Bringin' it Backwards

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Derek Zanetti of The Homeless Gospel Choir over Zoom audio! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"Since 2009, Pittsburgh, PA-based musician Derek Zanetti has been making records and touring the world as The Homeless Gospel Choir. The ever-evolving project has roots as a solo act with a deep yearning for community and connection, channeling singer/songwriter intimacy through a punk lens. But in the wake of personal upheaval and within the unrelenting turbulence of modern life, Zanetti felt driven toward reinvention, and aimed to create an album that reflected a communal spirit more explicitly than ever before. The result is This Land Is Your Landfill: a raucous, urgent, full-band record that finally captures The Homeless Gospel Choir as the punk rock family it was always meant to be. ​​ ​​From the very beginning, The Homeless Gospel Choir has been a search for belonging. "I always felt like a loner and struggled to make friends in school," Zanetti explains. "But I found acceptance in punk." After growing up in a conservative, evangelical family, he found a whole new world to explore in the music, camaraderie, and ideals of this subculture. "I didn't know what I was doing, I just had a bunch of opinions and I could play a few Johnny Cash songs in a punk fashion," he recalls. "But it was super inspiring to find other people who were interested in creating environments where everyone was welcome. It was truly revolutionary to find that." The Homeless Gospel Choir began to take shape with only Zanetti and his guitar, and over the course of 10 years, five LPs, and countless shows, the project earned a devoted cult following. Then in 2018, Zanetti's father passed away and things began to change. ​​ ​​"My dad and I had a hard relationship," he says. "But he called me days before he died, I was on tour and said he was proud of me. Three days later I got home from that tour and he passed away, so I didn't have closure with him and this interaction, which could have been the start of a whole other life between us." Turning to songwriting as a means to process his feelings, Zanetti found that The Homeless Gospel Choir's usual stripped-back sound wasn't impacting him as it once had: "I just couldn't sit there quietly by myself like I had in the past. I was listening to things like The Pixies and those big, noisy sounds gave me a lot of solace." Zanetti decided to lean into the comfort of loud music, and assembled a gang of friends and co-conspirators to help realize a new version of The Homeless Gospel Choir. ​​ ​​Produced by Anti-Flag's Chris#2, This Land Is Your Landfill features performances by a cavalcade of punk rock collaborators, including Matt Miller (Endless Mike and The Beagle Club), Maura Weaver (Mixtapes, Ogikubo Station), Megan Schroer (Boys, Kitty Kat Fan Club), Craig Luckman (Small Pollen, Belly Boys), Rick Steff (Lucero), Steve Sobosli (Punchline), and Billy Kottage (The Interrupters, Reel Big Fish). The album bolsters Zanetti's witty yet unabashedly earnest songwriting with a wall of distorted guitars and pounding drums, creating a dynamic ode to the power of chosen family in the midst of a world that seeks to commodify our every moment. "I think even sad music should be a celebration of some sort and I couldn't find a way to celebrate these songs until I brought other people along," Zanetti says. "That's when I felt that joyous feeling. I felt stronger about the feelings I was having instead of ashamed." ​​ ​​The fuzz-saturated first chords of opener "Global Warming" make it clear that This Land Is Your Landfill is The Homeless Gospel Choir like you've never heard before. The song explodes into an ecstatic chorus where Zanetti's voice is joined by his fellow musicians, the lyrics attempting to grapple with the sheer existential dread of the global climate crisis. This blend of uplifting melodies and direct lyricism defines much of This Land Is Your Landfill, through --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Wade & Steve Stout of Lifehouse over Zoom video with co-host Sean Ulbs of The Eiffels! