The Japanese House: 2024

Amber Bain, who records as The Japanese House, released her luminous second album, In the End It Always Does, last year. Although born of romantic upheavals and goodbyes, as many of the best albums often are, Bain built this album not in isolation, but with trusted friends. Along the way, she seized an even deeper understanding of her strength as a songwriter, producer, and musician.

In the End It Always Does is an exhilarating achievement, an oasis of beauty for turbulent times, and Amber, joined by saxophonist and pianist Cicely Cotton, played three of the album's songs in Studio A for an intimate set: "Boyhood," "Sunshine Baby," and "One for sorrow, two for Joni Jones." (The latter song partly inspired by her beloved dachshund, who accompanied her on her visit to the Bronx.)

In our conversation, we covered a lot of ground too, chatting about love and the drama that can accompany it, and Bain's collaborators, including The 1975's George Daniel and Matty Healy, producer Chloe Kraemer, and MUNA's Katy Gavin. We also talked about another, not as furry, Joni — surname Mitchell — and how the film "Love Actually" played a role in the evolution of a song.

[Recorded: 11/3/23; Engineered by Jim O'Hara; produced by Simone Yañez and Diana Juarez with Meghan Offtermatt]