I just think the reassurance and the steadiness and the hands-on kindness can make a huge difference.

And the ones that know you so well are the ones that can swallow you whole.

Youll almost encounter a superstition amongst musicians, people sort of go through strange rituals, what they need to do to write a song.

The biggest difference would be made if we don't have wars to begin with.

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.

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.

I have a sordid past.