With the album’s reduced commercial clout and declining role in music consumption, a dilemma crops up for all long-established bands involved in the endeavour of making a new LP record. Put simply, why bother? Why toil for four years on a body of work that distils 100 song ideas into ten tracks, spending a fortune in the process, only to see it flash across the charts and then evaporate into the mesh of 100 million songs? It’s an existential question for Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue, who told me:“It’s sort of madness really, when all the good songs and books have already been written. Who wants to hear what’s in my head or what we’ve created as a band? Does anyone even sit down and listen to an album now? But I think of it in the same way as poets, novelists and filmmakers. It’s still worth doing if you feel you can do it well”. Arguably, new albums have been especially challenging for Deacon Blue in part because the band made one of the most accomplished debuts ever, 1987’s Raintown. With its themes of growing up in Glasgow, work, money, expectations and dreams, Raintown is as universal a concept as any record and yet it is fundamentally a musical tribute to Glasgow that most Scots are really proud of. It set a high bar for Deacon Blue, and yet the band went on to have acute commercial success with the four albums that followed between 1989 and 1994, rounding the period off with a Greatest Hits compilation (remember them!) Our Town, in 1994. The band then split, and you can’t say they didn’t quit while they were ahead. They each went on to have their own multi-media career ventures, acting, writing and presenting, effectively avoiding the inevitable mid-career slump of many of their contemporaries. Alas, they came back together in 1999 and the second act has been a classic post limelight affair. A string of lower key albums placed them firmly in the ‘for fans only’ vortex of music careers - perfectly sustainable and yet largely forgotten by the mainstream. It hasn’t stopped the band hitting creative highs with albums though, notably 2014’s A New House  and the outstanding City of Love in 2020. But when the journey continues, where do you go next? The answer seems to be ‘full circle, then forward’. New album The Great Western Road arrives on a momentous anniversary for Deacon Blue, it is 40 years since songwriter and frontman Ricky Ross and drummer Dougie Vipond created the group’s first incarnation. With the opening title track set in Glasgow, it’s more than a nod to their debut (indeed, the title track echoes Raintown’s opener Born In A Storm, a ‘Gershwin meets Glasgow’ classic). The band reunited with Raintown recording engineer Matt Butler and so were clearly ready to revisit their origins. But as the new album unfolds, so does the metaphor of the band stretching out further and further. The result is a bunch of songs that reflect the sense of expectation of their early work with reflection, perspective and a contented resignation. Classic country songs How We Remember It and Curve of the Line are particular highlights of a mature, grown up pop record. <a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com">Support the show</a>Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/

<description>&lt;p&gt;With the album’s reduced commercial clout and declining role in music consumption, a dilemma crops up for all long-established bands involved in the endeavour of making a new LP record. Put simply, why bother? Why toil for four years on a body of work that distils 100 song ideas into ten tracks, spending a fortune in the process, only to see it flash across the charts and then evaporate into the mesh of 100 million songs? It’s an existential question for Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue, who told me:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“It’s sort of madness really, when all the good songs and books have already been written. Who wants to hear what’s in my head or what we’ve created as a band? Does anyone even sit down and listen to an album now? But I think of it in the same way as poets, novelists and filmmakers. It’s still worth doing if you feel you can do it well”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Arguably, new albums have been especially challenging for Deacon Blue in part because the band made one of the most accomplished debuts ever, 1987’s Raintown. With its themes of growing up in Glasgow, work, money, expectations and dreams, Raintown is as universal a concept as any record and yet it is fundamentally a musical tribute to Glasgow that most Scots are really proud of. It set a high bar for Deacon Blue, and yet the band went on to have acute commercial success with the four albums that followed between 1989 and 1994, rounding the period off with a Greatest Hits compilation (remember them!) Our Town, in 1994. The band then split, and you can’t say they didn’t quit while they were ahead. They each went on to have their own multi-media career ventures, acting, writing and presenting, effectively avoiding the inevitable mid-career slump of many of their contemporaries. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Alas, they came back together in 1999 and the second act has been a classic post limelight affair. A string of lower key albums placed them firmly in the ‘for fans only’ vortex of music careers - perfectly sustainable and yet largely forgotten by the mainstream. It hasn’t stopped the band hitting creative highs with albums though, notably 2014’s A New House  and the outstanding City of Love in 2020. But when the journey continues, where do you go next? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The answer seems to be ‘full circle, then forward’. New album The Great Western Road arrives on a momentous anniversary for Deacon Blue, it is 40 years since songwriter and frontman Ricky Ross and drummer Dougie Vipond created the group’s first incarnation. With the opening title track set in Glasgow, it’s more than a nod to their debut (indeed, the title track echoes Raintown’s opener Born In A Storm, a ‘Gershwin meets Glasgow’ classic). The band reunited with Raintown recording engineer Matt Butler and so were clearly ready to revisit their origins. But as the new album unfolds, so does the metaphor of the band stretching out further and further. The result is a bunch of songs that reflect the sense of expectation of their early work with reflection, perspective and a contented resignation. Classic country songs How We Remember It and Curve of the Line are particular highlights of a mature, grown up pop record. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/&lt;/p&gt;</description>

