Podcast appearances and mentions of Jonathan Meiburg

Kate Wolf and Eric Newman are joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, novelist, and translator Forrest Gander to discuss his new book, Mojave Ghost. A long poem situated along the 800-mile length of the San Andreas Fault, which runs from Northern California where Gander lives to his birthplace in the Southern California Desert, the work reflects both exterior and interior landscapes with tender precision and heightened awareness. Gander moves through memory, grief, and fault lines— in the earth, our country, and himself. He confronts what it means to be a self that contains divisions born out of time, experience, and relationships to other people, both living and gone. Also, Simon Critchley, author of Mysticism, returns to recommend A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg, and give a tip of the hat to Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.

Kate Wolf and Eric Newman are joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, novelist, and translator Forrest Gander to discuss his new book, Mojave Ghost. A long poem situated along the 800-mile length of the San Andreas Fault, which runs from Northern California where Gander lives to his birthplace in the Southern California Desert, the work reflects both exterior and interior landscapes with tender precision and heightened awareness. Gander moves through memory, grief, and fault lines— in the earth, our country, and himself. He confronts what it means to be a self that contains divisions born out of time, experience, and relationships to other people, both living and gone. Also, Simon Critchley, author of Mysticism, returns to recommend A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg, and give a tip of the hat to Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.

Off the southern tip of South America, the remote and rocky Falkland Islands are home to one of the oddest birds of prey in the world: the striated caracara, which looks like a falcon but acts more like parrot. Charles Darwin had to fend these birds off the hats, compasses, and valuables of the Beagle; the Falkland Islands government had a bounty on their “cheeky” beaks for much of the 20th century; and modern falconers have used their understanding of language to train them to do dog-like tricks. The other nine species of caracara that span the rest of South America are just as odd in their own ways. In his book, A Most Remarkable Creature, Jonathan Meiburg follows their unusual evolutionary path across the continent and describes his encounters with these birds over the past 25 years. He joins us from his home in Texas to introduce us to some new feathered friends. This episode originally aired in 2021.Go beyond the episode:Jonathan Meiburg's A Most Remarkable CreatureRead an excerpt about Charles Darwin's encounters with the birdMeet Tina, the striated caracara who can “find Nemo,” and a crested caracara named KevinHere's some footage of a flock on Saunders Island in the FalklandsTune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.Subscribe: iTunes • Stitcher • Google Play • AcastHave suggestions for projects you'd like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I found in nature that kind of the same appeal that I find in books which is: … they're both filled with these rich particularities and they're also … mysteriously universal.” Jennifer Ackerman's What an Owl Knows is a compelling and vivid investigation into one of our world's most beloved and mysterious animals. Ackerman talks with us about her journey to the world of birds, the incredible researchers she worked with on the book, the roles nature plays in daily life and more with guest host Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Topoff book recommendations from Madyson and Mary.   This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang.    New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.            Featured Books (Episode): What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman  The Bird Way by Jennifer Ackerman  An Immense World by Ed Yong  Sounds Wild and Broken by David Haskell  Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght  A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg    Featured Books (TBR Topoff):  Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy  The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht 

On this week's Talkhouse Podcast we've paired up a couple of old friends and onetime tourmates, Sharon Van Etten and Jonathan Meiburg. This pairing was especially fun for me, since I had the pleasure of putting these two together in a different context many years ago, when I was editor of The A.V. Club: Sharon and Jonathan performed an amazing version of the Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks duet “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around” for the site's A.V. Undercover series. Seeing their faces together brought back that fun memory, and it was great seeing them reconnect. Van Etten is a singer and songwriter who's been making records for the past decade plus, growing and changing and taking chances in exactly the way you hope truly talented people will. Her amazing early records were quietly intense, very confessional affairs, but she burst from the seams with subsequent releases. In 2019, she released Remind Me Tomorrow, which brought in bigger sounds and colors and an entirely different kind of confidence to her songwriting and performance. She gives partial credit in this chat to producer John Congleton, who was recommended to Van Etten by none other than Jonathan Meiburg. Earlier this year, Van Etten released another incredible album called We've Been Going About This All Wrong, which puts into intense songs some of the feelings we've all been feeling the past couple of years. You know what I'm talking about. Check out “Mistakes” from that new album, and check out Van Etten on the Wild Hearts tour over the next few months, with Angel Olsen and Julien Baker.  Today's other guest, Jonathan Meiburg, is best known in the music world as the driving force behind the band Shearwater, which he started way back in the late ‘90s as an offshoot of his previous band, Okkervil River. But under this name, Meiburg has created a vast and varied catalog that combines his writerly mind with sometimes-moody, sometimes-joyous music. Shearwater just released their first album in six years: It's called The Great Awakening, and it's what a lazy podcast host might refer to as a return to form—or at least more austere earlier vibes. Don't let that six-year gap fool you, though: Meiburg has been plenty busy. He's got another band called Loma with the members of Cross Record, and they've got a third album on the way. Oh, and Meiburg wrote and released an incredible book called A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey, which rolls up history, science, and travel into one really beautifully written piece. (Around Talkhouse HQ, we like to brag that Meiburg has written a bunch of pieces for us over the years.) As you'll hear in this conversation, he's already started working on another book. Check out “Empty Orchestra” from The Great Awakening. As you'll hear, Van Etten and Meiburg are old friends who toured together long ago, but hadn't seen each other in person until very recently, when Van Etten's tour took her to Hamburg, where Meiburg is currently living. They talk about writing songs—and specifically about how gibberish can become lyrics, which I always find interesting. Meiburg remarks on Van Etten's transformation as a stage performer over the years, and they even chat about Sharon's son—specifically his relationship to the movie Cool Runnings. Enjoy. Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast, and thanks to Sharon Van Etten and Jonathan Meiburg for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please do follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range. See you next time.

