Bridges Worth Crossing

by Camden Andrews

I had a conversation with a friend the other day who told me that the biggest thing he looks for in a great song is whether it has a strong bridge. I thought that was a pretty interesting observation, mostly because I don't really focus on the bridge when listening to a song. The intro, verses, and chorus are the obvious meat and potatoes, and are the most likely to get stuck in my head.

In music, a bridge is used to connect two parts of the song. Sometimes it's used to pause and reflect on what's already been said, sometimes it's meant to prepare for the climax, and some times it's just a nice variation from the typical verse-chorus tradeoff. Some songs have two or three bridges while others don't have any at all. Here's a well known example from The Who's "Baba O'Reily."

The conversation with my friend got me thinking, and I decided to take another look at some of my favorite songs. What I realized is that a lot of them have some powerful bridges that send shivers up my spine every time I listen. Take for example "Reckoner" off Radiohead's In Rainbows.

The whole song is beautiful, but probably the most gorgeous part of that entire album is when the drums cut out and Thom Yorke's stark falsetto is backed only by a clean guitar, softly swelling strings, and eerie vocal harmonies as he sings "because we separate like ripples on a blank shore." I get chills thinking about it.

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3:17 PM ET | 07- 2-2009 | permalink

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MJ Digital Sales Go Through The Roof

by Jacob Ganz and Frannie Kelley

The AP ran a story yesterday about Michael Jackson's album sales "exploding" since his death. The numbers are impressive -- but they may be even more impressive than traditional reporting and charting outlets like SoundScan and Billboard can quantify.

Though Number Ones, Essential Michael Jackson and Thriller outsold The Black Eyed Peas' latest release last week, none of them will crack the Billboard top 200 album chart (older albums are relegated to a 'catalog' chart). And the record-breaking 2.3 million downloads of Michael Jackson's tracks (3.3 million if you count Jackson 5 tracks) dwarf the 415,000 albums SoundScan reports he sold last week, 58% of which were digital downloads. 174,300 physical copies is still a really big number for a marketplace unprepared for a run on a particular artist or album, so it's a safe bet that many people actually bought the CD version on backorder (as of this writing, Amazon lists Thriller, Off the Wall and Bad as available "within 1 to 3 weeks").

Is this the moment digital stores like iTunes and Amazon MP3 prove themselves a real alternative? It seems clear that people went to online stores first and en masse. Brick and mortar stores (and even online versions of brick and mortar stores) obviously didn't have enough of the records in stock, and people didn't want to wait a week to hear MJ's songs.

Did you buy Jackson's music last weekend? Did you download or opt for the CD?

2:16 PM ET | 07- 2-2009 | permalink

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The Week's Most Addictive Video

by Robin Hilton

I can't seem to stop watching this. It's for the song "Stillness Is The Move" from the Dirty Projectors album Bitte Orca. It's hard to beat llamas and synchronized dancing.

1:27 PM ET | 07- 2-2009 | permalink

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Rock 'n' Roll Summer School: Chess Records

by Tom Moon

Every Wednesday this summer, we're offering a quick course in early rock 'n' roll. Your professor will be Tom Moon, NPR contributor and author of the book 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. These overviews, mostly from the 1950s, are not intended to be comprehensive, but to help curious listeners dive in and explore some of the genre's often-overlooked building blocks. Whether you're a novice or a rock snob, join the conversation below...

THIS WEEK: The Proto-Rock Blues Titans of Chess Records

Of the semi-sacred locations where rock and roll first erupted, two stand out: Producer Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service, where Elvis Presley's voice was first captured on tape; and the Chicago-based Chess Records, home of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and a superheated brand of urban blues that amounts to the rhythmic "source code" for rock and roll.

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10:39 AM ET | 07- 1-2009 | permalink

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Finding An Old Friend Too Late

by Bob Boilen

I just learned about the death of an old friend. I began to loose touch with Don Bernstine when my music tastes went more toward Talking Heads and his went more toward Def Leppard.

I've spent the past few hours catching up on Don's life and he did pretty well for himself. Turns out he's the guy who bought so much of that great rock memorabilia for the Hard Rock Cafe.

