The husband and wife behind Shovels & Rope deflect questions about their marriage, but as Cary Ann Hearst tells NPR's David Greene, they gave "more detail and candor than we do frequently" in interviews. "It's a strange thing to be held accountable as part of the musical act," she says. Hear the conversation about sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots and dark lyrics at the audio link. For a limited time, stream the band's new album, Swimmin' Time, from NPR Music's First Listen series.

For more conversations with music-makers, check out NPR's Music Interviews.