Photo by Nathan Poppe

Ben Brock sure cries a lot.

The songwriter wears his emotions on his sleeve and that became apparent during our recent interview. I don’t blame him. Break ups are hard and finding just the right words to describe it might be even harder. After 10 years of searching, Brock finally released his debut album.

Read my interview with Ben here.

A lot’s changed since the first time I interviewed John Moreland back in 2011.

He’s found his stride after years of pouring his heart out and has caught a swell of national attention. His latest record “Big Bad Luv” found the Tulsa singer-songwriter in a proper studio (mostly) and triggered his busiest year of touring ever. I aimed to figure out how he’s balancing life on the road and how much (or little) his life has changed before a pair of homecoming concert dates.

Read it here.

Photo by Elise Tyler

“I just gotta get back into reality.”

I hear ya, Damien. I really do.

The Seattle-based songwriter talked to me about his new tour that’s hitting all 50 states, Woody Guthrie and his flip phone.

Read it here and peep some photos from his Norman stop here.

Photo by Steve Sisney

Don’t judge a music venue by its size.

Because it doesn’t get much more micro than the Opolis in Norman. During a quiet weeknight concert, my husky frame could shimmy through the venue in five seconds flat. That wouldn’t be the case if 200 people were packed next to the oversized feline photographs hanging on the walls.

Either way, two familiar faces are almost always in attendance. Marian and Andy Nunez are the owners and, more importantly, operators of the longtime concert spot celebrating its fifteenth birthday this month.

Read the rest of my heartfelt ode to the Opolis here.

Photo by Nathan Poppe

This is one my favorite features this year.

I talked to Tony LeSure about slabs, getting pulled over and Green Apple Gatorade.

Read the story here.

Photo provided

Amir Mohamed just wants to stay home and cook.

His sixth full-band studio album in as many years, “The Iceberg,” dropped in February, and the rapper, better known as Oddisee, has been on the road ever since. When he answered the phone, he said he was standing in line at a New York grocery store. He was home for only six days, and it’d been months since he had the time to cook for himself.

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Photo by Anna Lee

“I think being born in the mid-’80s lends to a huge connection between me and that time. I’m a huge Cure fan. … Pop music can really reach people, and many of my favorite pop songs and artists were definitely from that era.”

That’s Evan Crowley chatting about his latest musical venture, Saint Loretto.

You can read more from our chat here.

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Photo provided

“Soda pop commercials from the mid-’70s and all those things from my childhood, I’m trying to get back to ’em. I’m always trying to go back and get something from then and bring that into my life and into the music I’m making now. … I can say we thought we had something special, and we should pursue that.”

That’s Steven Drozd talking about his collaboration album with Steve Burns of “Blue’s Clues” fame.

Read the full story here.

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