Eliot Bronson doesn’t just write songs; he digs wells. A mainstay of the Americana scene with a career spanning over a decade, the Baltimore-born, Atlanta-based artist has built a reputation on "vulnerable, introspective" songwriting. His self-titled 2014 album, produced by Dave Cobb, remains a touchstone for fans of his poetic imagery and human truth. Returning to the Curious Goldfish podcast during AmericanaFest in Nashville, Bronson reflects on the "stripped-down" nature of his latest record, Talking to Myself, and why he’s finally ready to turn the volume back up.

Bronson is fascinated by how music "lives in between the ears of the person who hears it". He recalls a fan in California describing his latest record—which features no drums—as a "big produced record". This disconnect doesn't bother him; he embraces the idea that "everybody’s version of my record is a little bit different".

Growing up in a Pentecostal household in Maryland, Bronson was "given all these answers". However, he notes that for some, receiving answers only triggers more questions. This upbringing primed him for a life of songwriting, where he finds himself "asking a lot more questions than I’m answering".

Despite the pressure of "album cycles," Bronson refuses to "crank out records" for the sake of the business. He prioritizes authenticity over commercial "manifestation," famously noting, "There are easier ways to make money than this". Now, he is curious about moving toward a "band record" to see what his "adult self" has to offer with a louder, higher-energy sound.