Nakedly Examined Music is a podcast about making music: Why do we do it? Why do we do it the way we do it? Mark Linsenmayer interviews songwriters and composers famous and otherwise about specific recordings, which are presented in full on the podcast. 
Cathal started in Ireland in 1980 with Microdisney, and after five albums with then broke that up to form Fatima Mansions in 1988. After seven albums with them, he started a solo career and has now after a decade-long hiatus (during which he released a few collaborations) has come back with his sixth solo release Song of Co-Acklan. We discuss "Unrealtime" and (in closing) hear Continue Reading …
NEM#150: Josh Caterer (Smoking Popes): Punk + 40s Melodies (+ Occasional Jesus)
Josh formed Chicago-area punk band Smoking Popes in 1991 with his brother Matt, and his other brother Eli joined soon after. They released three albums and several EPs in the 90s then broke up after Josh became a Christian. He then released an album and a half as Duvall and then reformed the Smoking Popes, who have released three new albums since 2008. He's also released some Continue Reading …
NEM#149: Rod Abernethy’s Return to Acoustic (from Video Game Soundtracks)
Rod released his first album "Solo" in 1975, played in some bands, but after losing on Star Search, turned to soundtrack work, emerging only in 2018 with three straight albums of acoustic singer-songwriter and instrumental material. We discuss "My Father Was a Quiet Man" (and listen to "Whiskey & Pie") from Normal Isn't Normal Anymore (2021), "How to Forget" from The Man Continue Reading …
NEM#148: David Cross (ex-King Crimson): Electric Violin Dinosaur Battles
David played in perhaps the most revered line-up of King Crimson at the end of its original run from '72-'74. He's been an actor and teacher, then released his first "solo" album (as Low Flying Aircraft) in '87, then eight more under his own name or as The David Cross Band plus several collaborations. We discuss "Predator" by Cross and Jackson from Another Day (2018), "The Continue Reading …
NEM#147: Steve Almaas: From Punk to the Rodeo
Steve was in one of Minneapolis' first big punk bands, The Suicide Commandos, but after one album in 1977, he soon left for New York City and eventually hit it relatively big with two records on IRS as Beat Rodeo, with a solo career continuing the country-rock style beginning in 1992 through nine albums. We discuss "The Way I Treated You" (and listen to "Goodbye Nicolina," Continue Reading …
NEM#146: Nels Cline Writes Jazz Fusion (And Plays Guitar for Wilco)
Though best known as lead guitarist for Wilco since 2004, Nels has recorded 30+ instrumental albums, often as band leader. We discuss "Headdress" by The Nels Cline Singers from Share the Wealth (2020), "The Nomad’s Home" from Coward (2009), and "Fives & Sixes" from his first solo release, Angelica (1987). We conclude by listening to "Imperfect Ten" by The Nels Cline 4 from Continue Reading …
NEM#145: Jay Gonzalez: Concise but Colorful
Jay is best known as sideman for Drive-By Truckers since 2008 but has written songs for Athens bands like The Possibilities and Nutria since the 90s and has three solo releases. We discuss the title track (and listen at the end to "I Wanna Hold You") from Back to the Hive (2021), "&#%&#!" and "Shenorock Lane" from The Bitter Suite (2015), and "Turning Me On" from Continue Reading …
NEM#144: Dennis Davison (The Jigsaw Seen): How Much Is Enough?
Dennis fronted the Baltimore punk band Ebeneezer & The Bludgeons in the late 70s, and after some transitional projects moved to L.A. where his '60s-ish guitar pop band The Jigsaw Seen released nine albums from 1989-2015. We discuss "Museum Piece" (and listen to "Shadow on a Tall Tree" at the end) from his debut solo album, The Book Of Strongman (2020); "Idiots with Continue Reading …
NEM#143: In Search of Eric Dover (Imperial Drag, Slash’s Snakepit, etc.)
After joining Jellyfish in 1993 just before its demise, Eric's big break came when he was asked to sing for Slash's Snakepit. After an album with them, he returned to Roger Manning from Jellyfish for an album as Imperial Drag, then worked as sideman (e.g. for Alice Cooper) and studio guy while releasing an album and an EP as Sextus. He's now back with Roger (and Tim Smith) in Continue Reading …
NEM#142: Rebecca Rego: This Is Your Life!