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"With the release of Lifehouse: Greatest Hits on Universal Music Enterprises, a chronological collection of the band's 18 hit singles and best songs, this year marks a time for the band to look back on a remarkably successful career. Founded in 1999 by singer/ songwriter/guitarist Jason Wade in suburban Los Angeles while still in his teens as Blyss, Lifehouse has forged a path that most bands only dream about, topping the charts, having hit songs all over the radio, sharing the stage at arenas with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam and Matchbox Twenty. ​​ ​​Since bursting on to the scene in 2000 with their hit debut, No Name Face – which sported the chart-topping Modern Rock-turned Hot 100 #2 hit, "Hanging by a Moment" – Lifehouse has released seven albums that have cumulatively sold more than 15 million around the world, spawning a string of multi-format airplay hits like "You and Me", "First Time", "Whatever It Takes" and "Halfway Gone", the latter four co-written by Wade with collaborator Jude Cole. ​​ ​​Having taken some time out after the release of 2015's Out of the Wasteland, Lifehouse's three members have dedicated themselves to individual pursuits. Recently signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Wade has devoted himself to writing, releasing 40 songs that have never previously been available- one a week on the Internet. Bassist Bryce Soderberg now fronts his own band Komox (named after his Canadian hometown), while drummer Rick Woolstenhulme moved with his wife to Arizona to pursue online session work from his recording studio. ​​ ​​"Radio has changed dramatically in the last few years, so it's a nice change to be off that treadmill," admits Wade, the son of missionaries who traveled to various countries, including Hong Kong before returning to the Pacific Northwest and then the West Valley of L.A., where he turned to songwriting to cope with a "traumatic" adolescence. ​​"We feel a profound gratitude to be able to get to this point," echoes Soderberg, who joined the band in 2004 in time to play on 2005's Lifehouse album. "That we can celebrate our accomplishments with a new tour and Greatest Hits record makes this an amazing time for us." ​​ ​​Lifehouse will embark on a six-week-long summer tour with Switchfoot that will see them give a much-anticipated homecoming concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles in September. It will mark a welcome return to the city where they started out almost 18 years ago, releasing 1,000 copies of an indie EP, Diff's Lucky Day, including demos they recorded with money from DreamWorks Records, where they signed after being discovered by producer Ron Aniello and their longtime manager and co-producer Jude Cole. ​​ ​​Their major label debut, No Name Face, was recorded largely in Aniello's home recording studio in Woodland Hills, CA, which was an instant success thanks to the album's very first track, "Hanging by the Moment." ​​ ​​"That was the last song I wrote for the album," remembers Wade. "I picked up the guitar, tuned it to drop D, began playing this riff and wrote it in, like, 10 minutes. It was a real out-of-body experience channeling it. It came out of nowhere – the words, the bridge, the melody, everything. It's almost as if it were already written." ​​ ​​That was the start of an amazing run for Lifehouse. "Hanging by a Moment," which went on to become Top 40's Most Played Song that year, was followed by an array of hits, including "You and Me" (#1 at both Adult Top 40 and AC, Top 50 Hot 100) from 2005's self-titled release, which debuted in the Billboard Top 10. ​​ ​​"I was writing a love song for a friend's film, and I just got engaged to my wife," recalls Jason about "You and Me." "Jude came up with the chord structure. I proposed to my Braeden at Disneyland with a boom box playin --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing Jacob Cade of The BRKN over Zoom audio! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"Punk n' Rock newcomers THE BRKN release their debut EP No. 3, out now on Right Brain Music Group via Ingrooves." Stream or purchase the EP here: https://ingroov.es/no-3 ​​ ​​See the band's new video for the song "Broke" here - https://youtu.be/Y0RywiBYX68 ​​ ​​"We're all broken inside," says Cade. "Every human being has a broken part. That's what defines you as a person. It heals, but it never really goes away. It makes you think and act the way you do now; I think that's a beautiful thing. Everyone in this generation tries to be perfect, but we proudly encompass this brokenness." ​​ ​​Lead by Jacob Cade, The BRKN formed in early 2019, debuted two songs and accompanying videos for "Your Existence" and "The Motions" and quickly racked up over 118k streams on Spotify playlists. ​​ ​​They introduce the EP with the "F-you" anthem "Your Existence," featuring lightning-bolt guitars, a contagious groove and a shout-along hook. While the song "The Motions" brings hard-hitting riffs and hypnotic melodies. The EP is upbeat, fun and passionate as it moves from booming breaks to urgent chants on "The Only Ones Left" to the gritty, lovelorn pop-punk of "Broke." Elsewhere is a highly infectious chorus on "Haven't Found Me Yet" and explosive melodies on the arena-ready "Rollin' With The Punches." The BRKN's songs are filled with hard hitting rhythms, and intense riffs and lyrics that will leave you chanting, with each of the tracks having a powerful energy and distinct vibe that's all tied together with crazy hooks." ​​ ​​https://thebrkn.com ​​https://instagram.com/thebrkn ​​https://twitter.com/the_BRKN ​​https://facebook.com/thebrkn ​​ ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com ​​ American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Zander Hawley over Zoom audio! