I want to write songs that are so sad, the kind of sad where you take someone's little finger and break it in three places.

I have to be able to see the thing that's going on that I'm writing about, or else it just doesn't make any sense to me.

I'm hugely self-critical in the morning.

A gentleman never talks about his tailor.

My music has to do with beauty, and it's intended to, if not lift the spirits, then be a kind of a balm to the spirits.

I don't like those songs where you have to listen to a story to get into them. I don't want to have to pay attention to music in that way, I just want it to hit me in the heart and do what music's supposed to do.

It's very important that the music has a sense of adventure to it, and that it's done by the seat of your pants. There's a kind of nervy element about it.