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Nora Jane Struthers is back! We go track by track on her new album Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words! The record was recorded while she was 8 months pregnant after a long struggle with infertility (see Basic Folk episode 4 for the whole incredible story). This album addresses the dichotomy between realizing her hard-earned dream and the tough realities of keeping her musical career alive (touring and all) in the wake of new motherhood. There are songs about finding home in your family, being too far away from friends and the song that Nora Jane claims is the best song she’s ever wrote.

On this episode, she is kind enough to go through the album song by song and address different themes and styles. My favorite song on the album is an amazing track called “To Catch a Phoenix,” which is super dramatic and very Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, Harry Potter. She actually breaks that metaphor down line by line and I’m sitting there listening to her with my jaw on the floor. It’s cool.

Nora Jane playing “It’s Nice To Be Back Home” live in the studio

The new record!