Indie-pop songwriter and producer Carter Vail joins Adam to talk about how Wes Anderson’s film The Royal Tenenbaums became a major creative Spark in his life.
Carter shares how discovering the movie in high school—and being struck by its soundtrack, meticulous visual style and mix of whimsy and deep sadness—reshaped the way he thinks about storytelling, world-building and emotional honesty in his own music and videos.
From his “Richie Tenenbaum” headband phase to the way he uses color palettes and character details in his visual work, Carter explains why this film still feels endlessly rewatchable and creatively energizing.
You’ll also hear Adam and Carter dig into Wes Anderson’s evolution as a filmmaker, the balance between style and substance and why The Royal Tenenbaums might be Anderson’s most emotionally effective film. They discuss grief, family dynamics, taboo romance, and what it means to make art that’s specific, vulnerable and sometimes polarizing instead of “digestible slop.”