Secretly Society

From multipart documentaries to quiz shows and beyond, the Secretly Society Podcast prioritizes the voices and stories that define the 25-year history of Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, and Dead Oceans. Join our artists, staff, and collaborators, as we offer first-person perspectives on some of your favorite records––and maybe a few you might have missed.

Secretly Frequencies - Sharon Van Etten 08/19/2024

Secretly Frequencies - Sharon Van Etten Hosts Tom Davies and Mike Holdsworth sit down with Sharon Van Etten to conduct an interview-by-song across her illustrious catalog. If you can believe it, we’re commemorating ten years since the release of ‘Are We There,’ one of her most powerful and timeless collections, with a new limited-edition vinyl and a 7” including a live rendition of beloved tune “Every Time the Sun Comes Up.” Sharon’s polymathic nature is on full display in this episode, discussing producing, performing, writing, collaborating, and her sonic influences. Links: Sharon Van Etten: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32566847

Secretly Frequencies - Zero Boys 08/12/2024

Secretly Frequencies - Zero Boys Our Secretly Frequencies hosts sit down with Paul Mahern from Zero Boys to conduct an interview-by-song with a blind playlist of tracks spanning the band’s esteemed catalog. We’re celebrating the fortieth anniversary of Zero Boy’s ‘History Of...’ with a special reissue, including a previously-unheard 1980 live set at Indianapolis venue Crazy Al’s. Paul has been a literal professor of punk rock history, in addition to his storied career as a musician, producer, and engineer, so pull up a chair and have a listen – you may learn something! Links: Zero Boys: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32371262

Secretly Frequencies - Ghostly International 08/05/2024

Secretly Frequencies - Ghostly International We’re back in label mode today with the revered Ghostly International and our guests, label owner/founder Sam Valenti and Molly Smith, Ghostly’s Senior Art Director. Currently celebrating its 25th year, Ghostly established itself as one of the most well-loved artist-centric labels around, having put out records by the likes of Tycho, ADULT., Gold Panda, Matthew Dear, School of Seven Bells and Telefon Tel Aviv. In the last few years, the label's scope has been broadening with releases from Julie Byrne, Kate Bollinger, with many more exciting new acts to come. Sam and Molly share their memories of working with artists over multiple decades, collaborating on Ghostly’s famous aesthetic sensibilities, and more. Links: Ghostly International: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32371162

Secretly Frequencies – Unknown Mortal Orchestra 07/29/2024

Secretly Frequencies – Unknown Mortal Orchestra Today’s guest is Ruban Nielson of the mighty Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The project was started in Auckland in the late noughties by Ruben, and grew over the following years, expanding to include friend Jake Portrait and brother Kody and a number of other incredible musicians along the way. UMO - as they are affectionately known - have released five albums, four with Jagjaguwar, of sprawling, psychedelic rock music. Now based in Portland, Oregon, Ruban chats with us about his early analog influences, songwriting processes, and more from UMO’s storied history. Links: Unknown Mortal Orchestra: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32250117

Secretly Frequencies – Bizhiki 07/22/2024

Secretly Frequencies – Bizhiki Geographically, Bizhiki is almost wholly a made-in-Wisconsin project, a collaboration between Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings, Joe Rainey and the multi-instrumentalist Sean Carey (aka S. Carey), who for years has been a secret weapon within the Bon Iver family. The collaboration between these three musicians first began at the Eaux Claires festival in 2015. The festival was being organized on Ojibwe’s ancestral homelands, and the organizers didn’t feel right without the inclusion of the native communities who lived nearby. The open-endedness of the initial invitation and the “let’s just do something together” spirit continues to inform Bizhiki’s process. Recording steadily over the course of years — and between several projects from Bizhiki’s members, including two solo albums (Joe Rainey's Niineta and S. Carey's Break Me Open) – the trio chipped away at an expansive, ambitious and unique record that sounds like no other music being made today. On Unbound, the powwow style is entwined with synthesized voice modulation, and hand drumming is accented with electronic samples and beats. The harmonies and resonances on this album are equal parts cultural and musical. Links: Bizhiki: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32180752

Big Red Machine Pt. 3 07/15/2024

Big Red Machine Pt. 3 Secretly Society presents a three-episode mini-series about collaboration, friendship, and a community-driven project; originally formed by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner in 2008, this is the magical and illusive tale of Big Red Machine. This series is narrated by music writer and broadcaster Laura Barton, including live interviews with Vernon, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sharon Van Etten, Anais Mitchell, and more. The conclusion to the story, for now. Big Red Machine has been a rejection of the music industry's expectations weighing upon Dessner and Vernon, but also a place of solace for the pair amongst their sometimes painful struggles with mental health. The pair take turns grounding each other through their successes and supporting during their lows, while writing songs like “Brycie” and “Hutch” that pay tribute to close-knit family and friends. The pool of collaborators ripples out ever-further, and new methods of working to complement each others’ contributions carry on the experimental spirit of Big Red Machine. Links: Big Red Machine: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32026797

