Get Lit: The Ophelias Perform Live

Summary

All Of It Podcast Summary

Episode: Get Lit: The Ophelias Perform Live
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Spencer Pepit (Lead Singer and Songwriter of The Ophelias), along with band members Joe Schaeffer, Mick Adams, and Kate Goddard
Runtime: Approximately 19 minutes

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Introduction to The Ophelias and Their New Album

The episode begins with Alison Stewart introducing The Ophelias, an indie rock band originally from Cincinnati, now based in New York City. The band celebrates the release of their fourth album, Spring Grove, produced by Julian Baker of Boygenius. Alison expresses excitement about the album preview shared during the "Get Lit with Olivet Book Club" event and mentions the band's upcoming North American tour, kicking off at the Broadway in Brooklyn.

Album Creation and Selection Process

Spencer Pepit discusses the collaborative process behind selecting the tracks for Spring Grove.
Quote:

“It was me, my three bandmates, and our producer, Julian Baker… I sent her a Google Drive folder of I think 20 something songs. And so everyone made a rank choice list of their favorites… A lot of people had the same favorites, which ended up,…”
Timestamp: [05:31 - 06:15]

He explains that the selection was democratic, with each member prioritizing their top choices, leading to a cohesive tracklist that resonated with the entire group.

Choosing the Album Title: Spring Grove

The conversation shifts to the album's title, Spring Grove, which is also the name of a cemetery in Cincinnati.
Quote:

“We did that song and we were driving home… Mick and Andrea said that has to be the title for the record. So I don't know. I like it when they tell me what the title should be.”
Timestamp: [06:21 - 06:56]

Spencer shares that the title was inspired organically during the recording process, emphasizing the collective decision-making within the band.

Collaboration with Producer Julian Baker

Spencer reflects on the significance of Julian Baker producing their album, highlighting it as a tremendous honor.
Quote:

“She can control time a little bit… It always kind of felt like we were on the right side of the clock somehow, even when we definitely weren't.”
Timestamp: [07:28 - 08:43]

He praises Julian's expertise and the welcoming atmosphere she created in the studio, which allowed the band to experiment and remain fluid during the recording sessions.

Defining "Moth Music"

The term "moth music," used to describe The Ophelias' sound, is explained by Spencer.
Quote:

“Andrea coined that term when we started the band in high school… I would say it means cathartic orchestral indie rock.”
Timestamp: [08:43 - 09:07]

This description encapsulates the band's blend of emotional depth and intricate instrumentation.

Exploring Identity in Music

A significant portion of the discussion centers on themes of identity within the band's music. Spencer emphasizes that music inherently reflects personal identity.
Quote:

“All music is about identity, whoever is writing it… Joe, our bassist, and Mick, our drummer, are both trans… It feels like we've all gotten a lot more confident in ourselves. And I think that is reflected in the music that we've made.”
Timestamp: [09:07 - 10:46]

He acknowledges the contributions of band members Joe Schaeffer and Mick Adams, both of whom are transgender, and how their experiences have influenced the band's creative direction, leading to a more confident and authentic sound.

Anticipation for the Tour and Album Release

Spencer expresses his excitement about the album's release after a prolonged period of mixing and fine-tuning.
Quote:

“I have been joking. I kind of feel like I've been pregnant for, like, three years. So I'm really thrilled to kind of birth… the record into the world.”
Timestamp: [10:48 - 11:06]

He also highlights the evolution of their live performances, noting a louder, tighter, and more complex setlist that fans can look forward to experiencing on tour.

Live Performances Featured in the Episode

The episode features live renditions of three songs from Spring Grove:

1. Cumulonimbus
   Live performance segment begins at [00:37], though lyrics are partially transcribed up to [05:24].

2. Open Sky
   Performed following the initial interview, lyrics partially transcribed up to [15:16].

3. Vulture Tree
   Concluding the live performance sections, with lyrics up to [19:08].

These performances showcase the band's new material, demonstrating the depth and complexity discussed during the interview.