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​His latest single is Redcoats (March 20, 2020). ​​ ​​Song Quote: "Redcoats is about forgiveness, trying to release yourself from your ego, and the American Revolutionary War." ​​ ​​"Zander Hawley is a songwriter from Los Angeles. He began his career with the band Honeywater, and the band's eponymous EP (which he wrote, co-produced, and performed) hit number 7 on the iTunes Folk chart and was reviewed by Mic.com as "four tracks of folk gold." His first single as a solo artist, "Hid in the Little Things," was featured on the Fox television show The Following and his debut EP "I Wish I Was" received praise for its "mature sound...heartfelt lyrical delivery....and production" (AU Review). Following the release of his EP, Zander was hailed as one of the "best young voices in Nashville" by Cause A Scene. His debut LP, "When I Get Blue" released May 12, 2017, and was reviewed as "an avalanche of feeling" (Atwood Magazine) and "acutely self-aware" (Noisey). In 2018, his single "When You See My Heart" premiered on Ones To Watch and he went on tour supporting The Naked and Famous. He likes dancing and the X-Men." ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com ​​ American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing The Grahams over Zoom video! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"Perhaps we started writing this album with a sense of escapism," posits Alyssa Graham of musical duo THE GRAHAMS. "We said, 'Fuck the genre labels people want to put on us.' We never felt they fit us anyway." In one way or another, every release by the lifelong musical and romantic partners, Alyssa and Doug Graham, began with an escape or adventure that expanded their musical boundaries. This third record, Kids Like Us (September 20, 2019 via 3 Sirens Music Group/RED MUSIC/The Orchard), is no exception, exploring balmy and graceful dream pop, 50's mod influenced garage-rock energy, 60's and 70's style groovy guitars, and an explosive Morricone-esque cinematic intrigue. "We wanted to just let go and explore, and it made all the difference," adds her husband, Doug Graham. "For the first time, there was no self-doubt, no self-loathing – just gratitude, bliss, and a complete sense of satisfaction in the process and the results." ​​ ​​As with their 2013 debut, Riverman's Daughter, and 2015's Glory Bound, The Grahams lit out for parts unknown to gain inspiration for writing this ambitious new record – this time on a beguiling motorcycle ride along Route 66, at the height of the 2016 election season. "Everything about Route 66 – the neon signs, the motels, the cars, the souvenirs, even the menus – are stuck in a different time," Alyssa says. "Of course the music that developed would have moments of fantasy, moments of horror, even some moments of the supernatural." ​​Their work with Producer-legend Richard Swift (former member of The Shins who worked with Damien Jurado, Nathaniel Rateliff, Lucius, Lonnie Holley, The Mynabirds, Cayucas, Guster, and many more) and co-Producer Dan Molad (Lucius, Elizabeth & the Catapult, The Wild Reeds), who later took over the project – was what enabled The Grahams to channel all that chaotic stimulus into something big, lush, ambitious, and profoundly satisfying. Kids Like Us was Swift's last project before his death in 2018, and the duo was honored to have the chance to work with him. "Richard was like magic," raved Alyssa. "He was like nobody we'd ever met before. You instantly wanted to be near him and be part of his world and suck in the mysterious energy and love he put out." ​​ ​​The albums 11 new songs grew out of motel-room whispers and roadside musings as much as from studio experimentation. "Don't Give Your Heart Away" is twangy pop with a David Lynchian sheen; "Kids Like Us" takes a modernized Antonioni feel in new directions. "Searching The Milky Way" is a 50's biker flick directed by Quentin Tarantino. "We started in Chicago with the blues and Motown," Doug says, "and we ended in L.A. listening to the Beach Boys. And all of it found its way into the record." ​​ ​​The other thing that found its way into the record, inevitably, was the surreal election of 2016 – and Kids Like Us evokes the modern American condition in remarkably