Welcome back to Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions. This week on the show, Dan Wriggins of the Philly band Friendship. Earlier this year, the band released its fifth album, Caveman Wakes Up. Fans of the roots-informed indie rock of Wednesday and MJ Lenderman—frequent collaborators with Friendship—will find plenty of busted and bruised glory in these songs, which fall on the shaggy end of the alt-country spectrum. But for us, it’s Wriggins’ wry and sly lyrics that really seal the deal. Take “All Over the World,” in which a landscaper experiences “the beating heart of God/ laying down a roll of sod.” That down in the dirt realness is what makes Caveman Wakes Up so captivating. He joins us to discuss.
Category: Podcast
Transmissions :: Joan Shelley (2025)
Welcome to Transmissions. This week, singer/songwriter Joan Shelley. Her haunted folk songs and crystal clear voice have long made her a favorite of the Aquarium Drunkard crew. Writing about her last one, 2022’s The Spur, Tyler Wilcox wrote: “At this point in her career, we would probably settle for a ‘pretty good’ album from Joan Shelley…But no, [she] continues an unbroken streak of masterpieces.” Her latest is called Real Warmth, and it offers precisely what the title states. She joins us to discuss.
Transmissions :: Jens Lekman
This week on the show, Jason P. Woodbury speaks with Swedish songwriter Jens Lekman. Woodbury has been listening to Jens for just about 20 years—introduced by the 2005 compilation, Oh You’re So Silent Jens. Though the comp features songs ingeniously constructed using samples, it was Lekman’s voice that made Woodbury such a fan. Not just his deep, sonorous croon; we mean “voice” in the writing sense: Lekman has a signature ability to sound funny and sad at the same time, or wounded yet somehow simultaneously hopeful. Jens has a new album out now called Songs for Other People’s Weddings, and it arrives complete with a novel of the same name co-written by David Levithan. He joins us to discuss.
Transmissions :: Marissa Nadler
Welcome back to Aquarium Drunkard Transmissions. Our guest this week is Marissa Nadler. Last month, she released her 10th album, New Radiations, via Sacred Bones Records. She joins us to discuss cinema, working life, and her relationship with heavy music.
Transmissions :: Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords)
Welcome to season 11 of Transmissions. This week: New Zealand songwriter, actor, and composer Bret McKenzie. You may know him as one half of the indie pop/comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, but he’s back with a new solo album of ’70s inspired pop, Freak Out City. He joins us to discuss, divulge about his reggae past, and share a story about one of Ian McKellen’s worst acting days.
All One Song :: Jason P. Woodbury on “When Your Lonely Heart Breaks”
We’ve spent the summer talking with some great musicians and writers about the strange and wonderful Neil Young universe. And we’ve had a good time. But all good things must come to an end! After today’s episode, we are handing the keys back to Jason P. Woodbury, the host of Transmissions. He’s got an incredible season of interviews coming your way as summer turns to fall. And speaking of Woodbury, he joins us today to discuss the lost Neil classic “When Your Lonely Heart Breaks.”
All One Song :: Ethan Miller on “Music Arcade”
This week, our All One Song guest is Ethan Miller. Ethan has been a longtime fixture in the underground, first coming to my attention back in the early aughts as the co-founder of the psych noise pioneers Comets on Fire. But Ethan is nothing if not prolific — he’s played with an array of awesome bands over the years, from Howlin Rain to Feral Ohms to Odyssey Cult. Ethan was also one-fourth of Heron Oblivion with our previous guests Meg Baird and Charlie Saufley … and he’s one-third of the Orcutt Shelley Miller trio, with another previous guest Steve Shelley.
All One Song :: Jesse Jarnow on “Sedan Delivery”
This week’s All One Song guest is the definition of a multi-hyphenate: author, musician, and podcaster Jesse Jarnow. You’re probably going to recognize Jesse’s voice. He’s a longtime DJ over at WFMU, the world’s greatest free-form independent radio station, hosting the Frow Show every Tuesday night, bringing strange and wonderful sounds to the masses. He’s also a podcaster, writing and co-producing the amazing Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast, which recently kicked off its 12th season. The Deadcast’s depth of research, insight and sweet vibes puts pretty much every other podcast to shame — including this one. Jesse dug way down in the rust bucket for “Sedan Delivery,” a raucous number that first appeared on the classic 1979 Crazy Horse LP Rust Never Sleeps.
