Songs of Our Lives
Songs of Our Lives is a podcast from Foxy Digitalis that explores the music that has shaped us and left a lasting impression. Each episode features guests discussing songs associated with important moments, emotional triggers, hidden gems, or favorite lyrics, creating a personal soundtrack of their lives.
Episodes
John Thayer - Songs of Our Lives #139
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s John Thayer! John’s been on an incredible run as of late, from his solo record, “Winds Gate,” to the collaboration with Ben Seratan, and now, a new album with his partner, Lea Thomas as Miyaxx. We get into all of that before sinking into King Tubby, Bobby McFerrin, Alice Coltrane, Jeff Buckley, Cyndi Lauper, Raffi, Karen Dalton, and plenty more!Listen to
Sarah Davachi (THE REMIX!) - Songs of Our Lives #138
This week on Songs of Our Lives, Sarah Davachi returns! I am thrilled to have Sarah back on the show, especially in celebration of her stellar (and monolithic!) new 3LP, “The Will of Tongues.” It’s one of 2026’s most incredible releases. After we talk about it, we get into Bauhaus, Harmonium, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, T. Rex, Zappa + Beefheart, Dexy’s Midnight Runners + plenty more!Listen to all
Mayssa Jallad - Songs of Our Lives #137
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Mayssa Jallad! The Beirut-based artist is one of my absolute favorites. Not only do I love how she writes songs, but I come away from her work feeling as though I’ve learned something new. She’s incredible. We talk about her latest song, “Taamir (Bahriyyeh),” and then get into Jacques Brel, The Bunny Tylers, Fairuz, The Magnetic Fields, Radiohead, Postca
Josh Mason - Songs of Our Lives #136
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Josh Mason! Josh and I go way, way back (his album, “Timecode Beach,” originally released on Digitalis remains one of my favorite things I helped put into the world), and over the years (decades!?), he has continued making music that simultaneously challenges and moves me. His newest, “Kicking a Dark Horse,” is one of the most impressive things he’s done
Dominique Matelson - Songs of Our Lives #135
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Dominique Matelson! I have been a big admirer of her work for years (did a great interview with her on Foxy Digitalis a few years back!), so it was a treat to talk with her about her new record, “The Difficult Way.” After getting into that, we get into it with Bonnie Tyler, Kath Bloom, Shelley Hirsch, Laurie Anderson, Franco Battiato, Carol Kleyn + loads
Concepcion Huerta - Songs of Our Lives #134
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Concepcion Huerta!! She’s got a fantastic new album out, “Nothing Remains Everything Resonates,” on July 3 recorded at EMS in Stockholm. We talked about that, resonance and signal paths, and the magic of every day sounds. Then we get into her love of Cumbia, Psychic TV, Los Saicos, Moondog, Los Kipus, Les Rallizes Denudes, Sun City Girls, Coil, and more!
