Author: Brent Walburn

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Episode 28: Starlite Walker by Silver Jews

In the summer of 1994, David Berman along with bandmates Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, and Steve West entered Easley McCain Recording in Memphis, Tennessee. The end result would be Starlite Walker. In Episode 28, Silver Jews founding member Bob Nastanovich tells the story of the band’s debut full length recounting Berman’s excursion into the woods of Oxford, Mississippi to write the album’s lyrics as well as the impetus for and the experience of working in a professional recording studio.

For more info on Silver Jews, visit dragcity.com

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Episode 27: Once We Were Trees by Beachwood Sparks

In the winter of 2001, the Los Angeles based psychedelic country band Beachwood Sparks traveled to a snowy New England to make a record at J Mascis’s house. In Episode 27, bassist Brent Rademaker tells the story of the band’s sophomore album Once We Were Trees. Recounting the events that led to the album’s creation, Rademaker touches on the influences that shaped the record’s lyrics and sounds as well as the band’s experience working with producer Thom Monahan.

For more info, visit curationrecords.com and subpop.com

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Episode 26: No Medium by Rosali

When her plans to tour in January of 2019 get delayed, Michigan born songwriter Rosali Middleman decides to travel to South Carolina to spend some time alone and focus on new material. In Episode 26, Middleman tells the story of how her 2021 record No Medium came to be. Recorded in a Nebraska basement with David Nance Group as her backing band, the sometimes Philadelphian touches on the events that inspired the album’s lyrics and her experience of releasing music during a pandemic.

For more info on Rosali, visit rosalimusic.com or spinstersounds.com

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Episode 25: Spotlight on Optiganally Yours by Optiganally Yours

After a chance encounter with a mysterious instrument called an optigan at a thrift store in Oakland, musician Pea Hicks brings it to his home in San Diego and quickly begins making music with his roommate Rob Crow (Pinback, Heavy Vegetable, Thingy). In Episode 25 of In Loving Recollection, the members of Optiganally Yours tell the story of their 1997 debut album Spotlight on Optiganally Yours touching on how the concept for the band was developed and the steps that were taken to avoid being viewed as a novelty act.

For more info on Optiganally Yours, visit optiganallyyours.bandcamp.com and optigan.com

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Episode 24: Light Heat by Light Heat

Following the release of his band’s 2005 record We’re Already There, Quentin Stoltzfus would lose the right to perform and record under the name Mazarin. Eight years later, he would finally release new music under the name Light Heat. In Episode 24, Stoltzfus tells the story of Light Heat’s long journey to completion, touching on the events that inspired the record’s themes of loss and hope as well as the experience of bringing the songs to fruition with the help of his friends in The Walkmen.

For more info on Light Heat, visit lightheat.bandcamp.com

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Episode 23: Bright Ideas by Portastatic

In the early 2000s, indie rock stalwarts Superchunk had entered a period of reduced activity. With his long-standing project Portastatic becoming his main musical outlet, Superchunk frontman and Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan travels to San Francisco with his Superchunk bandmate Jim Wilbur and brother Matt McCaughan to make a record. In Episode 23, McCaughan delves into the making of 2005’s Bright Ideas touching on how fatherhood and the era’s political climate would inspire the album’s themes.

For more info on Portastatic, visit portastatic.bandcamp.com and mergerecords.com

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Episode 22: Blood Rushing by Josephine Foster

In January of 2012, singer-songwriter Josephine Foster, who was living abroad at the time, returned to her home state of Colorado to make a record. In Episode 22 of In Loving Recollection, Foster tells the story of her 2012 album Blood Rushing discussing the origins behind the album’s song cycle as well as her experience creating the music with producer Andrija Tokic and a cast of sympathetic musicians. 

For more info on Josephine Foster, visit josephinefoster.info and firerecords.com

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Episode 21: Great Lakes by Great Lakes

When childhood friends Ben Crum, Dan Donahue, and Jamey Huggins all eventually move to Athens, Georgia in the 1990s, they begin making music under the name Great Lakes.  Episode 21 of In Loving Recollection explores the making of their 2000 self-titled debut. Self-recorded at home with the assistance and support of a strong musical community, the album’s core trio discusses the trial by error process of the record’s production as well as the inspirations behind its sights and sounds. 

For more info on Great Lakes, visit greatlakesbencrum.bandcamp.com

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Episode 20: Wiseacre by Eric Slick

In Episode 20 of In Loving Recollection, Philadelphia native Eric Slick tells the story of his 2020 record Wiseacre. Recorded in his home base of Nashville, Tennessee with producer Jeremy Ferguson (Lambchop, Turbo Fruits), the multi-instrumentalist discusses the circumstances that shaped the album’s creation touching on the inspirations behind record’s sound and the influence that his marriage to singer-songwriter Natalie Prass had on the lyrical content.  

For more info on Eric Slick, visit ericslick.com

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Episode 19: The Molly Burch Christmas Album by Molly Burch

Following the release of her 2nd album in the Fall of 2018, singer-songwriter Molly Burch decides to spend 2019 making a Christmas record. For Episode 19 of In Loving Recollection, the Austin, TX based artist discusses how the The Molly Burch Christmas Album came to be. Telling the story of the album’s creation, Burch touches on the unexpected normalcy of recording holiday music during springtime as well as the lasting effects the project has had on her songwriting.

For more info on Molly Burch, visit mollyburchmusic.com and capturedtracks.com