The Last Bison

Songwriter Ben Hardesty and bass player/cellist Amos Housworth of The Last Bison join host Jonah Grinkewitz for the second episode of Lyrical. Location and identity are very important to Ben's songwriting. Ben describes himself as an "experience-based" songwriter. He draws on key moments from his past, including growing up in the rainforests of Bolivia and the swamps of Chesapeake, as well as traveling in Europe as a young adult. Ben and Amos also discuss how their lineup has changed in recent years, and what this means for the band's new musical direction. Upon their debut, NPR described them as "Classical influenced southern folk rock." But as Ben shares in this episode, they are finally coming back to the music that they grew up listening to, such as David Bowie, U2 and the Police. Whether it's folk rock or synth pop, the characteristic soaring vocals, intricate textures and melodic hooks persist in their newest album "Süda" which is out now.