empathetic ways. "We've definitely written a very political record," Doug says. "These aren't protest songs, but some of them are certainly a reaction to the big pile of shit America has stepped in, and our personal fear for the future." ​​ ​​That future has a name: Georgette Ida Graham, the couple's first child, who was born while they were still mixing Kids Like Us. "We set out to write songs and deliver messages that have meaning," Doug says, "so that our daughter one day can listen to it and say, 'Wow. They actually had something to say.'" ​​ ​​https://www.thegrahamsmusic.net/ ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/ ​​ American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing Ben Wylen over Zoom video! ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​He is releasing his debut album People Say to be released in the Fall. ​​"Ben Wylen's debut solo album 'People Say' is a gorgeous, confessional 12-track record defiant in the face of what the whispers say, and rules others think people have to live by. It follows in the footsteps of the heartrending and inspirational songwriting like Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, with nods to modern artists like Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Hozier, who he sees as carrying on that spirit. ​​A trip to London resulted in a chance meeting with producer Danton Supple (Coldplay, Morrissey, U2), with the pair eventually heading into London's State Of The Ark Studios to record the songs together. The pair made a good fit: Wylen providing the gut-wrenching, emotional guidance to the songs and Supple's expert production work helping to realise these songs' wonderful potential. Members of Elbow (drummer Richard Jupp) and Starsailor (bassist James Steflox), string arranger Audrey Riley (The Cure, The Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins) and Grammy Award-winning mixing engineer Steve Fitzmaurice (Sam Smith, Lewis Capaldi) helping flesh out the album to its gorgeous ​​state."​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine over Zoom video! ​​​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​"Multi-platinum, 4x JUNO Awards nominated breakout duo Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine (ExJ) are currently climbing the Top 40 charts with their new track "Want You Back", released March 6 via Big Machine Records. Adding a fresh take on their inventive sound, the 2020 JUNO Award nominees for "Group of the Year" and "Pop Album of the Year", iHeartRadio Much Music Best New Canadian Artist and 2019 SOCAN Pop Music Award winners produce, write, and play on all of their songs - melding the three skills into genre-blurring, emotionally impactful experiences unlike any other, striving to create moods and worlds through highly eclectic, surreal musical moments. ​​2019 JUNO Award nominees for "Breakthrough Group of the Year" and "JUNO Fan Choice", ExJ kicked off last year with the release of their debut EP "8:47". Featuring seven self-penned tracks, including the CRIA 2x PLATINUM-certified chart-topper "Ain't Easy", and CRIA GOLD-certified singles "Better Off", and "You", 8:47 showcased the award-winning pairs delicate marriage of exploratory musical styles and palpable emotional play. In September of 2019, ExJ delivered a fresh take on their inventive sound, offering a trio of digital tracks including "White Rice", "I'm Yours" and "Taste", dubbed "a welcome change of pace for the duo that hints at a new and exciting direction that we can't wait to hear more of" by CBCMusic. ​​With over 60 million collective streams and one million Shazam's of their songs worldwide, ExJ is comprised of instrumentalist/composer Elijah Woods, "churning out endlessly inventive hooks" (Ottawa Citizen), and lyricist/vocalist Jamie Fine, whose "vocal delivery bores the influence of artists from Alanis to Adele" (Ottawa Citizen), ExJ strive to remain true to a vision that deviates from the mainstream, bringing full-sized moments and their kinetic energy to the forefront, one genre-defying hit at a time." ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

