Joining us for this Indie Rock Hit Parade special is an artist whose one-of-a-kind approach to music making has been heard on XPN for nearly 20 years.
Ryan Kattner’s journey as Honus Honus has been nothing short of a joy to witness as both a fan and friend. From Man Man’s raucous early concerts at the Starlight Ballroom and the Piazza, to memorable Free at Noon and festival appearances, to Mister Heavenly’s multiple visits to our studio, Kattner has continually sharpened his distinctive songwriting while exploring new musical frontiers. A two-album partnership with producer Mike Mogis (2011’s Life Fantastic and 2013’s On Oni Pond) foregrounded Kattner’s sweet and sour sense of melody, while 2020’s sprawling Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between showed that Man Man’s experimental side was alive and well.
Four years on from that lockdown-era release, and coinciding with the 20th anniversary of their debut, Kattner took a new approach to recording Man Man’s seventh LP, Carrot on Strings. In this new interview, Kattner tells host Eric Schuman about the workmanlike schedule of recording the new songs, building off unfinished lyrics and in-studio improvisation. He describes the influences of groups like NEU! and Kraftwerk on the album’s lengthier compositions, his experience writing music for (and acting in) the horror comedy Destroy All Neighbors, and reflects on his time as a student at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts (which announced its closure the same week as Carrot on Strings’ release).