Award-winning songwriter and composer Jeremiah Fraites, co-founder of The Lumineers, joins Adam to explore the powerful impact of Bruce Springsteen’s minimalist masterpiece, Nebraska.

Jeremiah reveals how Springsteen’s stripped-down storytelling and raw, lo-fi production inspired his own creative journey—from writing chart-topping hits with The Lumineers to scoring the feature film Deliver Me From Nowhere, which tells the story behind Nebraska’s creation.

Discover how Nebraska’s themes of vulnerability, artistry, and blue-collar Americana resonate across generations of musicians and why Jerome believes this album changed the musical landscape forever. This candid conversation also delves into Jeremiah’s process composing for film (including The Long Walk), lessons learned from Springsteen’s risk-taking and the lasting influence of home-recorded innovation.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How Nebraska transformed Jeremiah’s views on songwriting and vulnerability
• The creative spark and intention behind scoring Deliver Me From Nowhere
• The continued influence of Nebraska’s lo-fi recording techniques
• The parallels between Springsteen’s career-defining risks and The Lumineers’ artistic choices
• Reflections on authenticity, musical legacy, and American storytelling
• 
  

About the Guest:

Jeremiah Fraites is a Grammy-nominated composer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, known for his work with The Lumineers and acclaimed film scores including Deliver Me From Nowhere and The Long Walk.

About Nebraska:

Released in 1982, Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska is an influential, stripped-back album recorded solo on a four-track cassette recorder. Its stark, narrative-driven songs—and themes of isolation, honesty and hope—have earned it a place among the most celebrated works in rock history.

The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey.

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