Folky, soul-singing Rebecca has had six releases since 2007. We discuss "Mama" from her solo EP, Songs for Cleaning Women, Pt. 1 (2020), "No One Knows Me" by Rebecca Rego and the Trainmen from Speaking of Witches (2019), "Gave Me" by rego off of From the Royal Arcade (2009), and we end by listening to "Cruel" from Lay These Weapons Down (2016). Intro: "Call My Mother" from Continue Reading …
NEM#141: Robert Forster (The Go-Betweens) Looks Back Novelistically
Robert co-fronted the Australian-born post-punk band The Go-Betweens through nine albums in the '80s and '00s with Grant McLennan before the latter's death in 2006 and has also released seven solo albums. We discuss "No Fame" from Inferno (2019), "Here Comes a City" by The Go-Betweens from Oceans Apart (2005), and "On My Block" by The Go-Betweens from Before Hollywood Continue Reading …
NEM#140: Larry Keel: Hillbilly Shredder to Singer-Songwriter
Larry has appeared on 20+ albums since co-founding Magraw Gap in 1990 and then becoming bandleader on '97. He's known for his lightning flat picking and has more recently added a good dose of social commentary and fundamental questioning to his songwriting. We discuss "Mars’ Cry" (and listen to "Try") from American Dream (2020), "Crocodile Man" from One (2019), and "Diamond Continue Reading …
NEM#139: Don Rauf’s Life In A Blender
Don started the NY-based Life in a Blender in the late 80s and has put out ten albums of tunes with off-kilter lyrics and increasingly elaborate arrangements. We discuss "The Ocean is a Black and Rolling Tongue" (and listen at the end to "Soul Deliverer") from Satsuma (2020), "Falmouth" from We Already Have Birds That Sing (2014), and "Chicken Dance" from Two Legs Bad (1997). Continue Reading …
NEM#137: Brian Cullman, Writer About Town
Brian started as a teen music enthusiast and journalist as early as 1970, learning about and often meeting everyone in the biz, and has thus stumbled into finding vehicles for his songs first with OK Savant (ca. 1990) and then through three and half solo albums starting in 2008. He’s also been an active producer and collaborator for artists like Ollabelle, Lucinda Williams Continue Reading …
NEM#136: Mark Bingham: To and In New Orleans
Mark got signed as a teen in 1966, left to play theatrical prog jazz in Indiana during college, had a spell in a “no wave” band in New York, and finally settled down in the ’80s as an in demand producer and collaborator in New Orleans, working with groups like R.E.M., Flat Duo Jets, and John Scofield. He’s only finished two solo albums but has a ton of archive recordings being Continue Reading …
NEM#135: Peter Milton Walsh (The Apartments): No Assembly-Line Recording
Peter started The Apartments in Australia in the late '70s and has been its only consistent member. After releasing his first full album in 1985 and being featured on a John Hughes soundtrack, he released four lush, moody albums in the '90s but then retired when family tragedy struck until the late '00s; he's had four releases since 2011. We discuss "What's Beauty to Do?" Continue Reading …
NEM#134: Laraaji’s Free Association Meditations
Jazz multi-instrumentalist Edward Larry Gordon Jr. became Laraaji around the same time he started releasing meditative zither music in the late 70s and was then discovered by Brian Eno, who produced our intro, "The Dance No. 1" from Ambient 3: Day of Radiance (1980). Laraaji has since had around 40 releases of largely improvised music. We discuss "Hold on to the Vision" (and Continue Reading …
NEM#133: Jon Hassell (and Rick Cox): Fourth World Improvisation
Jon started playing trumpet with composers like Terry Riley and La Monte Young in the late 60s, has since guested with Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Ani DiFranco, Ry Cooder, et al, and has released 18 solo albums since 1977. We discuss "Unknown Wish" from Seeing Through Sound: Pentimento Volume 2 (2020), "Manga Scene" from Listening to Pictures: Pentimento Volume 1 Continue Reading …
NEM#132: Chris Frantz Looks Back on Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club
On the publication of his memoir, Remain in Love, Chris and your host Mark Linsenmayer discuss “Psycho Killer” and “Warning Signs” by Talking Heads from Talking Heads ’77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978), plus “Bamboo Town” and “Who Feelin’ It?” by Tom Tom Club from Close to the Bone (1983) and The Good the Bad and the Funky (2000). We conclude with the title Continue Reading …
NEM#131: Ward White Audited
Ward has issued about ten releases of lyric-driven, stylish pop since 2003. We discuss the title track from Leonard at the Audit (2020), "Titans" from Diminish (2018), and the title track from Pulling Out (2008). Intro: "Sabbath" from Ward White Is the Matador (2014). End: "Bubble and Squeak," also from the new album. For info see wardwhite.net. Here's that video we Continue Reading …