Podcast #10 • Deer Scout

Dena Miller, the mastermind behind indie folk powerhouse Deer Scout joined me for a chat about her very busy spring, playing solo shows again, growing up with parent musicians and her continuous pursuit of finding her voice. Deer Scout play minimalist DIY folk, where Dena's subtle finger plucking elevates her clean, dreamy vocals to a place that has comfort and beauty, a place where I love to dwell. 

Checkout Deer Scouts and her latest LP Woodpecker and be sure to catch Deer Scout's Spring tour starting May 29th in Philly

https://www.instagram.com/deer_scout/

https://deerscout.bandcamp.com/

Bedroom • Better Friends • 2023

Website

"Brutally Honest and achingly raw"
- Atwood

"Noah Kittinger manages to dig deeper than ever before on his fourth project, crafting a sprawling sonic world that re-introduces us to Bedroom with evolving musicality."
- Earmilk

Kittinger has been making music as Bedroom for the past decade. He recorded much of his music from the comfort of his bedroom as a teen, including "In My Head," a single originally released in January of 2013 (re-released in 2017) that organically became a hit online and was introduced to a wider audience when it became a viral sensation on TikTok in 2021. Though Kittinger is proud that his early work resonated so strongly with fans, he now wants to reintroduce Bedroom as a "more mature and better version" of himself as an artist. "I've grown up a lot as a person and as an artist, and I think this record reflects that. I'm proud of that," says Kittinger. 

Tom Rosenthal • This Little Life • 2023

I hope this finds you well and spirited and sprightly! 

And if it doesn't then I hope things start turning around soon for you. 

I bring a new song, which you will be the first to hear!

This one is about being happy to be alive and keeping happy things stored away for rainy days! It's also the first time I've ever used a HARP! 

Harps are very difficult to work with cos they're so fragile and gentle 

and so they must be handled with great care so this song took me ages 

to complete! I really hope it's all been worth it! 

Zack Keim • Better Days • 2023

Website

"Led by up-tempo rhythms and vintage six-string textures, the track showcases the Keim’s sonic complexity managing to leap into a new era while still harkening back to his garage-rock roots."

- EARMILK

"'Canyon' is as perfect a pop song as it’s possible to conjure up. From the whistle that kicks the song off, it’s simple and stripped-down, seemingly effortless, joyous and yet steeped in a kind of bittersweet nostalgia. Imagine the best pop hooks Lou Reed or Jonathan Richman ever managed overlaid with Zack’s singular, plaintive voice and you’re close."

- Shindig! Magazine

"Opening with a pounding percussive stomp followed by joyous layers of jangling guitar and buoyant melodies, 'Alice' feels both heartfelt and endlessly charming, crafting jangly folk pop with lush complexity."

- Under The Radar

Now Keim returns with the standalone single “Better Days,” a wistful gem that wrests melodic bliss out of pangs of nostalgia. With its sunkissed harmonies and tumbling rhythms, the tune is charged with exuberance and longing for the past. Keim co-wrote the tune with indie singer-songwriter Matt Costa in California; references to palm trees, prophets, and the parking lot heighten the song’s West Coast origins.

Marshall Burns • I Love My Friends • 2023

Co-produced with Christropher Sleightholm and recorded throughout 2022, this batch of songs have been in the works for years and will now, finally, see the light of day.

Podcast #9 • Bernice

 On this episode I reached out to Robin Dann aka Bernice from her Toronto home to talk about her music, her process, how she crafts her songs and a few more delectables about being an indie artist in 2023. Bernice's fusion of electronic, jazz infused indie pop is as thoughtful as the women behind the mic, not only in its' sonic tone but its soulful connections to nature and the human experience. 