The fascinating, affable, and charming Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater and Loma joins Dwyer in a conversations that covers a wide array of topics. They discuss the beauty of Marvin Gaye, facing thoughts of suicide and how one pulls out of it, and how Jonathan's fascination with a bird of prey called the caracaras sent his life spinning into a new direction and the book he wrote about them.The Patreon Part 2 of my conversation with Jonathan HEREOpening song, Xenarthran from the Shearwater album The Great AwakeningShearwater BandcampJonathan's Book The Most Remarkable CreatureLoma BandcampShearwater Instagramthemattdwyer.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater discusses the recording of their new album 'The Great Awakening,' his recent move to Germany, disillusionment from touring and more.

In this episode, David Harris, Holly Hazelwood and Eric Mellor are joined by special guest, Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater, to discuss where music and nature intersect. Support the show

Shearwater

This is my last show for Eardrumbuzz, though I will be independently producing a monthly podcast as usual. The Kitchen Sink #126Wire – Ignorance No Plea I Should Have Known Better (Not About to Die Studio Demos 1977-1978)The Shop Window – Eyes Wide Shut (new single, Maidstone Kent UK indie pop, backing vocals from Beth Arzy)Break 1Shearwater – Aqaba (new, The Great Awakening, Jonathan Meiburg, Austin TX indie rock)Midlake – Exile (new, For the Sake of Bethel Woods, Denton TX indie rock)Belle and Sebastian - Deathbed of My Dreams (new, A Bit of Previous. Glasgow indie pop)Jack Skuller – Watercolor Rain (new single, NJ indie pop)Helpful People – Broken Blossom Threats (new, Broken Blossom Threats, Carly Putnam of The Oilies and Glenn Donaldson of The Reds Pinks and Purples)The House of Love - Third Generation Liquid Song (A Spy in the House of Love Part 3, HoL box set coming out this month on Cherry Red)The Prids – Liar of My Dreams (new Small Amounts / Liar of My Dreams single, Portland OR indie rock)Kevin Robertson – Trippin' Back (new, Teaspoon of Time, Scottish indie rock)Graham Nash – Chicago/We Can Change the World (CSN box set)Break 2mercvrial – dark stars (new, Brief Algorithms, geographically-dispersed recording project based in Rosarito, Mexico, post punk)LEATHERS – Runaway (new single from ACTORS singer Shannon Hemmett, Vancouver darkwave)Blackout Transmission - Once There Magic Wands Hyperspace Remix (new, Radiance + Variance: Remixes and Alternate Interpretations, LA psych)Night Sins – Violet Age (new, from forthcoming Violet Age full length, Philadelphia post punk)Primer – Just a Clown (new Incubator, LA synth pop from Alyssa Midcalf)To the Wedding – Words (cover of an unknown group, could not verify the author, 2016 from this Brooklyn dreamwave band collaborating with There's Talk)Break 3Beneather – Witness Marks (new s/t, London UK chillwave)dottie – Flood (new single, Austin TX dream pop)Slo Moon – Fading (new single, Savannah dream pop)The Citradels – Juniper (new, Contactor, Melbourne psych rock)Sungaze – New Twang (new single, Cincinnati psych from Ian Hilvert and Ivory Snow)Break 4Haiku Garden – Levitate single (new, Slovenia shoegaze)LAUNDER – Chipper (new, from forthcoming Happening, LA shoegaze)Lost Echoes – Stars (new single, Portland OR shoegaze)Deadlights – Just Let it Go (new, Eleven Step Intervention, Jeff Shelton, SF shoegaze)Static Daydream – Just Like Heaven (Cure cover, VA shoegaze)Superdrone – Someday (new single from forthcoming album from this UK shoegaze group)Break 5Interpol – Toni (The Other Side of Make-Believe, NYC post punk)The Smile – The Same (A Light for Attracting Attention, new from Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead)

His voice echoes as he speaks. The walls are entirely empty ahead of a big move, but Jonathan Meiburg has carved out enough time to sit and speak. We get into the subject of caracaras fairly quickly. They're strange little birds in the same family as falcons – though they sport personalities more in line with a crow or a raven. Meiburg was so taken by the creatures he devoted several years to penning a book on the topic. But he's forever returning to music, be it projects like Loma, Okkervil River or his primary act, Shearwater – the latter of which is set to release its first LP in six years. Due out in June, The Great Awakening might be the band's most ambitious original work to date.

