Strange Currencies: A Podcast For Songwriters

My new album. ‘When The Saints’ was written during the pandemic. It imagines the inner-lives of citizens of a stopped culture, while also ruminating on the healing power of love. A note on the songs: New York Rain -- Reinvention is always a statement of power. But true identity is more complicated. We live in our contradictions -- the characters in this song may not be morally pristine -- but they are also willing to love within their contradictions. True lovers are the champions of the world. Untroubled Summer: Virginia Liston sings the 'Titanic Blues.' I'll See You On the Beach in Better Days: This was the first song I wrote during the pandemic. The character is a vain failure. He disregards safety measures, takes a cynical position on science even as his existence hinges on the cure, and frequently embarrasses the woman he loves. But he's also a true romantic. And there's something admirable about his devotion to individuality. An unaffiliated man -- accomplishes nothing and breaks nothing. A Fre

My new album. ‘When The Saints’ was written during the pandemic. It imagines the inner-lives of citizens of a stopped culture, while also ruminating on the healing power of love. A note on the songs: New York Rain -- Reinvention is always a statement of power. But true identity is more complicated. We live in our contradictions -- the characters in this song may not be morally pristine -- but they are also willing to love within their contradictions. True lovers are the champions of the world. Untroubled Summer: Virginia Liston sings the 'Titanic Blues.' I'll See You On the Beach in Better Days: This was the first song I wrote during the pandemic. The character is a vain failure. He disregards safety measures, takes a cynical position on science even as his existence hinges on the cure, and frequently embarrasses the woman he loves. But he's also a true romantic. And there's something admirable about his devotion to individuality. An unaffiliated man -- accomplishes nothing and breaks nothing. A Fre

My new album. ‘When The Saints’ was written during the pandemic. It imagines the inner-lives of citizens of a stopped culture, while also ruminating on the healing power of love. A note on the songs: New York Rain -- Reinvention is always a statement of power. But true identity is more complicated. We live in our contradictions -- the characters in this song may not be morally pristine -- but they are also willing to love within their contradictions. True lovers are the champions of the world. Untroubled Summer: Virginia Liston sings the 'Titanic Blues.' I'll See You On the Beach in Better Days: This was the first song I wrote during the pandemic. The character is a vain failure. He disregards safety measures, takes a cynical position on science even as his existence hinges on the cure, and frequently embarrasses the woman he loves. But he's also a true romantic. And there's something admirable about his devotion to individuality. An unaffiliated man -- accomplishes nothing and breaks nothing. A Fre

My new album. ‘When The Saints’ was written during the pandemic. It imagines the inner-lives of citizens of a stopped culture, while also ruminating on the healing power of love. A note on the songs: New York Rain -- Reinvention is always a statement of power. But true identity is more complicated. We live in our contradictions -- the characters in this song may not be morally pristine -- but they are also willing to love within their contradictions. True lovers are the champions of the world. Untroubled Summer: Virginia Liston sings the 'Titanic Blues.' I'll See You On the Beach in Better Days: This was the first song I wrote during the pandemic. The character is a vain failure. He disregards safety measures, takes a cynical position on science even as his existence hinges on the cure, and frequently embarrasses the woman he loves. But he's also a true romantic. And there's something admirable about his devotion to individuality. An unaffiliated man -- accomplishes nothing and breaks nothing. A Fre

My new album. ‘When The Saints’ was written during the pandemic. It imagines the inner-lives of citizens of a stopped culture, while also ruminating on the healing power of love. A note on the songs: New York Rain -- Reinvention is always a statement of power. But true identity is more complicated. We live in our contradictions -- the characters in this song may not be morally pristine -- but they are also willing to love within their contradictions. True lovers are the champions of the world. Untroubled Summer: Virginia Liston sings the 'Titanic Blues.' I'll See You On the Beach in Better Days: This was the first song I wrote during the pandemic. The character is a vain failure. He disregards safety measures, takes a cynical position on science even as his existence hinges on the cure, and frequently embarrasses the woman he loves. But he's also a true romantic. And there's something admirable about his devotion to individuality. An unaffiliated man -- accomplishes nothing and breaks nothing. A Fre

