Essential Tremors

Lucrecia Dalt (Big Ears Festival Performer)

Colombia-born singer and musician Lucrecia Dalt began her musical career seemingly suddenly, at least when observed from a distance as a simple biographical factoid: as a civil engineer, she worked in a geotechnical company until giving it up to become a musician. While the exact details of that situation are likely considerably more nuanced, it nevertheless serves as a metaphor for her ambitious and ever-forward artistic inclinations. This is particularly true in her 2021 collaboration with Aaron Dilloway, Lucy & Aaron, which took her work deeper into more fragmented, abstract territory. She continues on this path with her newest release, A Danger to Ourselves, which was released in late 2025. On this episode, she talks about how songs by Rocio Durcal, PJ Harvey, and David Sylvian informed her sensibilities. Dalt will perform at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN in March of 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Melvin Gibbs (Big Ears Festival Performer)

Bassist Melvin Gibbs has played on many seminal records you’re very familiar with, and likely many you aren’t, almost 200 in total. Some of his better-known work includes playing with drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, as well as Rollins Band, and Arto Lindsay. Although having played in stylistically varied projects, there is one constant among all them, which is Gibbs’ palpable presence, as he’s not a typical “session” player or one to recede into the background. Regardless of the project, his passion, precision, and distinctive, extremely musical playing stand out. Gibbs will appear as part of the Electrical Field of Love project featuring his group Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow at the 2026 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN. On this episode, he talks about how songs by Undine Smith Moore, Les Tambours de Brazza, and 67 guided his musical course. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo)

Through his work in Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, Jeff Tweedy has played a significant role in the shaping of Americana and alternative rock since the early 90’s. The title of Uncle Tupelo’s highly influential first album, No Depression, both spawned a resurgence in music more widely described as “Americana,” as well as gave it its name. Later in his career, Tweedy and Wilco collaborated with Billy Bragg on the Mermaid Avenue records that featured lost lyrics by Woody Guthrie, released the groundbreaking album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and put a total of 12 band and four solo records, four books, and helped establish the bi-annual Solid Sound Festival in western Massachusetts. Hear how how songs by Meat Puppets, Neil Young, and Blondie charted his musical course. Tweedy’s newest work, a triple record titled Twilight Override, was released on September 26, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Adrian Sherwood (Big Ears Festival performer)

Adrian Sherwood is known for his work as a producer, and while that term brings to mind those who simply put their often-subtle imprint on the recordings in which they’re involved, Sherwood’s approach is distinctive and heavily informed by the Dub music which he worked to distribute and to play as a DJ in London in the 1970’s. He has brought that sensibility primarily, but not exclusively, to electronic and electronic dance music, as well as many remixes of work by bands ranging from Depeche Mode, Sinead O’Connor, Primal Scream, Coldcut, and Skinny Puppy. His most recent solo record is 2025’s The Collapse of Everything. Sherwood will perform at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN in March of 2026. In this episode, he talks about how songs by Lee Perry, Mark Stewart, and Elvis Presley guided his musical development. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Brian Weitz (Geologist of Animal Collective)

Brian Weitz, better known as Geologist from Animal Collective, is, like the other members of that band, a voracious listener of music from a huge span of eras, cultures, and geographical locations. As can be heard in both his contributions to that band as well as his solo work, it’s all left a mark, particularly in his live performances on hurdy-gurdy, which has roots in music from multiple cultures and points in history. A Philadelphia native who also has Baltimore roots, Weitz currently resides in Washington, DC, and his newest release with Doug Shaw, A Shaw Deal, is out now on Drag City. On this episode, hear how songs by Sundowners, Fennesz, and Keiji Haino influenced him as an artist. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.