In Loving Recollection

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.

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.

Episode 23: Bright Idea 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.

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. 

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. 

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.  

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.

 

Episode 18: Arabella by Laurie and John

In the Winter of 2003, twin siblings Laurie and John Stirratt found themselves living in the same city for the first time in many years. Taking full advantage of the reunion, the Stirratts decide to make a record. For Episode 18 of In Loving Recollection, John Stirratt (Wilco, The Autumn Defense, Uncle Tupelo) and Laurie Stirratt (Blue Mountain, Teardrop City) tell the story of their 2004 album Arabella. Recounting the events that led to the album’s creation, the Stirratts discuss the process of writing and demoing songs while living in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago as well as the inspiration drawn from their childhood spent in close proximity to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Episode 17: Karaoke Angel by Molly Sarlé

Following a hiatus from her work as a touring and recording artist, Mountain Man’s Molly Sarlé decided to once again make music. In Episode 17 of In Loving Recollection, Sarlé tells the story of her debut solo album Karaoke Angel. Touching on the events that led to the album’s creation, the North Carolina based songwriter speaks of her inspiring visits to a Karaoke bar in Big Sur, California and her experience working with producer Sam Evian at Dreamland Studios in Upstate New York.

Episode 16: Beat Beat Heartbeat by The Natural History

In the nascent days of New York City’s early 2000s rock scene, brothers Max and Julian Tepper along with drummer Derek Vockins created short and efficient bursts of melodically jagged pop under the name The Natural History. For Episode 16 of In Loving Recollection, the band tells the story of their 2003 debut record Beat Beat Heartbeat delving into their experience working with producer Thom Monahan (Pernice Brothers, Beachwood Sparks) and the stresses of writing a record in a short window of time.