Ben Vida - Songs of Our Lives #133
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Ben Vida! I can’t overemphasize how much of a fan I am of Ben’s work generally, and especially his latest album, “Oblivion Seekers.” It follows-up the brilliant “The Beat My Head Hit,” and as ever, there is nobody working with language in the way Ben does, and in a way that I find utterly captivating. We talk all about it before getting into the likes of
zakè - Songs of Our Lives #132
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s zakè! For expansive ambient music, he and his label Past Inside the Present have become my go-to. He just released his second collaborative album with marine eyes, “Still Beauty,” and celebrated the 20th anniversry of his first solo album. There’s so much to take about! Then we get into the goods with Beck, Boards of Canada, Khanate, The Smiths, Radiohea
Bob Holmes - Songs of Our Lives #131
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Bob Holmes! I had a great time chatting with Bob about the new incredible new SUSS record, “Counting Sunsets,” a staple in my listening the last couple months. We talked all things Across the Horizon as well before getting into Glen Campbell, Brian Eno, The Monkees, Walt McClemenets, Springsteen, Yes, and plenty more!Listen to all of Bob’s picks HERE“Cou
Ruth Garbus - Songs of Our Lives #130
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Ruth Garbus! After an unexpected hiatus, this is the perfect episode to get back in action. Despite both of us being a bit tired when recording, we had way too much talking about Ruth’s new record, “Profound,” Gabriel Faure, treating anxiety and depression, and then a pile of songs from D’oa, Donny Hathaway, UB40, Bob Dylan, Sly & The Family Stone, K
YATTA (Episode 65 REWIND!) - Songs of Our Lives #129
**Still on an unexpected hiatus but new episodes will be back very soon! This week, let's revisit YATTA's awesome episode before blasting "Palm Wine" to start the summer.**On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s YATTA! Even though we had to fight through some technical difficulties throughout, we had a great time talking about YATTA’s latest album, “Palm Wine” (one of the albums of the year),
Whitney Johnson (Episode 61 REWIND!) - Songs of Our Lives #128
Still on an unexpected hiatus but new episodes will be back very soon! This week, let's revisit this episode & then listen to Whitney’s trio album with Lia Kohl and Macie Stewart.On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Whitney Johnson! Whitney did something I’ve always dreamed about - releasing two different albums (under two separate names no less!) on the same day, and both of them are f
Tomin (Episode 59 Rewind!) - Songs of Our Lives #127
**Still on an unexpected hiatus but new episodes will be back very soon! This week, let's revisit one of my favorite episodes w/ one of the most underrated musicians out there!**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 seein
Caroline Davis - Songs of Our Lives #126
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Caroline Davis! I am smitten with her latest record, “Fallows.” It’s her first saxoxphone and electronics album, and it feels like this fully-realized version of her creative practice in this moment. There is so much to hear and feel, it’s remarkable. We talked a lot about that, her work with Creatives Against Carceration, and then dug into a load of mus
Lea Bertucci (THE REMIX!) - Songs of Our Lives #125
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives - THE REMIX, it’s Lea Bertucci! I am so excited to have Lea back on the show to not only talk about a bunch of rad songs, but also her incredible new album, “The Days Pass Quickly Immersed in the Shadow of Eternity.” We talk about this new step for her, and the magic of working with Norbert Rodenkirchen before diving into Donna Summer, 4 Non Blondes, Throbbing
Chaz Prymek - Songs of Our Lives #124
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Chaz Prymek! The main question here is how in the hell did it take me so long to have Chaz on the show? That’s all on me. Anyway, this is such a fun episode - we had a blast hanging out, talking about his new duo record with friend-of-the-show, Matthew Sage, and a whole host of great songs from Tupac, Roberta Flack, Ross Gay, Nérija, Eddie Kendricks, Bol
Walker Farrell - Songs of Our Lives #123
