• Nikki Matteson & Rich Rue Listen Back to Sugar in the Rock
    Feb 20 2026

    In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Minneapolis folk/blues duo Nikki Matteson & Rich Rue, who enjoy some red wine and revisit their 2022 album Sugar in the Rock. They talk about this album's analog and early rock & roll roots...plus we look at the many guitars that were used to make this record.


    Featured Songs:

    1. Complaint To Make
    2. Get Along
    3. Lonely Windows
    4. Things Come And Go


    🔗 Show Notes: https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/281


    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Grant Peeples Listens Back to Punishing the Myth
    Feb 13 2026

    Grant Peeples Listens Back to Punishing the Myth


    In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with folksinger and poet Grant Peeples, who joins us from his home in Florida with a cup of green tea. He revisits his 2014 album Punishing the Myth, talks about it being a commercial failure and why it's his favorite album.


    Featured Songs:

    1. You're a Slave to Your Imagination
    2. The Hanging
    3. The Morning After the Coup
    4. High Octane Generation (for Jimmy Roche)


    🔗 Show Notes: https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/280


    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Vanessa Lively Listens Back to Return to Waves
    Feb 6 2026

    In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with singer, songwriter and painter Vanessa Lively, who joins us from her home in Austin, TX with her cat. She revisits her 2014 album Return to Waves, talks about recording when pregnant and drawing inspiration from dreams, paintings and sinkholes.


    Featured Songs:


    1. Return to Waves
    2. Chasm
    3. We Are Waiting
    4. Dive In


    🔗 Show Notes:

    https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/279


    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon:

    https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Winterpills Listen Back to Winterpills
    Jan 30 2026

    In this week’s episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Philip Price and Flora Reed of the indie/folk band Winterpills, who join us with their cats from western Massachusetts with some wine and curry. Following the release of the 20th anniversary edition of their debut album Winterpills, they revisit the songs and how they’ve evolved over the years. They talk about their shared love of Elliott Smith and about their first big fight about the song “Threshing Machine.”


    Featured Songs


    1. Laughing
    2. Threshing Machine
    3. Letter To A Friend In Jail
    4. Looking Down (Flora’s Version)


    🔗 Show Notes

    https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/278


    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon

    https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Eli Gardiner Listens Back to The Fire and The Medicine
    Jan 23 2026

    In this week’s episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Americana songwriter Eli Gardiner, who joins us for lunch to revisit his 2020 album The Fire and The Medicine. He talks about trading hockey for music, tackling hard subjects in his songs, and the tattoo that inspired the album art.


    Featured Songs


    1. Villain
    2. Before the War
    3. Eaten Alive
    4. The Right and the Wrong
    5. When We Are Gone


    🔗 Show Notes

    https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/277


    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon

    https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • The Nightingale Trio Listens Back to Izvora
    Jan 16 2026

    In this week’s episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with singer Sarah Larsson, who revisits Izvora, the 2016 release by The Nightingale Trio. She talks about her journey into singing Balkan music, shares hilarious stories behind the songs, and teaches us how to toast in Yiddish and Ukrainian. So lift up your glasses and join us for this joyful hour of music and conversation!


    Featured Songs


    1. Kaval Sviri
    2. Oj Khodyt’ Son
    3. Sub o Salcie Pletoasa
    4. Vo Nase Selo Malovo
    5. Tsangala


    🔗 Show Notes

    https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/276



    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon

    https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Danny Schmidt Listens Back to Little Grey Sheep
    Jan 9 2026

    In this week’s episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt, who joins us from his home in Nashville, enjoys a tequila, and revisits his 2007 album Little Grey Sheep. He looks back on recording this odd collection of songs written for friends, lovers, and fellow Texans. A beautiful conversation about music and community to kick off our new year.


    Featured Songs


    1. Cliff Song
    2. Song for Judy & Bridget
    3. Adios to Tejasito
    4. Company of Friends



    Show Notes

    🔗 https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/275



    Join the Party on Patreon

    🎉 https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Best of the Back Catalog 2025
    Jan 2 2026

    In this week’s special episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo share their annual Best of Back Catalog clip show, revisiting some of their favorite moments from the past year of conversations. You’ll hear highlights from interviews with Lizzie No, Altan, Patty Larkin, Bruce Cockburn, Erin McKeown, Carrie Rodriguez, Gurf Morlix, Chris Silver & Craig Evans, Sister Sadie, Nicholas David, and Steve Poltz — a year’s worth of great songs, stories, and musical wisdom in one place.


    Featured Songs & Stories


    1. Lizzie No - Narcissus
    2. Altan - Dúlamán
    3. Patty Larkin - Good Thing (featuring Dar Williams)
    4. Bruce Cockburn - Call It Democracy
    5. Erin McKeown - The Jailer
    6. Carrie Rodriguez - Z
    7. Gurf Morlix - Baby Can I Crawl Back to You
    8. Chris Silver & Craig Evans - March To The Kinnic
    9. Sister Sadie - If We Ain’t Drinking Then We’re Fighting
    10. Nicholas David - Moon At Noon
    11. Steve Poltz - Spirit Hands



    🔗 Show Notes

    https://backcataloglisteningparty.com/274



    🎉 Join the Party on Patreon

    https://www.patreon.com/backcataloglisteningparty

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    55 mins