​​We had the pleasure of interviewing The Dollyrots over the phone! ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​​​"The Dollyrots continue to bring their trademark melodic pop-punk to the masses with their newest album release Daydream Explosion, out now on Little Steven Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records. Their songs garnered top spots on multiple 2019 'year-end' and 'best of' lists, including Huffington Post, The Punk Site, I'm Music Magazine and Folk n'Rock to name a few. Their song "Everything" was voted Coolest Song in The World 2019 on SiriusXM's Underground Garage. ​​​​"foot-stomping medley" – Huffington Post ​​​​Deemed by NPR as a 'Notable Release', Daydream Explosion debuted on three billboard charts and is the band's sixth with longtime producer John Fields (Jimmy Eat World, All Time Low.) The Dollyrots' songs have long been a staple in rotation on SiriusXM's Underground Garage, but the band's recent work really perked up the ears of Underground Garage/Wicked Cool founder Stevie Van Zandt. The alliance with Wicked Cool, which began with the singles "Get Radical" in 2018 and "Everything" last spring. Their songwriting has reached a consistent level of greatness." – says Wicked Cool founder Stevie Van Zandt ​​​​"The 14-track Daydream Explosion, their first for Stevie Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records label, is simply pop-punk perfection" --- New Noise Magazine ​​The Dollyrots began their thrill-packed journey when band founders Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas met in middle school, playing music together for the first time when she asked him to teach her guitar. After graduating with degrees the twosome relocated from Florida to Los Angeles in 2001 and began playing shows and creating a sound that combines the energy of punk rock with the bubblegum hooks of pop. They have since built an incredible and loyal audience and become true punk stalwarts through tireless touring and recording. ​​The Dollyrots self-recorded and released their first EP, Feed Me Pet Me in 2003 and were chosen by Hewlett Packard to be part of their Share Your Story Campaign - which lead to a chance meeting with producer John Fields. The unsuspecting band went into the studio to record for the HP campaign and knocked it out in one take with Fields behind the board. Since the studio was rented for the day Fields suggested they record a few more songs, and before the sun went down their debut album Eat My Heart Out was finished. Initially self-released, the record gained traction on Los Angeles radio and was picked up by Panic Button, an imprint of the influential Lookout Records (Green Day, The Donnas, Rancid) label. ​​The Dollyrots spent most of the next two years on the road, including their first stint on the Vans Warped Tour. In between dates the band started working on their second album but were derailed when Lookout went out of business. Luckily, they had a fan in Joan Jett, who was so taken by the Dollyrots that she offered them a spot on her Blackheart label roster. Produced by Jacques Wait and John Fields, the band's second album, Because I'm Awesome, was released on Blackheart in March of 2007. They toured relentlessly and popped up all over the map, recording a version of Jett's song "Bad Reputation" for the soundtrack to the film Endless Bummer, playing themselves on the TV series Greek, appearing on CSI:NY and landing a commercial for Kohl's department store. Their next album was recorded in 2009, with Cabezas taking over some production duties for the first time. A Little Messed Up was released in 2010 and saw the band folding more pop elements into their sound. The Dollyrots left Blackheart soon thereafter and started up their own Arrested Youth label. Sticking with self-releasing their work, the group turned to crowd-funding site Kickstarter for support, launching a wildly successful campaign that yielded the funds needed to record 2012's The Dollyrots. Working again with Fields, the album featured Ogden and Cabezas firmly in c --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing Ethan Gruska over the phone! ​​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ "Ethan Gruska first stepped into the spotlight in the rock duo The Belle Brigade alongside his drummer sister, Barbara, releasing two albums to much acclaim. Since then, he has grown as a composer and a producer on lauded records by Phoebe Bridgers and Bad Books. His solo work has been compared to the ultra-creative, left-field piano and guitar songs of Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, and Jon Brion. Now, with the uniquely poppy pastiche of beautiful songs, adventurous production, and revolving door of guest spots that is En Garde, Gruska is stepping into his own as a grand artist and orchestrator for our time. "I was dealing with a lot of intense, emotional stuff while making this record, and I wanted my more aggressive and unruly sides to come out a bit more," he says. "The last record showed my vulnerability, but I wanted this record to be vulnerable in a different way. I'm not a tough person, I'm a softie—but on a deeper level this shows a little more humor and the side of me that's sometimes fronting with hardness. It's good to be multi-faceted and to not hide your intensity." Ever the lane-changer, Gruska has always felt the need to react to his previous