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Walker Farrell! We’re celebrating the start of spring with Walker’s new album, “Crocus,” out now on Ceremony of Seasons, and after talking about that, living through Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, and more, we get into the weeds with D Train, Miles Davis, Gang Starr, Joanna Newsom, Vivien Goldman, Kermit the Frog, Parliament, and more!Listen to all
Tristan Allen - Songs of Our Lives #122
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Tristan Allen! I genuinely adore Tristan and their work so, so much, and their new album (part 2 in a trilogy!), “Osni the Flare,” has taken that up a level. After talking about the album and the puppet show, we get into Zabelle Panosian (and the greatness of Canary Records!), Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Carrier, ABBA, Actress, In the Nursery, Richard Ramire
Brett Naucke - Songs of Our Lives #121
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Brett Naucke! Old heads unite! We get into his most recent album, “Ground Fault Matinee” (his punk record?!) before going down all kinds of rabbit holes with Joanna Newsom, Sade, The Misfits, “Blue” Bene Tyranny, Madonna, Alice Coltrane, Dire Straits, DJ Rashad, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, and plenty more!Listen to all of Brett’s picks HEREGround Fault MatineeB
Molto Ohm - Songs of Our Lives #120
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Molto Ohm! (aka Matteo Liberatore!) Matteo’s Molto Ohm project has been revelatory, showing such an incredible synthesis of his varying approaches and techniques. His latest record, “Reality Pills,” is somehow both infectious and off-putting, which, of course, makes me love it even more. We talk about its background and creation before getting into Anton
Ben Seretan - Songs of Our Lives #119
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Ben Seretan! What a joy this episode was to record. Ben’s the best. His new album, “Sunbeam of No Illusion,” with John Thayer is one of my early favorites so far this year. After talking about that, we get into all kinds of whimsy and fun with Arthur Russell, Sinai Vessel, Wham!, Clarence Carter, Celine Dion, Prince, Pet Shop Boys, and plenty more!Listen
Tusco Embassy (Roulette Style!) - Songs of Our Lives #118
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Tusco Embassy’s Nathan Bowers! This episode is all over the place. Tusco Embassy re-emerged a couple years ago with a series of ‘Roulette’-style compilations - basically, records that will play a different song each time you play it. We get into how it works, why it rules, and all that, so if this sounds confusing, don’t worry! Then we go roulette-style
Carlos Giffoni - Songs of Our Lives #117
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Carlos Giffoni! To me, Carlos is a legend, so it was great to have him on the show. His new album, “Pendulum,” is full of great collaborations (Zola Jesus, Ben Chasny, Greg Kelley, Mabe Fratti, Lea Bertucci, & Iggor Cavalera), and really shows the range of his compositional approaches. Plus, he just announced that No Fun will return in 2026 - hell ye
Geologist - Songs of Our Lives #116
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Geologist! For decades, I’ve loved the sound of the hurdy gurdy, but I’ve never heard it used like Geologist uses it on his new solo record, “Can I Get A Pack of Camel Lights?” If SST put out a hurdy gurdy record in the late 80s/early 90s, it might sound like this. We talk about the instrument, Keiji Haino, and having fun before getting into songs by Thi
Sam Wenc - Songs of Our Lives #115
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Sam Wenc! Sam’s new record, “Language At An Angle,” is the first under his own name. We talked about that, the processes behind it, and how it feels performing the work. Then we dig deep into the trenches with the multitudes of Okkyung Lee, Susan Alcorn’s all-time greatness, Robert Wyatt’s immortality, the romance of Henry Flynt, Green Day, Jeremy Lee Fa
Danz CM - Songs of Our Lives #114
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Danz CM! From her recent album, “LARM,” to her new song “Over the Ocean” to Synth History and so, so much more, there was a lot to discuss. She’s a one-person show in so many ways. After all that, we get into the all-time greatness of Broadcast, Yo La Tengo’s romance, The Kinks, Link Wray, Radiohead, Eiffel 65, World Party, and lots more!Listen to all of
The Christmas Special w/ Peter Taylor! - Songs of Our Lives #113
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Peter Taylor! I’ve known Peter for nearly 20 years now - he’s a true Foxy Digitalis lifer, having first written for the site around 2006. He also makes music as MAbH, and is the person behind Foxy Digitalis’s Inside No. 9 podcast series. He’s a real one. So I’m thrilled to have him on for the 2025 Christmas Special talking childhood memories, favorite so
