John Moreland

John Moreland doesnt have the answers, and hes not sure anyone does. But hes still curious, basking in the comfort of a question, and along the way, those of us listening feel moved to ask our own. I dont ever want to sound like I have answers, because I dont, he says. These songs are all questions. Everything I write is just trying to figure stuff out.Moreland is discussing his new album Birds in the Ceiling, a nine-song collection that offers the most comprehensive insight into the thoughts and sounds swimming around in his head to date. A compelling blend of acoustic folk and avant-garde pop playfulness, Birds in the Ceiling lives confidently in a space of its own, enriched by tradition but never encumbered by it. The songwriting that has stunned fans and critics alike since 2015s High on Tulsa Heat remains potent, while the sonic evolution that unfolds on the record feels like a natural expansion of 2020s acclaimed LP5.The New Yorker, Pitchfork, Fresh Air, Paste, GQ, and others have embraced Morelands meditative songs, while performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS This Morning, NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and more have introduced Moreland to millions. And yet, while the Tulsa-based Moreland is grateful for the respect and musical conversation hes now having with people around the world, he is also more focused on the idea of just talking to one person or even himself. Through the years, Ive felt like Im increasingly talking to myself in my songs, more and more, he says. Maybe in the past, I wasnt aware of it, but now, I am. I think doing that has helped me be less hard on myself, which makes you more generous and compassionate in general.That helps explain why even if Moreland is reaching out to someone else, there is no judgment. Im in the same boat with whoever Im talking to, Moreland says.Morelands songs do feel intimatelike overheard conversations or solitary meditations. I want to talk one-on-one to someone in a song, he says. I dont want to address a group, really, because I think thats when its easy to start pontificatingand it gets less honest.