We would love that. We definitely need it.
Is Bloodshot the perfect label for the band?
I think it has definitely been good to us. I don't know about perfect. You always want to have responsible minds behind you. The good thing about Bloodshot is they know how to handle bands. They broke the Old 97's. They've really been good to us. It probably is the perfect label for us.
You write about many Southern stereotypes such as the religiousness of the Bible Belt. Are you spiritual?
Spiritual would be a fair term to use.
You seem cynical when it comes to organized religion.
Well, I don't want to step on anybody's toes. You should follow whatever faith you choose to follow. It's not my place to dictate other people's lives.
Your songs seem very influenced by literature. Are you an avid reader?
Yes, I do enjoy reading. I get inspiration from many different areas, whether it is books, film or television.
Your most recent album, Lessons, has gotten some interesting reviews. You added strings to the mix.
We used a different producer. I think we wanted to make the biggest-sounding record that we could. In the past, we focused more on having anything that we put on a record being able to be performed on stage. This time, we put a little more ear candy in there.
There was one critic that claimed it was easy to lump your band in with the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons. You'd probably take the sales figures of those bands.
[Laughs] Yes, I definitely would. I don't see much similarity there. But that goes back to what we were talking about before. I am as guilty as the next person when you try to classify a band. You might want to go check out a band, so someone tells you that they sound like this, this or this. For a lot of people, Mumford and Sons are as big as it gets. That is an easy reference point.
A lot of folks have compared you guys to Whiskeytown. Is that also an easy reference point?
That is a fair reference point.
Another reviewer described your sound as Paul Simon-like. When you first started, could you ever imagine being compared to Paul Simon?
If I can ever find that in print, I would definitely cut that out and post it on my wall. Paul Simon, in my opinion, is the greatest storytelling songwriter of all time. I am very flattered by that.
Your songwriting succeeds at balancing humor with seriousness. Is that a delicate line to walk?
It is, but most of my favorite acts, people that I admire or idolize, they straddle that line. Whether it is favorite musicians or favorite authors, there is a real tug and pull that makes it interesting. At the end of the day, it is all about making it interesting.
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