13th Floor MusicTalk

PUP , the pop-punk band based in Toronto, Canada has just released their fifth album, asking the musical question,  Who Will Look After The Dogs . Marty Duda  spoke to guitarist  Steve Sladkowski  just days before the album, “dropped”. Steve was in Toronto busy packing to head out on tour…they will be in New Zealand in August…but he wasn’t too bust to stop and talk about the se...

Dope Lemon (aka Angus Stone ) releases Golden Wolf . This is the fifth Dope Lemon album, one that will be followed by live shows coming in July. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Angus about the concept of Golden Wolf  and the progression of Dope.

Craig Finn is the lead singer for The Hold Steady , but he also has a flourishing solo career, with a new album out called Always Been . Marty Duda found Craig at home in Brooklyn, NY, just as he was packing to head out on the road with The Hold Steady . He took a few moments to talk about his very well-received solo album which was produced by the War On Drugs' Adam Granuciel. Additionally, Craig...

Multi-disciplinary artist  Lonnie Holley  has released  Tonky , another collaboration with producer  Jacknife Lee  that breaks new ground while simultaneously mining the rich history of the blues and gospel. Marty Duda  spoke to Lonnie, who was in Atlanta, Georgia, decked out in jewelry he accumulated on his first trip to Africa. Here he is to tell us about his m...

Haiku Redo is an Auckland-based power pop quartet, led by Craig Horne and borne out of the ashes of Andrew Fagan's band LIG . The new album is called Disco Summer . Marty Duda spoke to Craig just after the band's record release show at Auckland's Ding Dong Lounge to find out how the project, including band member Dianne Swann , label Failsafe Records and JB HiFi all came together to make this thin...

Austin-based singer-songwriter  Taylor Rae  has just released her second album,  The Void  and we think she’s onto something special.  Marty Duda  spoke to Taylor just after release day to find her ready to talk about the 10 songs she wrote after feeling like ‘the last four years felt like staring into the void’.

At the tender age of 80, Detroit native and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame member Mitch Ryder is still rocking like its was 1965. Marty Duda spoke to Mitch about his new album, With Love , produced by fellow Detroit rocker Don Was . Mitch was also in a reflective mood, remembering sharing the stage with Otis Redding , recording with Marianne Faithfull and having a "personal meeting" with Prince .

Dunedin artist  Neive Strang  has just released her new album,  Find Me In The Rabbit Hole , working for the first time with a producer… Sean James Donnelly …aka  SJD . Marty Duda  spoke to Neive about how she and Sean worked together in his basement studio to come up with this rich-sounding collection of original songs.

JD Clayton has just released his second album, titled Blue Sky Sundays . The son-of-Southern preacher man muses on the premise that, perhaps, " Rock is a sub-genre of Country, now". Marty Duda spoke to JD, who was in Nashville, where Blue Sky Sundays was recorded and where Rock lives comfortably next to Country, Bluegrass and Gospel music. 

Direct from Christchurch, it’s  Emma Dilemma , here to talk abut her new, “surprise” EP, titled  Ouch My Head Hurts. Marty Duda  spoke to Emma on release day, which also happened to be Good Friday, to talk about how and why these five tracks managed to surprise her.

A stalwart of the fertile North Carolina music scene that bred the likes of Don Dixon and Chris Stamey , Peter Holsapple is a founding member of The dBs and the Continental Drifters . His latest solo album is The Face Of 68.  Marty Duda found Peter at home in Durham, North Carolina where he has been contemplating his age and writing another batch of great songs that find him revisiting his "r...

jasmine.4.t is a trans woman who has just made an album with Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dackus and Julien Baker, aka boygenius. Marty Duda spoke to jasmine.4. t who was in Manchester having just played to a home town crowd after performing for the first time in the US...at SXSW in Austin, Texas, possibly not the most welcoming place after Trump declared that there were only two genders. Anyway, the alb...