Big Red Machine Pt. 2 07/08/2024

Big Red Machine Pt. 2 Secretly Society presents a three-episode mini-series about collaboration, friendship, and a community-driven project; originally formed by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner in 2008, this is the magical and illusive tale of Big Red Machine. This series is narrated by music writer and broadcaster Laura Barton, including live interviews with Vernon, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sharon Van Etten, Anais Mitchell, and more. Part Two finds Vernon and Dessner working out just what Big Red Machine was, and should be; exactly what role it should play in their respective musical lives was proving hard to pin down. Making their second record, more voices were added to bring Dessner and Vernon’s songs to life, expanding the Big Red Machine identity and sound, and discovering that the defining quality of the group was something intentionally experimental. Links: Big Red Machine: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/32026557

Big Red Machine Pt. 1 07/04/2024

Big Red Machine Pt. 1 Secretly Society presents a three-episode mini-series about collaboration, friendship, and a community-driven project; originally formed by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner in 2008, this is the magical and illusive tale of Big Red Machine. This series is narrated by music writer and broadcaster Laura Barton, including live interviews with Vernon, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Sharon Van Etten, Anais Mitchell, and more. Part One starts with a pivotal Myspace exchange and a shared raw piano track between Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon, that would shape the trajectory of their relationship and careers over the upcoming years. Engage with stories about the beginning of the PEOPLE label (37do3d) in a Berlin residency as well as the ultimate cementing of their self-titled album. From long-distance partnerships, onstage improvisations, and the gathering of talented musicians, the story of Big Red Machine is an inspiring account that unveils a new energy and way of working for creatives alike. Links: Big Red Machine: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/31917022

Secretly Frequencies – Bonny Light Horseman 06/24/2024

Secretly Frequencies – Bonny Light Horseman Today we're going to be chatting with the band Bonny Light Horseman. That's right, all three of them! Over two and a soon-to-be-released third record, Bonny Light Horseman have crafted and created an immediately recognizable folk sound all of their own and picked up a Grammy nomination along the way. A bit of a supergroup comprising Eric D. Johnson, who you may know from Fruit Bats; Anais Mitchell, highly-acclaimed musician and writer of the wildly popular musical, Hadestown; and Josh Kaufman, a musician and producer you'll have heard on countless records, including ones by The War on Drugs, The National, His Golden Messenger, and a new artist who's starting to make a bit of a name for herself, Taylor Swift. Join us for the first Secretly Frequencies episode of Season 3, where we test artists and labels on their own catalogs and hear a few stories about the songs and history along the way. Links: Bonny Light Horseman: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/31844067

The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream 04/17/2024

The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream To commemorate the tenth anniversary of Lost In The Dream, The War On Drugs put together a special long-form episode of their Super High Quality Podcast to tell the behind-the-scenes story of how the record was made. Between sessions in Hoboken and North Carolina, Adam Granduciel worked regularly with engineer Jeff Zeigler in Philly adding “paint” to a collection of songs that would be widely hailed as the band’s first masterpiece on its release in March 2014. As the band struggled against the repetition and inevitable distractions of working close to home with local friends and collaborators, as the recordings took shape, Adam was simultaneously struggling with the unpredictability of his own mental health. In candid conversations with the key players, and using previously unheard early mixes and demos, we’ll follow the work in progress from the first sessions in early 2013 through the late summer and early fall when the songs took their final form during mixing. We’ll also ride shotgun with Adam on his journey home from the mastering studio to the shoulder of I-95 in a fitting conclusion to the making of Lost In The Dream. “One of 2014's Truly great records. The perfect American road trip” - NME “The War On Drugs make archetypal road trip music. Shimmering, steady, gritty as pavement and open as the sky.” - Rolling Stone Host: Dominic East Guests: Adam Granduciel, Dave Hartley, Robbie Bennett, Charlie Hall, Dusdin Condren Cross-posted from Super High Quality /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/30863348

