Survival Guide is, for all intents and purposes, Emily Whitehurst. What began as collaboration evolved into a solo act. For the project’s fourth album, deathdreams, the musician has continued to push her limits, playing nearly every instrument on its 11 tracks. Whitehurst has had plenty of collaborative projects over the years, including her stint in punk band, Tsunami Bomb and the follow up group, The Action Design. But sometimes the purest form of expression requires an artist to take things into their own hands. Transcript available here.

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Plenty of pioneers aren’t sufficiently recognized in their time. Fanny had its share of high profile champions, from David Bowie to Steely Dan, but nothing amounting to the level of stardom they might have achieved had they come around a decade later. The band’s legend has only grown in subsequent decades, however. More than a quarter-century after the band’s dissolution, however, Rhino resissued the band’s four albums by way of a box set. More recently, the documentary, Fanny: The Right to Rock, introduced the group a whole new generation of fans. Singer and guitarist June Millington joins us to discuss her journey in music, mindfulness and teaching. Transcript available here.

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A deeply personal meditation on life, art and surviving capitalism, Time Under Tension further establishes MS Harkness as a formative voice in auto-bio comics. The book – her first for Fantagraphics – follows the Uncivilized Books titles, Tinderella and Desperate Pleasures. Harkness joins us to discuss her work, weightlifting and teaching comics. Transcript available here.

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When the time came to put out a new record, Will Butler formed a band. Comprised of the group he’d toured with for his 2015 debut, Policy, Will Butler and Sister Squares released a 14 track self-titled album that is as reflective as is it is danceable. It’s the work of a mature artist, propelled by his two decades playing alongside older brother, Win, in the critically-acclaimed Arcade Fire. Butler joins us fresh off a long run in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Transcript available here.

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In 1989, a 23-year-old Chris Oliveros founded a quarterly publication that grew into one of the world’s most respect independent comics publishers. In 2015, he left the company after 25 years, in order to focus on his own work. Oliveros released The Envelope Manufacturer the following year, chronicling the titular character’s financial and mental struggles in a changing world. Earlier this year, D&Q released Are You Willing to Die for the Cause?, which delves into a fascinating an oft-overlooked chapter of Quebec history.

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In 2019, Jack Tatum and his wife made the move from Los Angeles to Virginia. As timing goes, the decision couldn't have been better, as they rode out the pandemic with considerably more space. Since then, the couple have had a son, a factor that weighs heavily on the themes of his latest, Hold. The album is his fifth as Wild Nothing, and his first fully self-produced record since 2010's Gemini. Tatum discusses his creative process and using music to work through pain. Transcript available here.

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A few months ago, Joshua Cotter did something difficult: he asked for help. Social media posts detailing the number of copies his Nod Away series have sold struck a chord. If a supremely talented artist like Cotter can’t make a living at comics, what hope does anyone else have? Over the years, Cotter has crafted many excellent works, including Skyscrapers of the Midwest and Driven by Lemons. Those two titles have taken on a special meaning for the cartoonist, after being diagnosed with neurodivergence. Transcript available here.

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Few bands reach the status of “institution.” It’s a qualifier that has applied to Barenaked Ladies for several decades now. Multi-instrumentalist Kevin Hearn has been a part of that journey since 1995, joining prior to the one-two punch of Born of a Pirate Ship and Stunt, the latter of which catapulted the already-popular band into the stratosphere. Hearn’s professional career stretches back further, to the late-80s, when he joined Toronto’s legendary Look People. Transcript available here.

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Last night was a late one – a big show at Pappy and Harriets in Pioneertown, California, followed by the inevitable after party. Zia McCabe dials in from the passenger seat of the tour bus, slightly worse for wear, but sharp as ever. After nearly 30 years, the Dandy Warhols know the road like few others – and like even fewer, they’re still committed to bringing it every night. McCabe joins us to discuss her journey with the band, family and life in real estate.

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"World Worth Keeping" is a joyful song of existential crisis, celebrating a planet as it stares down the face of climate change. It's a perfect microcosm of its creator's work, at once serious and playful, with a country twang and a great hook. Jaime Wyatt hasn't always had the easiest existence, dealing with substance abuse and a stint in jail, but she's emerged from the other side confident, proud, as a rising star in the country world. Transcript available here.

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