I think that's more a reflection of the fact I've never been a student of any particular school of writing, or even listening.

I'm a nostalgic person and I really like rehashing and digging around the mental trunks.

I just went to Europe, spent a year traveling, and then I came home with a finished album and said, "Hey everyone I'm back!" I gave everyone their lighters from Luxembourg, gave them the postcards from Italy and Rome, then said, "Hey look, I made a record, too" and played it for them. The general reaction was shock, because it was so different from what they've known me to do.

I think I prefer the constant renewal. It's almost like sandpapering down any details or any contour of familiarities.

I spent some time in France, visited Egypt and Mexico City. I hung out, biked around, planted some tomatoes. I did everything except wake up in a new town everyday. It was really boring. It's just life.

Songwriting is a really fortunate skill to have to frame living and to find new ways to observe things you're going through.

I don't think that village idea of actually knowing what you're contributing to the whole exists anymore.