Matt Evans - Songs of Our Lives #112
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Matt Evans! Among the many awesome things Matt gets up to, he’s got a new record from his duo with Amirtha Kidambi, Neti Neti, called “Echo of Being / Grace in Rot.” We talk about all the things surrounding the creation of the project and the record before diving into a laundry list of great tunes from Weezer, Alvin Lucier, Pq, Tracy Chapman, Terry Riley
Andrew Weathers (THE REMIX!) - Songs of Our Lives #111
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Andrew Weathers! In celebration of the 10-year reissue of his inredible, “Fuck Everybody, You Can Do Anything,” on Debacle, a REMIX episode w/ AW was needed. We get into a bunch of the songs connected to the record (plus a few more) through the questionnaire, digging into the likes of The Progress, Drake, Rites of Spring, Buell Kazee, Andrew WK and plent
Sean McCann - Songs of Our Lives #110
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Sean McCann! It’s always a blast to connect with someone I’ve known for years, and especially around the occasion of their first-ever opera. In this case, Sean’s latest, “The Leopard.” We get into that, the difficulty in completing it, and plenty more before diving into the effervescent magic of Albert Ayler, The Blue Nile’s specific kind of romance, Bil
Dania - Songs of Our Lives #109
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Dania! Her new record, “Listless,” has been on regular rotation the last few months, but as it gets dark earlier, it’s going to be a mainstay on the stereo. We talk about the magic and mystery of late nights, Japanese snake gourds, and how it all came together on this record. Then we can’t stop talking about Tiesto covering the greatest song of all time,
Randall Dunn - Songs of Our Lives #108
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Randall Dunn! We recorded this episode in person at The Jewel Garden the morning after Charmaine Lee’s “Awaken the Dragon” tour rolled through Tulsa. We were well caffeinated for this episode (and Charmaine as in the room!) and had a blast talking about Kou Records, Randall’s new Slate & Ash instrument, John Carpenter, Beach Boys, Scott Walker, the T
Adeline Hotel - Songs of Our Lives #107
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Dan Knishkowy (aka Adeline Hotel)! “Watch the Sunflowers” is Dan’s latest Adeline Hotel record, the second in an ongoing trilogy that began with last year’s “Whodunit.” We get into all of that, life moving forward, returning to music a decade later, and more! Then we chat about how visceral Mount Eerie can be, Arthur Russell’s lyrics, The Meters crushing
Kalia Vandever - Songs of Our Lives #106
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Kalia Vandever! She’s got a fantastic new record, “Another View,” coming out next month Northern Spy. We talk about being drawn to the trombone, working with Mary Halvorson, repetition, dread, inspiration from Carmen Maria Machado's “In the Dream House,” unearthing narratives, and plenty more. Eventually we wind our way into sharing special music-related
David Garland - Songs of Our Lives #105
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s David Garland! What a joy this episode was to record. David’s got a new record, “The Spark,” out this week and it’s been on regular rotation over here. We talk about his approach, making music at 70, and plenty more before diving into wondering how much music has been lost to time, the surprising romance of Alvin Curran, Connie Converse, Diane Cluck, Bee
Chris Williams - Songs of Our Lives #104
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Chris Williams! His new album, “Odu: Vibration II,” is magic. It pulls listeners into a sonic world where unraveling becomes transcendent. After digging into it, we chat about Ornette Coleman’s all-time status, being left speechless by ganayva,James Brown’s depth of genius, Jessika Kenney & Eyvind Kang, MF Doom, The Stylistics, Tower of Power, and mo
Ryan Sawyer - Songs of Our Lives #103
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Ryan Sawyer! His new album, “For Those Who Wish to Sing Will Always Find a Song,” has a bit of a hold on me. It’s one of my favorite albums of 2025. After talking through some of the concepts and the framework behind it, we get into incredible Daniel Johnson lore, unexpecte,d meanings in Johnny Cash songs, Dylan in the tropics, Ornette Coleman, Funkadeli