The podcast is back again—the second episode of the sixth season, and the 32nd episode overall, and Kevin welcomes independent music legend Anna-Lynne Long (Née Williams) to the virtual building. You might know her from her long running solo project, Lotte Kestner; you might know her as the frontwoman from the cult favorite Trespassers Williams; you might know her from a bunch of other things as well.  They chop it up about how combining shoegaze and folk sounds like a disaster, why Kate Bush can be scary, the "Twin Peaks" tour in Seattle, and the collection of nine tunes Anna-Lynne selected to bring onto the show.  It's also a great time to mention that she has a NEW ALBUM due out on February 11th! Her first since 2017, Lost Songs will be available on CD, as well as streaming services.  For more information about the "award winning" music criticism site, Anhedonic Headphones, click here; for more info on all things Anna-Lynne, head to her Bandcamp page.   Episode Musical Credits Opening Theme Music- "Flava In Ya Ear" (Instrumental); written by Osten Harvey Jr, Craig Mack, Roger Nichols, and Paul Williams. Bad Boy Records, 1994. Closing Theme Music - "Feelin'"; written by Rashad Harden. Hyperdub Records, 2013. "White Sun," written by Jófríður Ákadóttir; performed by JFDR. Brazil, KRUNK, 2017. "Adrift," written and performed by Jesse Marchant. Jesse Marchant, No Other, 2014. "Backchannels," written by Jonathan Meiburg; performed by Shearwater. Jet Plane and Oxbow, Sub Pop, 2016. "Cayman Islands," written by Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe; performed by Kings of Convenience. Riot on an Empty Street, Astralwerks, 2004. "A Sight to Behold," written and performed by Devendra Banhart. Rejoicing in The Hands, Young God, 2004. "To Be The One," written by Jeff Martin; performed by Idaho. Heart of Palm, Idaho Music, 2000. "Carolyn's Fingers," written by Robin Guthrie, Simon Raymonde & Elizabeth Fraser; performed by Cocteau Twins. Blue Bell Knoll, 4AD, 1988. "Mother Stands for Comfort," written and performed by Kate Bush. Hounds of Love, EMI, 1985. "Framed in A Doorway," written by Anna-Lynne Long and Ian Taggart; performed by Televangel featuring Lotte Kestner. Emergency Heart, Last Epoch, 2019.

'A Most Remarkable Creature': Jonathan Meiburg reveals the curiosity and charisma of the caracara.

Join Lisa for a rollicking conversation with Jonathan Meiburg, musician and author of A Most Remarkable Creature: the Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Bird of Prey. Called "Johnny rooks," "false eagles," "flying monkeys," "shiftless wanderers of rubbish pits," and so much more, the caracara is a cheeky Muppet of a bird. Each of the ten species is notorious for curiosity, charm, and chicanery. You might not want to share an apartment with one, but you will never regret getting to know them.  Want to follow up on our sources or watch any of the videos we mention? Go to ThisAnimalLife.com and click on Show Notes or see below.   SHOW NOTES: “An Evening with Jonathan Meiburg and Jeff VanderMeer” Books & Books, YouTube, April 2021.  De Waal, Frans. Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? WW Norton, 2016. “Fallowfields Falconry - Meet Boo the Intelligent Caracara” YouTube, December 2011. “Geoff & Tina,” Caught by The River, March 2021.  Geoff Pearson and Tina video, “Clever Bird,” YouTube, August 2008. Genius Dog Challenge about word-learning in dogs, “Squall the Genius Dog,” This Animal Life, podcast, August 2021.  Gibson, Graham, The Bedside Book of Birds, Nan A. Talese, 2005. “The Great Ape Escape” the story of the orangutan Fu Manchu who fashioned a key and hid it in his lip, This Animal Life, podcast, August 2021.   Harrington, Katie, & Jonathan Meiburg “Use of appeasement display and recruitment by an adult Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis) to overcome territorial defense,” Wilson Journal of Ornithology, August 2021. “Larue the Crested Caracara and fearful behavior,” with Hillary Hankey, Avian Behavior Institute, June 2003.   Sean McCann, “Red-Throated Caracara's are Way Cool Because . . .” YouTube, February 2014. Keep up with caracara expert Sean McCann on Twitter.  “Meet Kevin the Caracara” Falconry and Me, YouTube, April 2020. Jonathan Meiburg interviewed on “The Bedside Book of Birds with Margaret Atwood, David Sibley, Jonathan Meiburg, and Jessica Leber” Doubleday Publishing, YouTube, March 2021. Jonathan Meiburg's most remarkable book is A Most Remarkable Creature:  The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey Jonathan Meiburg interviewed on “Science and Nature: From the Page to Wilder Places,” Los Angeles Times Events, April 23, 2021.  Jonathan Meiburg interviewed for Paris Review Interview, by John Jeremiah Sullivan, April 2021.  Morrison, Joan, lecture on “Crested Caracaras,” Orange Audubon Society, YouTube, December 2020.  Pepperberg, Irene M., Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process, Collins, 2008. Pilley, John W. Dr., Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 2013. “Project Aims to Save Rare Bird,” Tampa Bay Times, 2005. The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which sent Jonathan to the Falkland Islands in 1997.  Vanderbilt University, “Study Gives New Meaning to the Term ‘Bird Brain.'” Neuroscience News, June 2016.  Wallace, Amy, “Meet the Birds: Zorro the Striated Caracara,” Falconry and Me, YouTube, April2020.    

