FLIMA Beat Radio Hour: Exit Atlas (interview)

For Episode 009 of the FLIMA Beat Radio Hour, we welcomed Canandaigua-area songwriting duo Exit Atlas into the studio for a conversation about their musical backgrounds, collaborative work, songwriting, and what lies ahead for the project.

FLIMA Beat Radio Hour — Episode 009
Guest: Exit Atlas — Zach Brinn and Paul McCardle
Original air date: June 27, 2026
Station: WGCC-LP 104.1 FM, Geneva, NY

Originally aired June 27, 2026 | WGCC-LP 104.1 FM

Featuring musicians Zach Brinn and Paul McCardle, Exit Atlas brings together two longtime collaborators with a shared history and a distinctive approach to making music. Their conversation offered an opportunity to get to know the people behind the songs, explore the creative partnership that brought the project together, and hear about the ideas and plans shaping its future.

Two musicians, one creative partnership

Brinn and McCardle have been collaborating for years. Both are Canandaigua natives, and their musical relationship stretches back roughly two decades. Exit Atlas emerged from that longstanding connection, giving the pair a shared outlet for original songwriting and a sound that draws on alternative rock, atmospheric textures, layered arrangements, and thoughtful lyricism.

The duo’s roles bring different strengths to the collaboration. Brinn is the primary songwriter and vocalist, contributing lyrics and a wide range of instrumental and production elements. McCardle’s guitar work—both acoustic and electric—helps shape the musical identity of the project.

The result is a partnership that leaves room for experimentation while keeping the songs themselves at the center.

Exploring The Unknown

One of the important milestones in the Exit Atlas story is the release of The Unknown. The album showcases the duo’s collaborative approach to writing, arranging, and recording. Much of the creative work took place here in New York, with the project later sent to Nashville for additional finishing touches.

The record moves through a range of sonic territory, from atmospheric passages and layered production to more direct alternative-rock arrangements. Its songs explore themes of time, uncertainty, personal choices, and the possibilities that come with looking toward the future.

Among the tracks highlighted in coverage of the album are “Your Job,” the title track “The Unknown,” and “Make Some Memories.”

A closer look at the music

Exit Atlas has also received attention from New York’s independent music press. In an October 2021 feature, NYS Music profiled the duo and their album The Unknown, describing the collaboration as a refreshing contribution to New York’s alternative-rock scene.

The article took a closer look at the musicians’ individual contributions, the album’s production, and the history behind the project. It also highlighted McCardle’s guitar playing, including an endorsement from Dopapod guitarist Rob Compa, who described McCardle as one of his favorite guitar players and a major influence.

The feature offers some additional background for listeners discovering Exit Atlas through this episode.

Read the full feature: NYS Music — “Hearing Aide: Exit Atlas ‘The Unknown’”

Inside the FLIMA Beat conversation

During our visit, we talked with Zach and Paul about the experiences and influences that brought them together, the evolution of their musical partnership, and the creative process behind Exit Atlas.

We also explored the group’s existing body of work and the possibilities ahead. As with many independent music projects, the story is not simply about a finished record. It’s about the ongoing process of writing, recording, collaborating, and finding new ways to bring music into the world.

That perspective is at the heart of the FLIMA Beat Radio Hour: making room for the artists who are building and sustaining the musical culture of our region, and giving listeners a chance to hear more about the people and ideas behind the music.

Discover more from Exit Atlas

For listeners interested in exploring further, seek out Exit Atlas and their album The Unknown. The record is a good starting point for hearing the range of the duo’s collaboration and the distinctive musical approach discussed during this episode.

Thanks to Zach Brinn and Paul McCardle for joining us in the studio and sharing their music and stories. And thanks to everyone listening and supporting the independent musicians, songwriters, and creative communities that make the Finger Lakes and Western New York such a vibrant place for music.

The FLIMA Beat Radio Hour is produced for WGCC-LP 104.1 FM by the Finger Lakes Independent Music Alliance (FLIMA), celebrating the artists, sounds, and stories of our regional music community.