Happy Earth Day 🌎 🌱 🌳 

Bernice's up and coming release https://bernice.bandcamp.com/album/cruisin

https://www.instagram.com/saintberenice/?hl=en

bernicemusic.com

Hurray for the Riff Raff • SAGA (Acoustic) • 2023

Take it

They always want you to take it

Just close your eyes, baby, fake it

Burning inside-out

Shaking

Screaming hysterical, I get

Lost in an ocean of regret

Burning inside-out

Cold feet

I was a kid, I was lonely

Would've done anything only

To be by his side

I can't speak

I get to feel in my heartbeat

It's been a terrible news week

And I don't know how

Oh, I don't know how

Worriers • Never Quite Kicks In • 2023

https://www.worriersmusic.com/

Lauren Denitzio has always been the type of songwriter to say exactly what’s on their mind. Over the course of the past decade with their band Worriers, they’ve addressed gender liberation, capitalist violence, and searing heartbreak, all over the band’s signature style of triumphant chords and subtle pop sensibilities. Worriers was always a band that shined with the feelings of ecstatic potential; offering a sense of liberation amidst the chaos of the world. NT

Nadine Khouri • Song of a Caged Bird [Rough Trade Transmissions] • 2023

Discovered by legendary producer John Parish (PJ Harvey) thanks to her singular voice, Khouri was invited to sing on his track “Baby’s Coming” and subsequently recorded her debut album with the producer in his hometown of Bristol.

“Khouri sounds smokey and wise, her rich alto given space to shine” - Pitchfork

“Absolutely gorgeous” - BBC 6 Music

“Beautiful… illustrating the potency of Nadine Khouri’s delivery and the depth of her artistry.” - Clash

“Khouri’s songs are as searching as they are soothing. Her creamy alto lends a nocturnal intimacy… the tension is thrilling.” - The Line of Best Fit

Website

Dominique • Endless Return • 2023

Blithe Field • Grits Kissed • 2023

Podcast #8 • Lilac Haze

Katrina Swift aka Lilac Haze joined me from her home in Bath UK for a thoughtful chat about finding her inner musician as an emerging dream pop artist. She not only writes beautiful songs, but her record label KWS Blank Canvas Music,  helps support other bands in her area.  Check her out!

https://kwsbcmusic.store/
https://www.instagram.com/lilachazemusicuk/

Good Good Blood • if no one else cares, why should I care? • 2023

Shy Martin • Glued to the Floor • 2023

Instagram

Speaking about her new single, shy said, “’glued to the floor’ was the last song written for the album. It kind of sums up how I felt for a really long time. When we first started working on the album I was in a really weird headspace. I had just started with antidepressants for the first time and it had such a huge impact on how I felt at the time so I really wanted to write about it. For years, my fans have been sharing their stories and struggles with me, creating this safe and nonjudgmental space that I’m very thankful for. It's really special and has inspired me a lot.”

Lilac Haze • The Ghost That I Once Knew • 2023

The project name for songwriter Katrina Swift, Lilac Haze combines atmospheric and ethereal textures with a sense of nostalgic romance. Her stunning debut double singles The Ghost That I Once Knew // Lilac Haze were produced by Calum Wotherspoon (Nightswimming) and mastered by Adam Ayan (Paul McCartney, Lana Del Ray, Carrie Underwood). With a background performing across the U.S and Europe fronting ensembles and orchestras and classically trained with a high, gentle voice, Swift’s angelic, haunting vocals gently soar upon soft guitars, delicate strings and dramatic synths.

https://www.instagram.com/lilachazemusicuk

Fred again..: Tiny Desk Concert • 2023

SET LIST

"Kyle (i found you)"

"Roze (forgive)"

"Adam (interlude)"

"Me (heavy)"

"Berwyn (interlude)"

"Delilah (pull me out of this)"

"Faisal (envelops me)"

Jeffery Lewis • Nonsense • 2023

https://thejeffreylewissite.com/

Native New Yorker Jeffrey Lewis is a comic book writer/artist and a musician.  Jeffrey Lewis and his band tour the world, mixing folk with noise and sharing stages with the likes of Stephen Malkmus, The Mountain Goats, and more. Jeffrey has albums out on Rough Trade, Moshi Moshi and Don GIovanni Records, and has been featured by NPR, The History Channel, The NY Times and more.  

Ryan Hamilton • Truth On Tape (Smile Smile) • 2016

This is almost permanent
The pain I feel inside since you've been gone
Youre filling me with lies and I refuse to change anything
I'm still the man I was and I have evidence of love
What went wrong?

And you can't escape when the truth is put on tape
Baby play it back
Baby play it back
And you can't escape when the truth is put on tape
Baby play it back...