Alex Loeb: The Courage of Direct Expression

This season began in grief.My father died on New Year's Day. A few weeks later I sat down with the first guest of Season 3 and asked him what music had taught him about being human. I listened the way you listen when the question is also yours.That's how every conversation this season went.Thirteen guests. Thirteen different answers. And underneath all of them — the same essential truth. Nobody came to music because it was easy. They came because something was hard. And music was the language they reached for when the other languages failed.This is the Season 3 finale. A solo reflection on what thirteen conversations taught me about music, grief, and the man who loved music more than almost anything else.Thank you for being here all season. Season 4 is coming.---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Email me at: [email protected] the HouseHave a seat on the porch with us: http://storyhousestudio.org/welcomeSupport this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community

Neither Could Dylan blends rock, punk, and folk into something entirely his own. In this Season 3 finale, Jamie shares how a pandemic hobby became a full creative practice, and how self-production and learning new instruments helped him break through the limits he'd put on his own sound.    Jamie dives deep into the creative process, revealing how he overcame limitations and explored new musical territories. You’ll discover:  - The unexpected inspiration that sparked his solo project during lockdown.  - How writing lyrics first allows him to shape his music around the emotions he wants to convey.  - Insights into the importance of pushing creative boundaries and not limiting oneself to a single genre.  - The joy of creating music that reflects personal growth and experimentation.    Learn why embracing challenges can lead to incredible breakthroughs, both musically and personally. It’s not just about creating music; it’s about building a world of sound that resonates with your true self.    Go backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln Parish---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Email me at: [email protected] the HouseHave a seat on the porch with us: http://storyhousestudio.org/welcomeSupport this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community (00:00) - Neither Could Dylan (00:06) - Opening Memory (01:09) - Intro (01:29) - Conversation with Neither Could Dylan (34:58) - Closing Reflection (35:57) - Outro

“Breathe” was written during one of the most difficult seasons of Grace Palmer's life, when her mother was in intensive care and the weight of uncertainty felt unbearable. After briefly escaping the heaviness on holiday, she returned home and crashed, sitting on her floor with a guitar and writing a five-minute song that would later become an anchor for others navigating anxiety and depression.Years later, after her mother passed away just days before Christmas, Grace wrote “By His Side,” a song about grief, faith, and the unbearable weight of loss and the hope that love doesn’t disappear.From using her inheritance to finally record her music at 39, to rejecting industry narratives about age and relevance, Grace shares a story of rebuilding choosing to create something meaningful out of what broke her.This is a conversation about collapse, courage, and the quiet decision to build anyway.Go backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln ParishFrom the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Email me at: [email protected] the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org (00:00) - Grace Palmer (00:07) - OPENING MEMORY (00:35) - STANDARD INTRO (00:57) - EPISODE ORIENTATION (01:25) - Conversation With Grace Palmer (30:50) - CLOSING REFLECTION (31:34) - OUTRO

In this episode of Come Back to Earth, I reflect on the grounding power of having something small you can control — a dial, a cable, a circuit — when the rest of life feels unpredictable.I then sit down with music technology veteran and journalist Robin Vincent to talk about modular synthesis, hardware culture, and why building electronic music by hand keeps people curious, engaged, and sane.This conversation explores tactile creativity, community, and the difference between scrolling presets and crafting sound from scratch. It also asks a bigger question: In an era of instant generation, what do we lose — and what do we gain — when we stop building things ourselves?This is an episode about process, presence, and the quiet joy of plugging cables into possibility.Go backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln ParishFrom the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Email me at: [email protected] the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org (00:00) - Robin Vincent (00:07) - Opening Memory (00:38) - Introduction (00:57) - Episode Orientation (01:25) - Interview with Robin Vincent (32:37) - Closing (33:36) - Outro

Elle Indigo has been finding words for things most people leave unnamed. She started in poetry, the private kind, written for no one in particular. Then the words started needing music underneath them. And somewhere in that transition she discovered something about the difference between writing to process and writing to connect.This conversation goes into that space. The vulnerability of making something personal and then handing it to a room full of strangers. The way metaphor can say the thing you couldn't say directly. What it costs to stand on a stage with a song that came from somewhere real and trust that the audience will meet you there. Elle doesn't have it all figured out. That's what makes this worth listening to.---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Email me at: [email protected] the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Some stories don’t change. We do. In this episode, J.D. sits down with Brittney Jenkins to discuss her song 'Bend to Break' from her album 'Faultlines'. Brittney explores themes of identity, distance, generational trauma, and the power of reframing the past after growing up in a conservative North Carolina community and building a life in the UK. This conversation covers music as a tool for healing, the artist's creative process, and the strength required to bend instead of break.Key topics include:- Generational trauma and identity- Music and mental health- The creative process of songwriting- Healing through storytellingGo backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln Parish---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Story House 370 Mallard Loop Dr.Clayton, NC 27527Find the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Grief doesn’t always arrive as tears. Sometimes it arrives as instinct, the sudden, sharp reflex to call someone who isn’t there anymore.I’m sitting down with Canadian folk-pop songwriter Joe McLeod to talk about his single, “ARROWS” the first release from his upcoming album TORN. Written over years of reflection following the loss of his father at age 22, “ARROWS” explores the weight of becoming the protector.From writing in solitude on an acoustic guitar to intimate house shows in Switzerland, this conversation explores loss not as a one-time event, but as a lifelong reshaping. In This Episode:Navigating the loss of a parent in early adulthood.Understanding grief as an evolving process, not a destination.The journey of writing alone versus the energy of the studio.Creating a shared, present-moment refuge for the audience.Go backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln Parish---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Story House 370 Mallard Loop Dr.Clayton, NC 27527Find the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Some songs are written during the day. Others are built in the quiet hours, when no one is watching, when exhaustion meets inspiration, and when something inside refuses to let you sleep.I’m joined by Danish pop artist Emilie Thorsby to talk about her single, “Late Night”—a vibrant celebration of hardworking musicians in an era increasingly shaped by AI and automation. From global radio play (including a surreal first spin in Uganda) to studio sessions fueled by disco beats and live saxophone, Emilie shares why she believes in breath over perfection and live performance over simulation.This is a conversation about the craft of songwriting, the ethics of AI in the music industry, and the simple truth that some things can’t be generated, they can only be lived.Go backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln Parish---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Story House 370 Mallard Loop Dr.Clayton, NC 27527Find the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Some songs are written to be heard. Others are written to be seen.I’m joined by singer-songwriter Lavender Fire to discuss her debut album, From Shadows to Light. Her work is a four-year journey of reclaiming parts of herself and stepping fully into her identity. Built primarily around piano and voice, the album traces a profound arc from self-realization to radical self-acceptance.Connect with Lavender Fire HEREGo backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln Parish---From the StudioThis episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.Leave a voice message or reflectionThe LetterboxI read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.Story House 370 Mallard Loop Dr.Clayton, NC 27527Find the HouseLong-form writing and studio notes: https://storyhousestudios.substack.com/Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/communityPresence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Growth isn’t always about finding a voice; often, it’s about the decision to stop softening the one you already have. Today, we sit with Germany-based artist Alex Loeb to explore the shift from genre-controlled narratives to the raw clarity of direct expression.Connect with Alex Loeb HEREGo backstage HERETheme music by: Lincoln Parish