Inside the Album

When Bear Rinehart (NEEDTOBREATHE) initially conceived solo project Wilder Woods, its scale was unclear. “I definitely didn’t have a major label in mind...I didn’t have a tour in mind.” Instead, it started purely as “exploration,” as “scratching the itch.”

Here, we explore in great detail how those initial desires grew into both a thrilling, self-titled debut album, along with new sonic ground for the celebrated songwriter....

Matt Maeson’s very first performance was anything but traditional. A Chick-fil-A open mic...which he took first place in...which netted him the restaurant's food for a year. “That went away in about three months because all my friends were poor, and they would just jack the coupons.” Believe it or not, but that amusing bit of history might be the most conventional part of Maeson’s beginnings, detailed here by the artist.

Fo...

The spark. The secret. 

When Shooter Jennings talked to us about the process behind a new record, he highlighted these two inspiration points, one a bit more concealed than the other. “The spark is the idea...when it happens, then I get excited and I have an overall vision for an album. And then the secret is something that I usually never reveal...it's kind of like when an actor has a backstory they made up for a char...

The genre-defying duo joins to discuss their full length album, “Love Me / Love Me Not.” Knowing they had “more to offer” in the sophomore LP, HONNE set off on a journey full of experimentation, increased collaboration, and embracing their two-sided band mantra. It’s all tracked here through intimate details on many of the songs, including which one started on a couch with Garageband. 

Interviews: James Hatcher (HONNE)...

The Swedish songwriter joins to discuss her 2018 EP, “Sorry For Writing All The Songs About You.” The bold concept behind the release — it details the peaks and valleys of a single relationship — is passionately detailed, including the empowering twist housed within standout “I’m Not Her.” 

And to fully uncover this unique and thrilling pop expression, you’ll also come to understand her creative partnership with Cassan...

Jerry Mitchell, director for the recent Broadway run of “Pretty Woman,” knew immediately that songwriting duo Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of '69”) matched his production. “Bryan and Jim have this uncanny ability to write an incredible hook, and a lot of those hooks...sound like they belong in this era.” But it wasn’t easy for the acclaimed pair as they stepped into the role of “Music and Lyrics.” To keep it simpl...

“Every album you go into it thinking, ‘this is going to be the album where I say something.’ And I feel like I did accomplish that.”

“Know.,” the 2018 album from Jason Mraz, is many things. It’s a response to the information overload of the "post-truth" and fake news era. It was crafted three years into a marriage, “a record that's nourished” by this relationship. And perhaps most simply, it’s yet another top-10 charting re...

Brent Cobb can sure tell a story.

Whether recalling his musical origins, retelling old family tales, or speaking on the creative process, the rising country artist pulls you in with his unique combination of intrigue and authenticity. And that storytelling prowess is on full display in 2018 album “Providence Canyon,” explored here.

Discover all about how he crafted that record, one having “a shit-ton of soul” according to Ro...

College was, to say the least, a very busy time for Brynn Elliott. She would play “something like 260 shows” while excitedly pursuing her degree at Harvard, the two passions existing symbiotically. What she’d learn in the classroom would often direct her songwriting, and when eventually making the jump to a label, Atlantic helped her prepare her first release while she finished up school. 

That first release, "Time Of ...

When following up 2017’s “Reaper,” Joe Mulherin aimed to explore his more minimal side. From production choices, to a speedy creative process (it was written and recorded in two weeks), to even the track titles, 2018’s “ruiner” is all about the stripping away of excess. Discover the journey behind this new record, along with how Mulherin initially met producing partner Jay Vee over Soundcloud, why the definition of nothing...

It’s not just Jordan Benjamin’s musical ambitions that set him apart in his role as alter ego and Fueled by Ramen artist, grandson. His thrilling genre bend — one described as being “riff-based,” but also playing in “subgenres of electronic production” — is accompanied by a raw intelligence and a fearless social consciousness. Or in his words, he both has “no intention of contributing to an existing space musically,” ...

For a band primed to be one of the next great pillars of rock music, you’d expect a more rollicking origin story. “We became friends through our moms. Sounds funny, but they met online.”

But that’s the story of 3-piece LA alt-rock outfit Wallows, a charming one that pairs well with the ambition and energy of 2018 release, “Spring EP.” Hear this tale in full, along with talk on specific EP tracks, details about working with ...

"It's as intimidating as it is liberating."

From the origins of the stage production, to the "unique challenges" presented by cast recording albums, to what the artists thought of the finished product, you'll find no deeper look into the recent release of the Broadway show's celebrated music.

Interviews: Jeff Richmond (Composer), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Musical Director), John Clancy (Orchestrator), Barrett Wilbert Weed (Per...

Following up a massive hit, strumming on a junky guitalele, and solving the mysteries of songwriting. Discover how the Melbourne folk artist crafted 2018’s “Nation of Two.”

Interviews: Vance Joy, Stefan Max (Atlantic Records, A&R), Edwin White (drummer, producer), Dave Bassett (producer), Dan Wilson (songwriter).

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"I did. I found it. There is necessity inside me to write Dashboard songs."

Ending a nine-year gap between full length albums, Chris Carrabba's journey to 2018's "Crooked Shadows" was an eventful one, to say the least. From lost music, to expanding and revitalizing live shows, to landing on a dream label, each critical moment is captured here, told by one of rock music's great storytellers. Other highlights include the back...