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Nakedly Examined Music Podcast

Mark Lintertainment
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  • Music Interviews
  • Every two weeks

Song Analysis with the Songwriter

  1. 6 days ago

    NEM#255: Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies): Mellow But Energized

    Michael is the songwriter and guitarist for the Canadian band Cowboy Junkies (featuring two of his siblings and a childhood friend), with whom he’s released 20+ studio albums and several live albums since 1989. We discuss “Throw a Match” from Such Ferocious Beauty (2023), “He Will Call You Baby” from More Acoustic Junk (2025), remade from One Soul Now (2004), and “Rock and Bird” from The Caution Horses (1990). End song: ” Unanswered Letter” from The Wilderness-The Nomad Series, Vol. 4 (2012). Intro: “Misguided Angel” from The Trinity Session (1988). More at cowboyjunkies.com. Follow along in Mark’s notes (Google has inexplicably decided that the file looks dangerous and might warn you of this, but it’s just the same as all the rest of them; you can ignore the warning.) Watch the video for “Misguided Angel.” Here’s that video/alternate version of “Rock and Bird” featuring Bruce Hornsby (my previous guest!) as depicted in the video by Stephen Wright. Hear the original version of “He Will Call You Baby.” Hear the acoustic version of “The Wilderness.” Hear their tune with John Prine. Watch a full live set from 2008. Watch them live on Carson in 1989, on Leno in 1994 and on Letterman in 1996. Here’s a video for one of their cover tunes (a David Bowie tune!). Watch the video for a tune by one of Michael’s side projects, Lee Harvey Osmond (the singer is Tom Wilson). Listen to one of Michael’s solo album improvisations. Here’s his film soundtrack from 2017. Here’s his 1983 band with Alan, Germinal, and his even earlier band Hunger Project. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    1hr 12min

  2. 11 Jun

    NEM#254: Teddy Thompson Gets Off the Sofa

    Teddy, golden-voiced son on Richard and Linda, is more tied to ’50s/’60s rock and country than he his to his parents’ folk influences, and he’s recorded ten solo albums of tuneful, straightforward but highly idiosyncratic rock and country tunes since 2000. We discuss “Come Back” (and listen at the end to “So This Is Heartache”) from Never Be the Same (2026), “Move At Speed” from Heartbreaker Please (2020), and “I Should Get Up” from Separate Ways (2006). Intro: “In My Arms” from A Piece of What You Need (2008). More at teddythompson.net. Watch the video for “In My Arms.” Another song from the new album that I mention is “Not What I Need,” and its great closing tune is “Same Old Song.” Teddy’s previous album is My Love of Country. Hear the song Teddy mentions, “No Way to Be,” featuring his father and Garth Hudson. Watch Teddy play “I Should Get Up” solo live. Here’s a whole, very recent live solo show. Watch Teddy and Richard sing “Persuasion” (the great song Richard wrote with Tim Finn) live in 1999 (here’s the studio version, and here’s Tim’s version). Here’s the tune he wrote with his mother for her most recent album (she has vocal issues now, so a series of guest vocalists sing all the tunes). Here’s a trailer for the Family album by Thompson (2014). Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    1hr 11min

  3. 29 May

    NEM#253: Synth-Scaper Richard Barbieri (Japan, Porcupine Tree)

    Richard joined the British art-rock band Japan in 1975, playing with them through their five albums, 1982 break-up, and 1991 one-off reformation (as Rain Tree Crow). He continued to collaborate with Japan drummer Steve Jansen, recording four instrumental ambient albums with him (and one pop album in 1987 as Dolphin Brothers), between 1985 and 1995, adding Japan bassist Nick Karn for a couple more albums, plus 1994 album with No-Man singer Tim Bowness and two albums (’12-’13) with Marillion singer Steve Hogarth. In 1995 he joined Porcupine Tree, and this has been his main gig, recording 25+ albums with them. In 2004 he finally released his first solo album, a second one in 2008, and then a steady stream of albums and EPs since 2017 (so around eight solo albums’ worth of material in total). We discuss “A New Simulation” from Hauntings (2026), “All Fall Down” from Stranger Inside (2008), and “Sleepers Awake” by Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri from Stone to Flesh (1995). End song: “Waiting to Be Born” by Steve Hogarth and Richard Barbieri, recorded 2015 and released as the lead track to an EP by that name in 2023. Intro: “The Experience of Swimming” by Japan, a B-side from Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980). More at richardbarbieri.bandcamp.com. Hear all of “The Experience of Swimming.” A more famous Japan song from just after that which Richard contributed heavily to is “Ghosts.” Watch the band’s final show from 1982. Here’s a live version of “Sleepers Awake.” (Actually, the live version I was referring to is from the live album Lumen; since he said it was only played live once, these may well be the same performance.) Here’s a song Richard co-wrote for Porcupine Tree. Here’s another he also co-wrote, but played live. Here’s one he recorded with his wife Suzanne in 1997 as Indigo Falls. You can hear the full 1987 Dolphin Brothers album that Richard says was kind of a mistake. Here’s a tune Richard played synth on for David Sylvian’s 1984 solo album (he was the singer for Japan). Here’s one of the Rain Tree Crow (1991) songs he is credited with co-writing. Watch a cool “360 degree” video of one of his recent instrumentals, “Serpentine.” Here’s another cool one along the same lines. The song we briefly discuss with virtuoso bassist Percy Jones is “Path Not Taken.” Watch Richard playing live solo. Watch him messing around with gear. Here’s an older tune with Steve Hogarth and one with Tim Bowness. For more general info about LFOs (low-frequency oscillators), here’s a video. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    1hr 14min

