<![CDATA[Present Tense]]>Present Tense is an artist interview podcast from music writer Mike Conklin for lifelong listeners who are committed to making room for new music in their lives, following the threads from the records that shaped us to the ones being made right now.

]]>https://mikeconklin22.substack.com/Riverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Fri, 18 Sep 2026 01:35:04 GMTMon, 31 Aug 2026 14:56:19 GMT60Mike Conklin<p>Present Tense is an artist interview podcast from music writer Mike Conklin for lifelong listeners who are committed to making room for new music in their lives, following the threads from the records that shaped us to the ones being made right now. </p>episodicMike Conklinmconklin22@gmail.comno<![CDATA[Episode 1: Lily Seabird]]>After making a name for herself in the burgeoning indie-rock scene of Burlington, Vermont, Lily Seabird's profile is very much on the rise. Her new album, Lightspheres on Their Way, is her best work yet, a raw and sprawling collection of songs that sound like they were made by a person who had no choice but to make them. It'll appeal to

I had the chance to speak with Lily a few weeks ago from her home in Burlington the day before she and her band were heading to Europe for some shows. We spoke about all sorts of things:

  • The music community in Burlington
  • Songwriting as a way of life rather than merely a coping tool
  • The different mindsets required for songwriting vs. recording
  • Learning to tour in a healthy, sustainable way
  • Addiction and the role substances do or do not play in creativity
  • Imposter Syndrome
  • Feeling like we live in unprecedented times but maybe not, actually
  • And, of course, lightspheres

Physical copies of the record are available now, and it's streaming on Bandcamp, with a wider digital release set for October.

]]>300a044c-7966-4992-8d66-7c16afd163ecTue, 08 Sep 2026 02:30:48 GMT<p>After making a name for herself in the burgeoning indie-rock scene of Burlington, Vermont, Lily Seabird's profile is very much on the rise. Her new album, <i>Lightspheres on Their Way</i>, is her best work yet, a raw and sprawling collection of songs that sound like they were made by a person who had no choice but to make them. It'll appeal to</p><p></p><p>I had the chance to speak with Lily a few weeks ago from her home in Burlington the day before she and her band were heading to Europe for some shows. We spoke about all sorts of things:</p><p></p><ul><li>The music community in Burlington</li><li>Songwriting as a way of life rather than merely a coping tool</li><li>The different mindsets required for songwriting vs. recording</li><li>Learning to tour in a healthy, sustainable way</li><li>Addiction and the role substances do or do not play in creativity</li><li>Imposter Syndrome</li><li>Feeling like we live in unprecedented times but maybe not, actually</li><li>And, of course, lightspheres</li></ul><p></p><p>Physical copies of the record are available now, and it's streaming on Bandcamp, with a wider digital release set for October.</p>yes01:05:0511Episode 1: Lily Seabirdfull