With the album’s reduced commercial clout and declining role in music consumption, a dilemma crops up for all long-established bands involved in the endeavour of making a new LP record. Put simply, why bother? Why toil for four years on a body of work that distils 100 song ideas into ten tracks, spending a fortune in the process, only to see it flash across the charts and then evaporate into the mesh of 100 million songs? It’s an existential question for Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue, who told me...

The Art of Longevity Season 11, Episode 5: Deacon Blue, with Ricky Ross

A new album release by your favourite band is an important event. Thank god for this. A new album is a reprieve, an escape, a comfort and a joy. Of course, to experience all these emotions you do have to take the time to really listen. I particularly love that a record has the power to be your own personal time machine. When I first played back the new My Morning Jacket album, simply titled is, I was transported back in time to the late 70s, back to my childhood. A time of albums on vinyl or cassette, played on ‘music centres’ (that’s what we called hi-fi systems in Northern England back then). A time when ELO or Supertramp, or The Stranglers or Queen, would make albums consisting of singles with accessible catchy melodies mixed with more exotic, experimental songs that were probably marked during the recording process as ‘album tracks’. A time when you could expect each and every album released by a band to have a different, distinctive character from the last one. It was a time of greater attention and patience and a slower, simpler time of life. 70s memories are especially magical for me, so a soundtrack courtesy Jim James &amp; co is a total treat. It isn’t fashionable music that My Morning Jacket creates. Indeed, their alchemical meld of alt-country rock, alternative country/Americana and late era Beatles-esque psychedelia make MMJ sound always like a band out of time. That’s just how Jim James intended it. Music perfect for sucking you into their timeless orbit. And no real desire beyond that. It’s the way Jim James operates these days. Put your best work out there into the universe and then what will be will be:“Of course we all want our work to be successful, me included. But I’ve ridden the rollercoaster so many times now, I know the outcome is always the same, whether people like a record or not, I still had to deal with my own depression and self loathing. External validation will not fill that hole, you can only do it yourself, love yourself and try to see things more clearly”. MMJ have never shied away from dissonance, off kilter time signatures and ear-splitting guitar work, but there is always the emergence of beauty from the noise. This abruptly contrasting style takes a backseat on is. Instead, the songs are what matters most on this album. Legendary rock producer Brendan O&apos;Brien (Pearl Jam, Springsteen and ACDC) has pushed Jim James and his band to be even more in service of the songs than they have been before. But the melodies and grooves are so strong, it works wonders such that the album stands up as one of their best so far. Pretty good show after 25 years and 10 LP records.And Jim James loves LP records:“I love the album as an art form. It’s important as artists to do what you love, and don’t worry about the world and what the world’s gonna do. It’s cool even if people love one song, but if they are gonna take the journey of the album, that’s my dream. We aspire to make music in that format, but even if one person loves one song, that&apos;s still so awesome”. Yes, yes it is. <a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com">Support the show</a>Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/

