Basic Folk 108 – Alec Spiegelman

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Alec Spiegelman has been making folk music weird for years. Recently, his partnership with Ana Egge has put him on the radar as one of the most creative producers for folk musicians, working with people like Taylor Ashton, David Wax Museum and Sadie Gustafson-Zook. He’s a part of the innovative indie folk band, Cuddle Magic, who just released a record in 2020. Alec also found time during quarantine to release a solo album, which is filled with his signature charm and weirdness highlighted by brass and woodwinds. Alec’s personality is very playful, which translates really well into his solo work and the albums he produces.

A Harvard graduate, Alec talks about the strange hierarchy found on campus and how if the classes were easier, he may have turned out to be an engineer. Lucky for us, he was swayed in a musical direction. After Harvard, he attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and developed life-long friends and collaborators in his band Cuddle Magic and the musicians surrounding that scene, including Lake Street Dive. His new album, Airplane Mode, features his song “Hurt a Little,” which was co-written with Ana Egge. Ana’s also recorded a version and you can also find a recording of it on Cuddle Magic’s latest. It’s gotta be one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. I wouldn’t be surprised if more people recorded it.

“Still In Touch” with by Andrew Dimola (on electric bass and harmonies). (Shot by Michael Winograd)

Alec’s latest solo album, Airplane Mode