Early in his career, John Moreland says he existed in a state of what he dubs "under-being": Living in perpetual humility to a fault, believing he wasn't deserving of appreciation for his art, let alone basic kindness. But in 2024, whether being championed by his Grammy-winning peers, or hailed by GQ as "the new face of folk rock,” he's finding being one of the most talked-about singer/songwriters today a little easier to take. And the last 12 months alone have given his fans multiple reasons to celebrate: On top of a raw, live-to-acetate recording at Nashville's Third Man Records and a 10th-anniversary vinyl reissue of his terrific sophomore LP, he suddenly dropped his latest album Visitor, without warning, back in April to wild acclaim. Today, the Oklahoma-based Moreland speaks about learning to love surprises, his infatuation with Sheryl Crow’s harrowing hit “Strong Enough,” and how ditching his smartphone reconnected him with his record collection. Visit johnmoreland.net for tour dates, social media and more.
“Our old manager was always saying to me, ‘Artwork’s not really that important. No one cares.’ That’s why he’s our old manager.” That bit from this week’s 200th episode, with Travis' Fran Healy, speaks to his genuine reverence for how music is presented. And though he's the voice and songwriter behind such anthemic rave-ups as "All I Wanna Do Is Rock" and "Selfish Jean," it's arguably the somber side of the foursome (with hits like "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" and "Driftwood") that put them on the map globally, and eventually led to them going 14x Platinum in the UK. The band's new album L.A. Times drops this Friday, July 12th and on today's program, Fran discusses his obsession with the city's countless movie landmarks, how Coldplay’s Chris Martin lent a small hand in sequencing the songs, and the Scottish quartet's embracing of the Internet age from the ground floor. Also, why Fran’s been singing Womack & Womack around the house, and karaoke versions of his own material in Mexico. Tour dates, social media and more are available at travisonline.com.