All One Song :: Rosali on “I Don’t Want To Talk About It”
This week is going to be slightly different. This week, we’re talking about a song that was not written by Neil Young. Nevertheless, it’s a song that is very much a part of the Shakey multiverse: Danny Whitten’s “I Don’t Want To Talk About It,” which appeared on Crazy Horse’s debut LP in 1970. Here to guide us through the impossibly lonesome landscapes of “I Don’t Want To Talk About It” is singer-songwriter Rosali Middleman — or just Rosali if you prefer. She’s been a longtime fixture over at Aquarium Drunkard. But even though we’ve loved pretty much everything she’s done, she somehow seems to get better with each new album. Her latest release, Bite Down on Merge Records, may well be her best effort yet.
All One Song :: Ilyas Ahmed on “Arc”
Welcome back to All One Song: A Neil Young Podcast. We’re spending the summer talking to some great musicians and writers about their one favorite Neil Young song. Or at least one of their favorite songs. Here this week to examine the mysteries and magic of Arc is Ilyas Ahmed. The Portland, OR-based musician has been making consistently fascinating music for well over two decades now, whether all on his own or in close collaboration with fellow travelers like Grouper, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Golden Retriever, Dania Shihab and many more. He also serves as guitarist in Grails, an awesomely uncategorizable collective that just put out one of the 2025’s best records—the appropriately named Miracle Music.
All One Song :: Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) on “Vampire Blues”
Welcome back to All One Song, A Neil Young Podcast presented by Aquarium Drunkard. We’re spending the summer talking to a few of our favorite artists and writers about their favorite Neil Young song. This week, we’ve got someone very special: Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth. Steve spent about 25 years behind the drum kit for Sonic Youth as the band radically redefined and reimagined rock and roll. He’s easily one of the greatest drummers of the past four decades, as heard on such classics as Sister, Daydream Nation, Washing Machine, Murray Street and beyond. His style is explosive, sensitive and always imaginative. Steve is so much fun to listen to, in pretty much any context, but especially here as he dives into Neil’s Ditch era classic, “Vampire Blues.”
All One Song :: Meg Baird and Charlie Saufley on “Interstate”
This week, you’re getting two fantastic guests for the price of one: Meg Baird and Charlie Saufley. Meg first came to my attention thanks to her work with the innovative Philadelphia psych-folk collective Espers, and since then she’s created a pretty much flawless solo career — her most recent record, 2023’s Furling, is a perfect showcase for her pristine guitar work and beautiful vocals. Charlie Saufley co-produced that record with Meg and the duo also played in Heron Oblivion with Ethan Miller and Noel Von Harmonson — a group that only managed one studio record during their existence, but that’s ok. That one studio record was awesome. Charley also played in the Bay Area psychedelic rock group Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound; he’s a killer guitarist, and — like Meg — is a serious Neil head.
All One Song :: Jeff Parker on “The Needle and the Damage Done”
Our guest this week is Jeff Parker, best known as the guitarist for the long-running Chicago post-rock group Tortoise. Now Jeff might not seem like the most obvious All One Song guest — his and Neil’s styles feel miles apart. At least at first! But as we get into in our conversation, Jeff has found some serious inspiration in Young’s unique approach to the acoustic guitar. And the acoustic guitar is central to the song he selected to talk about: “The Needle and the Damage Done.” This haunting solo number from 1972’s Harvest remains one of Neil’s signature tunes. It’s a song that even the most casual of fans knows by heart. But Jeff’s perspective on this warhorse opened it back up — and hopefully it’ll do the same for you.
Transmissions :: Bureau of Lost Culture (Bonus Episode)
We hope you’ve enjoyed Tyler Wilcox’s All One Song series so far but we’re back with, well, something different: it’s a bonus Transmissions conversation between host Jason P. Woodbury and musician, writer, and podcaster Stephen Coates, host of the Bureau of Lost Culture.
All One Song :: Chris Forsyth on “Lookout Joe”
For his All One Song appearance, guitarist Chris Forsyth selected “Lookout Joe,” which first appeared on Tonight’s the Night just about 50 years ago in the summer of 1975. It’s a darkly humorous tune that has all the hallmarks of Neil’s Ditch era—that seedy swagger, a druggy vibe, Ben Keith’s wild pedal steel and backing vocals, and some dangerous guitar work. It’s a deep cut, but it’s a deep cut that’s very much worth getting into.