Andrew Bird with Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers)

Andrew Bird and Jimbo Mathus have known each other for decades, going back to the beginning of Bird's solo career and Mathus' earliest days with Squirrel Nut Zippers. Most of their work together has been assistive—Bird would add his fiddle to the Zippers' records, and Mathus would return the favor with some horns. But a couple of years back, the old friends decided to write some songs together, and the result is These 13, a truly collaborative album featuring just their voices, guitar, and fiddle, for the most part. It's spare and surprising. In this Talkhouse conversation, they chat about the old days and the new, as well as a shared love of Charley Patton. Enjoy. —Josh Modell, Executive Editor This episode was produced by Kevin O'Connell. The Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range.