Patrick Shiroishi (THE REMIX!) - Songs of Our Lives #102
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, Patrick Shiroishi is back! Patrick returns to the show nearly two years later with an incredible new album, “Forgetting is Violence,” out this week on American Dreams. I can’t get enough of the record, so after talking about various facets of it, we get into Upsilon Acrux, Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Quintet, Future, Dave Brubeck, My Chemical Romance, and more
Weston Olencki - Songs of Our Lives #101
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Weston Olencki! Over the last few years, Weston’s become one of my favorite musicians around, and their latest album, “Broadsides,” only cements that further. We get into the record’s interesting backstory and some specific moments before diving into the romance in Radigue’s work, Rahman Mammadli’s shredding, The Carter Family, Linkin Park, Asmaa Hamzaou
White Boy Scream - Songs of Our Lives #100
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s White Boy Scream! For episode #100, it had to be special, and recording this with Micaela in person at The Jewel Garden… well, it doesn’t get much better, does it? We talk about the next White Boy Scream record (that we have been working on all summer!), grief, growth, and so much more. Then we dive into all kinds of music from Maria Callas, Kelsey Lu, D
Wilder Maker - Songs of Our Lives #99
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Wilder Maker’s Gabriel Birnbaum! Wilder Maker have an incredible new record on the way, “The Streets Like Beds Still Warm.” It’s the first in a trilogy that tells a story of one night in the city from dusk to dawn. I love it. We talked about the story behind that before diving into a Bonnie Raitt, Deerhoof, Sandro Perri, Dougie Poole, Angel Olsen, and so
Dorian Wood - Songs of Our Lives #98
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Dorian Wood! She’s probably my favorite singer in the whole world. Her voice just stops me in my tracks every time. But she’s so much more than that, with so many wonderful, interesting projects across mediums, so it was a thrill to finally get on a chat together. After talking about her various projects, we get into the weeds with the Prince song everyo
Marissa Nadler - Songs of Our Lives #97
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Marissa Nadler! It was such a blast to connect with another life, someone who I have known for over 20 years at this point. Her latest album, “New Radiations,” is my favorite thing she’s done yet, and considering what’s come before, that’s a testament to the work she’s put in. We get into all of that before talking about when a chorus doesn’t deliver on
Stefan Christoff - Songs of Our Lives #96
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Stefan Christoff! We talk a lot about his project, Earth Sounds Now and their album “Convergence,” plus the activist work he’s doing around Palestinians and Gaza before getting into a lot of great tunes. We chat about Don Cherry’s all-time status, meeting Lhasa, hip-hop lyrics, Hector Lavoe, Coltrane, Nicolás Jaar, Chico Buarque, & more!Listen to all
Charmaine Lee - Songs of Our Lives #95
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Charmaine Lee! In 2025, Charmaine is not fucking around. She’s got an incredible new record on the way in a couple months called “Tulpa.” She’s just started a new label, Kou, with her partner Randall Dunn that has a unique and innovative approach to running a label. Oh, and she’s about to go on a 3-month, 90 city tour of the US in which she will play in
Glenn Donaldson - Songs of Our Lives #94
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Glenn Donaldson! An episode 20 years in the making, this one was an absolute blast. Glenn’s band, The Reds, Pinks, and Purples has a new collection of songs out now on Fire Records called “The Past Is A Garden I Never Fed,” and it continues a long line of stellar releases. We get into his approach to songwriting, the beauty in names (if you need a band n
Ethan Miller - Songs of Our Lives #93
New episodes return! On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Ethan Miller! Ethan’s got a new trio record on the way with Bill Orcutt and Steve Shelley (talk about a dream team), so I had to get his side about how that all came into being. Then we wade into the weeds yapping about a good wordless chorus, why the New York Dolls should have been on the Voyager gold record, King Crimson, Dylan, Fa
Ka Baird - Songs of Our Lives #92 (Episode 24 REWIND!)
