Jay Som, aka Melina Duterte, speaks with Kyle Meredith about her latest album, Anak Ko. Duterte discusses how the Joshua Tree desert played a large role in its completion and why she invited some of her friends into the recording sessions -- a first for the singer-songwriter. From there, she divulges on her love for Steely Dan, Alanis Morissette, and Prefab Sprout, weighs in on the influence of having music-obsessed parents, and tips us off to her second life as a producer for artists like Chast...
Oct 30, 2019•19 min•Ep. 241
Legendary co-founder of The Band Robbie Robertson speaks with Kyle Meredith about Sinematic, his first solo album in eight years, and how it ties in with the score to Martin Scorsese's The Irishman. From there, he discusses his long collaborative history with the legendary filmmaker, one that dates back to The Last Waltz and Raging Bull, and how his knack for writing character studies has been appealing to Scorsese. It's also the 50th anniversary of The Band's self-titled sophomore LP. So, natur...
Oct 28, 2019•26 min•Ep. 240
Hoobastank guitarist Dan Estrin talks to Kyle Meredith about the 15th anniversary of the band's sophomore LP, The Reason. Estrin takes us behind the scenes of what it was like to write the chart-topping album while still touring their breakthrough debut, only to have the tour come to a halt after suffering a head injury from a motorbike accident. We also hear about the lasting impact of the album's titular track and the bonus songs that are included on the new deluxe edition (spoiler: the previo...
Oct 25, 2019•12 min•Ep. 239
The Go-Go's bassist Kathy Valentine takes a trip back to 1994 with Kyle Meredith to discuss the 25th anniversary of Return To The Valley of The Go-Go's. The two talk about what it was like to be in the band at a time when punk had gone mainstream, how many of those artists were citing The Go-Go's as a major influence, and their experiences playing with Courtney Love, Hole, Green Day, and the riot grrrl movement. Despite that legacy, the group has never been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall...
Oct 23, 2019•28 min•Ep. 238
Liz Phair returns to the scene with not just her first new music in nearly a decade, but with an autobiography in tow as well. Phair spoke with Kyle Meredith about collecting the memories that make up Horror Stories, and how its follow up, the yet-to-be completed Fairy Tales, focuses on the darker and lighter sides of her past. She also discusses how the 2016 election and Prince's death helped kickstart the ideas and process. From there, we get to hear about her comeback single, "Good Side", ret...
Oct 21, 2019•19 min•Ep. 237
Nearly 40 years into her career, Kim Gordon has just released her first solo album, No Home Record. The album finds the Sonic Youth co-founder using lyrical collages over drum machines and guitar outbursts in what has resulted in pure sonic noice-pop fun. On today's episode of Kyle Meredith, Gordon unpacks the album, discussing the commercialization of art and writing in pop structures for the first time in a decade. The two also chat about her love and history of '80s hip-hop, whether or not th...
Oct 18, 2019•44 min•Ep. 236
(Sandy) Alex G speaks with Kyle Meredith about writing and recording House of Sugar, his latest critically acclaimed LP. Alex discusses his penchant for hooks and weird instrumentals, in addition to what a song means to him vs. how it's received by listeners. The two find a thread between the album's title and the current climate in America, which also pops up in songs like "Gretel" and "Bad Man". Speaking of politics, Alex found himself in an odd situation after a photo of him was mistaken for ...
Oct 16, 2019•18 min•Ep. 235
The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne gives Kyle Meredith a shout to discuss the band's latest LP, King's Mouth. He details the journey that took the album from being an art installation, a children's book, and finally a fantastical concept record with narration from The Clash's Mick Jones. The album arrives on the heels of Coyne becoming a father, a coincidence that lines up with the lyrical themes and gives the singer a chance to reflect on how his personal philosophies have been updated, he e...
Oct 14, 2019•50 min•Ep. 234
Everclear's Art Alexakis and Kyle Meredith discuss his debut solo LP, Sun Songs, which finds the "Santa Monica" frontman focusing on an acoustic sound and playing every instrument himself. We hear how lead single "Hot Water Test" recounts his recent diagnosis with MS, and the stories behind the handful of politically charged songs throughout the record. Alexakis also says that after this solo tour, he'll turn his attention to a 2020 run with Everclear to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Songs F...
Oct 11, 2019•29 min•Ep. 233
The Moody Blues' John Lodge gives Kyle Meredith a ring to detail his new best-of compilation, B Yond - The Very Best Of, which focuses on his oft-overlooked 70s solo releases, re-recordings of a pair of Moody Blues classics, and epic live cuts. Lodge also discusses how his recent work stands up to those fabled '60s songs, recounts going solo after the Moody Blues lost their way in the '70s, and promos his upcoming tour. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Our Spo...
