NPR: All Songs Considered
In NPR Music's All Songs Considered, host Bob Boilen brings you an eclectic mix of fresh music by emerging and breakout bands and musical icons.
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New Mix: Cat Power With Coldplay, Brian Eno, Broncho, The Wytches, More
On this week's All Songs Considered: After some speculation on ...
On this week's All Songs Considered: After some speculation on Pink Floyd's just-announced album The Endless River, Robin kicks off the show with Broncho's "Class Historian," which he describes as the most immediately catchy song he's heard all year. Not to be out-catchied, Bob retaliates with Rubblebucket's "Carousel Ride," from the band's upcoming release Survival Sounds. Full of explosive synthesizers and melodies made to climb the charts, it gives Robin a run for his money. Bob also plays Brian Eno and Karl Hyde's trance-inducing "DBF," from the pair's recent LP, High Life, and follows that with the gentler yet equally hypnotic "Lonestar," by the Baltimore duo Peals (which is led by members of Future Islands and Double Dagger). Keeping the peaceful mood going, Robin plays "The First Time," the tranquil opening track to singer-songwriter Matt Kivel's Days of Being Wild, released today. Bob and Robin close out the show with Coldplay and Cat Power's unexpected collaboration "Wish I Was Here," from the soundtrack of Zach Braff's upcoming film of the same name. After such a frenetic first half to the show, "Wish I Was Here" is the slow, soothing finale. When it's over, everyone is ready for a cuddly nap.
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Bon Iver, Luluc, White Fence, Freddie Gibbs, More
On this week's All Songs Considered we've got new music ...
On this week's All Songs Considered we've got new music from Bon Iver, Luluc and White Fence, plus a look at a few of our favorite artists from the first half of the year. After ruminating on the challenges of potty-training with co-host Robin Hilton, Bob Boilen kicks off the show with a brand-new track from Bon Iver that appears on the soundtrack to Zach Braff's upcoming film, Wish I Was Here. Featuring a mantra-like vocal loop and pulsating drums, 'Heavenly Father' possesses the intimacy of For Emma, Forever Ago while also exploring new textures as well. Next, Robin premieres "Small Window," a gorgeously understated track from the folk duo Luluc. Later in the show Bob and Robin put in a call to NPR Music's Anastasia Tsioulcas and Frannie Kelley in New York City to play some of their favorite songs of the first half of the year; Anastasia chooses the Belgian chameleon Stromae (whose name is an inversion of the word "Maestro"), playing 'Ave Cesaria' from his recent release Racine Carrée. Frannie opts for 'Broken,' a cut from Piñata, the collaboration between the raw-voiced rapper Freddie Gibbs and the meticulous DJ and producer Madlib. Later, Bob and Robin also lure NPR Music's Lars Gotrich away from his desk and into the studio to shine some light on the state of metal in 2014: Lars plays 'I Will Run,' a melodic hard-rocker from Chicago's High Spirits. Robin wraps things up with White Fence's 'Like That,' the first tune we've heard from the California garage-rockers upcoming record For the Recently Found Innocent. With its catchy chorus and falsetto vocals, it takes Robin to a place of peace, and if only for a brief moment, he forgets whatever dirty diapers await him at home.
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Discussion: The Year in Music (So Far), 2014
On this week's show, hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton ...
On this week's show, hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton are joined by NPR Music's Stephen Thompson to recount their favorite music from the first six months of 2014. They spin the ferocious punk energy of Perfect Pussy, the magnetic vocals of Broken Twin, absurdly catchy electro-pop from Sylvan Esso and much more. Bob opens the show with a cut from his favorite new band of 2014, the San Francisco-based seven-piece group known as The Family Crest. The band makes music on an epic scale, with stunning vocals and a multitude of instruments. Stephen then beats Robin to the punch to claim Perfect Pussy as his favorite new band of the year, with the song "Driver," two minutes of howling vocals and surging guitars from the Syracuse band's debut album Say Yes to Love. Later in the show Robin returns the favor by snagging Sturgill Simpson as his biggest surprise of the year. "Turtles All the Way Down" finds the country singer examining cosmic questions with his heart-wrenching voice and classic country arrangements. Also on the show: A fuzzy rock number from the often-hushed singer Angel Olsen; The German band The Notwist has Stephen's favorite song of the year in "Kong;" The band Nothing rumbles and shakes with glorious noise-rock; Damien Jurado's flamingo-tinged "Silver Timothy" explodes into a synth-fueled jam and much, much more.
