Fresh Content

Show date:  Apr. 14, 2026

Maclayne and Phil in a Zoom call

Writing from a concept with Maclayne

Maclayne joined us to talk about writing songs from concepts and her song There You Are. Download the lyrics and chords to follow along. We were treated to a rare live performance by Maclayne!

We talked about:

  • Writing lyrics or music first
  • The value of deadlines to get songs done
  • Revisiting a hook a year later to complete the song with producer James Bryan
  • Ecstatic Dancing in Guatemala
  • Writing with specific details but still open to listeners seeing themselves in the lyric
  • Growing as an independent artist in the face of commercial music

About Maclayne

Maclayne is a Calgary and Toronto-based independent singer-songwriter whose music is as hooky and quirky as it is sincere and moving.… Read the rest

Show date:  Apr. 07, 2026

Neel, John, and Phil in a Zoom call

Considered songwriting with They Might Be Giants

Grammy-winning They Might Be Giants’ John Flansburgh joined us to talk about songwriting from listening and intuitions. Download the lyrics to Outside Brain to follow along.

We talked about:

  • Modal writing when you don’t know what modal writing is, and our Songwriting Challenge 2023: Write in a Mode
  • Tension between conventions and breaking the rules
  • Songwriting as a very plastic medium where the variations are endless
  • Using terms like “gold dust” and “kicker” to identify elements or sections of songs 
  • How learning the I-vi-IV-V became the key to start writing songs 
  • How John and John typically bring completed songs to each other, but work at editing for a long time until it’s right
  • Starting songwriting by failing at cover songs 
  • John says, rhyming is overrated and bridges are overrated

About They Might be Giants

They Might Be Giants treat the entire history of popular music as a trampoline rather than a rulebook.… Read the rest

Show date:  Mar. 31, 2026

Neel, Garrett, and Phil in a Zoom call

Garrett Lajoie: Writing with FAWM for ten years

Hamilton-based singer-songwriter Garrett Lajoie talked about taking on February Album Writing Month for the last ten years and how that experience has shaped his approach to songwriting. Download the lyrics to Window Shopping to follow along.

We talked about:

… Read the rest

Show date:  Mar. 23, 2026

Delyn and Neel in a Zoom call

Goin’ all punk with Delyn Grey

Delyn Grey returned to the show for the third time to talk about her new release My Mind is a Riot and her upcoming album Delynquent. Download the lyrics to follow along.

We talked about:

About Delyn Grey

My Head is a Riot was released in February and is the first song off of Delyn’s twelve-song 2026 project, “Delynquent,” written, recorded, and produced in her garage with her dad.… Read the rest