Boulder-based duo Trouble’s Braids joined Meredith Carson on KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative for an in-studio session featuring live performances and conversation about their music, influences, and upcoming releases. Emily Pennington and Oliver Franklin performed songs including “Strange Weather,” “Lion’s Mouth,” “Precipice,” and “Pilot Light,” showcasing material from past releases and a forthcoming EP.
The band also discussed their creative partnership, shaped by their shared musical influences and background in performance, and previewed upcoming 2026 shows in Denver and Boulder, along with an EP release show at Roots Music Project. (Air Date 2/20/2026)
Listen to the studio session here:
Transcript
Meredith Carson: Friday Morning Sound Alternative. We are delighted to have in the studio with us Trouble’s Braids. Hello.
Trouble’s Braids: Hey.
Meredith Carson: This is a band made up of Emily Pennington and Oliver Franklin. I became acquainted with you through a Tom Waits connection.
Trouble’s Braids: There we go. We love that. That’s why we chose the name.
Meredith Carson: You had a great piece in Westword last fall or so. I remember reading it and thinking, “That’s a clever band name.” And then you turned out to be such a clever band.
Trouble’s Braids: We’re trying.
Meredith Carson: We’re so delighted to have you here. You have a gig coming up.
Trouble’s Braids: We do. We have a lot of exciting stuff on the horizon for 2026. We just added two new members, so we’ll be gigging more as a full quartet with drums and bass. The first show is March 27th at The Roxy in Denver.
Then we have a birthday show on March 28th. Thanks, Oliver, for keeping me honest. Then a Trident show in Boulder on April 10th, which is my birthday show, with the full band. And then an EP release show at Roots Music Project on June 13th with Cat Plants.
Meredith Carson: You’re Boulder-based, correct?
Trouble’s Braids: Yes, Boulder. Five minutes up the road.
Meredith Carson: And on the recording front?
Trouble’s Braids: We had an EP come out last year, plus a live single recorded at Stone Cottage Studios called Live at Stone Cottage Studios. We’ll play from both of those, and we’re currently working on a new EP as well.
Meredith Carson: Don’t flood the market. Leave them wanting more.
Trouble’s Braids: We’re a thirsty bunch.
Meredith Carson: Let’s hear a couple.
Trouble’s Braids: Let’s do it.
We’re going to start with one from our first EP, The Big Tourist. This is called “Strange Weather.”
[Music performance]
Trouble’s Braids: Thanks for having us.
Meredith Carson: That was Troubles Braids live in the KGNU studios.
Trouble’s Braids: We’ll do one from the new EP called “Lion’s Mouth.”
[Music performance]
Meredith Carson: Was that one called “We’re Finally On Our Way”?
Trouble’s Braids: It’s called “Lion’s Mouth.”
Meredith Carson: New EP coming up, gigs coming up.
Trouble’s Braids: You can find everything at troublesbraidsmusic.com and on Instagram at troublesbraidsmusic. Also Facebook. We’re easy to find.
Meredith Carson: I’m not an Instagram person either.
Trouble’s Braids: Someone asked if we have an email list. That felt retro.
Meredith Carson: I do Facebook. Email lists feel very old school.
Trouble’s Braids: We don’t want an email list.
Meredith Carson: You cite Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie as influences.
Trouble’s Braids: Yes.
Meredith Carson: There’s some folky influence in the vocals. How did you find each other?
Trouble’s Braids: We met on dating apps, and then a band just happened.
Meredith Carson: That’s how it’s supposed to happen.
Trouble’s Braids: It came from the creative energy of falling in love in a new city. We work well together and it’s been a blast.
Meredith Carson: It shows.
Meredith Carson: Emily, you remind me of Iris DeMent.
Trouble’s Braids: That’s high praise.
Meredith Carson: You know how to project your voice.
Trouble’s Braids: I grew up doing un-mic’d musical theater professionally in Houston and Los Angeles, so I learned to project.
Meredith Carson: You learn how to project without blowing out.
Trouble’s Braids: Exactly.
Meredith Carson: Let’s have another song.
Trouble’s Braids: This is “Precipice,” from Live at Stone Cottage.
[Music performance]
Meredith Carson: One more time, tell us about your gigs.
Trouble’s Braids: March 28th at The Roxy in Denver with the quartet. April 10th at The Trident in Boulder. Then June 13th at Roots Music Project for the EP release show with Cat Plants.
Meredith Carson: One more tune?
Trouble’s Braids: This is “Pilot Light.”
[Music performance]
Meredith Carson: Boulder’s own Troubles Braids live in the KGNU studios. Thank you for coming in.
Trouble’s Braids: Thank you, Meredith. We appreciate it.