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New Mix: Tom Petty, Lana Del Rey, Adult Jazz, More
On this week's All Songs Considered: Red-blooded rock-and-roll from Tom ...
On this week's All Songs Considered: Red-blooded rock-and-roll from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, a dramatic and cinematic turn for singer Lana Del Rey, the off-kilter, genre-bending sounds of Adult Jazz and more. Co-host Robin Hilton, riding high on a wave of caffeine and nostalgia, kicks off the show with "American Dream Plan B," a straight-ahead guitar-rock cut from the upcoming Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album Hypnotic Eye. Bob Boilen opts for something a bit more subdued with Sean Rowe's "Madman," the title track from the singer's new album, out Sept. 9 on ANTI-. The accompanying video, which premiered on All Songs TV, follows the folk singer on a recent tour as he brings his beautiful baritone to strangers' homes across the country. Also on the show: We premiere a startling new cut from the Leeds-based band Adult Jazz. The song "Hum," from the band's upcoming album Gist Is, is a strange, epic journey through off-kilter soundscapes. Bob shares Lana Del Rey's "Shades Of Cool," a song full of unexpected twist and turns, from the singer's new album Ultraviolence. We get all mushy inside with the beautiful and sentimental "Dark Side Of The Moon" from Chris Staples. "Sing 2 Me" by Walter Martin is a G-rated song the former bassist for The Walkmen recorded with Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Finally we close the show out with "Birthday Song," a quirky cut from Frankie Cosmos. Clocking in at just 68 seconds, it's the perfect summation of the show: sweet, profound and a bit perplexing, too.
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New Pornographers, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Mapei, Moon Hooch and more...
On this week’s All Songs Considered: Premieres from pop giants ...
On this week’s All Songs Considered: Premieres from pop giants The New Pornographers, hip-hop and R&B singer Mapei, the up-and-coming jangle-pop group Alvvays and more. After abandoning plans to open a donut shop, co-host Robin Hilton rejoins the program and is welcomed by host Bob Boilen, who shares an early preview of the upcoming New Pornographers album Brill Bruisers. It isn’t out until Aug. 26, but we’ve got the gloriously infectious title track. Robin follows with “Change,” an uplifting ode to the power of love and appreciating what you have in life, from the just-announced Mapei album Hey Hey. Last fall we featured the Stockholm-based singer’s song “Don’t Wait” on the show, shortly before it became a massive hit for her, propelled by her soaring voice and inspired mix of soul and electronics. Also on the program: New music from Moon Hooch, the Brooklyn-based trio we’ve been raving about for the past year for its sax-powered riff rock; The beautifully textured, moody music of Dawn Golden; A gritty turn for the idiosyncratic pop group Clap Your Hands Say Yeah; And the wistfully breezy, sunny-day pop of Alvvays.
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Spoon Readies Its Return: The All Songs Interview
Spoon’s first album in four years is called They Want ...
Spoon’s first album in four years is called They Want My Soul. It won't be released until Aug. 5, but frontman Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno recently joined All Songs Considered hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton to play some of the record and share the stories behind it.
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New Mix: Premieres From Jenny Lewis, My Brightest Diamond, Elephant Stone, Mor
On this edition of All Songs Considered, we highlight music ...