output with a swerve. Where the second Belle Brigade album, Just Because, was filled to the brim with colors and sounds, he urged Slowmotionary to feel smaller, intimate, and unadorned. Naturally, for its follow-up, he sought yet another change, and his original idea was to approach the songs more as a producer and less as a singer-songwriter. "On the first record, it was very clear I would make short yet dense piano vignettes. This record was totally amorphous: With En Garde, I brought together a collection of new songs —whether I wrote or co-wrote them, and completely reimagined them in a way that I could color outside the lines with a little bit." Gruska wanted texture for his songs, and for them to feel like collage, with multiple things happening at once. "I don't necessarily always want the "song" to be at the apex of attention. I love collage and actually work in a very collage-y way where I'm sampling the song over and over and pasting it back onto itself. I wanted to spend more time and energy trying to color it up, and to show all the different styles I like and my different techniques. The first one felt black-and-white to me and was supposed to be absorbed; this one is multimedia you're meant to try and touch it." With the guidance of his longtime mentor and production guru, the LA industry titan Tony Berg, Gruska slowly began reining in the vast soundscapes to hone in on the songs themselves—finding, as Berg said, the singer-songwriter in the record. "I think the common thread in my writing in general is 'unsuccessful mind-reading,'" he says. "I'm not very good at it but there's a part of my brain stem that thinks I'm great at it. You think you know what someone must be thinking about you, but it's just what you think about yourself. I would spend so much energy trying to figure out what's happening under the surface of an interaction; it wore me down. Working through those feelings on this record was good for me." But where he was able to bring focus to his subject matter, his natural instincts as a multi-genre kaleidoscope and conduit with a whirring Rolodex also played a part. "I like so many kinds of music and I love working on other people's music as much as on my own, so I wanted to just do it all on this one album," he says. And that he did, with multiple guest spots and co-written songs on En Garde helping to power the album's motor in a natural, symbiotic way. Whether family (sister Barbara), old friends (Blake Mills, Christian Lee Hutson, Phoebe Bridgers, Rob Moose, Gabe Noel, Amos Lee), newer acquaintances (Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, Josh Epstein, Jim Fairchild), or legendary session player (Matt Chamberlin, Larry --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/

We had the pleasure of interviewing Chloe Lilac over the phone! ​​ ​​Please share while we are #togetherathome ​🏠​ ​​ ​​"Chloe toured extensively in 2019 including direct support runs with mxmtoon and Tessa Violet as well as headline dates in NYC and L.A. for Neon Gold Records' 'Popshop' showcases. Chloe also performed at SXSW 2019 and has toured with other rising artists including Charlotte Lawrence, Sasha Sloan, and Rejjie Snow. Chloe documented her fall 2019 L.A. headline trip in a photo diary exclusive with Flaunt. ​​ ​​Early 2019 debut EP, Manic Pixie Dream, kickstarted a slew of critical acclaim that has secured Chloe Lilac a well-deserved spot as a top rising artist. PAPER proclaimed, "she's shattering perceptions of damsels in distress simply by being vulnerable. But there's strength in her vulnerability," while Refinery29 included Chloe among their 2019 'Artists To Watch.' Chloe has already enjoyed 19 million+ Spotify streams, a feat first kicked off by the 2018 release of "Stolen Liquor" which hit #1 on Hype Machine and sparked NYLON to claim the track "will have you reminiscing about those summer nights in high school." Single "Summer" has attained 10 million + Spotify streams alone, sparking support from Ladygunn who debuted the track's official video. ​​ ​​Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Chloe's humble roots of sneaking out to perform on the streets of NYC by age 13 continue to inspire her artistry. Building her skills as a self-produced songwriter, Chloe began releasing songs in 2017 with her first-ever release, "Reckless," breaking the Top 5 on the U.S. Spotify Viral Chart. Her early songs and live shows saw critical nods from outlets like DIY Magazine, who note Lilac's "knack for an emotional gut-punch." ​​ ​​We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com ​​ ​​www.BringinitBackwards.com American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/bringin-it-backwards-podcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/