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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Listener Picks: Your Favorite Albums Of 2012
We're a big family at NPR, with amazing member stations ...
We're a big family at NPR, with amazing member stations and listeners tuning in or clicking from all over the world. Last week, when All Songs Considered posted its annual poll inviting people to pick their favorite albums of 2012, thousands of votes poured in from those listeners with sometimes surprising results. Babel, by Mumford & Sons, is the listener pick for the 2012 album of the year. It didn't come out until this fall, but managed to climb quickly as the favorite, at least among those who voted in our year-end poll. It's followed closely by Of Monsters And Men, Alabama Shakes, Jack White and Grizzly Bear in the top five. As you work your way through the rest of the most popular records you'll probably see a lot that you love, and you'll also likely find some that leave you scratching your head. That's the beauty of what happens when you have a large and wonderfully diverse group of voters with a broad range of tastes. On this week's All Songs Considered we countdown through the top 25 most popular records from our listener poll. 1. Babel Artist: Mumford & Sons Album: Babel 2. My Head Is An Animal Artist: Of Monsters and Men Album: My Head Is An Animal 3. Boys & Girls Artist: Alabama Shakes Album: Boys & Girls 4. Blunderbuss Artist: Jack White Album: Blunderbuss 5. Shields Artist: Grizzly Bear Album: Shields 6. Lumineers Artist: The Lumineers Album: Lumineers 7. Channel Orange Artist: Frank Ocean Album: Channel Orange 8. Bloom Artist: Beach House Album: Bloom 9. Coexist Artist: The xx Album: Coexist 10. The Idler Wheel... Artist: Fiona Apple Album: The Idler Wheel... 11. Some Nights Artist: Fun. Album: Some Nights 12. The Carpenter Artist: Avett Brothers Album: The Carpenter 13. Celebration Rock Artist: Japandroids Album: Celebration Rock 14. What We Saw From The Cheap Seats Artist: Regina Spektor Album: What We Saw From The Cheap Seats 15. Gossamer Artist: Passion Pit Album: Gossamer 16. Break It Yourself Artist: Andrew Bird Album: Break It Yourself 17. Sun Artist: Cat Power Album: Sun 18. Port of Morrow Artist: The Shins Album: Port of Morrow 19. The Lion's Roar Artist: First Aid Kit Album: The Lion's Roar 20. Lonerism Artist: Tame Impala Album: Lonerism 21. There's No Leaving Now Artist: The Tallest Man on Earth Album: There's No Leaving Now 22. Swing Lo Magellan Artist: Dirty Projectors Album: Swing Lo Magellan 23. An Awesome Wave Artist: Alt-J Album: An Awesome Wave 24. The Heist Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Album: The Heist 25. Good Kid M.A.A.D. City Artist: Kendrick Lamar Album: Good Kid M.A.A.D. City
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Discussion: The Year In Music, 2012
This has been a phenomenal year for music. Veterans Neil ...
This has been a phenomenal year for music. Veterans Neil Young and Crazy Horse released not one but two ambitious and ingenious albums. New artists such as Kishi Bashi and Alt-J appeared with exciting and unusual records. Plenty of other surprises popped up along the way: Cat Power returned from a six-year hiatus with the best album she's ever made. Ty Segall, already a prolific artist, released three stellar garage-rock records in 2012 (three!), while the first-ever studio album from Macklemore, a rapper with little name recognition outside his native Seattle, made his debut at No. 1 on iTunes and No. 2 on Billboard. Meanwhile, R&B artists Miguel and Frank Ocean both released records that were unconventional but wildly popular. That's just some of the wonderful, unpredictable and endlessly fascinating music of 2012. On this edition of All Songs Considered, hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton chat with NPR Music critic Ann Powers and editor Stephen Thompson about the music that mattered most to them in 2012, including their favorite songs, favorite albums, biggest surprises and favorite new artists. Kishi Bashi Album: 151A Song: Bright Whites Lianne La Havas Album: Is Your Love Big Enough? Song: Lost & Found The Dø Album: Both Ways Open Jaws Extended Song: The Wicked & the Blind Kacey Musgraves Album: Merry Go 'Round Song: Merry Go 'Round Neil Young & Crazy Horse Album: Psychedelic Pill Song: Walk Like a Giant Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Album: The Heist Song: Thrift Shop Cloud Nothings Album: Attack on Memory Song: Stay Useless The Sea and Cake Album: Runner Song: On And On Alt-J Album: An Awesome Wave Song: Tessellate Cat Power Album: Sun Song: Sun Frank Ocean Album: Channel Orange Song: Lost Japandroids Album: Celebration Rock Song: The House That Heaven Built Dirty Projectors Album: Swing Lo Magellan Song: Offspring Are Blank Best Coast Album: The Only Place Song: The Only Place Miguel Album: Kaleidoscope Dream Song: Adorn Ty Segall Album: Twins Song: Thank God For Sinners
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The Albums We Missed This Year
With the year rapidly winding down, the NPR Music team ...