On this edition of All Songs Considered, we highlight music that reflects on the passage of time, with special premieres from Jenny Lewis, My Brightest Diamond, Elephant Stone and more. We open with "Time Forgot," a beautiful and moving cut from Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), who sings about fleeing the past and reinventing yourself. Then we play an equally reflective new song from singer Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley, Jenny & Johnny) called "Just One of the Guys," an ode to growing old and trying to find your place in the world. Later, we've got a killer new dance track from the Amsterdam electronic producer Shinedoe that features singer Karin Dreijer (The Knife, Fever Ray), as well as a trance-inducing song from classically trained composer and producer Craig Leon. Both songs come courtesy of NPR Music's Sami Yenigun and Otis Hart, curators of our Recommended Dose feature; it's a monthly mix of the best dance and electronic music. Also on the show: The Canadian psych-rock group Elephant Stone returns with a sitar-powered song that was surely inspired by the 1966 Beatles cut "Tomorrow Never Knows." Plus, My Brightest Diamond, the musical project of singer Shara Worden, returns with "Pressure," a stirring song powered by an incredible drumline.
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New Mix: Royksopp & Robyn, LP, Bishop Allen, More
On this edition of All Songs Considered we roll the ...
On this edition of All Songs Considered we roll the windows down with a wind-whipped, sun-dappled mix of rock and pop, starting with an epic jam from the musician Timothy Showalter, who writes and records as Strand Of Oaks. The song, "JM" — a tribute to the late Jason Molina — rumbles and roars, propelled by Showalter's scorched guitar and voice. Next up is singer Laura Pergolizzi, who goes by the name LP. She's made a career out of writing pop hits for other artists such as Rihanna and Christina Aguilera. But LP is about to release a bold new solo album that showcases her own remarkable voice. The album, Forever, For Now, includes the heart-stopping power pop ballad,"Your Town," that you can hear on this week's show. Also on the show: The Brooklyn-based pop band Bishop Allen returns with an insanely catchy cut from their first new album in five years. Lights Out won't be released until August, but you can hear the first single, "Start Again," here. Plus, the Apache Relay channel the string-driven pop of Electric Light Orchestra, Woozy new rock from Parquet Courts and a moody collaboration between the dance duo Royksopp and pop singer Robyn.
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Jack White's 'Lazaretto': The All Songs Interview
by Bob Boilen There's a stunning new album from Jack ...
by Bob Boilen There's a stunning new album from Jack White on the way. Lazaretto, out June 10, is his second "solo" record, though the talented musicians who made up the male and female backing bands for Blunderbuss, his first album under his own name, have returned. This time around, the men and women are often part of the same band. Jack White has been a passionate and gritty guitar player since he was a teenager, and with The White Stripes he excelled at making music that was bold and brash. But in his many projects, both as a musician and as the mind behind the Nashville label Third Man Records, he's demonstrated a love for a range of American styles, and found ways to bring music from the hills and from the distant past into the here and now. On Lazaretto, he puts those influences on full view: old-time fiddle, honky-tonk piano, wailing electronics and his own shimmering guitar. When I spoke with Jack White last week, I was in Philadelphia and he was in Nashville, in rehearsals with his band to tour the new record this summer. We talked about the composition process behind the new album — including how he crushed writer's block with a little help from his 19-year-old self — as well as the nature of fate and coincidence, and why he rarely writes anything down. When he first sat down he told me his next stop was the studio, to record a B-side for an upcoming single.
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New Mix: Premieres From Nico Vega, Joe Henry, Priests and More
Hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton kick off this week's ...
Hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton kick off this week's All Songs Considered with a song that's 160 years old but still resonates. Guitarist Marisa Anderson offers a transporting, solo electric version of Stephen Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More," an ever-relevant tune about pausing to enjoy "life's pleasures and count its many tears." Also on the show, we've got premieres from singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Henry, and the rapturous rock group Nico Vega. Henry's epic new song, "Sparrow," from his upcoming album Invisible Hour, is a deeply moving reflection on a long life filled with awe and wonder, while Nico Vega's "I'm On Fire" is a joyful, fist-pumping pop ode to "funky dance" moves. Plus, a stunning, mostly a cappella song showcasing the gorgeous voice of Danish singer Majke Voss Romme; the gnarled, shape shifting beats of Dub Thompson; and Priests, a D.C. band making punk rock for the 21st century.