**Never a bad time to revisit this gem of an episode from the great Ka Baird. New episodes are on the way - just needed a little break this summer!**For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Ka Bard on the show. Their latest album, “Bearings: Soundtracks for the Bardos,” is something else. For all of the great music Ka’s made over the last 2+ decades, this one really stands out. After that,
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (Episode 9 REWIND!) - Songs of Our Lives #91
If you haven’t heard Robert’s new soundtrack for UNION - listen to it today! I’ve been digging into it a lot the last few weeks, so I wanted to revisit his excellent episodeFor this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe on the show. After learning about how he first got into soundtracking and scoring work and I tell a story about the time we actually met in person, Robert
Andrew Weathers (Episode 15 REWIND) - Songs of Our Lives #90
**The weather is getting hotter, the ground is cracked and humming - a perfect time to revisit last year's episode with Andrew Weathers!**For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Andrew Weathers on the show. Few people have been involved in more of my favorite albums over the last 10+ years, so I was thrilled to chat with him. Andrew’s a real one. We talk about a lot of pop punk, what made
Jeremiah Chiu (Episode 19 REWIND) - Songs of Our Lives #89
**It's a great time to revisit this Songs of Our Lives classic as Jeremiah and Marta Sofia Honer have a new album coming out on Friday - Different Rooms**For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Jeremiah Chiu on the show. He’s been on quite a run of incredible records the last couple years, and on February 2nd, it continues with “The Closest Thing to Silence,” a collaboration between himse
Hayden Pedigo - Songs of Our Lives #88
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Hayden Pedigo! I absolutely adore his new record, “I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away,” so it was great to talk to him about it before diving into a host of excellent picks. We talk about the crushing agelessness of Judee Sill, Wolf Eyes on the jukebox, how everyone has their Disney song, Andy Shauf’s under-the-radar opus, the Fahey of it all, Paul Simon,
The Modern Folk - Songs of Our Lives #87
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s The Modern Folk (aka J Moss)! I keep getting pulled back to his new album with the Modern Folk Electronic Ensemble, and that felt like a perfect excuse to get him on the show. Good times were had! We talk about starting off with Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch’s devastating abilities, drug-fueled frenzy from Fleetwood Mac, going to bat for The Eagles, Lil Uzi V
Patrick Shirioishi (Episode 7 REWIND) - Songs of Our Lives #86
**This episode was originally published on November 7, 2023, and really, any time is a good time to revisit this hang with Patrick!**For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Patrick Shiroishi on the show. It would take a novel to list all the incredible things Patrick is doing these days, but notably he has new album out this week, “I was too young to hear silence” on American Dreams. He’s
Joy Guidry - Songs of Our Lives #85
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Joy Guidry! I’ve admired Joy’s work for years, so it was a real pleasure to finally connect one-on-one. She’s consistently pushed the boundaries of what the bassoon can do, and her latest album, Five Prayers, is a beautifully distilled expression of that evolving vision. We talked about pre-show rituals, Stevie Wonder as the GOAT, how incredible Cleo Sol
Thor Harris - Songs of Our Lives #84
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Thor Harris! I don’t think Thor needs much introduction, but I have to mention the incredible new Thor & Friends Album, “Heathen Spirituals,” that’s out this week. It’s such a cathartic joy to listen to - so many moving parts, all of it interlocked and moving together beautifully. Thor and I talk about the marimba gifted to him, the album, and plenty
Sarah Hennies (THE REMIX) - Songs of Our Lives #83
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s the return of Sarah Hennies! I always knew I’d have Sarah back, and with her new album with Tristan Kasten-Krause out now on Dinzu Artefacts, it was the perfect opportunity. (The album is incredible, by the way). We talk a lot about the point of singular genius that is Jandek, belting out “The Piano Man,” Hatebeak, The Shaggs, Cerberus Shoal, Bobby Conn,
Greg Davis - Songs of Our Lives #82
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Greg Davis! Greg and I go pretty far back - I think I first covered him on Foxy Digitalis when “Curling Pond Woods” came out in 2004, but this year he’s got a new LP from Asterisk, his awesome hip-hop/beats project. With a slew of incredible MCs on board, “No School” is fun, deep, and an incredible record that invites repeat listens. We get into all of t