This picture slays me on so many levels. Don and I worked in a record store together in 1973 when the first Queen record came out. We got one copy in the store, looked at the cover and both thought: "Who are these guys? This looks great!"
We blasted that record over and over. It was our common ground, I loved Queen for the band's unique, arty sound, and he loved them because they rocked. We even went to see Queen on the group's first U.S. tour.

Seeing Don sitting next to Queen's guitarist Brian May is like seeing an old friend who's just found his dream. It makes me happy and makes me cry at the same time.
Goodbye Don Bernstine, I'll miss you.

10:18 PM ET | 06-30-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: OK Bear

by Robin Hilton

Download "Sant Feliu De Guixols (right-click or control-click and save to your computer)

Jeremy Enigk has been making smart, inspired pop for more than 15 years, first emerging as the frontman for the Seattle-based band Sunny Day Real Estate. Though the group never formally broke up, it's at least been dormant, while Enigk has resurfaced again with his third solo album, the whimsically titled OK Bear.

Enigk has an incredible voice, one filled with sorrow and beauty. A lot of the tracks on OK Bear soar majestically, if only for the passion in his vocals. Enigk recorded the album in Barcelona with a group of musicians introduced by a mutual friend. He says the band managed to turn most of the songs on OK Bear into heavier rock numbers, even if they were intended to be more restrained. Percussionist Victor Garcia, in particular, does a fantastic job of driving and pushing the mix on drums, with some tastefully unpredictable rhythms.

All that said, this is one of the album's more wistful moments. It's the closing track, called "Sant Feliu de Guixols."

Subscribe to the Second Stage podcast to automatically download each song to your computer.

Submit your music for possible inclusion in Second Stage or All Songs Considered.

4:54 PM ET | 06-30-2009 | permalink

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Michael Jackson Public Tribute: Apollo Theater

Live June 30th until 9:00PM EST
(we may loose audio from time to time)

Listen to Live Audio from the Apollo Theater

The Apollo Theater in Harlem has opened its doors today to the fans that have been gathering outside it since Thursday night. The theater, where Michael Jackson won Amateur Night in 1967 with the Jackson 5, has become an unofficial memorial to him. Today's tribute, which runs until 9 p.m. ET will include eulogies delivered by the Rev. Al Sharpton and others, as well as music videos and DJ sets.

Fans at the Apollo on June 26, 2009. (Photo credti: Amy Sussman / Getty Images)

3:16 PM ET | 06-30-2009 | permalink

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Old Music Tuesday: 40 Years of Giving Peace A Chance

by Bob Boilen

This Saturday, July 4, 2009, the song "Give Peace A Chance" turns 40 years old.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded this anthemic song with just four microphones and a four-track reel-to-reel tape recorder. It was released first in Europe, as a single, followed by a US release a few days later.

The phrase "give peace a chance" had come spontaneously to Lennon while answering a reporters question at a "bed-in," Lennon and Ono's way to protest war and promote peace by staying in bed all day. They held two, week-long bed-in sessions, one in Amsterdam and one in Montreal.

It was at a Montreal bed-in that the song was recorded. Those in attendance included Timothy Leary, Dick Gregory, Petula Clark, Derek Taylor, Murray the K and Allen Ginsberg. John Lennon played acoustic guitar and so did Tommy Smothers of the Smothers Brothers. Some of those names became part of the lyrics.

Though it may feel trite or be thought of as simply naive, there was always a joy in the early days of the song, to sing the song's refrain out on the streets with hundreds of thousands of other voices, with hopes of ending war and hate.

Continue reading "Old Music Tuesday: 40 Years of Giving Peace A Chance" »

3:15 PM ET | 06-30-2009 | permalink

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Another Magazine Down In Flames

by Bob Boilen

According to Gawker.com Vibe Magazine is folding.

Vibe was started in 1993 by Quincy Jones with a focus on R&B and hip-hop.

Is it sad or does it even matter?

2:35 PM ET | 06-30-2009 | permalink

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Live Chat Today With Moby

Join NPR Music for a live listening party and chat with Moby, beginning at 11:15 a.m. ET, today (June 30). The artist will talk with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen about Moby's new album, Wait For Me, play selections from the record, and take questions from listeners through our online chat. Wait For Me is Moby's best new album in a decade, full of beauty, sadness and celebration. You can hear the entire record online as part of our Exclusive First Listen series.

10:18 AM ET | 06-30-2009 | permalink

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