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: Karen O Goes Solo, Lowell, Meatbodies, Bellows, More
On this week's show we share music from the intimate ...
On this week's show we share music from the intimate and raw new solo album by Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O, warped garage rock from Meatbodies and several new discoveries, including two music collectives, one from Sweden and the other from Brooklyn. After briefly enduring the torturous sounds of our Tiny Desk piano tuner, we kick the show off with the gritty, driving rock of Meatbodies, fronted by Chad Ubovich, a singer, guitarist and bassist known for his work with Mikal Cronin and the band Fuzz. We follow with a cut that's been out for a while but only recently found its way to us, by a band called Amason (pronounced amazon). The group is part of the INGRID artist collective founded in Stockholm by Lykke Li, Peter, Bjorn & John, Teddybears and others. Amason has a new album due out in early 2015, but in the meantime we've got a cut from their 2013, self-titled EP, featuring members of Miike Snow, Gustav Ejstes (of Dungen), singer Amanda Bergman (of Idiot Wind) and more. Also on the show: The gorgeous voice and transfixing sounds of Saint Saviour; A moody, reverb-soaked rock cut from Money, a band that sells out shows all over England but is only now finding its way to the U.S.; Insanely catchy, empowering pop from Lowell; The bedroom recording project of Oliver Kalb, a singer with an arresting voice who records under the name Bellows, with help from The Epoch artist collective; And finally we close out with Karen O's surprising acoustic album, a collection of songs she recorded eight years ago but is only now releasing.
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New Mix: The Smashing Pumpkins, Tennis, Ex Hex, Gemma Ray, More
We kick off this week's show with a moody rock ...
We kick off this week's show with a moody rock romp from Ex Hex, a group based out of Washington, D.C., featuring Mary Timony (Helium, Wild Flag), Laura Harris and Betsy Wright. We follow with the mysterious voice of Gemma Ray, a deluxe reissue of a Smashing Pumpkins classic, the enchanting Icelandic singer Ólöf Arnalds and more. The Smashing Pumpkins reissue is the band's polarizing Adore. Originally released in 1998, some fans rejected the album for having more subdued moments and electronic textures than the group's earlier records. But now, more than 15 years later, many consider it a classic. The deluxe version has more than 100 tracks, including outtakes, demos and previously unheard songs. We play the opening cut, "To Sheila." Also on the program: the ethereal sounds of Montreal-based singer Sea Oleena; Azure Ray's Orenda Fink is back with a new solo album, a sometimes haunting examination of death and dying and Denver-based pop duo Tennis pushes itself in new sonic directions with an album produced by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Jim Eno of Spoon and songwriter Richard Swift.
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New Mix: Weezer, Lucinda Williams, Sufjan Stevens, More
On this week's All Songs Considered, Robin Hilton returns from ...
On this week's All Songs Considered, Robin Hilton returns from vacation with "Back To The Shack," the fantastically hard-rocking first single from Weezer's upcoming Everything Will Be Alright In The End. Bob Boilen follows with Sufjan Stevens' take on Arthur Russell's "A Little Lost," from the upcoming tribute album to the late New York cellist and composer, Master Mix: Red Hot + Arthur Russell. Later in the show Bob and Robin premiere three tracks: Brooklyn-based duo Buke and Gase's "Seam Esteem," Lia Ices' mesmerizing "How We Are" and a brand-new love song from Lucinda Williams, "Stowaway In Your Heart," from her upcoming double album Down Where the Spirit Meets The Bone. Also in the mix: hip-hop innovators Shabazz Palaces' shape-shifting "#CAKE."
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Guest DJ Ty Segall
On this week's episode of All Songs Considered, prolific fuzz-rock ...
On this week's episode of All Songs Considered, prolific fuzz-rock mastermind Ty Segall joins host Robin Hilton to share some of the music that shaped his new album Manipulator and a behind-the-scenes look into his recording process.
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Guest DJ: Smokey Robinson
On this episode of All Songs Considered, legendary R&B singer ...
On this episode of All Songs Considered, legendary R&B singer Smokey Robinson joins host Bob Boilen to share some of the songs and events that shaped his career as well as songs from his new duets album, Smokey & Friends. Smokey remembers a series of musical milestones in his life: Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops", whom he remembers seeing for the first time when he was ten years old; Sarah Vaughan, the first singer he ever remembers hearing; the first record he ever bought, the Spaniels' 1953 hit "Baby, It's You." Alongside these influential artists he plays some of the most famous songs he performed with the Miracles, including "I Second That Emotion" and "Got a Job." Smokey & Friends, which is out next week, includes collaborations with artists like Miguel, John Legend and Cee Lo Green on songs written by Robinson (some that were originally performed by other artists, like Marvin Gaye). In the show, you can hear his duets with Elton John, Mary J. Blige and James Taylor. Does revisiting his own classics so many years later make him feel nostalgia? No, he says. "I've been doing concerts now for over fifty years," Smokey says. "Every night [the songs] are new to me."
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New Mix: Foxygen, Lily & Madeleine, Fat White Family and more
On this week's All Songs Considered, Bob is joined by ...
