Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon on Cowboy Songs, Ricky Lee Jones, and Collaborating with Taylor Swift and Danielle Haim
Bon Iver’s Sable, Fable might be the most “rootsy” they’ve sounded in a while—but don’t call it a pivot. Justin Vernon tells Kyle Meredith it’s less about reinvention and more about stripping away the layers: less mystery, more clarity, fewer effects, more humanity. “Everything Is Peaceful Love” was the compass, and the rest followed—a sonic arc from Wisconsin cabin solitude to California sunshine. Vernon opens up about the cinematic thread behind the album’s cowboy vibe, the word “change” as a narrative fulcrum, and how music helped him stitch himself back together. He also talks about the influence of Rickie Lee Jones (“The Horses” is one of his favorite songs of all time), the story behind that legendary Outfield cover, and why exile only works with Taylor Swift in the room. Plus: why Danielle Haim is his favorite American musician, period.Listen to Bon Iver's Justin Vernon chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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15:55
Rewind: Sarah McLachlan & Tracey Thorn on the Intersection of Songwriting, Politics, and Nostalgia
On this Rewind episode of Kyle Meredith with..., Sarah McLachlan & Tracey Thorn: two voices that helped define the emotional landscape of the ’90s—and did it on their own terms. McLachlan, with her soaring melodies and introspective songwriting, built a legacy of haunting beauty, activism, and Lilith Fair defiance. Thorn, as half of Everything But the Girl and a solo artist in her own right, turned quiet vulnerability into pop brilliance with a voice that could break your heart in one line. Different sounds, same fearless spirit. Kyle Meredith talks with both about their music, impact, and what keeps them both at the center of the conversation decades later.Listen to Sarah McLachlan & Tracey Thorn chat about all this and more and please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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33:41
Jeff Bridges on Lost Tapes, Iconic Roles, and the Long, Strange Jam of Life
A cassette from 1977. A decades-long jam session. A surprise Record Store Day release. Leave it to Jeff Bridges to casually drop one of the year’s coolest archival albums with Slow Magic 1977–1978, recorded with his friends and forgotten until now. He chats with Kyle Meredith about the magic of imperfection, the Wednesday night jams that forbade actual songs, and why it took some coaxing to bring this to the surface. We also go deep on his love of poetry, his accidental collaboration with Burgess Meredith (no relation to Kyle), and his dream of writing a King Kong sequel involving aliens and oil blood. Seriously. He even drops gems about Dylan, Crazy Heart, The Old Man, Tron, and that upcoming Terry Gilliam movie.Listen to Jeff Bridges t chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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28:20
Finn Cole on Diving into Last Breath, Peaky Blinders, and a John Martyn Biopic
Finn Cole catches up with Kyle Meredith to talk about Last Breath, the true-life deep-sea survival thriller that finds him playing a saturation diver stranded at the bottom of the North Sea. The Peaky Blinders alum gets into the intense training he and Simu Liu underwent to shoot underwater with real gear, how they learned to stay calm in a literal pressure cooker, and how scuba diving actually overlaps with acting when it comes to breathing, focus, and presence. Listen now.Cole also reflects on his Peaky Blinders character arc, saying it was tough to watch Michael Gray shift from fan favorite to divisive villain — but ultimately, a gift as an actor. He adds that working alongside talents like Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory taught him how to be the kind of scene partner who can be relied on completely.Elsewhere, he gets into his blues guitar obsession, his dream of playing John Martyn in a biopic, and that moment on set when the dive crew blasted Underworld’s “Born Slippy” through underwater speakers and turned on the disco lights at 4AM. “There’s a video of me doing full dad dancing,” he laughs.Listen to Finn Cole chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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30:10
Michael McDonald on Reuniting with the Doobie Brothers, Yacht Rock and Walk This Road
Michael McDonald joins Kyle Meredith With… to talk about Walk This Road, the first Doobie Brothers album to feature him as a full member since 1980. What started as a 50th anniversary tour quietly evolved into something more permanent, with McDonald, Tom Johnston, and Pat Simmons writing and singing together again for the first time in decades. He shares stories about rediscovered demos, recording new songs in real time, and finally living out his dream of playing accordion on a New Orleans-inspired track. Listen now.The album is full of surprises — gospel grooves, blues shuffles, and even social commentary — but it’s also a reminder of The Doobies’ musical range and chemistry. McDonald says playing with the band pushes him in ways his solo work never has, like taking on new instruments or singing alongside voices as distinct as Johnston’s and Simmons’s.He also weighs in on the HBO Yacht Rock documentary, how Mavis Staples stole the show on their title track, and how touring in your seventies can still make you feel 20 when you hit the stage.Listen to Michael McDonald chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Kyle Meredith With... is an interview series in which WFPK's Kyle Meredith speaks to a wide breadth of artists. Meredith digs deep to find out how their work is made and where their journey is going. From legendary artists to the newer class, from musicians to film & television stars, you'll hear about the things you were always curious about from all of your favorites.
Ireland