Known Associates | Episode 5: Jason P. Woodbury
In episode five of Known Associates, a podcast brought to you by New Pony in affiliation with Southwest Review, the Paranoid Style singer-songwriter and cultural critic Elizabeth Nelson talks to Jason P. Woodbury, the beloved and highly respected writer, editor, podcaster, and frontman for the band Jason P. Woodbury & The Night Bird Singing Quartet. He’s got a wonderful new album out this month, also called Jason P. Woodbury & The Night Bird Singing Quartet on his label, Always Happening Records.
Over the course of their conversation, Elizabeth and Jason go deep on his new album and how he wrote and recorded this collection of songs under this particular band name (2:47). They also talk about Jason’s artistic influences (21:12) and who inspires him as a songwriter and a music fan. Then they get into Jason’s ancestral and current home of Arizona, the general weirdness of the American Southwest, and how the surpassing beauty and strangeness of his surroundings shaped him (27:00), plus they dive into the presence of UFOs in the desert and the appeal of the unknown (31:26). They also discuss his iconic album artwork for his new record, which is a must-see for any fan of Vintage Contemporary books (40:00). Elizabeth then asks Jason about how he deals with the perceived role conflict in being both a songwriter and a music critic, and how these identities intersect and augment each other (45:44). They also consider the current state of music criticism, why criticism is still important, and the viability of music publications and careers in the field of music journalism (53:00). Finally, they talk about Jason’s decision to release his record on his own label, what his plans are now that he is running a label, and what his future holds (1:08:43).
Follow all things Jason P. Woodbury at places like his Bandcamp, the legendary Aquarium Drunkard, and his Substack Range and Basin. Subscribe to Known Associates and check out Southwest Review’s website. Pick up a subscription to the magazine while you’re at it!
Elizabeth Nelson is a DC-based journalist and singer-songwriter in the band the Paranoid Style. She hosts the New Pony/Southwest Review podcast Known Associates, where she speaks to fellow writers, artists, and musicians, and is also a regular contributor to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Ringer, the New Yorker, and other publications. Her new album—also titled Known Associates—will be released on Bar/None Records in February, 2026.
Mixed by: Clay Jones
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