In this Christmas Special, the final episode of Key Changes's first season, Neil has a cup of cheer and speaks to himself. He discusses the state of his and Allison's apartment, his gratitude for Key Changes's listeners, his semester abroad in St Andrews, Scotland, drug addiction and its effects as seen on city streets, suffering that's set in motion for you, his best friend Alex, the melancholy and imperfection of the holiday season, Australian musicians Nick Cave and Alex Cameron, controversies caused by unsavory lyrics, Yung Lean sampling Billy Bragg, and two musicians' remembrances. He explores which song reminds him of a trip he's taken and which song never fails to make him smile.

Host & Guest: Neil Van Cott Intro Song: "Christmas Time Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi Outro Song: "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" by Vince Guaraldi

Featured Songs: "Another Man's Rain" by Jackie Leven, "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Miranda, a dancer, actress, and writer from Seattle, Washington. They discuss attending grad school during the pandemic, how Miranda discovered her calling, dancers' vulnerability and relationship with music, the nonlinearity of modern dance versus popular expectations for storytelling, Lady Gaga's best songs and revolutionary music videos, the danceability of Afrobeats rhythms, the recent trend of remixing Afrobeats for Western audiences, Miranda's internationally located family, her late grandmother's love of music and fighting spirit, and the divine symbolism of the natural world. They explore which song never fails to make Miranda want to dance and which song most reminds her of her grandmother.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Miranda S. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "Love Nwantiti" by Ckay, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain (Reprise)" by Julie Andrews

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In the second half of this episode, Neil speaks with Nick, an actor, comic, barista, and gamer from Jamaica. They discuss the utility of music for actors' emotional work, the supposed gayness of befriending women, visiting Wisconsin as a Black man, showing Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017) to a white family, Neil's favorite Afro-Surrealist trope, Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good (1988) and humor's ability to humanize, the U.S. retaining live aliens, the intimacy of one-night stands versus that of love, the hauntology of breakups, and the mistake of begging an unloving partner to stay. They explore which song never fails to get Nick in his feels.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Nick C. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Song: "Jealous" by Labrinth

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In the first half of this episode, Neil speaks with Nick, an actor, comic, barista, and gamer from Jamaica. They discuss the waking nightmares of serving coffee, "making the moment right" for fastidious customers, his father's career as an Abu Dhabi-based commercial pilot, the Etihad A380's first-class apartment seat, what makes a long-distance relationship successful, Chris Brown's comeback and "manhood," Rick Ross's visual and lyrical absurdism, the challenge of having a peculiar hairline, and the Rick Ross school of moral philosophy. They explore which song most reminds Nick of his dad.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Nick C. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Song: "New Flame" by Chris Brown, Usher & Rick Ross

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Laura, a science teacher from Illinois. They discuss the confidence and intimacy felt while studying abroad, wanting children "early" after growing up in a big family, depersonalized parenting, the ferocity and snoopiness of tweens, 9/11's transformation of country music, Johnny Cash's humanizing hurt, what it means to be truly hungry, and Sally Rooney on the neurosis of being "late" to romance. They explore which song most reminds Laura of her dad and which song reminds her of someone she once knew and wishes she still did.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Laura P. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "Sunday Morning Coming Down" by Johnny Cash, "Blue Sky" by The Allman Brothers Band

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Jason, a.k.a. Sure Doc, a musical artist from Washington Heights, New York. They discuss taking music lessons at a young age, the catharsis of writing songs about past loves, the origin of Jason's artist name, the often-overlooked complexity and formerly taboo reputation of Bachata music, transforming tragedies into celebrations through music, performing live versus for TikTok, and finding solace in sadness despite its oceanic mystery. They explore which song most reminds Jason of home and which song he's found the most emotional to perform.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Jason D., a.k.a. Sure Doc (https://linktr.ee/Suredoc) Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "Traicionera" by Luis Segura, "Soledad y el Mar" by Natalia Lafourcade

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Tanya, a novelist, mother, and "recovering architect in purgatory" on Long Island, New York. They discuss technology thwarting architects, writing novels to inform the public, how television has improved fiction, the predatory industry of egg "donation," parenthood as a prison sentence, and the irony of running away. They explore which song never fails to make Tanya smile and which song reminds her most of being a parent.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Tanya V. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "Under The Milky Way" by The Church, "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Lance, a 22-year-old musician and student from Waldwick, New Jersey. They discuss learning to play the guitar, graduating from superficiality to soulfulness, the eternal present, the Key Changes Instagram account (@keychangespod), listening to music to spend "time out of mind," efficient songwriting, and the potential for songs to be shy. They explore which song most reminds Lance of his dad, Lance's favorite lovesong, and enjoy a surprise performance.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Lance F. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "Follow Me" by John Denver, "Language of the Heart" by David Wilcox

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Aria, a 17-year-old designer from Long Island, New York. They discuss college applications, ice cream shops, the straightforward self-expression of Gen Z, leaving home, returning to one's adolescence in parenthood, and music for lying face down in bed. They explore which song most reminds Aria of high school and which song most reminds her of home.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Aria H. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "You're Not The Only One I Know" by The Sundays, "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs

In this episode, Neil speaks with Robert, a father, motorcyclist, and real estate developer in his "later youth" raised in Rome, Italy. They discuss his international upbringing, riding solo, leaving the past in the past, the need for cultural diversity, the fallacy of the nation-state, and letting water carry us away. They explore which song most reminds Robert of folks he no longer knows and which song most reminds him of his untaken roads.

Host: Neil Van Cott Guest: Robert A. Intro/Outro Song: "Reminiscing" by Little River Band Featured Songs: "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" by Rod Stewart, "Wasted on the Way" by Crosby, Stills & Nash

Created & Produced by Neil Van Cott Creative Contribution by Allison Asselbergs