The co-hosts of Not Your Mother's Library celebrate the show's 50th upload! Find out what's on their winter reading wish list. Check out what we talked about: Books mentioned: "Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis" by Samantha Montano with readalike "Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change" by Elizabeth Kolbert. "The Maidens" by Alex Michaelides with readalikes "Black Chalk" by Christopher Yates and "The Bell Weather Revivals" by Benjamin Wood. "Hudson Bay Bound: Two Women, One Dog, Two Thousand Miles to the Arctic" by Natalie Warren with readalikes "Far Distant Echo: A Journey by Canoe from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay" by Fred Marks and "Rowing to Latitude: Journeys Along the Arctic's Edge" by Jill Fredston, as well as "A Most Remarkable Creature: the Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey" by Jonathan Meiburg with readalikes "The Hidden Life of Owls: The Science and Spirit of Nature's Most Elusive Birds" by Leigh Calvez and "The Glitter in the Green: In Search of Hummingbirds" by Jon Dunn. "You Feel It Just Below the Ribs" by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson with listenalike podcasts "Within the Wires" and "Alice Isn't Dead" and readalike "Alice Isn't Dead" by Joseph Fink. "Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest" by Gregg Olsen with readalikes "Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam” by Pope Brock and "Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men" by Harold Schechter." The "Montague Twins" graphic novel series by Nathan Page with readalikes "Suncatcher" by José Pimienta, "Incredible Doom" by Matthew Bogart, and "Séance Tea Party" by Reimena Yee. To access complete transcripts for all episodes of Not Your Mother's Library, please visit: oakcreeklibrary.org/podcast Check out books, movies, and other materials through the Milwaukee County Federated Library System: countycat.mcfls.org hoopladigital.com wplc.overdrive.com oakcreeklibrary.org

Charles Darwin described caracaras as "false eagles," but Jonathan Meiburg thinks the bird of prey has been unfairly maligned for centuries. In a conversation with Matt Galloway in June, he discusses what he's learned from studying the birds in Central and South America, and his new book, A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of The World's Smartest Birds of Prey.

  This episode is about striated caracaras, or rather, one man's obsession with them.  The man in question is Jonathan Meiburg who is a musician, author and bird lover.  In 1833, a young Charles Darwin was astonished by a strange animal he met in the Falkland Islands: a handsome, social, and oddly crow-like falcon that was “tame and inquisitive,” “quarrelsome and passionate,” and so insatiably curious that it stole hats, compasses, and other valuables from the crew of the Beagle. Darwin met many unusual creatures in his five-year voyage, but no others showed an interest in studying him—and he wondered why these birds were confined to islands at the tip of South America, sensing a larger story. But he set this mystery aside, and never returned to it. Almost two hundred years later, Meiburg picks up where Darwin left off. These rare and unusual birds—now called striated caracaras—still exist, and A Most Remarkable Creature reveals the wild and fascinating story of their history, origins, and possible futures in a series of travels throughout South America, from the fog-bound coasts of Tierra del Fuego to the tropical forests of Guyana. Along the way, Meiburg draws us into the life and work of W.H. Hudson, a Victorian writer and naturalist who championed caracaras as unsung wonders of the natural world, and takes us to falconry parks in England, where captive caracaras perform incredible feats of memory, problem-solving, and friendship. A Most Remarkable Creature is much more than a book about birds: it's a quest for moments of first contact between humans and animals, science and religion, and the mismatched continents Europeans mistakenly called the New World.  In 1997, Jonathan Meiburg received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to travel to remote communities around the world, a year-long journey that sparked his enduring fascination with islands, birds, and the deep history of the living world. Since then, he's written reviews, features, and interviews for print and online publications including The Believer, Talkhouse, and The Appendix on subjects ranging from a hidden exhibit hall at the American Museum of Natural History to the last long-form interview with author Peter Matthiessen. But he's best known as the leader of the band Shearwater and as a member of Sub Pop recording artists Loma, whose albums and performances have often been praised by NPR, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Pitchfork. His unique career between the sciences and the arts makes him an ideal guide for a journey that takes in the deep history and landscapes of an entire continent, from the lush forests of Guyana to the windswept Falkland Islands. He lives in central Texas. “Caracaras are not like other birds, or even other birds of prey. Curious, wide-ranging, gregarious, and intelligent, the ten species of caracara are a scientific puzzle that has intrigued biologists since the days of Darwin. And this book — as curious, wide-ranging, gregarious, and intelligent as its subject — is not like any other book that I have encountered.” Charles C. Mann, author of 1491.  Image credit: Bryan C. Parker Summary of the episode 1:00 What are Caracaras? 3:00 Falklands from Tierra del Fuego. 5:25: Bird life in the Falklands per Darwin. Striated caracaras. 8:30 Black-browed albatrosses.  140,000 birds sitting on their nests in the summertime.  Royal and Wandering albatrosses. 10:00 Jonathan imitates bird sounds. 12:00 Antarctica used to be warm before the Cretaceous extinction. The ancestors of falcons lived there and came to North America later on.  Greatest diversity of the various falcon species are in North America. 13:00 True falcons-- what are they? 14:00 Specialist versus generalist approach to life. 15:00 Are Caracaras intelligent? Ten species of Caracaras.  Only one is endangered: Striated Caracaras.  Why are they only in the Falklands? This is what Darwin asked. Jonathan has a theory about why Striated Caracaras are stuck in the Falkland Islands. 20:00 Who was William Henry Hudson? The book has both these characters? What did Darwin think about the function of music? 24:00 Guyana trip to look for tropical caracaras.  About the red-throated caracaras.  They nest in bromeliads, sometimes 200 feet off the forest floors.  Feed on wasp combs, litter their nest with millipedes (pest control?) 27:00 Genetically, falcons are closest to parrots.  Not hawks and eagles. 28:00 The Guadalupe caracara.  30:00 Flamingoes on Andes Mountains 33:00 The future of striated caracaras.  