With the year rapidly winding down, the NPR Music team has been haggling over which albums and songs to include on our various best-of lists. It turns out there was a lot of music released in 2012, and while we do our best to feature much of it on All Songs Considered, we're really able to share only the tiniest fraction of what's out there. So before it's too late, we thought we'd take a moment to pause and check out some of the albums we missed. To help us out, we've got Sami Yenigun, Otis Hart, Lars Gotrich, Frannie Kelley and Anastasia Tsioulcas of the NPR Music team on hand to share their own favorites that never made it on the show. It's a pretty broad mix, from classical composer John Adams and Ethiopian jazz pianist Samuel Yirga, to electronic artist Acid Pauli, the doom metal group Pallbearer, rapper Kendrick Lamar and more. Songs Featured On The Show Matthew Dear • Artist: Matthew Dear • Album: Beams • Song: Ahead Of Myself Acid Pauli • Artist: Acid Pauli • Album: Mst • Song: La Voz Tan Tierna Kelan Philip Cohran/The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble • Artist: Kelan Philip Cohran/The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble • Album: Kelan Philip Cohran & the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble • Song: Spin Samuel Yirga • Artist: Samuel Yirga • Album: Guzo • Song: Abet Abet [Punt Mix] John Adams • Artist: John Adams • Album: Harmonielehre; Short Ride in a Fast Machine • Song: Short Ride in a Fast machine, fanfare for orchestra Kendrick Lamar • Artist: Kendrick Lamar • Album: Good Kid M.A.A.D. City • Song: Swimming Pools (Drank) [Extended Version] [Version] Advisory: This song contains profanity. Waxahatchee • Artist: Waxahatchee • Album: American Weekend • Song: Be Good Pallbearer • Artist: Pallbearer • Album: Sorrow and Extinction • Song: The Legend
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Bands That Should Be Bigger
The halls of music history are littered with bands that ...
The halls of music history are littered with bands that should have made it big, but never did. Maybe they put out a couple of amazing records and you feel like you're the only person on the planet who appreciated them. Or maybe they're still trying, and you're holding out hope, along with the band, that that big break will finally come. We recently asked listeners to tell us their picks for bands that should be way bigger than they are and we were surprised by how many we didn't know. On this edition of All Songs Considered we share some of the discoveries we made, along with some of our own candidates for bands that should be bigger.
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Local Natives, The Who, Gospel Claws, IO Echo, More
Bob Boilen has had a ban on seeing arena rock ...
Bob Boilen has had a ban on seeing arena rock shows for more than 30 years, but it may ending. He recently saw The Who at a mega-dome concert, performing one of Bob's favorite albums in its entirety. On this edition of All Songs Considered, hear a cut from that record and why Bob loves it so much. Also on the show: Hear a cut from the upcoming Local Natives record, Hummingbird, the band's much-anticipated sophomore followup to 2010's Gorilla Manor. We've also got some fantastic new discoveries, including the ambient-rock group IO Echo, dreamy electronica from Blackbird Blackbird, and the mesmerizing voice of singer Angel Olsen. Plus we check back in with the Tempe, Ariz. band Gospel Claws, a group we first featured on All Songs Considered back in 2010.