Closing Remarks and Upcoming Content

Alison wraps up the segment by reiterating the release of Spring Grove and the commencement of their North American tour. She also provides a preview of the next hour’s content, which includes discussions on the new Broadway play "Purpose" with playwright Brandon Jacobs Jenkins and actors Harry Lennox and John Michael Hill, as well as an analysis of a New York Times article titled "The Gen X Career Meltdown."

Quote:

“That is all of it for this hour. Coming up next hour we'll talk about the new Broadway play Purpose with Tony Award winning playwright Brandon Jacobs Jenkins and actors Harry Lennox and John Michael Hill. Plus we'll talk about the recent New York Times article the Gen X Career Meltdown that's coming up after a break.”
Timestamp: [19:14 - 19:49]

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Key Takeaways

• Spring Grove marks The Ophelias' fourth album, produced by Julian Baker, featuring a collaborative selection process for its tracks.
• The album title reflects the band’s roots and collective decision-making.
• Collaboration with Julian Baker brought a refined and welcoming creative environment, enhancing the band's studio experience.
• "Moth music" defines their style as cathartic orchestral indie rock.
• Themes of identity, particularly regarding the transgender experiences of band members Joe Schaeffer and Mick Adams, play a significant role in the album's creation and the band's music.
• The band anticipates a transformative live tour, showcasing a more dynamic and complex performance style.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Spencer Pepit on Album Selection:
  “…we made a rank choice list of their favorites… the one we just played was the first single from the record and that was on everyone's list.”
  [05:41 - 06:15]

• Spencer Pepit on Producer Julian Baker:
  “She can control time a little bit… It always kind of felt like we were on the right side of the clock somehow, even when we definitely weren't.”
  [07:52 - 08:43]

• Spencer Pepit on Identity in Music:
  “All music is about identity, whoever is writing it… It feels like we've all gotten a lot more confident in ourselves. And I think that is reflected in the music that we've made.”
  [09:07 - 10:46]

• Spencer Pepit on Album Release Excitement:
  “I have been joking. I kind of feel like I've been pregnant for, like, three years. So I'm really thrilled to kind of birth… the record into the world.”
  [10:48 - 11:06]

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This episode of All Of It offers an insightful look into The Ophelias' latest creative endeavors, the significance of their new album Spring Grove, and the personal identities that shape their music. Through engaging discussions and live performances, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the band's evolution and the themes that drive their artistry.

Transcript

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[WNYC Studios]

Listener Supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. The indie rock band the Ophelias formed in Cincinnati and its lead singer and songwriter, Spencer Pepit, now lives here in New York. The Ophelia's fourth album, Spring Grove is out today. It was produced by boy genius member Julian Baker, so we were excited to get an album preview a few days early at our get lit with Olivet Book Club event. We were joined by band members Spencer Pippett, Joe Schaeffer, Mick Adams and Kate Goddard. Tomorrow, the Ophelias kick off a North American tour with the show at the Broadway in Brooklyn. In just a bit, you'll hear my interview with Spencer Pepit, the band's lead singer. But first, here are the Ophelias with a special live performance of their new song Cumulonimbus.

[WNYC Studios]

Not like I could have told the future but it makes sense you say that in the years to come you wish me all the best and I don't doubt it for a second that you know it's cruel you are already prematurely gray so you can choose the rules I know that you are gonna miss me more than you say well the memories you locked in the trunk of the car are going to start to bang on the back window cursing at nothing smashing the tail lights and waving hello saying you all over not like I'm blissful being stuck in here My palpitations last so long that I can overhear the next decision's being made without me in the room these things are predetermined and calm down I know that you are going to miss me more than you say well the things that I didn't say are always going to hang above you like a C Remember I am on your heels Feels I'm running like it's nothing Cling to the shadow of a doubt without it everything is clear I am sorry I didn't talk Looking back a skittish year I've been forcing my way through like a high school kid Everything to work out on the other end I know that you are gonna miss me more than you know you will the sweetness of being young and unaware Spring was clear and bright we drove down to The R. I thought I could see the end, but it all disappeared.