Jonathan Meiburg's life is uniquely situated between both the natural world and the music industry. As leader of the band Shearwater, and author of “A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey”, he provides plenty of insight on how to be a “generalist rather than a specialist” in terms of interests. His extensive travels from both touring and researching Striated Caracaras has given him a reverence for otherworldly natural areas and the beings that reside there. Meiburg also speaks on how he collaborated with Brian Eno for his song “Homing”, which Bowie album he can play in full, and his favorite song associated with nature, which turns out to be quite an eerie ballad. You can find Jonathan at @shearwaterband on Instagram and his website, shearwatermusic.comThanks for listening and don't forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast! Learn more about nonprofit Sustain Music and Nature's work to make music a force for nature at: www.sustainmusicandnature.orgHost: Charles CoplinProducer: Sustain Music & NatureEditor: Harrison GoodaleMedia Researcher: Lindsay JohnsonTheme Music: Harrison GoodaleShearwater's Featured Music: "Xenarthran", "African Night Flight" from David Bowie's Lodger, and "May".

Charles Darwin described caracaras as "false eagles," but Jonathan Meiburg thinks the bird of prey has been unfairly maligned for centuries. He discusses what he's learned from studying the birds in Central and South America, and his new book, A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of The World's Smartest Birds of Prey.

We are fully vaccinated and recording in person again! (Wow, we've missed that). Elisabeth joined Ryan and Hillary this month to discuss author events during a pandemic and what the future of events may look like. Plus a whole bunch of book recommendations and some fun bookstore news! Click the link to purchase the book from our store, or click the (audiobook) link to get the audiobook on Libro.fm. Thanks for shopping local! Books Mentioned During This Episode RECENT READS Ryan, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/ryan-elizabeth-clark Goblin by Josh Malerman (audiobook) Bird Box by Josh Malerman (audiobook) My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix (audiobook) Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix (audiobook) Paperbacks From Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix Kill the Mall by Pasha Malla (audiobook) Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (audiobook) The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (audiobook) Elisabeth, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/elisabeth-jewell Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick (audiobook) Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell (audiobook) First Comes Like Alisha Rai (audiobook) Hillary, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/hillary The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark (audiobook) A Master of Djinn  by P. Djèlí Clark (audiobook) Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark (audiobook) Rabbits: A Novel by Terry Miles (audiobook) (podcast) Dead by Dawn by Paul Doiron (audiobook) The Betrayals by Bridget Collins (audiobook) A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg (audiobook) The Secret to Super Human Strength by Alison Bechdel Fun Home by Alison Bechdel The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel OTHER LINKS Gibson's Bookstore Website Shop The Laydown Purchase Gift Certificates!  Browse our website by Category! Donate to the bookstore! Check out our Events Calendar! Gibson's Instagram The Laydown Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok Libro.fm (Our Audiobook Platform) Use the code LAYDOWN for 3 audiobooks for the price of 1!  Email us at thelaydownpodcast@gmail.com

Jonathan Meiburg is known for his work with the band Shearwater. He returns to Things Not Seen to talk about a different passion, described in his recent book, A Most Remarkable Creature. This amazing travelogue takes us into the world of the Caracaras, perhaps the world's most socially intelligent bird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Richard Crouse Show we meet author Jeff Vandermeer. He's been called "one of the most remarkable practitioners of the literary fantastic in America today.” His novel, “Annihilation,” won many awards and was adapted into a Hollywood film starring Natalie Portman. Several other adaptations of his novels will soon be coming your way from Netflix soon… but today we're here to talk about his latest novel “Hummingbird Salamander,” a speculative thriller of dark conspiracy, endangered species, and the possible end of all things. Also stopping by today is Jonathan Meiburg… you may know him as the singer of the Austin, Texas based indie rock band Shearwater, but he's not here today to talk about music. Today we'll talk about his other passion, a rare bird known as the striated caracaras and his book, “A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey.” Then Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on the classic kid's show “Sesame Street,” for 44 years stops by to talk about a new documentary called “Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street.”

This week on the Richard Crouse Show we meet author Jeff Vandermeer. He’s been called "one of the most remarkable practitioners of the literary fantastic in America today.” His novel, “Annihilation,” won many awards and was adapted into a Hollywood film starring Natalie Portman. Several other adaptations of his novels will soon be coming your way from Netflix soon… but today we’re here to talk about his latest novel “Hummingbird Salamander,” a speculative thriller of dark conspiracy, endangered species, and the possible end of all things. Also stopping by today is Jonathan Meiburg… you may know him as the singer of the Austin, Texas based indie rock band Shearwater, but he’s not here today to talk about music. Today we’ll talk about his other passion, a rare bird known as the striated caracaras and his book, “A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey.” Then Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on the classic kid’s show “Sesame Street,” for 44 years stops by to talk about a new documentary called “Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street.”