On this week's All Songs Considered, Bob is joined by NPR Music's Stephen Thompson, who kicks off the show with a premiere from the folk pop sibling duo Lily & Madeleine. "The Wolf Is Free" highlights the sisters' subtle harmonies. Bob follows that up with the new single from California's wild card ensemble Foxygen; "How Can You Really" floats on a lilting beat and sneaks in an understated chorus that will be lodged in your head for days to come. Next the hosts get a call from NPR Music's Ann Powers, who has recently become enamored with a young Nashville singer named Adia Victoria. Her new single (and only available recording) "Stuck In The South" was released a few weeks ago and has sent ripples through the Nashville country scene. Later in the show the hosts play "Runaway," the infectious pop-rock track from Self's new EP Super Fake Nice and a raucous number from London's Fat White Family called "Is It Raining In Your Mouth?" Stephen takes us out with up-and-coming EDM star Porter Robinson's "Divinity," featuring sweet vocals from Stars' Amy Milan and enough joyous bounce to make Stephen grin.
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Join Fences, Zola Jesus, Sun Kil Moon, Frazey Ford
Just off the train from the Newport Folk Festival, Bob ...
Just off the train from the Newport Folk Festival, Bob Boilen jumps at the chance to share a song by The Oh Hellos, his favorite discovery of the weekend. On "The Valley," the Texas band thunders and strums its way to a glorious sing-along chorus. Robin Hilton follows that with a premiere from Frazey Ford, whose soulful voice reinforces the celebratory mood of "September Fields." Bob takes us in a different direction with Sun Kil Moon's devastating "Carissa," Mark Kozelek's autobiographical account of the freak accident that killed his cousin. Feeling the need to brighten the room a bit, Robin plays Fences' bouncy pop tune "Arrows," featuring a guest verse from Macklemore and production by Ryan Lewis. Later in the show, Bob shares GOAT's "Hide From The Sun" before Robin plays new music from the full-throttle, jangly, punk rock trio Spider Bags. Bob closes out the show with Zola Jesus' "Dangerous Days," a high-powered dance-rock tune that gives him the energy needed to pick up his suitcase and get home for some much-needed sleep. If you want to hear more from the Newport Folk Festival, we've got sets from Jenny Lewis, Jeff Tweedy and lots more at our Newport Folk hub.
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The Rentals, Perfume Genius, The Bots, Zammuto, More
Note: This version of the podcast corrects a mistake we ...
Note: This version of the podcast corrects a mistake we made with The Rentals song. The correct song is "1000 Seasons." We kick off this week's episode of All Songs Considered with the sludgy, shoegaze-y sounds of Whirr, a band started by Nick Bassett, bassist for one of co-host Robin Hilton's favorite acts of 2014, Nothing. We follow up with a new track from The Bots, two young brothers from L.A. whose "All I Really Want" is a two-minute sugar rush of high-powered pop-punk. Later on the show we welcome NPR Music's Daoud Tyler–Ameen and Jacob Ganz to the studio to play some of their favorite new tunes. Daoud opts for "Explanation," a punchy rock number from Ohio trio Delay, while Jacob plays Perfume Genius' surging new track "Queen." Daoud and Jacob stick around as Robin puts on "Hegemony," a super-melodic, percussion-heavy track from Zammuto, the project of The Books' Nick Zammuto, recorded in a Vermont shed. Finally, Bob rounds out the show with a premiere from long-dormant rock group The Rentals, called "It's Time To Go Home" that features Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius on vocals. Taking the words to heart, the studio empties out with the last ringing chord.
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New Mix: Robert Plant, Jeff Tweedy, Sarah Jaffe, Sinkane, The Bug, More
On this week's All Songs Considered, Bob kicks off the ...
On this week's All Songs Considered, Bob kicks off the show with The Juan MacLean's "A Place Called Space," an ecstatic dance-rock number from the group's upcoming album In A Dream. Seeking to find a subdued yin to Bob's euphoric yang, Robin premieres London producer The Bug's "Void," the opening track to his upcoming album Angels and Devils. Following The Bug's stark soundscapes, resident classical music guru Tom Huizenga appears at the studio door, life-size cut out of opera singer Maria Callas under his arm, to play a composition by the Arcade Fire's Richard Reed Parry called "French Guitars." The piece, which features The National's Bryce and Aaron Desner, has no prescribed tempo or time signature — instead, the musicians count time using stethoscopes strapped to their chests. The show continues in a more fist-pumping mood with premieres from folk singer-turned-experimental artist Sarah Jaffe and electro-funk maestro Sinkane, along with Robert Plant's "Rainbow" from his upcoming release lullaby and...the Ceaseless Roar. Last, blessedly safe from the blazing noon sun outside, Bob takes us out with "Summer Noon," a sweet and airy song from Tweedy, the new group led by by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and featuring his teenage son Spencer on drums (Scott McCaughey of The Minus 5 plays piano and Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius sing on the track). The song will appear on Tweedy's album Sukierae as well as the soundtrack to Richard Linklater's film Boyhood.
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Cat Power With Coldplay, Brian Eno, Broncho, More
This version of the July 8, 2014 episode includes a ...
This version of the July 8, 2014 episode includes a correction. Robin says, "I'm an idiot. Broncho's name is pronounced 'BRAWN-cho,' not 'BRAWN-koh.'" Bob says, "An intern could have done better."