[Spencer Pepit]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, so I read that a bunch of your demos you recorded in.

[Joe Schaeffer]

2020 and used like a rank choice.

[Alison Stewart]

Voting for what would end up on the album. How did that work?

[Spencer Pepit]

Yeah, so it was me, my three bandmates, and our producer, Julian Baker of Boy Genius, et cetera. And I sent her a Google Drive folder of I think 20 something songs. And so everyone made a rank choice list of their favorites. And, you know, it was like three absolute non negotiables and then the rest that we would like to do. And it was cool. A lot of people had the same favorites, which ended up, you know, the one we just played was the first single from the record and that was on everyone's list.

[Alison Stewart]

I think the new album is called Spring Grove.

[Spencer Pepit]

It is.

[Alison Stewart]

I understand that's the name of a funeral home.

[Spencer Pepit]

Cemetery.

[Alison Stewart]

Cemetery. A cemetery in Cincinnati. How did it become the right title for the album?

[Spencer Pepit]

Yeah, you know, that is also a song on the record. And we didn't know what the record was going to be called when we recorded it. And we did that song and we were driving home and Mick, our drummer, and Andrea, our violinist, who is in grad school right now, so she's not here with us, but the two of them said that has to be the title for the record. So I don't know. I like it when they tell me what the title should be. I like that.

[Alison Stewart]

As you said, Julian Baker produced this record. What did it mean to you? This is the first record she's produced. What did it mean to you that she decided to produce your band?

[Spencer Pepit]

I mean, it was a huge honor. Like, I kind of can't even accurately express that. Yeah, she had sung harmonies on another song of ours from our previous record and we got a call like a couple weeks after she did that, and they said she wants to produce your next record and.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay.

[Spencer Pepit]

I mean, of course. Right. And you know, she's a wonderful producer. I mean, I kind of can't believe she hadn't done it before. She's so well suited for it and made the recording experience and the studio experience just so welcoming and warm. And she knows so much about recording. I think she got an engineering degree, like music engineering.

[Alison Stewart]

I was gonna ask what was different about recording with her.

[Spencer Pepit]

I. We've been joking. She can kind of control time a little bit. Like, I don't know if anyone has made a record before, but you always kind of feel like you're running out of time because you have the studio for a set amount of days. You're trying to, most of the time, do more songs than you probably can or should in the time that you have. But working with jb, it always kind of felt like we were on the right side of the clock somehow, even when we definitely weren't. I think that she has a really wonderful kind of temperament for it. And we also kept everything set up so we could move between different stations. So if something wasn't working or we were getting frustrated and couldn't play a part, or for whatever reason, we would just kind of move around. It felt very fluid. And so I think, yeah, she can control time.

[Joe Schaeffer]

I guess when you go on your Instagram, there's a little description of your music as moth music.

[Spencer Pepit]

Yeah.

[Joe Schaeffer]

What is moth music?

[Spencer Pepit]

Andrea coined that term when we started the band in high school, which is crazy. I think I know now what it means. Like, 10 years later. I would say it means cathartic orchestral indie rock.

[Joe Schaeffer]

Okay. Our book this month follows this man who is trying to figure out his identity. Who he is, what he wants to be, what he wants his relationship with his mother to be. He has questions about his own queerness. The last years have explored a lot of. You've explored a lot of identity in your own music and in the band. Where did ideas about identity fit into the music you make?

