Songs of Our Lives

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Tomin! This one feels full circle. Ever since learning about Tomin’s music nearly four years ago, I’ve felt a special connection to it. It’s been hard to explain, but after seeing his picks for this episode and talking to him about them, it makes a lot more sense. His latest record, “A Willed and Conscious Balance,” is out now International Anthem and is...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s amelia courthouse! I loved her last album, “ruby glass,” a lot, but the connection with the new one, “broken things,” runs so much deeper. We talked about growing up with church hymns and the affinity we still feel for a lot of that music before diving into one hell of an episode. We get into why there can only ever be one Leonard Cohen, obsessing over 8...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Chuck Johnson! His new album, “Sun Glories,” has been out for a few months, but it’s hitting harder as the temperatures finally drop here. We got into the record, the nature of collaboration, hope, and more before digging into his picks. Chuck kept me on my toes as we chatted about Donna Summer’s greatness, Hamza el Din stopping you in your tracks, Beth...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Sarah Davachi! Sarah’s one of the hardest working people in world of experimental composition, so much so that she has TWO new releases out and on the way . Her latest, “The Head As Form’d In The Crier’s Choir,” came out last month, and it’s incredible. In November, “Music For A Bellowing Room” - a durational piece made in collaboration with filmmaker Di...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Darius Jones! He’s been on a tear in recent years, and his last three albums - including the latest, “ Legend of e’Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye)” - have really left a mark on me. I was thrilled to talk to Darius about the new record, his mental health journey, and so much more. We get into George Clinton’s all-timer status, classic Jacko, Andy Bey being we...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Mali Obomsawin! I’ve wanted to have Mali on the show for a while so when “symbiont,” her incredible new album in collaboration with Jake Blount was announced, I knew this was a perfect opportunity. This episode was way more fun than it had any right to be. After talking a bit about the record and working with Jake, we get into all the hits… Prince, ODB,...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Jake Blount! He’s got a new record in collaboration with Mali Obomsawin, “symbiont,” coming out on Smithsonian Folkways later this month. It’s absolutely incredible. We talk about how he and Mali came to work together and dig into the album a bit before going in on a bunch of songs. We talk about unlikely stadium anthems, Imogen Heap not getting the reco...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Wendy Eisenberg! Their new album, “Viewfinder,” just might finally answer the important question of, “Can I love a Wendy Eisenberg album more than I love ‘Auto’?” Beyond that, we get into the almost-literal timelessness of “Greensleaves,” the all-time great Beach Boys’ tune, love for Willie Nelson, GG Allin shocking us in unexpected ways, Cindy Lee, Elli...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Dialect! I can’t stop listening to and thinking about his new album, The Atlas of Green . As I get deeper into it, new layers of its narrative are revealed, and sonically it’s just a delicate, beautiful excursion. So we talk about all of that plus making sample libraries before going long on Bonnie Raitt’s heartbreak, where “Pyramid Song” sits in the pan...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s more eaze! It took us a year, but we finally made this episode happen and the wait was well worth it. We could have chatted for hours about both of her new records - ---__--____ ‘s “Night of Fire” and the solo splendor of “lacuna & parlor,” but there was so much more to talk about. We go long on a song about a dog that is absolutely crushing, the dis...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Lia Kohl! How can you not love an album that finds beauty in refrigerator hums and ringtones? That’s what Lia Kohl’s new album, “Normal Sounds,” does (among many other things!). We talk about that a bit before getting into how much we love Sade, Mendelssohn bops, learning to appreciate metal through Meshuggah, being careful with your words, T-Pain’s birt...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s David Grubbs! I often ask myself, is there anything David can’t do? I’m pretty sure the answer is no. We talked a fair bit about his new record with Loren Connors, “Evening Air,” before going down all sorts of rabbit holes about Mayo Thompson and The Red Krayola, the expansive magic of The Modern Lovers, Van Dyke Parks walking the line of something banan...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Nick Zanca! His new album, “Hindsight,” feels like Nick in record form in a lot of ways. It’s clearly a record he’s wanted to make all of his life. We dig into that and what it’s like to see that realized before diving into how many Americans have a Disney-song memory, Milton Nascimiento’s magnificence, Pat Matheny Group’s killer ECM run, moving past Jam...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Anna Butterss! When it comes to bass players, Anna Butterss is in rarified air. But there is so much more to their sonic practice (just listen to 2022’s incredible “Activities”!), and we get to hear yet another side of their playing on Small Medium Large’s debut, “SML.” We talk all about that, playing with Jeff Parker and Jason Isbell, and then dive into...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Seth Parker Woods! When it comes to cellists and modern and experimental composition, Seth’s at the top of the call list. His latest offering as part of Wild Up in the Julius Eastman Anthology Series is “The Holy Presence,” and the front of this episode is just an absolute masterclass from Seth about the history and beauty of this piece and what makes Ea...

