this week's talk house podcast We have a really cool episode inspired by a really cool performance coming up in Los Angeles. A conversation between David Longstreth and Phil Elverum.
Longstreth was a central figure in the Dirty Projectors, a band that formed in Brooklyn nearly 20 years ago and was part of a scene that elevated indie pop to something more authentic and timeless. It has been clear over the years that Longstreth is a musical explorer, never satisfied with repeating himself. The result is a catalog that is surprisingly diverse and even pleasantly confusing. The gigantic task he is undertaking, and the starting point for this conversation, is no different. About 10 years ago, Longstreth began working on what is called the modern classical song cycle. song of the earth, he performed with the ensemble stargaze a few years ago. He has since refined and reworked the song, and is scheduled to perform it at Walt Disney Concert Hall on March 2nd with the Dirty Projectors and the world-famous LA Philharmonic. This is a huge group of people, a huge undertaking, and cannot be overlooked.
At almost the other end of the spectrum is the night's opening act, Mount Ely, aka famed minimalist songwriter Phil Elverum. Elverum is almost a mythical figure in the indie rock world, having carved out a truly unique path over the past decade, first with The Microphones and then with Mt. Ely. His music is often very personal, moving from the simply structured indie folk of his to the fully immersive lo-fi of his drone, which can confuse and disarm people. . His catalog is wide and deep, but if you're not familiar with his music, his 2001 work is a good place to start. glow point 2. At this concert, he'll not only be opening the Dirty Projectors show, but he'll also be joining in, as you might have heard, for a bit. song of the earth The work is called “Twin Aspens.'' They were kind enough to give us a preview of the song here, so here's a little bit of a not-quite-completed version of “Twin Aspens”, composed by Longstreth and with help from Elverum. Please check.
As you can see in this conversation, they're deeply into music, and of course it's not just pop music. I listened to their chats and learned about Japanese gagaku and other things. They also talk in detail about Elverum's wonderful album-length 'Microphones in 2020'. The song is essentially a history of his own evolution, and includes a captivating visual to accompany it. They also talk a lot about starting the creative process with a palette in mind, which I also found interesting. Enjoy chatting. If you're in the LA area, there are a few tickets left for this once-in-a-lifetime performance on March 2nd. Please enjoy.
Thank you for your attention talk house podcast And thanks to David Longstreth and Phil Elverum for their stories. If you like what you hear, follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform and check out all the great content at Talkhouse.com. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talk House theme was composed and performed by Range. I am also eternally grateful to Annie Fell for joining me in the recording at the last moment. See you next time!
(Photo credit: Left, Jason Frank Rosenberg. Right, Indigo Free. Editor: Keenan Kush.)
