My guests today are the Band of Heathens, one of the best Americana bands of the last two decades. They formed here in Austin, Texas back in 2005 at Momo’s, a now defunct venue. At the time, songwriters Ed Jurdi, Gordi Quist and Colin Brooks all had separate shows at the club. They clicked, formed a band, and the rest is history.

Today, the group is led by Jurdi and Quist. They, along with keyboardist Trevor Nealon and bassist Scott Davis, joined us to talk about their new album, Duende. The record contains some of the best songs in the band’s catalog, and it demands multiple listens. On every track, you’ll hear subtle kernels of deliberately engineered musical goodness, stuff the band calls “ear candy.” A few of the songs also explore timely themes, from marijuana legalization to how technology is warping all aspects of our lives.

We talk about all of that stuff, as well as the differences between being a band on stage and in the studio — even when you record all your songs live — finding meals on the road when you’re vegan, and more.

At the end of our conversation, the guys performed “Cracking the Code” and “Last Minute Man.” You can watch the former in the video below.

“Last Minute Man”

You can catch a list of the Band of Heathens tour dates here.

Now Watch: Two Tons of Steel Perform in Austin

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