This comes through in the striking artwork. It's hard to argue with an age-old phrase, but while you can't judge a book by its cover - as Bartees nods - "the book does have a cover." A collage of images of Bartees through various ages, including holding his first-ever guitar, and landmarks from his hometown. "I wanted people to get to know me through this record in a deeper way," he confirms. "And the album cover is, me and my family, my dad, UFOs, the water tower from my hometown, the rural areas. This is my background, where I'm coming from with this shit - I want people to look at it and be like, 'this is him'."

It's a record he needed to make. Now 33, he's been interning and working various jobs since the age of 18, including a stint in political desk jobs, all the while playing in bands at night and "touring his vacation days away". 'Farm To Table' sits alongside 'Live Forever' as bookends for who Bartees Strange is, was, and always will be.

"I think that starts with showing people where you're from," he reckons of being able to be so personal in his offerings to the world. "And just wanting people to know who I am. There aren't a lot of people in my position who look like me from where I'm from. I grew up in Oklahoma, right? Not a lot of Black people live out there, and not a lot of people make it out. Even my white friends, they don't ever leave – like, nobody leaves.

"Whether you're from like a rural area, or you're the only queer kid in your town, there are a lot of people who deal with this vibe of feeling trapped, and I felt like that. So when I make music, and as this grows, I just hope that those people can see that in themselves. To be like, 'Oh, shit, this guy kind of felt like I felt, and he figured it out', you know? That's why it's so important for people to know who I am, where I'm from and where I'm coming from. That's why I wanted to be so honest with this record."

It hasn't always been easy for Bartees to be this open. Recalling his mid-twenties, he admits he didn't know what he was doing, but now? "I'm like yeah, this is who I am!" he beams. "And I can look back and say I've always been this way, but I'm a lot better at being who I am now."

One of the more striking moments of 'Farm To Table' comes from 'Cosign', a track which finds Bartees listing off all his accomplishments, from tabloid-fodder tour mates to famed indie label heads. It's not a move most bands make, so how did Bartees make it seem so easy?

"I'm very into history, right?" He begins, a fire lighting in his eyes. "And historical precedent for things. I feel like at some point, rock and roll and alternative music, it became a lot more introspective. People stopped bringing this larger than life attitude to it. And rappers started doing it – rappers became rock stars. And I've always wanted to be like, well, that's cool, but I would love to see more rappers in rock. I want that.

It's a refreshing sentiment in a world that can often err on the glum and moody side. And while Bartees' music can touch upon the reflective, the one thing it is not is sad. This is all by design. "I'm not really into making sad records," he explains. "It's good to have triumphant vibes. You can still win even when things are bad. It's easy, especially these days. With climate change, COVID – there are so many existential things that threaten happiness. But at the end of the day, all you can control is you."

This is all to say, Bartees Strange is in control. This is his story, and he's let us in on a helluva lot across two albums, both striking and incredible in their own ways. 'Farm To Table' propels itself forwards with a driving bite before easing off the pedal slightly for the closing sentiment of 'Hennessy'. Focused on the spectrum of feelings that bounce around inside of its creator, when it comes to his second outing, the only thing that stands out is what it means to him. "I remember looking at it at the end," he recalls. "And being like, wow, this is an accomplishment I'm proud of." ■