Stuart and Eamonn are joined again by author, A.L. Kennedy. This week - controversy surrounding Boris Johnson’s No. 10 refurbishment and reported remarks about lockdown, the Scotland/England border and a new report on the BBC’s economic contribution to the UK economy. At the end of the show, Stuart, Eamonn and Alison share their personal media recommendations. A.L. Kennedy’s new paperback, We Are Attempting To Survive Our Time: www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1118128/we-are-attempting-to-survive-our-time/9781529111446.html RECOMMENDATIONS: Stuart: ‘Summer of Soul’: See First Trailer for Questlove’s Film About Lost 1969 Fest’ - film covered in Rolling Stone magazine - www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/summer-of-soul-questlove-trailer-1160927/ Eamonn: ‘The Richard Dimbleby Lecture - Gregory Doran: Is Shakespeare Chinese?’ - www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V90VnAKHJQ Alison: ‘A Most Remarkable Creature’ - book by Jonathan Meiburg - www.penguin.co.uk/books/110/1109385/a-most-remarkable-creature/9781847923561.html

Off the southern tip of South America, the remote and rocky Falkland Islands are home to one of the oddest birds of prey in the world: the striated caracara, which looks like a falcon but acts more like parrot. Charles Darwin had to fend these birds off the hats, compasses, and valuables of the Beagle; the Falkland Islands government had a bounty on their “cheeky” beaks for much of the 20th century; and modern falconers have used their understanding of language to train them to do dog-like tricks. The other nine species of caracara that span the rest of South America are just as odd in their own ways. In his new book, A Most Remarkable Creature, Jonathan Meiburg follows their unusual evolutionary path across the continent and describes his encounters with these birds over the past 25 years. He joins us from his home in Texas to introduce us to some new feathered friends.Go beyond the episode:Jonathan Meiburg’s A Most Remarkable CreatureRead an excerpt about Charles Darwin’s encounters with the birdMeet Tina, the striated caracara who can “find Nemo,” and a crested caracara named KevinHere’s some footage of a flock on Saunders Island in the FalklandsTune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.Subscribe: iTunes • Feedburner • Stitcher • Google Play • AcastHave suggestions for projects you’d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Off the southern tip of South America, the remote and rocky Falkland Islands are home to one of the oddest birds of prey in the world: the striated caracara, which looks like a falcon but acts more like parrot. Charles Darwin had to fend these birds off the hats, compasses, and valuables of the Beagle; the Falkland Islands government had a bounty on their “cheeky” beaks for much of the 20th century; and modern falconers have used their understanding of language to train them to do dog-like tricks. The other nine species of caracara that span the rest of South America are just as odd in their own ways. In his new book, A Most Remarkable Creature, Jonathan Meiburg follows their unusual evolutionary path across the continent and describes his encounters with these birds over the past 25 years. He joins us from his home in Texas to introduce us to some new feathered friends.Go beyond the episode:Jonathan Meiburg’s A Most Remarkable CreatureRead an excerpt about Charles Darwin’s encounters with the birdMeet Tina, the striated caracara who can “find Nemo,” and a crested caracara named KevinHere’s some footage of a flock on Saunders Island in the FalklandsTune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.Subscribe: iTunes • Feedburner • Stitcher • Google Play • AcastHave suggestions for projects you’d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

S6 E24: In this episode, meet writer and musician Jonathan Meiburg, professor of Sustainability Science Dr. Kimberly Nicholas, and professor of Journalism Dr. Sonora Jha. Listen in as each of these authors shares the inspiration behind their books, whether that be a connection found with a remarkable bird of prey, bringing "climate change feels" into everyday conversations, or empowering feminist parents to raise feminist sons. Plus, hear what it was like for these authors to record their audiobooks. A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/251787/a-most-remarkable-creature/ Under the Sky We Make by Kimberly Nicholas PhD: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/665274/under-the-sky-we-make/ How to Raise a Feminist Son by Sonora Jha: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/667023/how-to-raise-a-feminist-son/

In 1833, Charles Darwin was astonished by an animal he met in the Falkland Islands: handsome, social, and oddly crow-like falcons that were "tame and inquisitive . . . quarrelsome and passionate," and so insatiably curious that they stole hats, compasses, and other valuables from the crew of the Beagle. Darwin wondered why these birds were confined to remote islands at the tip of South America, sensing a larger story, but he set this mystery aside and never returned to it. Almost two hundred years later, Jonathan Meiburg takes up this chase. He takes us through South America, from the fog-bound coasts of Tierra del Fuego to the tropical forests of Guyana, in search of these birds: striated caracaras, which still exist, though they're very rare. Meiburg joins us to discuss his new book "A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey."

Anson & Branan take time between seasons to discuss all the things they've been reading, hearing and seeing. In Episode number 9 of THE DROP we discuss: QUEEN'S GAMBIT and Anya Taylor-Joy's eyeballs , Bryan Fogel's THE DISSIDENT, Netflix' series of lockdown shorts, HOMEMADE, Darius Marder's  SOUND OF METAL, HBO's The Lady and the Dale, The educational streaming platform Curiosity Stream , The Afrofuturism collection on the Criterion channel featuring John's Coney's whacked-out Space is the Place  YouTube Link) starring Sun Ra and  John Akomfrah's inventive documentary The Last Angel of History  (YouTube Link), Ramin Bahrani's THE WHITE TIGER, The German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk and their surprising relationship to Afrofuturism  Letters to a young poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, A reading from HARPER's in which a college professor does a very bad job at apologizing for offensive remarks, Jonathan Meiburg's book A MOST REMARKABLE CREATURE  the fun of one-star google reviews, and we read listeners feedback!