<description>&lt;p&gt;A new album release by your favourite band is an important event. Thank god for this. A new album is a reprieve, an escape, a comfort and a joy. Of course, to experience all these emotions you do have to take the time to really listen. I particularly love that a record has the power to be your own personal time machine. When I first played back the new &lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;My Morning Jacket&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt; album, simply titled &lt;b&gt;&lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/b&gt;, I was transported back in time to the late 70s, back to my childhood. A time of albums on vinyl or cassette, played on ‘music centres’ (that’s what we called hi-fi systems in Northern England back then). A time when ELO or Supertramp, or The Stranglers or Queen, would make albums consisting of singles with accessible catchy melodies mixed with more exotic, experimental songs that were probably marked during the recording process as ‘album tracks’. A time when you could expect each and every album released by a band to have a different, distinctive character from the last one. It was a time of greater attention and patience and a slower, simpler time of life. 70s memories are especially magical for me, so a soundtrack courtesy Jim James &amp;amp; co is a total treat. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It isn’t fashionable music that My Morning Jacket creates. Indeed, their alchemical meld of alt-country rock, alternative country/Americana and late era Beatles-esque psychedelia make MMJ sound always like a band out of time. That’s just how Jim James intended it. Music perfect for sucking you into their timeless orbit. And no real desire beyond that. It’s the way Jim James operates these days. Put your best work out there into the universe and then what will be will be:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Of course we all want our work to be successful, me included. But I’ve ridden the rollercoaster so many times now, I know the outcome is always the same, whether people like a record or not, I still had to deal with my own depression and self loathing. External validation will not fill that hole, you can only do it yourself, love yourself and try to see things more clearly”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;MMJ have never shied away from dissonance, off kilter time signatures and ear-splitting guitar work, but there is always the emergence of beauty from the noise. This abruptly contrasting style takes a backseat on &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt;. Instead, the songs are what matters most on this album. Legendary rock producer Brendan O&amp;apos;Brien (Pearl Jam, Springsteen and ACDC) has pushed Jim James and his band to be even more in service of the songs than they have been before. But the melodies and grooves are so strong, it works wonders such that the album stands up as one of their best so far. Pretty good show after 25 years and 10 LP records.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And Jim James loves LP records:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“I love the album as an art form. It’s important as artists to do what you love, and don’t worry about the world and what the world’s gonna do. It’s cool even if people love one song, but if they are gonna take the journey of the album, that’s my dream. We aspire to make music in that format, but even if one person loves one song, that&amp;apos;s still so awesome”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yes, yes it is. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A new album release by your favourite band is an important event. Thank god for this. A new album is a reprieve, an escape, a comfort and a joy. Of course, to experience all these emotions you do have to take the time to really listen. I particularly love that a record has the power to be your own personal time machine. When I first played back the new My Morning Jacket album, simply titled is, I was transported back in time to the late 70s, back to my childhood. A time of albums on vinyl or ...

The Art of Longevity Season 11, Episode 4: My Morning Jacket, with Jim James

Great bands and great records shouldn&apos;t come down to a competition, but by way of bringing it to your attention, Tindersticks’ Soft Tissue was my choice of 5th best album of 2024. I’m touched that Stuart Staples seems genuinely pleased to be on the list. Alexi Petridis’ review of that record in the Guardian was so good I read it a few times. “If the overall message seems to be about noticing beauty in small things as a bulwark against the ghastliness of 21st-century life”.That captures the mood of the album in precious few words. I found myself drawn into Soft Tissue…seduced by it really. From the opening song, New World, and its topline “I won’t let my love become my weakness” it got me, and the rest of the record buried itself into my brain even though I couldn’t pinpoint why. But as Stuart Staples attests, the best music connects with us in a way that is beyond analysis:“If a record sets things off, gets you searching for something or looking for meaning, then it&apos;s doing its job. If we understand it too much, it&apos;s kind of dead, whereas if there is mystery to it, space to try and understand it, then it’s alive”. Tindersticks music is beyond analysis but that hasn’t stopped me consuming everything written about the band over the years with almost as much hunger as their music. What makes them such a well kept secret? In the book Long Players, author Eimear McBride’s essay on the second Tindersticks album (the band is rare in every sense, including the dubious accolade of being a band with two self-titled albums, the debut and its follow-up). “There’s a true, if disconcerting, magic to the three way wedding of the album’s beautiful, intricate scoring, the cigarette-stained, shame-filled intimacy of the lyrics and Stuart Staples’ deep, dark, world-weary singing voice”. If the best artists create a world in which their work can come alive and their fans can escape from the humdrum of life and the worries of the world, then Tindersticks are the perfect example. But beware those who enter, this world is not perfect and to overuse typical adjectives, it is dark and as McBride attests, disconcerting. It’s also strangely comforting.<a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com">Support the show</a>Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/