  4. 12 May

    NEM#252: Folk Legend Tom Paxton

    Tom was an integral member of the Greenwich Village early ’60s folk scene (playing originals regularly before Bob Dylan did). His tunes have been covered by Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Harry Belafonte, and many others. He received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2009. We talk about “Rebel Gal” from Together Again (2026) (a collaborative album with John McCutcheon), “If the Poor Don’t Matter” from Redemption Road (2015), “Mr. Blue” from Morning Again (1968), and “The Death of Stephen Biko” (with Anne Hills and Bob Gibson) from Best of Friends (live in 1984, released in 2004; the song was originally recorded for Heroes, 1978). Intro: “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound” from Rambin’ Boy (1964). More at tompaxton.com. Hear all of “I Can’t Help But Wonder…” From that same album, here’s “Goin’ to the Zoo.” Here he is playing it live in 2024. Some of his other classic ’60s folk tunes are “Bottle of Wine,” “The Last Thing on My Mind,” and “Ramblin’ Boy.“ Hear the cover version of “Mr. Blue” by Clear Light that we discuss. One of the crazier arrangements by Tom himself from this period is “Icarus” (1971). Not too many years after that, a lot of his material was quite relaxed and safe, e.g. “Something in My Life” from the 1975 album of that name. One of his slick ’80s tunes is “And Lovin’ You,” co-written with Bob Gibson. (FYI Tom’s hero Bob Gibson’s most famous song was “Abeline,” from 1957.) Hear the original 1978 version of “The Death of Stephen Biko.” (Here’s the Peter Gabriel tune about the same topic that Mark mentions.) An important tune from the ’00s for Tom is “Comedians & Angels.” Probably my favorite album from his later career is 2008’s “Looking for the Moon.” Here’s the tune from the new album that Mark mentions, “Lay This Old Guitar Down.” Watch Tom and John perform “Same Old Crap” from their first album together; a lot of their tunes together are funny ones like this. Another funny one from a different recent collaboration (with Jon Vezner; this 2019 live album is credited to Tom Paxton & The DonJuans) is “All My Stalkers.” He has remained politically relevant, releasing “No Kings Here!” last September. Listen to my interview with John McCutcheon. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    55 min

  5. 24 Apr

    NEM#251: Dr. Alan Williams (Birdsong at Morning)

    After studying at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music, Alan released two albums with folk-rock band Knots and Crosses in the early 90s, put out one solo album in 1994, then became a freelance recording engineer and earned a PhD in ethnomusicology. He released three albums between 2010-2019 fronting Birdsong at Morning and released two more solo albums. We discuss “Just Like Water” (and listen at the end to “Somewhere There’s a Train”) from Floating on the Dreamline (2026), “The Great Escape” by Birdsong at Morning from A Slight Departure (2015), and the title track to Curve of the Earth (1993) by Knots and Crosses (co-written with guitarist Rick Harris). Intro: “Neon Dreaming,” from Evidence Unearthed (2020), which is just a re-sung and remixed version of the track from Evidence (1994). More at alanwilliamsevidence.com. Sponsor: Get three months free of online payroll and benefits software for small businesses at gusto.com/nem. Hear all of “Neon Dreaming.” Watch the video for “Somewhere There’s a Train.” And here’s a sort of a color collage video for “Just Like Water.” He’s got several videos from the songs from his previous album on his YouTube channel; this also features some of the work he’s led with his students at U. Mass Lowell (including a King Crimson ensemble!). Watch the video for “The Great Escape.” Watch my favorite Birdsong at Morning song live. Alan has also does some interesting (and generally very slow) cover tunes: “Love You To” (George Harrison/Beatles), “The Logical Song” (Supertramp), “Matte Kudasai” (King Crimson). And here’s Knots and Crosses playing “Walking on a Wire” (Richard and Linda Thompson) pretty faithfully. Alan mentions (as an inspiration for “Just Like Water”) the XTC song “Love on a Farmboy’s Wages.” Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    1hr 35min