Secretly Frequencies - Oneida 02/20/2024

Secretly Frequencies - Oneida Join Tom Davies and Manish Agarwal in an artist interview with Kid Millions and Bobby Matador from the band that stands to be a beacon of Jagjaguwar's history - Oneida. Turn the clocks back to 1999 to listen through the vast and (generally) celebrated discography, featuring clips from albums Enemy Hogs, Come on Everybody Lets Rock, Anthem of the Moon, Each One Teach One, Secret Wars, The Wedding, Happy New Year, Rated O, Romance, and most recently Success. Get immersed in a band that reconsidered sonic space on a gong tour, wrote a song featured on The Onion as a part of a homework assignment, and created the largest music box in the East Coast (or did they?). In short - never turn away from any idea stupid or clever, or for that matter a gong sample! Links: Oneida Episode Link to Playlist Oneida: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/29813448

Secretly Frequencies - Numero Group Pt.2 (Post Hardcore) 02/06/2024

Secretly Frequencies - Numero Group Pt.2 (Post Hardcore) Join hosts Tom Davies and Secretly Group's Director of A&R, Ophir Admony in a return to chat with Numero Group's record label founders Ken Shipley and Rob Sevier about the exploration into the reissues of the 80's and . Start with Ken and Rob's idea to use their formula of record reissues to move away from their previous unilateral focus of Disco, Soul, and Gospel of the 60s and 70s as they found trust among artist scenes that left them inspired in their youth. Stay through stories about the decades-long chase of working with records they believed a new generation of fans was ready to discover. The episode explores the label owner's experiences unraveling the sonic singularities of groups such as Duster, Unwound, Everyone Asked About You, Karate, Rex, Tsunami, , , 90 Day Men, The Hated and Chisel. The saying is true, Numero Group can be anything - and Numero Group is everything! Links: Numero Group: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/29518173

Secretly Frequencies – Numero Group Pt.1 (Soul) 01/23/2024

Secretly Frequencies – Numero Group Pt.1 (Soul) Join hosts Tom Davies and Secretly Group's Senior Creative Director (Global Sync), Jen Newcomer who welcome Numero Group's record label founders Ken Shipley and Rob Sevier to the podcast for their first of two episodes this season. Celebrate the twenty years of a label with the motto "no basement too dank, no box too dusty". Stay through stories about Ryan Gosling, and how he contributed to a now infamous sync in the film Blue Valentine, to the story of - a teenager in the 1970's whose album grew past all expectations when put out fifty years later, and the courting of the legendary . The episode explores the label owner's experiences through their famed Disco, Soul, and Gospel curations featuring song clips from Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr, Penny & The Quarters, Pastor T.L. Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, The Dreamliners, Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds, Wilfred Luckie, Syl Johnson, Aki Aleong, Shira Small, and Helene Smith. Links: Numero Group: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/29511898

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 4 - Epoch 12/19/2023

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 4 - Epoch Secretly Society presents a four-episode mini-series about friendship, music, and a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming alike - DeYarmond Edison. This series is narrated by the author, a friend of the band, and executive producer of the DeYarmond Edison official boxset 'Epoch', Grayson Haver Currin. This episode starts us off in the heat of the North Carolina summer, where many changes are coming to a head between Justin falling ill with mono, and the members leaving their previous home and dispersing across different areas of the town. Stay tuned to hear the fight that broke up the band, Justin's move back home to his infamous cabin and the "phoenix" of bands/ other musical projects that rose from the ashes. The final episode in the previously undisclosed story of the band that branched off into indie music legends, Megafaun and Bon Iver! Links: DeYarmond Edison Links: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28853848

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 3 - Epoch 12/19/2023

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 3 - Epoch Secretly Society presents a four-episode mini-series about friendship, music, and a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming alike - DeYarmond Edison. This series is narrated by author, a friend of the band, and executive producer of the DeYarmond Edison official boxset 'Epoch', Grayson Haver Currin. This episode starts us off with DeYarmond Edison fresh off the heels of their Bickett Residency, and going back to Wisconsin for the first time since their move for a hometown show at the historic Mabel Tainter theater. In the undercurrents of the excitement, those close to the band could feel an underlying shift with the members, feeling like there were four guys, coming up with four different sounds. Stay tuned to hear about the beginning of DeYarmond's eventual downfall, and a peek at Justin Vernon's work on his fifth solo album at the time - hazeltons. The previously undisclosed story of the band that branched off into indie music legends, Megafaun and Bon Iver! Links: DeYarmond Edison Links: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28853668