Oct 09, 2019•17 min•Ep. 232
Whitney's Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich give Kyle Meredith a call to discuss their sophomore album, Forever Turned Around, and its connections to anxiety, the environment, travel, and life in your '20s. They expand on the impact of bringing guitarist Ziyad Asrar back into the band, when writing personal is also political, being an 8-member band, and the stop and restarts that lead to a new LP. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy --- This episode is sponsored by ...
Oct 07, 2019•15 min•Ep. 231
Alice In Chains frontman William DuVall gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss his debut solo record, One Alone. The singer details why now was the time to finally release a record on his own, how having a degree in religion/philosophy occasionally informs his writing, and backstories on “Til The Light Guides Me Home” and “Chains Around My Heart”. The two also discuss his former band Neon Christ’s documentary All Alone Together before heading back to 2009 for the 10th anniversary of Alice in Chai...
Oct 04, 2019•30 min•Ep. 230
White Reaper recently sat down with Kyle Meredith to go over the details of their latest LP, You Deserve Love. Both Tony Esposito and Nick Wilkerson discuss the Nashville sessions with producer Jay Joyce. share how having new guitarist Hunter Thompson changed the dynamics, digress on experimenting with new instruments, and explain why they wrote about cars and widows. They also revisit the all-ages Louisville underground community that gave them their start, and how they used their album cover t...
Oct 02, 2019•24 min•Ep. 229
Ride vocalist and guitarist Andy Bell gives Kyle Meredith a shout to discuss their second reunion record This Is Not A Safe Place. Together, they discuss the stories behind "Repetition" and "R.I.D.E.", how even the big topic songs look inward on this record, and the influence of Basquiat and the late '80s alternative scene on the material. We're also told that another new album won't be far behind. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Our Sponsors: * Check out Bet...
Sep 30, 2019•16 min•Ep. 228
Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne gives Kyle Meredith a shout to discuss the band's 50th anniversary and tour. The two head back to 1969 to talk about the band's beginnings and the many sounds they tried out through the years. They revisit the ill-fated 1979 record Down on the Farm, the 1988 comeback record Let It Roll, and even discuss the possibility of new music. Speaking of new music, Payne has also been a longtime member of The Doobie Brothers and we're told that there will be a new EP for...
Sep 27, 2019•22 min•Ep. 227
Earlier this year, Big Thief released their third studio album, U.F.O.F., exciting fans and critics alike. That excitement was doubled, however, with the surprise announcement of its followup, Two Hands, due out October 11th. Environment plays a big part in the album, as Adrianne Lenker tells Kyle Meredith, not just the alarming news we're faced with, but also in the way the people who inhabit these songs spend their day within it. Elsewhere in the interview, she also talks about performing the ...
Sep 25, 2019•23 min•Ep. 226
Joan Shelley has been getting huge praise both here and overseas for her latest record, Like the River Loves the Sea. Recently, the Louisville folk musician sat down with Kyle Meredith to talk about leaving Kentucky to record the album in Iceland and what that environment meant to the songs. She also discussed the power of a whisper, working with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, how the environment plays a prominent role in songs like "The Fading", and why she rewrote a Hank Williams song after hearing ne...
Sep 23, 2019•20 min•Ep. 225
Sleater-Kinney's latest album, The Center Won't Hold, comes with a radically different sound than what most fans are used to, thanks in part to an adventurous spirit as well as tapping St. Vincent's Annie Clark to produce. Corin Tucker gives Kyle Meredith a ring to discuss the process and how they arrived at a synth-driven sound on The Center Won't Hold, meeting fan expectations, and tackling this era's big issues. Tucker breaks down the inspirations behind "The Future Is Here" and closing balla...
Sep 20, 2019•34 min•Ep. 224
Rusted Root frontman Michael Glabiki phones Kyle Meredith to take us back to 1994 for the 25th anniversary of the band's breakthrough LP, When I Woke. He shares the stories behind songs "Send Me On My Way", "Martyr", and "Ecstasy". He also tells us about being in an organic-sounding band at the height of grunge, their political activism, and how it translates to events happening today. From there, he shares a number of tour stories, from his experiences opening for Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers...
Sep 18, 2019•25 min•Ep. 223
Madison Cunningham speaks with Kyle Meredith about her debut album, Who Are You Now. More specifically, the journey that's taken her from her musical beginnings to landing a gig with Chris Thile's Live From Here, recording with Andrew Bird, and co-writing with Joe Henry. Cunningham also describes where her love of shifting time signatures comes from and why the electric guitar was the perfect instrument for this record. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy --- Thi...