  6. 12 Apr

    NEM#250: Bill Pritchard the Tourist

    Bill is a singer/songwriter who recorded five albums of catchy tunes between 1989 and 1991, then retired but came back a vengeance in 2014. He’s now just released his 13th album, Haunted, and we talk about “Perpetual Tourist” and listen at the end to the title track from that, “Trentham” from A Trip to the Coast (2014) and “Pigalle on a Tuesday is Charming” from Parce Que (1988). Intro: “Tommy & Co,” from Three Months, Three Weeks and Two Days (1989). More at billprichardmusic.com. Despite being British and very well settled in Stoke-on-Trent, he works with a German producer/label, has collaborated with multiple French musicians (and sometimes sings in French), and writes a lot about various cities, as exemplified by our second and third selections. Sponsor: Get three months free of online payroll and benefits software for small businesses at gusto.com/nem. Watch the video for “Tommy & Co.” On the same album, he sings “Romance Sans Paroles” partially in French (he’s still singing that one; here’s a recent live performance). For more French, here’s one of the Daniel Darc tunes from their 1899 album together (the one that comes right before “Pigalle”). Watch the video for “Trentham.” Here’s “Lille,” the single from the new album that we nearly included in this episode. Listen to “Grey Parade,” a song from his very first album with heaps of synths. Here’s a video from his 2016 album Mother Town Hall. Watch him and his band live in 2008. Here he his talking and performing back in 1992. Photo by Luke Hodgkinson. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    1hr 5min

  7. 27 Mar

    NEM#249: Kavus Torabi Now Leads Gong

    Guitarist Kavus began in dual-guitar bands in the ’90s with his buddy Dan Chudley, most notably Monsoon Bassoon. He joined the Cardiacs for their final lineup in the late ’00s, recorded an unreleased album with The Pogues’ Spider Stacey, and was a guitarist in several other bands. His project Knifeworld released the first of its four albums in 2009, he released solo albums in 2020 and 2024, and since 2014 he has released six albums with legendary prog-rock band Gong, serving as their lead singer since the death of Gong’s founder Daevid Allen in 2015. His other major ongoing project is The Utopia Strong, an electronica collaboration with Steve Davis that has released four studio albums since 2019. We discuss “Stars in Heaven” by Gong (co-written by the whole band) from Bright Spirit Haulix (2026), “Send Him Seaworthy” by Knifeworld from The Unraveling (2014), “You Broke My Fall” by Kavus Torabi from Hip to the Jag (2020), and “Wise Guy” by The Monsoon Bassoon, a 1998 single released on the album I Dig Your Voodoo (1999). Intro: “Ditzy Scene” by The Cardiacs, a 2007 single co-written with Tim Smith, eventually released on the album LSD (2025). Watch a Gong video and see them live in 2017 and last year. Watch a Knifeworld video, and see them live in 2016. Watch Kavus play solo live in 2021. Watch Monsoon Bassoon live in 1998. Watch a Utopia Strong video. Hear The Utopia Strong’s tune “Doperider” that was originally going to be featured at the end of this podcast. Hear all of “Ditzy Scene.” Here’s the same song live recently (with Mike Vinnart covering lead vocals in Tim’s absence). A one-off project Kavus did was Admirals Hard, playing sea chanties. A later project he did with Dan Chudley was Hatchjaw and Bassett. Hear lots of Kavus/Dan songs (including Monsoon Bassoon and Die Laughing) on Dan’s SoundCloud page. Watch a live DJ set with Steve Davis. The two of them also wrote a musical memoir together, Medical Grade Music. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic.

    1hr 32min

  8. 12 Mar

    NEM#248: Lande Hekt: Lucky to Be Indie

    Lande started in the 2010’s in the British punk-pop group Muncie Girls, with six releases (mostly EPs), and began her solo career in 2019. We discuss “Coming Home” (and listen at the end to the title track) from her fourth solo album Lucky Now (2026), “80 Days of Rain” from Going to Hell (2011), and “Learn In School” by Muncie Girls from From Caplan to Belsize (2016). Intro: “Gay Space Cadets” from House Without a View (2022). Watch videos to “Gay Space Cadets” and “Lucky Now.” Another single from the new album with a video now is “Favourite Pair of Shoes.” Watch Lande play “80 Days of Rain” live. Watch a full, recent live set with Watch Muncie Girls play “Learn in School” live. Hear their take on the Ramones’ “Pet Sematary.” Watch a Muncie-era solo acoustic performance. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic. Sponsors: Get three months free of online payroll and benefits software for small businesses at gusto.com/nem. Download the Gametime app and use code NEM for $20 off your first purchase of concert tickets.

    1hr 13min
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About

Song Analysis with the Songwriter

Information

  • Channel
    Mark Lintertainment
  • Creator
    Mark Linsenmayer
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    284
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mark Linsenmayer; songs are used by permission of the interviewed artists, who retain copyright as applicable
  • Show Website
    Nakedly Examined Music Podcast
  • Provider
    The Partially Examined Life Podcast Network

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