<description>&lt;p&gt;Great bands and great records shouldn&amp;apos;t come down to a competition, but by way of bringing it to your attention, Tindersticks’ &lt;em&gt;Soft Tissue&lt;/em&gt; was my choice of 5th best album of 2024. I’m touched that Stuart Staples seems genuinely pleased to be on the list. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Alexi Petridis’ review of that record in the Guardian was so good I read it a few times. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“If the overall message seems to be about noticing beauty in small things as a bulwark against the ghastliness of 21st-century life”.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That captures the mood of the album in precious few words. I found myself drawn into &lt;em&gt;Soft Tissue&lt;/em&gt;…seduced by it really. From the opening song, &lt;em&gt;New World&lt;/em&gt;, and its topline “I won’t let my love become my weakness” it got me, and the rest of the record buried itself into my brain even though I couldn’t pinpoint why. But as Stuart Staples attests, the best music connects with us in a way that is beyond analysis:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“If a record sets things off, gets you searching for something or looking for meaning, then it&amp;apos;s doing its job. If we understand it too much, it&amp;apos;s kind of dead, whereas if there is mystery to it, space to try and understand it, then it’s alive”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tindersticks music is beyond analysis but that hasn’t stopped me consuming everything written about the band over the years with almost as much hunger as their music. What makes them such a well kept secret? In the book &lt;em&gt;Long Players&lt;/em&gt;, author Eimear McBride’s essay on the second Tindersticks album (the band is rare in every sense, including the dubious accolade of being a band with two self-titled albums, the debut and its follow-up). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“There’s a true, if disconcerting, magic to the three way wedding of the album’s beautiful, intricate scoring, the cigarette-stained, shame-filled intimacy of the lyrics and Stuart Staples’ deep, dark, world-weary singing voice”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If the best artists create a world in which their work can come alive and their fans can escape from the humdrum of life and the worries of the world, then Tindersticks are the perfect example. But beware those who enter, this world is not perfect and to overuse typical adjectives, it is dark and as McBride attests, disconcerting. It’s also strangely comforting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Great bands and great records shouldn't come down to a competition, but by way of bringing it to your attention, Tindersticks’ Soft Tissue was my choice of 5th best album of 2024. I’m touched that Stuart Staples seems genuinely pleased to be on the list.  Alexi Petridis’ review of that record in the Guardian was so good I read it a few times.  “If the overall message seems to be about noticing beauty in small things as a bulwark against the ghastliness of 21st-century life”. That ca...

The Art of Longevity Season 11, Episode 3: Tindersticks

Doves have yet to have a big &apos;moment&apos;, but in the music business of 2025, those moments no longer even exist. Instead, bands of ‘modest success’ must crack on, do their best work, put it out in the world and hope people take some notice. If, as a result, they can reconnect with fans, get out on the road, and make another record, then that is what counts as success. Carrying on regardless. But, Doves have also had success by any hard industry measure. Hit singles (two UK top 10), sold out tours and no less than a trio of number one albums (The Last Broadcast, Some Cities, The Universal Want). “Apparently we are [successful]. Apparently we are the most underrated band ever. I do have gratitude. Even though we’ve been dealt some pretty bad cards, we’re also appreciated, so that levels that one up”. And so Doves soldier on, more resilient than most bands would be in the face of such a constant stream of setbacks. That&apos;s partly due to adaptability (which other bands could sell out a tour, sans frontperson?), positive attitude and, importantly, being self-reliant. The fine new album Constellations For The Lonely is a full-scale DIY job, self-produced and released under their own label Doves Music Limited. In a world where ‘independent artists’ seem more dependent than ever on industry gatekeepers, Doves can get it done on their own. Well, almost - Constellations is distributed through the new distribution arm EMI North. Better still, the whole project is influenced by the 1982 classic sci-fi noir Blade Runner - as fine a cultural reference point as you need for escaping from the pressures of the outside world, while letting them become part of the bigger story. “When we made the album, it was 4-5 hours away from reality each day, a safe space away from all the shit. That’s what got us through it”. It’s another creative high for a band that is definitely, somehow, underrated. Yet at the heart of the band is a creative power that they can rely on, even when they operate as three or two. That’s something Jez is both confident but humble about. “I tell you who is there for us…the music. I know it sounds cheesy, but it has always been there as a constant, and a guiding light. I know that’s a cliche but cliches do have a tendency to be true”. Let’s not call Constellations For The Lonely a comeback then, but perhaps this is the start of Doves being free to go where they want, knowing that their fans will follow, that they will get some radio support, and that the recognition and critical acclaim will keep on coming. <a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com">Support the show</a>Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/

