Everyone has to decide how they're going to appear in their lives, how they're going to put themselves out there to the world.

Mortal City was really influenced by geography. [The song] "The Ocean" is the Pacific Northwest. Southern California and New York also figure into songs, and Iowa. "February" is very much about New England. "Mortal City" is Philadelphia. The whole album is this anthropomorphized landscape where the metaphors live in this geography.

There was a lot of distance between the Dar of The Honesty Room and the Dar of Mortal City, so there was no attempt.

We all do the wrong thing. And then we have to wake up the next morning and live with the fact that we have done things that are wrong.

But if you're looking to be spooked by really tall trees then you've got to go to Washington State.

I spent a year pulling all-nighters and driving around in a really tiny fuel-efficient car relying on the kindness of strangers and seeing this incredible range of landscapes throughout the United States. That's what happened with The Honesty Room. It was a huge night and day switch.

Some of us have such incredible things that can keep us from acting. We have the luxury of drinking such good wine, and having such good information at our fingertips. I can look up anything on my computer. And I can call any friend at the drop of a hat on my cell phone. And I can have beautiful clothing and great food in a world where people are being tortured. I have some responsibility for that.