Helado Negro (Episode 20 REWIND) - Songs of Our Lives #81
**This episode was originally published on February 6, 2024, but the warm days from the last few weeks have had me bumping PHASOR a lot, so - let's hear from Roberto!**For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Helado Negro on the show. After talking a little about his process and the story of Lupe Lopez, he takes us on quite the journey (including me reacting to one of his off-the-cuff pick
Kaho Matsui - Songs of Our Lives #80
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Kaho Matsui! This is, full stop, the most fried episode so far, and I mean that as the biggest, baddest compliment possible. We talk about her latest record, the incredible “Life Lover,” plus being prolific, and a whole lot more. Then we go into the wilds with the majesty of Dragonforce, all the things that make more eaze great, Manami Kakudo being amazi
Pan American - Songs of Our Lives #79
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Mark Nelson! Mark has been involved in so many incredible things across the last 30+ years - Labradford, Pan American, etc. - that this episode is a bit of a dream. His new album with Michael Grigoni, “New World, Lonely Ride” is one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard this year. After talking a bit about how the collaboration came together, we go int
Macie Stewart - Songs of Our Lives #78
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Macie Stewart! Her new album, “When The Distance Is Blue,” has resonated with me in such a powerful way, and talking to her about some of the ideas and emotions behind it helped explain why. From there, we talk about ultimate earworms, the greatest band of the last 20 years, still getting shocked by Arthur Russell, the GOAT of GOATs, Dick Raaijmakers, Wi
Circuit des Yeux - Songs of Our Lives #77
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Circuit des Yeux! My love for Haley Fohr’s work goes way, way back (shout out Night People), but this new record, “Halo On The Inside” is a different beast entirely. I am pretty much floored by it, so this was an absolute treat. We get into eternal love for the Bee Gees, Joëlle Leandre’s tearjerker, Neil Young at his worst, vibing with Jandek, the madman
Lucy Liyou - Songs of Our Lives #76
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Lucy Liyou! If it was up to me, Lucy would be a global superstar. Her music means that much to me. This episode was way too much fun. After talking about her incredible new record, “Every Video With Your Face, Every Sound Without Your Name,” it all goes up. We talk about loving Lee Greenwood’s schmaltzy voice, the audacity of Remy Ma, Nicki Minaj’s maxim
Ilyas Ahmed (Episode 17 REWIND) - Songs of Our Lives #75
**This episode was originally published on January 16, 2024, but with Grails announcing a new record this week, I thought it was a good time to revisit this classic episode**For this episode of Songs of Our Lives, I invite Ilyas Ahmed on the show. After reminiscing a bit about the 2007 Digitalis music fest, Bottled Smoke, we talked about both incredible albums Ilyas released in 2023 - his solo joi
Katy Henriksen - Songs of Our Lives #74
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Katy Henriksen! Season three of her excellent podcast, Sound Off, debuts on March 6th, so we talk about what to expect from the upcoming episodes, and the challenges in producing podcasts on your own. Once we get into the music, we talk Thelonius Monk, Etta James, Beirut, Mingus, Tumi Mogorosi, all the incredible versions of “Sometimes I Feel Like A Moth
James Toth - Songs of Our Lives #73
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s James Toth! I’ve known James for almost 20 years now (which is hard to get my head around), and in that time he’s made a ton of music that’s near and dear to me, written a lot of things that have inspired, and generally been a fellow lifer that does work that resonates with me. So, getting him on the show was a no brainer! We talk about his excellent Dun
Damon Locks - Songs of Our Lives #72
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Damon Locks! Over the last long while, Damon’s been one of my favorite artists on the planet. From the Black Monument Ensemble, his visual art, and all things in between, I have endless gratitude and awe for his work. We talked about his new, text-based record, “List of Demands,” before waxing on about Nikki Giovanni’s influence, The Hues Corporation bri
Sam Sodomsky - Songs of Our Lives #71
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Sam Sodomsky! Sam is an old friend and an OG Foxy Digitalis alum who has gone on to much bigger and brighter things including The Bird Calls. His latest record, “Melody Trail,” is a big leap for the project and a record I’ll be returning to a lot. After we talk about that and old time Foxy Digitalis days, we get into our love of Bruce Springsteen. how no
