There are heavy hitters, and then there's The Dirty Three. A trio comprising violinist Warren Ellis, guitarist Mick Turner, and drummer Jim White, these Australian independent rock legends recently returned with their first album in 12 year, the aptly titled Love Changes Everything. Though they are perhaps best known for their work with artists like Nick Cave (Warren is a foundational Bad Seeds member and works with Cave in a variety of other contexts), Cat Power, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Bill Callahan, and Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett, a very particular magic happens when they gather together. It's on full display on the new record, which does everything you hope a D3 record will: it rocks, it drifts, and it ventures boldly toward the unknown.

That magic comes down to...well, as you'll learn in this episode, it's very tricky to pin down where magic—or love for that matter—comes from, and it only grows more elusive the more you try to name it. This week on Transmissions, The Dirty Three explore their history, reflect on the life and work of Steve Albini, and recall their days opening for The Beastie Boys.

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