Sep 16, 2019•19 min•Ep. 222
Greta K. Klein gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss the new Frankie Cosmos album, Close It Quietly. Klein goes into the collaborative process, working with a new producer, in addition to its connection to this year's earlier release, Haunted Items. We also hear about the band's love for The Great British Bake Off, making a Puppy Edition of the album, and recording a song with her parents. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Our Sponsors: * Check out BetterHelp: ...
Sep 13, 2019•31 min•Ep. 221
Dude York give Kyle Meredith a shout to talk about their new record, Falling, and its themes of nostalgia and relationships. Peter Richards, Claire England, and Andrew Hall take us through the process of making the near-concept album, which breaks down the anxieties and stages of love and heartbreak, all while referencing The Killers and Ramones within its songs. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Our Sponsors: * Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com Adve...
Sep 11, 2019•17 min•Ep. 220
Luscious Jackson's Jill Cunniff speaks with Kyle Meredith about the 25th anniversary of the band's debut, Natural Ingredients, and the 20th anniversary of 1999's Electric Honey. We hear about the New York scene of the early '90s, their love of groove-based music and sampling, as well as touring with Beastie Boys, The Breeders, and R.E.M. After that, Cunniff gives the backstory on why the followup to their '96 breakthrough Fever In Fever Out (which included "Naked Eye") ended up being their last ...
Sep 09, 2019•32 min•Ep. 219
Jamila Woods calls up Kyle Meredith to discuss her sophomore record LEGACY! LEGACY! and its unique concept. Each song on the record is named after a hero of hers -- from musicians to writers to painters -- and Woods weaves their histories into her own narrative. Listen ahead to to hear her ideas behind tracks like "Basquiat", "Miles", and "Muddy", as well as the concept of Afrofuturism as told through "Octavia" and "Sun Ra". For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Ou...
Sep 06, 2019•30 min•Ep. 218
Paula Cole gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss Revolution, her latest set of new material. They dive into the album's ties back to '99's Amen with its poignant themes and musical nods to Marvin Gaye -- including the album's lone cover of "Mercy Mercy Me". Cole also talks about giving students tools and inspiration as a teacher at Berklee College of Music, and how her biggest hits keep finding fans in new generations (see: HAIM). For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/priv...
Sep 04, 2019•17 min•Ep. 217
Dave Navarro calls up Kyle Meredith to discuss teaming up with Billy Morrison for their second Above Ground concert, which benefits MusiCares while raising awareness of mental health. Navarro tells us why the organization means so much to him, the tragedy of losing so many of our heroes and friends, and how he keeps a check on his own mental health. The show is also a tribute to the two musician’s love of vinyl, so they’ll be performing David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and The Stooges debut LP from ...
Sep 02, 2019•29 min•Ep. 216
Kyle Meredith returns with two talks for Friday. First up, legendary singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop calls to discuss We'll Talk About It Later in the Car, its ties to his early catalogue, and how he nicked the title from the late Carrie Fisher. We also hear the story behind lead single "Like Mother Like Daughter", recording a song Jimmy Webb wrote at 12, his history of writing famous songs for movies, and his latest in that field for 2018's Benji film. Next up, Jim Peterik is on the line to di...
Aug 30, 2019•20 min•Ep. 215
Fastball speak with Kyle Meredith about their latest album, Help Machine, collaborating with Wye Oak's Andy Stack, and taking inspiration from Neil Young, Richard Thompson, and Warren Zevon. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Our Sponsors: * Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: http...
Aug 28, 2019•56 min•Ep. 214
The Hold Steady singer-songwriter Craig Finn gives Kyle Meredith a shout to discuss their comeback record, Thrashing Thru the Passion. We hear about the characters that populate the LP, their relation to our own current events, and how they compare to the ones Finn wrote about on this year's past solo album, I Need A New War. There's also some fun with spotting lyrics that reference older songs and having what Finn calls "the best lineup yet" with the return of Franz Nicolay. For information reg...
Aug 26, 2019•30 min•Ep. 213
Ben Folds gives Kyle Meredith a call to discuss his autobiography, A Dream About Lightning Bugs, having a mantra of worker harder and not smarter, mining small moments of his past to make big statements in his songs, and making peace with his 1997 breakthrough single "Brick". The two also discuss how music imprints itself in memories and the importance of music therapy, the hurdles of making new albums, his issue with recent pop music, writing with his fans, and the prospect of a sequel to 1998'...
Aug 23, 2019•53 min•Ep. 212