For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Tashi Wada! This episode unfolds a little bit differently than usual, but the general spirit of it is right in the sweet spot. Tashi’s new album, “What Is Not Strange?” is such a beautiful, vulnerable expression that reveals itself through deep, focused listening. After talking a bit about that, we move into memories of his father’s music, the emotional...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Joe Rainey! His new project, Bizhiki, with Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings and Sean Carey, have made one of 2024’s best albums, “Unbound.” The combination of traditional and ceremonial rhythms and singing melded with contemporary production and instrumentation results in a moving, powerful album unlike anything else. We talked a lot about Rainey’s history with...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Jae Soto! Her debut album, “Leave the Light On,” has quickly become one of my favorites of 2024. It’s special and I can’t stop listening to it. After talking a bit about that, we get into the beauty of Linda Perhacs’ music, Gal Costa’s infectious sounds, making interplanetary friends with The Golden Girls, Jackie Wilson taking everyone beyond, ML Buch’s...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Yann Novak! There’s so many things Yann does that are important in my life - from his music (check out the upcoming “Voices of Theseus”!) and label to his supportive approach with artists - so it was so great to have this conversation. We get into the gravity of Anohni and the Johnsons, being surprised by Billie Eilish, Devendra Banhart’s moment, claire...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Jeffrey Silverstein! His new EP, “Roseway,” is a perfect summer jam. After talking about his band, we get into early house shows performing Green Day songs, Johnny Frierson lighting up the world, the perfection of Faces, the poetry of Bill Callahan, the best version of “You’ve Got a Friend,” Natural Child going for it, the greatness of Ted Lucas, and loa...

On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Loula Yorke! Ever since our paths crossed a couple years ago, I’ve become a huge admirer of all the various components in Loula’s creative practice. Her new mixtape series is (along with her recent album, “Volta”) one of my favorite things happening in 2024. Plus, I’m not sure I’ve laughed more during an episode than this one! So, after talking through b...

For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Cadence Weapon on on the show. After talking about his fantastic new record, “ROLLERCOASTER,” and the ways we unearth new music, the party really starts. We go into busting a move with James Brown, Merle’s other side, annoying people with Ian Dury, The Flamingos going to another dimension, when Frank Ocean flipped the script, Steely Dan’s best lyric...

For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Lawrence English on the show. I’ve known Lawrence for almost two decades now, and I am in constant awe of his music, his drive, and the way he builds community through his work. A new collaboration with Akira Kosemura has my attention right now, but I know there’s always something else lurking around the next corner. Our conversation is winding, vag...

For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Matthew Sage on the show. His band, Fuubutsushi has a new album out in June called “Meridians” and it is dosed with magic. After chatting about that for a bit and his decision to take cached.media off Bandcamp, we get into it. Imagining existing in world before Erik Satie, learning to love Paul McCartney, Black Dice’s unfathomable music, the undenia...

For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Shane Parish on the show. When it comes to modern guitar gods, Shane is right up there for me. I am constantly amazed by not just what he can play, but HOW he plays - there is so much subtlety, emotional depth, and joy in it that it becomes infectious. His new album, “Repetoire,” is an absolute triumph. After we get into that and his love of transcr...