<description>&lt;p&gt;Doves have yet to have a big &amp;apos;moment&amp;apos;, but in the music business of 2025, those moments no longer even exist. Instead, bands of ‘modest success’ must crack on, do their best work, put it out in the world and hope people take some notice. If, as a result, they can reconnect with fans, get out on the road, and make another record, then that is what counts as success. Carrying on regardless. But, Doves have also had success by any hard industry measure. Hit singles (two UK top 10), sold out tours and no less than a trio of number one albums (&lt;em&gt;The Last Broadcast, Some Cities, The Universal Want&lt;/em&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Apparently we are [successful]. Apparently we are the most underrated band ever. I do have gratitude. Even though we’ve been dealt some pretty bad cards, we’re also appreciated, so that levels that one up”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And so Doves soldier on, more resilient than most bands would be in the face of such a constant stream of setbacks. That&amp;apos;s partly due to adaptability (which other bands could sell out a tour, sans frontperson?), positive attitude and, importantly, being self-reliant. The fine new album &lt;em&gt;Constellations For The Lonely&lt;/em&gt; is a full-scale DIY job, self-produced and released under their own label Doves Music Limited. In a world where ‘independent artists’ seem more dependent than ever on industry gatekeepers, Doves can get it done on their own. Well, almost - &lt;em&gt;Constellations&lt;/em&gt; is distributed through the new distribution arm EMI North. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Better still, the whole project is influenced by the 1982 classic sci-fi noir Blade Runner - as fine a cultural reference point as you need for escaping from the pressures of the outside world, while letting them become part of the bigger story. &lt;em&gt;“When we made the album, it was 4-5 hours away from reality each day, a safe space away from all the shit. That’s what got us through it”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s another creative high for a band that is definitely, somehow, underrated. Yet at the heart of the band is a creative power that they can rely on, even when they operate as three or two. That’s something Jez is both confident but humble about. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“I tell you who is there for us…the music. I know it sounds cheesy, but it has always been there as a constant, and a guiding light. I know that’s a cliche but cliches do have a tendency to be true”. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let’s not call &lt;em&gt;Constellations For The Lonely&lt;/em&gt; a comeback then, but perhaps this is the start of Doves being free to go where they want, knowing that their fans will follow, that they will get some radio support, and that the recognition and critical acclaim will keep on coming. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Doves have yet to have a big 'moment', but in the music business of 2025, those moments no longer even exist. Instead, bands of ‘modest success’ must crack on, do their best work, put it out in the world and hope people take some notice. If, as a result, they can reconnect with fans, get out on the road, and make another record, then that is what counts as success. Carrying on regardless. But, Doves have also had success by any hard industry measure. Hit singles (two UK top 10), sold out tour...