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Andrew Bird, Ty Segall, Pantha Du Prince, Brian Eno, Casket Girls And More
Host Bob Boilen has been on the road having way ...
Host Bob Boilen has been on the road having way too much fun. (CMJ Music Marathon, Moogfest, Peter Gabriel). This week, Bob's finally back in the office, and he and co-host Robin Hilton share some of their favorite records and songs of the week, including beautiful new music from Andrew Bird, a stunning music app and album from Brian Eno, a blistering rock gem from Ty Segall and more. Bob also shares tips from a new book, Supernatural Strategies For Making A Rock 'n' Roll Group, by Ian F. Svenonius, the lead singer of bands The Make-Up and Chain and the Gang. For example, "If one makes a rock 'n' roll group, one must eventually make some music. But before that, one must make a photograph of the group." Later in the show they're joined by NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich, who shares a mind-blowing electronica cut from Holly Herndon. Songs Featured On This Episode Ty Segall Album: Twins Song: Thank God For Sinners Andrew Bird Album: Hands of Glory Song: When That Helicopter Comes Casket Girls Album: Sleepwalking Song: Walking On A Wire Brian Eno Album: Lux Song: Lux 1 Pantha du Prince Album: Elements Of Light Song: Photon Gashcat Album: Devil Kid Demos Song: Lady of the Ark Holly Herndon Album: Movement Song: Fade
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Moogfest 2012
If it weren't for Robert Moog, a lot of the ...
If it weren't for Robert Moog, a lot of the music you enjoy today might not have been possible. As the inventor of the Moog synthesizer, he gave rise to not only the technology needed for modern electronic music, but also the creative spirit that inspired countless musicians to take his vision and play with it, mold it and reshape it into mind-blowing works of art. This past weekend, a remarkably gifted group of electronic and experimental rock artists gathered in Asheville, N.C., for the annual Moogfest. All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and NPR electronic and dance-music contributor Sami Yenigun were there and, on this week's show, discuss some of their favorite sets, including a special performance from electronic-music pioneer Morton Subotnick, Andy Stott, DJ legends Carl Craig and Richie Hawtin, along with Ana Sia, Squarepusher, Exitmusic and more. Morton Subotnick Subotnick released the first all-electronic album, Silver Apples of the Moon, in 1967. Last Friday, he returned to Moogfest 2012 in Asheville, N.C., to perform the whole thing live. Hear the performance in its entirety. Andy Stott Stott is known for deep, brooding techno tracks that are shrouded in fuzzy tones. Hailing from Manchester, U.K., the producer has released music both under his own name and as Andrea. Blondes This is the official video for the Blondes song "Wine" from the band's self-titled full-length debut. Ana Sia Ana Sia produces high-energy bass music set to hip-hop rhythms. Born in Minnesota, Sia saw her DJing career take off while in San Francisco, where her mix of low-end-heavy styles earned her a reputation for slaying the dance floor. Appropriately, her nickname is "Princess Slay-ah." Death Grips Watch Death Grips perform at the CMJ Music Marathon via NPR Music and WNYC. This group from Sacramento, Calif., has given some of the most memorable live performances of any act this year, with bass-heavy beats and intensely physical theatrics. Squarepusher Note: Squarepusher's set at Moogfest 2012 was not among the shows NPR Music recorded. This track is "303 Scopem Hard" from Squarepusher's 2012 album Ufabulum, via KCRW. Richie Hawtin Hear Richie Hawtin's full performance at Moogfest 2012. Hawtin came up in the Detroit techno scene during the '90s, and built his reputation on a minimal style of dance music. It's not music for everyone, but those who follow any of Hawtin's numerous aliases do show with impassioned vigilance. Carl Craig This cut is "Sketches, Pt. 4" from Carl Craig's 2012 EP Last Decade, released under the alias Carls Davis. Disclosure Hear Disclosure's full performance at Moogfest 2012. Brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence grew up on the outskirts of London, and got their start in the U.K. garage scene making music as Disclosure. Ahleuchatistas This song is "Mistaken Identity" from the 2011 Ahleuchatistas album Location Location. Tim Hecker & Daniel Lopatin The song featured here is "Uptown Psychedelia" from Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin's album Instrumental Tourist, due out in November 2012. Exitmusic This performance of "White Noise," from Exitmusic's 2012 album Passenger, comes via WFUV.