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 2 - Epoch 12/12/2023

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 2 - Epoch Secretly Society presents a four-episode mini-series about friendship, music, and a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming alike - DeYarmond Edison. This series is narrated by the author, a friend of the band, and executive producer of the DeYarmond Edison official boxset 'Epoch', Grayson Haver Currin. This episode starts us off with DeYarmond Edison's move to Raleigh, North Carolina, a town with a buzzing music scene including the likes of The Rosebuds, Bowerbirds, and Ticonderoga. Hear the stories of the beginning of The Bickett Gallery Residency that at points was described as a "spiraling through concentric circles of disorder pushing the standard until it indeed almost broke". Joe brought in themes of improvisation learned at Bennington College, Phil taught the band Delta Blues and strings, Brad played with the idea of 20th-century ambient sounds in the style of Steve Reich's composition, and Justin challenged everyone's vocal capacity - including his own. The previously undisclosed story of the band that branched off into indie music legends, Megafaun and Bon Iver! Links: DeYarmond Edison Links: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28853643

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 1 - Epoch 12/12/2023

DeYarmond Edison Pt. 1 - Epoch Secretly Society presents a four-episode mini-series about friendship, music, and what happens when a band comes apart. This is a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming alike - this is the lore of DeYarmond Edison. This series is narrated by the author, a friend of the band, and executive producer of the DeYarmond Edison official boxset Epoch, Grayson Haver Currin. This episode starts us off with four high schoolers: Justin Vernon, Joe Westerlund, Phil Cook, and Brad Cook, on the precipice of their musical careers as members of the groups Mount Vernon and, ultimately, the formation of DeYarmond Edison. Hear the stories of the possibly unsightly recording of the self-titled album in the First Presbyterian Church, band rivalries, and the loyalty that set them on the path to leaving their homes in Eau Claire to push the limits of their collective capabilities. The previously undisclosed story of the band that branched off into indie music legends, Megafaun and Bon Iver! Links: DeYarmond Edison Links: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28853583

Secretly Frequencies – Cherry Glazerr 11/14/2023

Secretly Frequencies – Cherry Glazerr Join hosts Tom Davies and the band's namesake, KCRW's Chery Glaser, for an artist interview with Secretly Canadian's Clem Creevy of Cherry Glazerr. Listen as they dive into the beginnings of Clem's career as a solo artist releasing music on Soundcloud under the alias of Clembutt, through the releases of Haxel Princess, Apocolipstick, Stuffed & Ready, and, self-described as "the album I've always dreamed of writing", I Don’t Want You Anymore. Hear about Clem's love for scary ladies, a squirrel suit performance arch, her latest collaboration with Yves Rothman, a story about meeting Reggie Watts at a party, and how the boys playing in bands around town helped spark the fire of Cherry Glazerr. Find meditation in the madness along the way! Links: Cherry Glazerr: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28569918

Secretly Frequencies - Kevin Morby 10/31/2023

Secretly Frequencies - Kevin Morby Join hosts Tom Davies and Chris Catchpole in an artist interview that unveils the celebrated catalog of Dead Ocean's own Kevin Morby. Find yourself smack dab in New York's DIY indie scene, where Kevin gained his bearings playing as a live musician with the band Woods, to becoming the solo act that has been lovingly compared to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Patti Smith. Kevin opens up about his experience with The Babies' Our House on the Hill, as well as his own solo records Harlem River, Singing Saw, City Music, Oh My God, Sundowner, and his latest work This Is A Photograph. Hear stories about forming a band whose devil-may-care goal was to play New York house parties, how meeting the production legend Richard Swift at a restaurant in LA led to working together, and how Rick Rubin's podcast helped form the idea of writing from the perspective of Mabel - a recluse from New York. For those who get it, This Is A Podcast! Links: Kevin Morby: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28435676

Secretly Frequencies - Jamila Woods 10/24/2023

Secretly Frequencies - Jamila Woods Join hosts Tom Davies and Joy Warmann as they conduct Secretly Frequencies' inaugural artist interview with one of Jagjaguwar's finest, Jamila Woods. Follow along a journey of growth and unraveling through the ebbs and flows of her first band M&O, to her first solo album HEAVN, the definitive LEGACY! LEGACY!, and her latest (and greatest, so far), Water Made Us. Hear stories about Jamila's collaborations with other celebrated Chicago artists such as producer oddCouple, Peter CottonTale, Saba, Nico Segal, the original use of "Hardcover" and "Paperback" as a song descriptor, and how astrology played a part in her current album release cycle. Links: Jamila Woods: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28292465

Secretly Frequencies - Dead Oceans 10/24/2023

Secretly Frequencies - Dead Oceans Join hosts Tom Davies and Kate Hutchinson as they chat with Dead Oceans record label founder Phil Waldorf and Secretly Group founder Chris Swanson for a peak behind the curtain at the label's sixteen-plus years. Discover the backstory of the label pre-streaming, inspired by the simple idea of crate digging at a record store and the joys of fandom, to the monumental successes shared by the artists, including Phosphorescent, Phoebe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast, Shame, Mitski and so many more, over the years. The episode explores the label owners' experiences from "scrappy operations" to housing famed stars of the indie alternative zeitgeist. Links: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28292426