The Art of Longevity Season 11, Episode 2: Doves

If the route to longevity is to be bendable into the music industry’s rules for success, The Lumineers really shouldn’t be here at all. It makes no sense. Their stripped back, rootsy ‘Americana’ (if that’s what we can call it) took hold for reasons not usually listed in the music industry rulebook. Instead, their unlikely ascendancy into the realms of being a major league band, by any measure, has happened through the real route to success: trial and error, hard graft, writing songs from the heart and performing them with vulnerability. And yes, when that led to big breaks, like supporting U2 on the massive anniversary tour for The Joshua Tree, they didn’t blow it. You don’t have to be a phenomenon but do have to be a pro. In today’s music business, you can’t phone in the work and expect a career in return. Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites have thought about it all, a lot. They know their strengths and weaknesses, their inspirations, and how to tap them. Tom Petty, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Radiohead are there in the mix. Indeed, you could say that The Lumineers self-awareness seems to be the real root of their ultimate success and longevity. That, and treating the work as sacred. As Fraites puts it:“Even to make one song is impossible. It’s so much work. One song is already a pain in the ass, before you talk about doing a full LP.”As Fraite’s friend and British booking agent Alex Bruford told him once “everybody wants Radiohead’s career”. And it’s a truism. The artist who doesn’t compromise creatively, can take a 180 degree turn if they want to, can meld their influences but render those as something unique to them. Artists that can call on the tradition of the song but dress it in different ways, adding something to the DNA of popular music. And do it all with success and recognition, and no need for hype. Dignity intact. It’s likely then, that a new generation of artists and bands coming up in today’s fractured and frantic music business, bands that really want success but don’t want to be moulded by the industry like plasticine, might just be telling themselves that they want a career like The Lumineers. <a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com">Support the show</a>Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/

<description>&lt;p&gt;If the route to longevity is to be bendable into the music industry’s rules for success, The Lumineers really shouldn’t be here at all. It makes no sense. Their stripped back, rootsy ‘Americana’ (if that’s what we can call it) took hold for reasons not usually listed in the music industry rulebook. Instead, their unlikely ascendancy into the realms of being a major league band, by any measure, has happened through the real route to success: trial and error, hard graft, writing songs from the heart and performing them with vulnerability. And yes, when that led to big breaks, like supporting U2 on the massive anniversary tour for The Joshua Tree, they didn’t blow it. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You don’t have to be a phenomenon but do have to be a &lt;em&gt;pro&lt;/em&gt;. In today’s music business, you can’t phone in the work and expect a career in return. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites have thought about it all, a lot. They know their strengths and weaknesses, their inspirations, and how to tap them. Tom Petty, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Radiohead are there in the mix. Indeed, you could say that The Lumineers self-awareness seems to be the real root of their ultimate success and longevity. That, and treating the work as sacred. As Fraites puts it:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Even to make one song is impossible. It’s so much work. One song is already a pain in the ass, before you talk about doing a full LP.”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As Fraite’s friend and British booking agent Alex Bruford told him once “everybody wants Radiohead’s career”. And it’s a truism. The artist who doesn’t compromise creatively, can take a 180 degree turn if they want to, can meld their influences but render those as something unique to them. Artists that can call on the tradition of the song but dress it in different ways, adding something to the DNA of popular music. And do it all with success and recognition, and no need for hype. Dignity intact. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s likely then, that a new generation of artists and bands coming up in today’s fractured and frantic music business, bands that really want success but don’t want to be moulded by the industry like plasticine, &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;might just be telling themselves that they want a career like The Lumineers. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://www.songsommelier.com"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get more related content at: https://www.songsommelier.com/&lt;/p&gt;</description>

If the route to longevity is to be bendable into the music industry’s rules for success, The Lumineers really shouldn’t be here at all. It makes no sense. Their stripped back, rootsy ‘Americana’ (if that’s what we can call it) took hold for reasons not usually listed in the music industry rulebook. Instead, their unlikely ascendancy into the realms of being a major league band, by any measure, has happened through the real route to success: trial and error, hard graft, writing songs from the ...

Season 11, Episode 1: The Lumineers

Uniquely honest conversations with famous and renowned musicians. We talk about how these artists have navigated the mangle of the music industry to keep on making great music and winning new fans after decades of highs and lows. We dive into past, present and future and discuss business, fandom, creation and collaboration. What defines success in today's music business? From the artist's point of view.&nbsp; The Guardian: “Making a hit record is tough, but maintaining success is another skill entirely. Music industry executive Keith Jopling explores how bands have kept the creative flame alive in this incisive series”.

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The Art of Longevity

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