A Deeper Listen

Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard talks about his new side project, Painted Shield, with singer/songwriter Mason Jennings. Gossard elaborates on the fruitful collaboration and dives into the background of some songs from their eponymous debut. He also discusses how the relaunch of his label, Loosegroove Records, happened in part in response to the death of former band member, Shawn Smith.

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Nearly two years ago, Toronto’s Royal Mountain Records became what might be the first label to offer a mental health fund for its artists. It pledged that any artist on the label could anonymously access $1,500 in funds to go towards mental health services.

Label founder Menno Versteeg discusses why musicians may be more likely to struggle with mental health, why the industry should support them, and ultimately why he stands by the fund despite it digging into the label’s bottom line.

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Harpist and composer Nailah Hunter released her debut EP, ‘Spells,' in May of this year. Hunter says she sees composition as an act of magical healing and, as the title suggests, each song is like a spell. Her mystical approach to music-making has the power to transport listeners, while also allowing Hunter to deepen her connection with her Haitian roots.

In this interview with KEXP’s Dusty Henry, Hunter also explores mythology, the importance of rest, and her choice to remain soft amidst the hard realities of 2020.

“As a Black woman living in 2020, singing about dragons and princes and stuff is such a choice but I still feel like it is political in some ways,” Hunter says.  

Read the full interview here.

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Dirty Projectors released five markedly different EPs in 2020, jumping between sonic realms of folk, classical, avant garde, bossa nova, and soulful pop. 

The first four EPs in the series feature a different vocalist from the band singing lead on each. As frontman Dave Longstreth explains, “a goal was to present a kind of mosaic ideal of this band. One in which everyone takes turn singing lead.” 

Longstreth joins Sound & Vision to share the band's collaborative process of songwriting for the inventive project.

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This year marks the 30th anniversary of Alice in Chains' debut album, 'Facelift.' On December 1st, the band will be presented Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture’s Founders Award.

To talk about the band’s legacy are founding members Sean Kinney (drummer) and Jerry Cantrell (vocals and guitar) as well as William DuVall (lead vocalist) who joined the band in 2006, four years after the death of frontman Layne Staley.

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