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The Best of CMJ 2012
Each fall hundreds of little-known bands descend on New York ...
Each fall hundreds of little-known bands descend on New York City for the annual CMJ Music Marathon. As far as festivals go, it's one of the best for surprises, since so many of the acts are new and emerging talent. For the artists it's a chance to be seen and heard and, hopefully, loved. For the rabid music fan or journalist, it's a sometimes overwhelming embarrassment of musical-discovery riches. On this edition of All Songs Considered, recorded live at the Judson Memorial Church in New York City, host Bob Boilen talks with Thor Slaughter (yes, that's his real name), Music Director for KWVA radio in Eugene, Ore., and Emmy Black with Bar/None Records. The three share memories of this year's appropriately titled "Music Marathon" and talk about some of their favorite discoveries, including the trippy, psychedelic group Ghost Pal, the country-tinged garage rock band Turbo Fruits and the fantastically named duo Foxygen. Ghost Pal Album: Nathan Jones Is Dead Song: Skeleton Dance Turbo Fruits Album: Butter Song: Sweet Thang Foxygen Album: We Are The 21st Century ambassadors Of Peace And Magic Song: Shuggie Brick + Mortar Album: Making Moves Song: Bangs People Get Ready Album: People Get Ready Song: New June Jinja Safari Album: The Key Of Sea, Vol. 2 Song: Silence Of The Guns Brainstorm Album: Heat Waves Song: Beast In the Sky Mac DeMarco Album: 2 Song: Ode to Viceroy Hundred Waters Album: Hundred Waters Song: Visitor
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Guest DJ Peter Gabriel
Last week on All Songs Considered we talked about how ...
Last week on All Songs Considered we talked about how much we love Peter Gabriel's classic album, So, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special deluxe edition and live tour. This week, Peter Gabriel himself joins us to share some of the music he loves by other artists, including early music by The Beatles, soul legend Otis Redding and the inimitable jazz singer Nina Simone. We also check out that deluxe version of So (out Oct. 22), which includes remastered versions of the original songs, a concert DVD and some amazing outtakes, or what Gabriel calls the "DNA" of his songs.
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Peter Gabriel's 'So' At 25, Death Grips, Bad Books, Ultraista and mor
This week, Bob and Robin kick off the show by ...
This week, Bob and Robin kick off the show by celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, and how well it coincides with a new cut from Swedish pop trio Peter Bjorn and John called "I Wish I Was A Spy." NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen joins the conversation and shares what he calls "relationship therapy," in the song "Friendly Advice," by Bad Books. Later, things get loud when NPR Music's Frannie Kelley stops by to share a cut from the new Death Grips album, while Robin plays a brutal cut from the self-titled Metz album. Bob and Robin end the show on a wistful note and take a trip down memory lane with Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up," from of his forthcoming 25th anniversary deluxe edition of the classic album 'So.' Peter Bjorn And John Artist: Peter Bjorn And John Album: Yo Gabba Gabba! Music Is Awesome Vol. 4 Song: I Wish I Was A Spy Bad Books Artist: Bad Books Album: II Song: Friendly Advice Ultraísta Artist: Ultraísta Album: Ultraísta Song: Gold Dayzz Death Grips Artist: Death Grips Album: No Love Deep Web Song: Lil Boy METZ Artist: METZ Album: METZ Song: Headache Peter Gabriel Artist: Peter Gabriel Album: So 25th Anniversary Edition Song: Don't Give Up