[Spencer Pepit]

You know, I think I kind of feel like all music is about identity, whoever is writing it. So as we kind of started to explore these other facets for context, Joe, our bassist, and Mick, our drummer, are both trans. Mick is a trans man. Joe is a trans woman. And that stuff kind of bubbled up over the last few years, and they both came out and I don't know, hearing them talk about it in this press cycle has been so wonderful and so illuminating. I feel like you don't often get to have, you know, trans people in conversation with each other, talking about something like a record that we have made together. Right. So I'll just kind of parrot what they said, which is it feels like we've all gotten a lot more confident in ourselves. And I think that is reflected in the music that we've made. I think that you can hear our voices more strongly, and I think that the choices that we've made musically have also been informed by the choices that we've made in an identity kind of way.

[Joe Schaeffer]

That sounds like a happy place to be.

[Spencer Pepit]

Absolutely. It's amazing. It's great.

[Joe Schaeffer]

The album comes out on Friday.

[Spencer Pepit]

It does.

[Joe Schaeffer]

You release your release show in Brooklyn this weekend.

[Spencer Pepit]

We do, yes.

[Joe Schaeffer]

What are you most excited about? You've had albums out before, but what are you really excited about? This tour and this. Around this album.

[Spencer Pepit]

You know, it took a long time for this album to come out. We've been sitting on it for, like, three years. I mean, mixing it took a long time, and getting it kind of ready to enter the world just took longer. And so I have been joking. I kind of feel like I've been pregnant for, like, three years. So I'm. I'm really thrilled to kind of birth, I guess, the record into the world. Yeah, I'm really excited about these shows. I'm. I feel like our live set has gotten. You wouldn't be able to tell from this, but a lot louder. We're in a library, so we're being very quiet, but I feel like our live set has definitely gotten tighter and louder and more complex over the last few years, and I'm excited to play a lot of these songs live for the first time at these shows.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's welcome the Ophelias.

[Spencer Pepit]

Thank you so much. This song is called Open Sky. Ready?

[WNYC Studios]

Control me in your back pocket again I'm sorry for everything he said I don't see you anymore it's been three years I'm better off But I had heard what's going on and I have got a single thought it's good for you I'm really happy for you you can take it how you wan but take it no need for a separation maybe on the other side the dust will settle down to open sky above me at least you took the dog he's 40. I think you're better off. I know I was part of this and I know I'm not holding my breath Things have changed I don't have interest in rehashing But I'll say this Good for you. I'm really happy for you. You can take it how you want to take it no need for a separ on the other side the dust will settle down to a good sky.

[Spencer Pepit]

All right, this is our final song. Thanks again for having us. I'm so excited to read Mothers and Sons. What a wonderful Q and A. And I'm so excited to read it. And thank you again for having us. This song is called Vulture Tree, and our album comes out on Friday. Just so crazy to me. Thanks. All right.

[WNYC Studios]

Reconvene at the vulture tree count. 117 days I scrubbed at the stains in the corners. What did you clearly say? Facing south at the river edge Pulling a sword from between the rock and the hardest player they tell me to get rid of you I have to burn an effigy but it didn't work on the vultures so why would it work for me? The experts say to clear the pain to set your memory up in flames but the birds in the tree are laughing they know it's a game Reconvene on the corner of Elm Tell me I don't look sick anymore I'm walking like someone clicked autopilot Every car is a mirror now Every streetlight is blinded St me out like a fun house and leave me climb they tell me to get rid of you I have to burn an effigy but it didn't work on the vultures so why would it work for me? The experts say to clear the pain I set your memory up in flames but the birds in the tree are laughing they know it's a game.

[Spencer Pepit]

Thank you so much for the Ophelias.

[Alison Stewart]

That was the Ophelias with songs from their new album Spring Grove. It's out today and tomorrow night they are playing the Broadway in Brooklyn. That performance was part of our get lit with all of it book club event. And that is all of it for this hour. Coming up next hour we'll talk about the new Broadway play Purpose with Tony Award winning playwright Brandon Jacobs Jenkins and actors Harry Lennox and John Michael Hill. Plus we'll talk about the recent New York Times article the Gen X Career Meltdown that's coming up after a break. This is all of it.

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