2017 Sound Off! Winner Jason McCue unveiled PANGAEA last month, an album focused on both the physical reality of continents drifting apart as well as the psychological ideas of nostalgia and growing up and apart from who you used to be. McCue told KEXP recently, “PANGAEA is a story I’ve been meaning to tell for a while now. It’s all about how things can break apart, even when you expect them not to. I’m nervous to show people because it’s the most personal I’ve ever gotten with my music. A lot of the lyrics are based off real feelings of nostalgia and my own questioning of self-certainty, but I feel like that makes for better content, since it’s real. Overall, I’m just happy I can finally put it out into the ether and see how people feel about it.” On today’s Song of the Day, “When He Drinks,” McCue’s hushed vocals float between a strong guitar line in a sound reminiscent of (Sandy) Alex G. The album was recorded, produced, and engineered by McCue, with mixing and mastering done by Lillian Blair at the Vera Project Studios. PANGAEA is out now on Fluff & Gravy Records and follows 2017’s OBSCURE.
Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.
Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