Season 2 Trailer 10/23/2023

Season 2 Trailer Secretly Society welcomes you back for an exhilarating second season. Stay with us over the next few months to follow the abundant tales we've built up including those with the label founders of both Dead Oceans and Numero Group. We present the full and unabridged re-telling and first-person interviews from the band whose ultimate break up led to the birth of two bands that changed the music landscape thereafter: Bon Iver, and Megafaun, as narrated by the executive producer and author of 'Epoch', Grayson Haver Currin. Explore even deeper into our bountiful discography, with the debut of artist interviews including this season's features: Kevin Morby, Cherry Glazerr, Oneida, and Jamila Woods. Let's dig in! Link: /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/28292387

Secretly Frequencies: Darius Van Arman and Chris Swanson 05/26/2022

Secretly Frequencies: Darius Van Arman and Chris Swanson Hosts Tom Davies and Michelle Kambasha sit down with Jagjaguwar founder Darius Van Arman and his partner in Secretly Group, Chris Swanson, for a blind playlist of tracks spanning the label's twenty-five-plus years. Find out which Jag artists once played punk house parties naked, who had Prince backstage and more, as we explore the "sentimental noise" of the Jagjaguwar catalog. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/23235275

Jens Lekman Pt. 2 - The Linden Trees Are Still In Blossom 05/04/2022

Jens Lekman Pt. 2 - The Linden Trees Are Still In Blossom The making of Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman's “dream record” 2007’s Night Falls Over Kortedala, hailed by Pitchfork and The Guardian as one of the greatest albums of its era. Now re-born as the album The Linden Trees Are Still In Blossom. Guests include Annika Norlin, Laura Snapes, Chris and Ben Swanson, and Lisa Nilsson. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/22870817

Jens Lekman Pt. 1 - The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom 04/27/2022

Jens Lekman Pt. 1 - The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman's beginnings as a musician in Gothenburg, Sweden, his signing to Secretly Canadian, and the making of his long-lost cult compilation album 2005’s Oh You’re So Silent Jens. Now re-born as the album The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom. Featuring guests including Laura Snapes, Chris and Ben Swanson, and Dillon. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/22870388

Secretly Frequencies - Chris and Ben Swanson 04/04/2022

Secretly Frequencies - Chris and Ben Swanson Hosts Tom Davies and Manish Agarwal sit down with Secretly Canadian co-founders Chris and Ben Swanson to conduct an interview-by-song. Prompting the brothers with a blind playlist of tracks spanning their 25 year history as a label, Tom and Manish share Dave Grohl’s favorite band of 2009, hear about an accidental hug from Drew Barrymore, and discuss the fruits of a life-long obsession with CD reissues. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/22595423

Jason Molina Pt. 3 - Eight Gates - “The Crossroad + The Emptiness” 02/28/2022

Jason Molina Pt. 3 - Eight Gates - “The Crossroad + The Emptiness” 2009 would prove a pivotal year in Jason Molina’s life, a turning point that would lead to his tragic death only a few, short years later. But as he embarked on a batch of solo studio sessions in London that January––the sessions that would become Eight Gates––it would have been nearly impossible to imagine that they would be his last. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/22129301

Jason Molina Pt. 2 - Eight Gates - “The Spider Bite” 02/21/2022

Jason Molina Pt. 2 - Eight Gates - “The Spider Bite” Jason Molina’s friends and collaborators were well versed in his penchant for tall tales and his use of “truthlets”––benign fibs––in the service of a good story. But as Molina’s problems with alcohol began to flare, the lines between truth and fiction seemed to grow increasingly blurry. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/22129241

Jason Molina Pt. 1 - Eight Gates - “You’ve Been Molina’d” 02/14/2022

Jason Molina Pt. 1 - Eight Gates - “You’ve Been Molina’d” Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. frontman Jason Molina was living in London when writer Justin Taylor caught up with him for an interview in 2010. This previously unreleased audio finds Molina in good spirits, discussing life in London, and provides a rare glimpse of his gregarious, often talebearing personality––one perhaps at odds with his darker musical persona. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/22051577

Season One Trailer 01/28/2022

Season One Trailer Launch trailer for the Secretly Society podcast, an original production of Secretly Group. /episode/index/show/secretlysociety/id/21938009

Secretly Society

TOPICS