13th Floor MusicTalk

This past year saw a host of cool reissues from Liberation Hall including an expanded version of the one and only album by Pearl Harbor & The Explosions.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Pearl who was at home in the desert in Southern California in remission from a recent cancer scare.

Portugal. The Man have released their 10th studio album, titled Shish, after Shishmaref, Alaska.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to bandleader John Gourley who is a proud Alaskan native. He found John at home in Portland, Oregon and talked about making Shish, growing up in Alaska and being chased by ICE agents in Portland.

Season Of The Peach is the 10th studio album from Black Lips, a record they call a “rock & roll odyssey”.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to founding member Jared Swilley about a musical odyssey that takes us from punk to doo-wop to gospel to Sardinia.

Juliana Hatfield releases her latest solo album, Lightning Might Strike, in just a few days.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Juliana about making a record that, “captures a period of change”. Along the way we discuss the life changes that come with aging and the joys of R.E.M.

Sax man Dave McMurray has just released I Love Life (Even When I’m Hurting) on Blue Note Records.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Dave, who was in his hometown of Detroit, the inspiration for the album and the place where he first met friend, collaborator and, now head of Blue Note, Don Was. Dave recounts those days in Detroit and where he’s at now.

Liberation Hall Music has just reissued American Music and Non Fiction, the first and third albums by The Blasters.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Blasters bass player John Bazz about those heady times in the late 70s and early 80s when he, Phil & Dave Alvin and the rest of the band were crossing Chuck Berry with The Clash to make something uniquely their own.

JJJJJerome Ellis has just released his new album, Vesper Sparrow, an album of very original music that combines “granular synthesis” with jazz and gospel.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to the songwriter, sax player and former Yale lecturer about how he turned his stutter into a musical instrument while, all the time, keeping his eye on the sparrow.

Kiwi-South Africa trio The Transits have just released their second album, titled Bleed Hope.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to vocalist and bass player Dom Antelm from his home in Auckland to find out how they keep a band, separated by thousands of miles, productive and creative.

Troy Kingi has just released his 9th album in his 10/10/10 series and Night Lords finds him collaborating with 14 of his favourite rappers.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Troy about his unique mix of hip hop and r&b, resulting in a soulful blend that will leave listeners floating on a sea of possibilities.

Aussie punk pioneers The Saints, led by vocalist Chris Bailey, recorded one last album before his death in 2022, now titled, Long March Through The Jazz Age.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to late-era Saints drummer Peter Wilkinson about the making of this poignant final album and what his friend, Chris Bailey would make of all this.