Dan Snaith's most recent album as Caribou, Our Love, spans genres from house to prog ballads, all with a pointed sense of warmth. It's among the year's very best releases. The Canadian producer/singer recently told me by phone that the album was intended to give back to those who'd strongly responded to his last Caribou album, 2010's Swim. Below is a condensed and edited version of our chat, in which we discuss how to balance self-expression with intentionally pleasing listeners.

On Sunday night's episode of her reality show Sarah Palin's Alaska, the former governor of Alaska shot, and killed, a caribou. So down-to-earth, or whatever! Except that experienced hunters don't seem to think Palin really knew what she was doing.