Loma - “Half Silences” from the 2020 album Don’t Shy Away on Sub Pop. Loma never anticipated going this far. The project began as an impromptu collaboration with songwriter Emily Cross, recording engineer Dan Duszynski, and Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg, converging to record their 2018 self-titled debut. After releasing the record and touring, each member intended to go back to their own projects. However, it only took a few months away from each other before they realized they wanted to keep Loma going. The trio holed up in Duszynski’s Texas home studio to record their sophomore effort, ‘Don’t Shy Away,’ which was recently released on Sub Pop. “Don’t Shy Away” vindicates the bands decision to keep moving forward. The brooding, slow dirge finds the band at their best. Cross’ voice wields a stark intensity, looming over the restrained but tense instrumentation. It’s a marvel of studio wizardry, with static and eerie distortion and synth drones crashing over the steady pulse of drums and bass. It’s Loma at their best, pushing each other into bold, luminous new sonic territories. Read the full post on KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Must Be the Gig is joined by Emily Cross of Cross Record. The experimental project focuses on a powerful fusion of visceral muscle and ephemeral glow—most recently culminating in an incredible self-titled record in 2019. In addition, Emily is one third of the band Loma, alongside Dan Duszynski, and Jonathan Meiburg, and Loma is set to release a new record of their own via Sub Pop. And as if that weren't enough, Emily is also a death doula, someone who assists in the understanding and processing of death, aiming to help individuals and families cope with mortality as a natural part of life. Needless to say, her work in that field under the organization name Steady Waves End of Life Services is particularly pressing and meaningful in the midst of a global pandemic. Lior spoke with Emily about organizing "living funerals" for individuals struggling with the concept of mortality while also touring as a musician, how moving to England may change her work, and bringing essential oils into green rooms. Head here for more info on Cross Record. Head here for more info on Steady Waves End-of-Life Services. Head here for more information on this week's featured organization, Leaders Igniting Transformation. For more from Lior Phillips and This Must Be the Gig, follow along on Instagram or Twitter, or like the show page on Facebook. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review via Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode, I get to meet Shearwater frontman, Jonathan Meiburg. In this free-flowing and open chat, which Jonathan was nice enough to join me for between recording sessions, we discuss the projects he's been occupying his time with in quarantine, whether that be working on a new Shearwater record, finishing a record for his other band Loma, or putting the last touches on his long-in-the-works book, which he describes as being a natural history epic. We also talk about creativity in this time of quarantine, and what the future of the touring life might look like. I hope you enjoy, and thank you for listening.

Jonathan Meiburg (from TWP004 and TWP005) returns as our first ever return guest. We check in with Jonathan who is staying very productive under lockdown producing two albums for his two bands SHEARWATER and LOMA while editing his first book about the evolution of his favorite South American raptor - the striated caracara. Among other topics discussed: The unsung role of the Antarctic in evolution, working with a legend in modern music, the comfort and nostalgia of a ring tone, and what Texas pastime he shares with George W. Bush. 

The spaced-out, desert-breathing songs on Loma's self-titled debut showcase a band whose strength lies in capturing a shadowy mystique. Playing songs from their debut, Jonathan Meiburg, Emily Cross, and Dan Duszynski join Cheryl Waters in the KEXP Live Room for this session on the Midday Show. Recorded 4/16/2018. 4 songs - Who Is Speaking?, Dark Oscillations, White Glass, Relay RunnerSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

And we're back! Our first new mix of the new year includes gritty guitar rock from the band Bethlehem Steel, a sweetly seductive, pop earworm from singer Anna Burch, and an epic breakup song from Lucy Dacus.We've also got a stunning new cut from the sprawling rock group Typhoon (you can read about and listen to their new album here). "Empiricist," from the band's upcoming album Offerings, is one in a series of meditations on how memories shape who we are — and what happens when you start to lose those memories.Plus, singer Jonathan Meiburg of the band Shearwater and the duo known as Cross Record join together for a new project they're calling Loma. The group's upcoming, self-titled debut is full of mystery and wonder.

We decided to do something fun for our holiday episode.  So we invited "Hell on Wheels" actor Leon Ingulsrud over to my place to share with us his love of martinis, their history, and how this gin-based, cultural touchstone has given him insight into what it means to be an American.  The result, however, was what you might expect.  Enjoy, and please remember to drink responsibly this holiday season, always have a designated driver, and DO NOT try this at home.  Happy holidays. We mentioned that our friend and collaborator Jonathan Meiburg (who composed our theme music) has a new album coming out.  You can find information about the album "Loma" here. Additional music for this episode of The Well features the track "The Alcoholic Blues" by Vernon Dalhart.  Additional music provided by Dee Range and Rick Cormier with their "I'm Prone to Gin, Naturally" via a Creative Commons Attribution License.  

Every now and then we'll have a piece of tape that--while it didn't fit in to our episode--is still something that we think you should hear. So we'll be releasing these bonus episodes intermittently. And we'd love to know what you think, so let us know on out forums page. During our most recent episode, when Branan was interviewing Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, they found themselves diving into the subject of a strange biological phenomenon known as "genetic memory". Enjoy!