Here is Austin-based singer/songwriter David Ramirez to fill us in on his new album, All The Not So Gentle Reminders and why he needed a break and a retreat to write and produce these 12 new songs. Marty Duda spoke to David just after release day about retreating to Waverly, Alabama (pop 150) to write 12 songs that "take his vulnerability to new heights".

5 years since the release of her 8th studio album  This Big Hush , Swedish born multi-instrumentalist and producer Sofia Härdig returns with Lighthouse Of Glass and we find Sofia in Stockholm on release day. Marty Duda spoke to Sofia about the creative process that led up to the writing and recording of the 10 very original tracks that make up Lighthouse Of Glass . And even though it was 11pm...

Will Stratton  has been called a “self professed disciple of  Nick Drake “. The American singer/songwriter has just released  Points Of Origin,  “ a heartbreaking and expansive album of songs set in the freeway wilds of California.” Marty Duda  spoke to Will about the themes of this semi-concept album, such as climate change, wildfires and mudslides.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy  goes to Nashville!  The Purple Bird  is the new album and it just may be the highpoint of an already illustrious career. Marty Duda  spoke to  Bonnie “Prince” Billy  (aka  Will Oldham ) who was home in Louisville, Kentucky, ready to talk about making his first country album and working with producer  David “Ferg” Ferguson  along w...

Kiwi alt-indie artist  Mim Jensen  has just released her second EP, a six-track affair titled  Shadow Of The Gift. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda  spoke to Mim, who was in Christchurch, to find out the EP came together and what she has in store for us next.

Bluegrass sensation Billy Strings is heading down under for his first shows in New Zealand and Australia this coming July. 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Billy about how he prepares for a new territory, about his recent move to a major label and how he and producer Jon Brion sampled his vintage car for a track on his latest album, Highway Prayers .

Here is Kayleb Duckett , direct from New Plymouth to tell us about his new album, Speechless Housefire . Marty Duda spoke to Kayleb, who is flying high after the release of his latest collection of "catchy little pop ditties" inspired by the likes of Elvis, Tame Impala and Sione's Wedding. 

With the debut album from the  Miki Berenyi Trio  just days away, here is the former  Lush  vocalist to tell how this new band and album came together. Marty Duda  talked to Miki about making  Tripla , with new bandmates  Oliver Cherer  (guitar) and  K.J. “Moose” McKillop  (bass) and how  The Shangri-las  inspired one of the great 4AD voi...

Anglebox  is a new band from Christchurch made up of seasoned veterans and led by  Ian Cartwright . Their debut EP is titled  Dark Days In The Sun. Marty Duda  spoke to Ian about his musical past, his songwriting, how the band came together and what they have planned for the future.

Aloe Blacc has just released Stand Together ...12 songs that he hopes will encourage open engagement with others. Marty Duda spoke to Aloe and talked to him about the reasons why he has paired each track on Stand Together with a non-profit organisation. Aloe also talks about being mentored by Harry Belafonte and why he needed to cover Marvin Gaye's What's Going On . It's all about positive vibes i...

Following the death of Chills leader Martin Phillipps and the release of Springboard: The Early Unrecorded Songs , Chills drummer Callum Hampton and bass player Todd Knudson talk about making this very moving new record and the legacy Martin Phillipps left behind. Marty Duda spoke to Callum and Todd about making this last Chills record, one that, fortunately, Martin Phillipps got to hear before pa...

Alison Krauss & Union Station  are about to release their first new album in over a decade. It’s called  Arcadia   and its the first to feature new member  Russell Moore. Alison took time out from her busy schedule to talk to  Marty Duda  about making  Arcadia   and how she, Union Station and Nashville have changed over time. So we begin our conversation...

Art d'Ecco has just released his new album, Serene Demon, a feisty mix of funk, rock, disco, soul and, dare we say...glam? Marty Duda spoke to Art at length about making Serene Demon, a record that started out on the mean streets on New York and ended up in British Columbia where he was " determined to prove I can do something different" .