In this episode, we get to meet Joseph D'Agostino, the frontman and lead songwriter of indie rock outfit Empty Country. Previously known for his now-defunct band Cymbal Eat Guitars, D'Agostino's newest record as Empty Country - aptly titled Empty Country II - is out now, and it's a real treat of high-emotion, high-impact, literary songwriting. In this chat, Joe and I discuss his specific lens through which he shoots his songs and subjects, tracing a litany of fictional characters and their various throughlines across his work and across the hour-plus of material on this new album. Joe has a knack for fictionalizing the real life heart ache and tragedies of the world around him, transposing them into appropriately emotional but never depressing or dreary mini-epics. We talk about his new life in Connecticut, his songwriting inspirations, and more. Thank you for listening.