Jonathan Meiburg is a bonafide rock star.  But for the past twenty years, when he isn't touring or cutting a new album, Jonathan has been routinely drawn to the Falkland Islands and the striated caracara, a rare falcon whose brain has been found to be strangely human.  He's also one of the most creatively generous people we know.  Which is why we asked him to be the composer for The Well.  We hope you enjoy this in-house interview as much as we enjoyed making it. To see the clip of Jonathan and Anson in a scene from "Time Indefinite" go to https://thewellpod.com/shownotes/

In Episode 63 of the “High Regard Show,” “Shearwater,” we talk to Jonathan Meiburg of the Austin-based band Shearwater about wrapping up a year of touring in support of their new album, "Jet Plane and Oxbow," which brings them to the Bowery Ballroom on Dec. 18, post-election America and his non-music passion, birds. In "Roly Poly Roarty," Nikki horns in on Tom's turf for once to talk about how his life changes before and after bariatric surgery affected her for the better — once she stopped eating in secret when he was in the shower. She also talks about turning into a better cook thanks to a subscription to Blue Apron and losing some weight of her own. Jonathan Meiburg interview: 05:15:13 “Roly Poly Roarty” segment: 27:04:11 For more info on Jonathan Meiburg and Shearwater: Website: http://shearwatermusic.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShearwaterBand Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShearwaterBand Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ShearwaterBand/ Check back for new “High Regard Show” shows every Monday on SoundCloud and iTunes (please be sure to follow and rate us)! You can also follow us right here on highregardshow.com and on these social media sites: Twitter Facebook Instagram Tumblr Google+ Pinterest You can also find hosts @TomRoarty and @NikkiMMascali on Twitter. Finally, if you would like to have your work, product, band or even your mom promoted on the show, drop us a note at highregardshow@gmail.com

Jonathan Meiburg is a musician who writes and records with the band Shearwater. He also has traveled to the remote ends of the earth to explore wildlife and landscapes few humans have seen. In this wide ranging conversation, we talk about the human moment - a mere blink in geologic history - and why we work so hard to create meaning in the midst of the wilderness we live in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reflecting on American pathologies during the creation of the band's eighth album, Shearwater leader Jonathan Meiburg sought to make what David Bowie once called an oblique protest record. The result, this year's Jet Plane and Oxbow, is some of the Austin, Texas group's most expansive and impactful music to date. Meiburg and his bandmates join Cheryl Waters to play and discuss songs about "being against something that you're for at the same time" and finding solace in Bowie's 1979 album, Lodger. Recorded 03/25/16 - 4 songs: Pale Kings, Wildlife in America, Backchannels, Boys Keep SwingingSupport the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do John Aielli, David Bowie and Caracaras all have in common? Jonathan Meiburg from Shearwater has learned something from all of them. Hear about his many and varied interests in this first ever "This Song" extra!

What do John Aielli, David Bowie and Caracaras all have in common? Jonathan Meiburg from Shearwater has learned something from all of them. Hear about his many and varied interests in this first ever "This Song" extra!

Jonathan Meiburg explains how Vic Chesnutt's "Big Huge Valley" helped him realize there was a whole world of music bubbling beneath the mainstream. Plus, he makes the case that Nina Simone is the "best popular musician of the 20th century, and maybe the 21st century too." Then Emily Cross of Cross Record describes the effect Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" had on her while her partner Dan Duszynski explains how King Tubby expanded his ideas of what music could be.

Jonathan Meiburg explains how Vic Chesnutt's "Big Huge Valley" helped him realize there was a whole world of music bubbling beneath the mainstream. Plus, he makes the case that Nina Simone is the "best popular musician of the 20th century, and maybe the 21st century too." Then Emily Cross of Cross Record describes the effect Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" had on her while her partner Dan Duszynski explains how King Tubby expanded his ideas of what music could be.

In our fifth episode, we pick the incredibly clever brain of Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg for specific tips on how to support a band or musician you love. We talk very candidly about album sales, working with record labels, life as an opening act, and the importance of the almighty merch table. http://shearwatermusic.com * Shearwater Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShearwaterBand * New Shearwater Album: http://shearwater.bandcamp.com

Shearwater is the former side project (now main project) of former Okkervil River member Jonathan Meiburg. Each of their albums are good for their own reasons.

Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater gives a tour of the Falkland Islands. As part of a survey team from Falklands Conservation and the Edinburgh Zoo, he searches for Striated Caracaras or, "Johnny Rook". Video by Gavin Harrison, Edited by Michael Torres Shearwater's new album, "Rook", is now available via iTunes.

Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater gives a tour of the Falkland Islands. As part of a survey team from Falklands Conservation and the Edinburgh Zoo, he searches for Striated Caracaras or, "Johnny Rook". Video by Gavin Harrison, Edited by Michael Torres Shearwater's new album, "Rook", is now available via iTunes.

Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater gives a tour of the Falkland Islands. As part of a survey team from Falklands Conservation and the Edinburgh Zoo, he searches for Striated Caracaras or, "Johnny Rook". Video by Gavin Harrison, Edited by Michael Torres Shearwater's new album, "Rook", is now available via iTunes.

Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater gives a tour of the Falkland Islands. As part of a survey team from Falklands Conservation and the Edinburgh Zoo, he searches for Striated Caracaras or, "Johnny Rook". Video by Gavin Harrison, Edited by Michael Torres Shearwater's new album, "Rook", is now available via iTunes.

Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater gives a tour of the Falkland Islands. As part of a survey team from Falklands Conservation and the Edinburgh Zoo, he searches for Striated Caracaras or, "Johnny Rook". Video by Gavin Harrison, Edited by Michael Torres Shearwater's new album, "Rook", is now available via iTunes.

We had a chance to rerecord with Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater and this podcast is our first to include live musical elements. It was lovely to enter Jonathan's space and mindset, if only for a few minutes.