy Leaneagh speaks with Kyle Meredith about the band's new record, When We Stay Alive, and the 10 ft. fall from a rooftop that left her temporarily paralyzed while writing the songs. Leaneagh discusses the identities of her own character both before and after the event, the idea of mentally rewriting her own history as an act of coping, and using that same concept in all of our lives to process the larger cultural environment. We also hear how her involvement in Justin Vernon...
Jan 31, 2020•26 min•Ep. 279
Hollywood Undead’s Johnny 3 Tears gives Kyle Meredith a shout to discuss the band's latest LP, New Empire Vol. 1. The first of two concept albums finds the band in a much heavier setting than usual, a move that 3 Tears argues comes during a time of reimagining that goes beyond the music and even involves the members leaving their trademark face-masks behind. The two also take some time to talk about the resurgence in metal as a popular genre and the importance of its scene. For information regar...
Jan 29, 2020•24 min•Ep. 278
Scotty McCreery gives Kyle Meredith a call to dish on The Soundcheck Sessions EP. The country star discusses the validating moment of taking back control over his songwriting and seeing his album Seasons Change soar to No. 1 with the help of single "Five More Minutes". The feat made him the first artist to do so without a manager or label after having been dropped following his 2013 effort. McCreery also talks about being looked at as a perfect Christian kid after winning American Idol's 10th se...
Jan 27, 2020•16 min•Ep. 277
Air’s Nicola Godin gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss his latest solo album, Concrete and Glass, a concept record that has roots in his love for architecture. Godin speaks about the larger topics in play, working alongside Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, and why we'll have entire AI-made music on the charts within a year. The two also explore the current trend of minimalism in pop music, his love for sensuality within his own songs, his thoughts on the 20th anniversary of TheVirgin Suicides soundtr...
Jan 24, 2020•17 min•Ep. 276
Evanescence mastermind Amy Lee gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss covering Fleetwood Mac’s "The Chain" for Gears of War 5. Lee talks about the mystery of Stevie Nicks, the influence of Beth Gibbons from Portishead, and the differences in writing for gaming versus film soundtracks. The "Bring Me To Life" singer then gives us clues into their next album, which is currently in production. Lee says it's the summation of everything they've done so far with plenty of new moments. The band is workin...
Jan 22, 2020•21 min•Ep. 275
Dashboard Confessional singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba joins Kyle Meredith to discuss his new hits collection, The Best Ones Of The Best Ones, and his 20-year history as an emo original. He explains how he quickly found fans and how those fans helped put together the tracklist for his new collection. On that note, Carrabba also discusses finding rarities, how his lyrics have aged, and his plans to play full album shows on the upcoming tour, particularly 2001's The Places You Have Come to Fear t...
Jan 20, 2020•22 min•Ep. 274
Post Animal’s Jake Hirshland gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss Forward Motion Godyssey. The two dig into the art and importance of mystery, breaking sonic boundaries, allowing themselves to take on multiple genres, and writing with a shared mind. The record was recorded in Big Sky, Montana, and while Hirschland says there was mystical behavior in the wildlife, the ghosts that haunted 2018's When I Think of You in a Castle didn't follow them. Hirshland also speaks about how house music inspir...
Jan 17, 2020•20 min•Ep. 273
Blitz Vega is the new duo featuring The Smiths co-founder Andy Rourke and KAV, formerly of The Happy Mondays. The two spoke with Kyle Meredith about coming together after Rourke lost D.A.R.K. (and The Cranberries) frontwoman Dolores O'Riordan and the tone that her passing added to these new sessions. We hear what brought on their psychedelic sound and the magic they found within the equipment they used, which included the Ziggy Stardust mixing board and Abbey Road studios. The two also outline t...
Jan 15, 2020•21 min•Ep. 272