My new album. ‘When The Saints’ was written during the pandemic. It imagines the inner-lives of citizens of a stopped culture, while also ruminating on the healing power of love. A note on the songs: New York Rain -- Reinvention is always a statement of power. But true identity is more complicated. We live in our contradictions -- the characters in this song may not be morally pristine -- but they are also willing to love within their contradictions. True lovers are the champions of the world. Untroubled Summer: Virginia Liston sings the 'Titanic Blues.' I'll See You On the Beach in Better Days: This was the first song I wrote during the pandemic. The character is a vain failure. He disregards safety measures, takes a cynical position on science even as his existence hinges on the cure, and frequently embarrasses the woman he loves. But he's also a true romantic. And there's something admirable about his devotion to individuality. An unaffiliated man -- accomplishes nothing and breaks nothing. A Fre

Dana Roeser’s fourth book, All Transparent Things Need Thundershirts, won the Wilder Prize at Two Sylvias Press and was published in September 2019. She is also the author of The Theme of Tonight’s Party Has Been Changed, recipient of the Juniper Prize, as well as Beautiful Motion and In the Truth Room, both winners of the Samuel French Morse Poetry Prize. Among her many awards and honors are the Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award, the Jenny McKean Moore Writer-in-Washington Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, and numerous residencies in the U.S. and abroad. She has read her work widely and taught in the MFA programs in poetry at Purdue, Butler, and Wichita State Universities. Recent poems have appeared, or are forthcoming, in Pushcart Prize XLIII, Crazyhorse, Laurel Review, North American Review, Indianapolis Review, and Notre Dame Review. For more about Dana Roeser, please see www.danaroeser.com. Jessica Stilling's second novel, The Beekeeper's Daught

Matt Waters: Vocals Takeshi Ohtani: Keys Early one mornin' the sun was shinin' I was layin' in bed Wondrin' if she'd changed at all If her hair was still red Her folks they said our lives together Sure was gonna be rough They never did like Mama's homemade dress Papa's bank book wasn't big enough And I was standin' on the side of the road Rain fallin' on my shoes Heading out for the east coast Lord knows I've paid some dues Gettin' through Tangled up in blue She was married when we first met Soon to be divorced I helped her out of a jam I guess But I used a little too much force We drove that car as far as we could Abandoned it out west Split up on a dark sad night Both agreeing it was best She turned around to look at me One more time as I was walkin' away Saying over her shoulder Boy, we're bound meet again some day On the avenue Tangled up in blue I remember staying in the great north woods Living in a vagabond hotel One day during the pouring rain I can feel how the axe just fell So I drifted down

AARON POOCHIGIAN earned a PhD in Classics from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University. His first book of poetry, The Cosmic Purr (Able Muse Press), was published in 2012, and his second book Manhattanite, which won the Able Muse Poetry Prize, came out in 2017. His third book, American Divine, won the Richard Wilbur Award and will come out in 2020. His thriller in verse, Mr. Either/Or, was released by Etruscan Press in the fall of 2017. His work has appeared in such publications as Best American Poetry, The Paris Review and POETRY. Prince A. McNally An emerging voice in American poetry as well as the International poetry scene, Prince A.McNally is a Brooklyn born poet, writer, philosopher and activist; who utilizes his voice as a platform to speak for the voiceless. Though quite eclectic, his poetry and prose focus mainly on the human condition, social injustice and the marginalization of people of color, the elderly; the poor and the homeless here in the U.S. and abroad. H

Sam Fischer was born in Bala Cynwyd and spent four incredible years out west at Whitman College before moving back to Philadelphia to live and work. He has a forthcoming poetry chapbook and wants to start a band. Please email him at samuel.t.fischer@gmail.com to connect. Shea Lowery is a professional counselor who believes writing is necessary to understand and explore the human experience. Check out her projects at shealowerylpc.com and ar-tic.org She edits fiction for the Toho Journal. Nick Gross was born and raised in West Philly. He has been writing poetry and creating short stories since the age of 10. He is currently working on a novel with original poetry.

David Puretz is the Editorial Director at Global City, an independent press that publishes the literary and cultural journal Global City Review, and a growing list of other books and anthologies, including his own. As Editorial Director, he oversaw the relaunch of the journal and the publication of the newest online and print journal issue, Legacies. He is also the creator and founder of burly bird zine. Puretz teaches writing at Yeshiva University in New York City, where he currently resides. His debut novel, The Escapist, releases in January. Taylor Hibma grew up in the Midwest and works as a digital media copywriter. His past creative pursuits include writing/directing two short films, including one that premiered at the Anthology Film Archives in New York City. He graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing and is working on a novel series based on his graduate thesis. Amy Veach received her M.F.A. from the City College of New York where she won the Doris Lippman Prize in Creative Writing. When not writin

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.

The second album from Queens, New York songwriter Matt Waters. Originally released November 27th, 2019.