Sarah Belle Reid - Songs of Our Lives #70
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Sarah Belle Reid! She’s got a fantastic new record, “Accidental Ornithology,” in collaboration with Vinny Golia (the legend!) out now. It’s such a fun record. We talk about that a bit, Vinny’s magic, and her learning synthesis courses. Then, it really goes places with memories of Taj Mahal, finding joy in playing music, all the places Mahler’s 5th takes
Martha Skye Murphy - Songs of Our Lives #69
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Martha Skye Murphy! Her debut album, “Um” - released last year on AD 93 - has etched itself into my bones in the last couple months. We get into all of that and the weirdness of the holidays before going long on early Spice Girls memories, Gavin Bryars’ all-time turn, being in awe of Scott Walker, Langley Children’s Choir perfection, Bill Callahan, Patti
Ava Mendoza - Songs of Our Lives #68
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Ava Mendoza! She’s been one of my favorite guitarists for quite some time, and her latest album, “The Circular Train,” is incredible. We get into the details behind the record plus her time with the Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet before Ava educates me on different Blues’ styles from various regions in Mississippi (and then some!) Then, we talk about concept
Tony Rolando - Songs of Our Lives #67
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Tony Rolando! I first learned about Tony through his incredible solo work, not realizing that he was the co-founder of one of the most interesting synthesizer companies of the last decade or so - Make Noise Music. Putting it all together, the depth and unique scope of his sonic explorations and compositional approach made more sense. His latest, “Imagine
Jeff Tobias (THE REMIX) - Songs of Our Lives #66
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s the return of Jeff Tobias!! In this first REMIXED episode, we tackle a whole new list of questions. We also talk about his busy 2024, the “Mandatory Liberation Vol. 1” compilation he released with Gold Bolus, and plenty more. After that, we get into Lindsey Buckingham’s insane solo arcs, Don Cherry at his most whimsical, love for Ponytail, Joe Jackson, T
YATTA - Songs of Our Lives #65
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s YATTA! Even though we had to fight through some technical difficulties throughout, we had a great time talking about YATTA’s latest album, “Palm Wine” (one of the albums of the year), the Palm Wine genre, making music videos, and more. Once we get to the questions, we go long about their granduncle, S.E. Rogie, the undeniable magic of Brenda Fassie, mome
Jeff Parker - Songs of Our Lives #64
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Jeff Parker! Look, when it comes to favorite guitarists, Jeff is on my Mount Rushmore. A few years ago, he put together one of the best bands around with his ETA 4tet - Jeff, Anna Butterss, Josh Johnson, and Jay Bellerose, and they’ve got a new album - “The Way Out Of Easy” - out now on International Anthem. After talking about that and Tortoise, we get
LEYA - Songs of Our Lives #63
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s LEYA! I’ve never done a regular episode with two people at once, so not only is this a first, it was such a blast. After digging into some of the concepts behind their new mini album, “I Forget Everything,” and fangirling about more eaze, we get after it. Conversations around the epicness of Yanni, the Barbie movie, getting hyped with Big Moe, Guillaume
Alan Licht - Songs of Our Lives #62
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Alan Licht! Alan is an absolute legend, and his latest album, “Havens,” explores new ground in a career that has covered almost all of it. We talk about that and the idea of phantom harmonics before diving into kid’s show theme songs, controversial Lou Reed songs, Jackson Browne hitting the spot, Afrika Bambaataa’s greatness, Will Oldham, Big Thief, Robe
Whitney Johnson - Songs of Our Lives #61
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Whitney Johnson! Whitney did something I’ve always dreamed about - releasing two different albums (under two separate names no less!) on the same day, and both of them are fabulous. We talk about that and some other sound projects before diving into all the sides of Sonny Sharrock, Prince’s all-time greatness, unrepentant love for ABBA, Psychic TV destro
Jason Woodbury - Songs of Our Lives #60
On this episode of Songs of Our Lives, it’s Jason Woodbury! After a quick chat about the connection and influence of writing about music and playing music, plus his new EP with Dad Weed, we get into unfortunate moments with the Bob Seger Band, the lifetime of influence Vince Guaraldi has had, sticking up for The Smiths, Judee Sill’s transcendent lyrics, Bill Evans replayability, Bob Dylan, Cocteau
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