His music borders on folk, bluegrass and country…boiled down, I would call it in some ways the “Watchhouse effect”. Songs focused on introspection, with melody and smart instrumentation choices at the core of the music.

A few years back he released a collection of tunes called ‘Cant You See I’m Happy’ and just followed that release up with a single called ‘Too Many Times a Day.’

Its been a while since I had spoken with Andrew as he recently graduated from Dartmouth (about 30 minutes from me), moved back to Montana (not at all 30 minutes from me) for the summer and now finds himself in Indianapolis. We get into writing process, influence and finding our community…something he is finding his footing with right now in his new home base.

I hope you all enjoy…and this marks a semi regular return to some episodes and conversations with musicians…

I’m With Her is on tour this summer, both at festivals and with Iron & Wine, and they are all over the country in September and October too. Hope you enjoy this conversation, and be sure to listen to the end for Sarah’s contribution to our BEST SONG EVER playlist! 

If it’s possible to fall head over heels for a band (and I believe that is possible), then Palmyra is a band that people fall for. Like so many things in life, it appears to come down to authenticity, to that sense that what you’re hearing and seeing and experiencing is genuine. On their new record, Restless, which will be out everywhere on March 28, the band wrestles with questions of time, of speeding up or slowing down, and the accompanying control, or lack thereof. It’s a beautiful record, full of gorgeous harmony. It is also a masterclass in tension and release: songs build to a breaking point, and I caught myself holding my breath, then exhaling along with the songs. 

It was such a pleasure to talk with Sasha, Teddy, and Mānoa for the Red Line Roots podcast. Be sure to listen to the end for their contributions to our “Best Song Ever” playlist, and check back soon for my review of their show at Cat’s Cradle on March 29! 

If you have never seen Palmyra live, make it a priority–tour dates are here.

Thanks for listening to the podcast–share it with friends who like good music!  

You can also revisit Muddy Ruckus on the Old Spruce Sessions–check out their performances of “Sweet Unknown” and “Restless Ryder!”

Anyone who has talked to a musician, tour manager, guitar tech, front of house engineer, or the many other people who pile into a van or bus and hit the road to bring live music on tour knows that it is a unique, exciting, strange, and challenging experience. And most will tell you that it takes a toll. 

Dr. Chayim Newman and Zack Borer, founders of Amber Health, have studied just exactly what that impact is on artists and those who support a tour. And even though we knew, intuitively, that touring is hard on a person, I’m not sure we really knew the extent of its impact. Newman and Borer found people working in the music industry have rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide risk five to ten times higher than the general population. In a subsequent study, they found that mindfulness plays a protective moderating role in the relationship between stress to depression and anxiety. 

But if you’re on tour, how do you access the support to use these practices? That is where Amber Health comes in, partnering with festivals, labels, companies, and artists’ tours, to provide mental health support. And all of the providers working for Amber Health have experience in the music industry, so they understand the highs and lows of making a life in music.

Dr. Chayim Newman, providing support at Newport Folk Festival, 2022.

For this episode of the podcast, we got to talk with Dr. Newman about his work. We discuss the state of mental health in the music industry, the different stressors on not only artists, but the myriad people who support art, the challenges in accessing mental health support, and possible paths forward to make sure people get the care they need. As Dr. Newman puts it, where there was no “net” before, Amber Health is beginning to build one. This is inspiring work for anyone who cares about music. Thank you for listening, and sharing the episode as widely as you can. 

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a trained listener, call 988. Visit 988lifeline.org for crisis chat services or for more information.

The Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To text with a trained helper, text SAVE to 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential.

In our podcast interview, we talk about that show at The Fruit. I was there, and loved every minute. Joe told the audience that we are “the Nuevo South.” Like the South (but unlike many roots music concert audiences) this audience was diverse! The title track of Nuevo South Train encourages everyone to get on board. It’s a unique song, with modulating tempos, lyrics in Spanish and English, and a lot of humor. In this sense, it’s a song with a message, but a light touch. As Joe talks about in our podcast conversation, it’s not that everyone has to see everything in the same way; but we do have to stay in the room together and figure things out.

One way to get people in the room is to play as well as Larry and Joe. From the first notes of the concert, their skill and respect for traditions was on display. Both Larry and Joe are multi-instrumentalists, so the sound never gets predictable or tired. And they can both sing so beautifully, investing everything in the emotion of the words. One of the highlights of the night was the gorgeous and sorrowful hymn-like song, “Border Wall.” It features verses from Joe, Larry, and DaShawn Hickman, who joined them on steel guitar. The refrain goes: “Border wall, border wall / There will come one bright morning when it stands there no more.” 

I had so many questions about this record and the songs. But our conversation was mostly about making music together, and it was so heartfelt and beautiful that I am glad we didn’t just dive into a track-by-track analysis. We talk about community, tradition, and mostly about love. 

I hope you enjoy the podcast. Find out more about Larry & Joe, including tour dates, at their website. 

They are mostly quiet, and there is a tendency for uncertainty, or, at least, a questioning of what makes us so certain. The songs, to borrow a line from Frank Burroughs, “won’t keep still,” and that’s what I like about them. Sometimes when I listen, they’re sorrowful, sometimes joyful, and that’s life, isn’t it? As MC Taylor sings, “It’s a beautiful world, but painful, child.” That, to me, is what Deer captures–the beauty of our interconnectedness and its fragility; the importance of attention and the costs of inattention. 

Photo: Shaw Photography

I had the good fortune to hear Thomas perform at Newport Folk Festival last summer, as part of the Spiritual Helpline Gospel Revue. Thomas played guitar and sang in the group that also featured Sister Lena Mae Perry, The Union, Phil Cook and the Guitarheels. And when he sang–well, I’m not sure I’ve seen people that surprised and awed in a long while. He can hit falsetto notes that are simply out of reach for the vast majority of singers.

Love Lifted Me is a spare, gorgeous record. Most songs are just Thomas and an acoustic guitar. There’s no hiding on this album, and Thomas’s voice comes through so strong and pure. Check out our conversation and make sure you pick up Love Lifted Me on bandcamp.

Photo Credit: Ken Templeton