Ensnared

We have Dominic Manna of Austin psych band Strange Lot in the studio for this one. Dominic talks about the band’s self titled album Strange Lot, nearly calling it quits, and finding a new direction through late night demos and working with Alex Maas of The Black Angels.

We get into the making of “All I Know,” moving from garage psych into a more synth driven sound, and building a new live setup. Dominic also talks about touring Europe, playing with Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Melody’s Echo Chamber, and figuring out how to keep a band moving forward when things aren’t working.

Strange Lot

We have Outer Shapes in the studio for this one. Laura and C talk about how a two person band became a fully built creative world, from the way they shape their sound around elements like fire and water to the visual language of masks, costumes, comics, CRT videos, and character driven storytelling.

They get into how they met, how a 2020 apartment project became a serious band, and why keeping Outer Shapes to just two people is central to the project. They also talk about using Ableton, a Prophet synth, old Boss pedals, and a Metal Zone to build their recordings, along with their one song a month approach to avoid endless tweaking and decision making.

The conversation also gets into making music while working full time, creative routines, ADHD, burnout, staying motivated, and finding a balance between discipline and play. Their new EP INNERSTATE was released October 2, and Outer Shapes are already deep into what comes next.

Outer Shapes

Ensnared Live! at For the Record with Mister Neth and Fox Frazier.

This was the first ever live recording of Ensnared, filmed in front of a live audience at For the Record BK in Greenpoint. Mister Neth and Fox Frazier joined us for a night of conversations, music, performances, and whatever else happened once we turned the microphones on.

We talked music, making things in New York, the strange process of trying to build a life around art, and a bunch of other things that probably made more sense in the room.

Featuring live performances and conversations with Mister Neth and Fox Frazier.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made the first Ensnared Live! what it was.

Recorded live at For the Record BK, Brooklyn.

Credits

Host / Producer: Sam Wolff
Mixing & Mastering: Sam Wolff
Sound Engineer: Calvin Williams
Videographer / Editor / Co-Producer: Nick Kaschak
Guests: Mister Neth (Ken O'Rourke) and Fox Frazier

We have Atlanta band Improvement Movement in this one. Recorded while the band was on tour, we get into how its members crossed paths through Atlanta’s DIY scene, local shows, shared connections, and eventually decided to make a band together.

We talk about the making of their new album, Your Perfect Real Life, from a focused week of writing to recording between tour dates, and what it’s like bringing those songs to the stage. The conversation also gets into the band’s vocal harmonies, ambitious box truck music videos, and the ideas behind “Common Place,” including surveillance, rising costs, and the disappearing third places where people actually gather.

Along the way there’s plenty of tour banter, stories about elaborate stage stunts, the relationship between anxiety and hope in the band’s music, and a brief investigation into what exactly makes a band a jam band. We also talk about touring as a way to connect with different communities and how absurdism can be useful when everything around you starts feeling a little ridiculous.

Improvement Movement

Special bonus episode! We have Josh Klinghoffer back in the studio for this one. We get further into his approach to recording, performing, collaboration, and figuring out what actually matters when you’ve spent most of your life making music.

Josh talks about his work on A Drop In The Ocean and other records, the difference between playing in a room with people and being in the studio, and why he tends to gravitate toward more intimate live settings. We also get into working with artists like Chelsea Hodson and Danger Mouse, his massive catalog of unreleased music, and whether he sees himself playing more live in the future.

We talk about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which he sees less as a goal and more as something that came along with the career, along with staying modest, respecting other people’s contributions, and not letting the business side of music dictate the creative process.

* This was recorded back in July, and took a little longer to get up than expected. The original recording got corrupted, so this is what I was able to salvage. Sorry about the delay, but we got there. *

Pluralone

We're joined by NYC comedians Julian Hewitt and Carlos Cruz in this one. A lively conversation about magic, stage fright, and the creative pressure behind comedy. The guys discuss performance, storytelling, bombing, self-editing, hypnosis, and the challenge of staying original while building a career onstage.

Carlos Cruz

We're joined with Anjali of Naval Grazer in this one. We talk about the band’s disco-punk-pop sound, her musical journey from Carnatic vocal training to Brooklyn’s DIY scene, and the creative partnership that shaped the project. The conversation explores songwriting, collaboration, burnout with social media promotion, and finding more authentic ways to connect music with audiences. Listen to the end for an exclusive performance live in the studio.

Navel Grazr

We're joined by NYC comedian April Sickler in this one. We talk about unemployment, brainrot Instagram posts, tattoos, comedy bits we’ve been working on, and April’s love for water animals, which she seems to take very seriously. We also get into the the various thoughts that make it onto Instagram when there’s no one around to stop you. We also talk about some new jokes, old jokes, tattoos, and probably several things that had nothing to do with any of those topics. There is no larger theme.

April Sickler

We have D’LOURDES is back in the studio in this one. We talk about intentionally building a brand around your art, figuring out how much of yourself to put into the business side of being a musician, and making sure that process doesn’t start taking over the reason you create in the first place. We also get into the pressure to constantly market yourself, staying authentic while building a career, and finding a balance between treating your art like a business and actually enjoying making it.

We're joined by singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Nico Davis in this one. We talk about his musical journey and the sound he’s built across funk, indie pop and alternative R&B. We get into his approach to production, pulling from different influences and creating music that feels atmospheric, melancholic and personal. We also talk about navigating genres, the artists who have inspired him and finding a sound that’s uniquely his own.