Is The 'Oots Oots' Beat The Perfect Driving Music?

By Lars Gotrich

As a music fan, you have choices in mobile sound: Do you trick out your car's system for maximum rockage? Or do you spend all that money on records? I've always chosen the latter, which means that listening to music in the car has never been a great experience.

A friend of mine recently asked me help him drive a rental car back from Dulles Airport with the promise of a free meal. No one can pass up a free meal, but as an occasional epic road warrior, the thought of driving a new-ish car was especially enticing. (Don't worry, "Maude," you're still the most reliable station wagon on the road.)

Figuring this car at least had a CD player ("Maude" kicks it old-school and rocks the cassette deck), I grabbed a stack of CDs off my desk. With a beautiful sound system, a band like bedroom new-waver Blank Dogs just didn't cut it. Icy Demons' first album, Fight Back!, fared better with a dizzying piece of fake-jazz. But Yesterday & Today, the latest from Swedish electronic music producer The Field, turned out to be just what I needed.

Hear The Field's "Yesterday & Today," from Yesterday & Today:

What is it about electronic music that makes for such great late-night driving, especially when the vehicle includes a kick-ass sound system?

When car commercials attack, after the jump.

Continue reading "Is The 'Oots Oots' Beat The Perfect Driving Music?" »

2:38 PM ET | 05-29-2009 | permalink

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When The Music Is Better Than The Movie

by Bob Boilen

There's a new film by Jim Jarmusch called The Limits of Control. The film is a meditation of sorts -- the polar opposite of an action film. I liked much about it, but what I liked best was the music. It not only made the film work; it was the best part of the film for me. Much of it was by this Japanese band, Boris:

It also features music by an American group called Sunn O))), which produced sounds that were droning, spacious and on the edge. So, what films have you seen where the music was better than the movie?

Continue reading "When The Music Is Better Than The Movie" »

9:24 AM ET | 05-29-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Math The Band

by Robin Hilton

Download "Tour de Friends" by Math the Band

Bonkers. There's no better word to describe the Rhode Island-based duo Math the Band. Kevin Steinhauser and Justine Mainville are a couple who make music with reckless abandon. In fact, the two play with such intensity during live shows, they've reportedly suffered seven broken bones and multiple stitches from thrashing around. Now that's a show. This cut is called "Tour de Friends," from Math the Band's new CD, Don't Worry.

Listen to "Tour de Friends"

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

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

6:46 AM ET | 05-28-2009 | permalink

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How Do You Discover New Music?

by Bob Boilen

I'm heading to Philadelphia for NonComm, the non-commercial radio convention, and it got me thinking: How relevant is music radio these days?

I've lived in a town that offers me little in the way of music on the radio. (That's why I started this show.) Many of you may be more fortunate; there is great music on the radio in many cities. So take the survey and let's see how it shakes out.

11:01 PM ET | 05-27-2009 | permalink

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Jay Bennett Thoughts

by Bob Boilen

A few more thoughts have crossed my desk, and my mind, in the past few days regarding the death of former Wilco multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett.

First, this statement from Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.

"We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy," Tweedy says. "We will miss Jay as we remember him -- as a truly unique and gifted human being, and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time."

I spent Sunday morning watching the documentary on the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, called I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.

Continue reading "Jay Bennett Thoughts" »

10:25 AM ET | 05-27-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Paul And The Patients

by Robin Hilton

Download "Well Done You World" by Paul and the Patients

I've whined a lot over the years about how bad I think pop music was in the '80s, only to find myself liking new bands today that sound an awful lot like groups from 25 years ago -- or that at least borrow heavily from that period. Add Paul & The Patients to the list. A quintet from Brooklyn, it doesn't crib entirely from the '80s; in fact, the group's sound is really fresh. But there's an unmistakable '80s ring to the guitars and some of the melodies on the band's new EP, To the Lions. Give a listen to this song and see what you think. It's called "Well Done You World."

Listen to "Well Done You World":

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

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

2:00 PM ET | 05-26-2009 | permalink

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Music You Should Love, But Don't

by Bob Boilen

Think about the music you love. Do you find yourself attracted to, say, a distorted guitar and female singers? Concept records or CDs with psychedelic covers? World-music collaborations or homemade recordings by Midwestern singer-songwriters? It happens often, where I'll see a record that's totally up my alley. A good bunch of the time, I'll love it. But then there are times when I don't.

It happened for me with the new Green Day record. The band hits a lot of my soft spots: For one, it's changed since its early days, and I like that in a band. It has a sound you can immediately identify; I like that, too. It has a good drummer, and that's key for me. The new record is a concept record in three parts -- an epic of sorts -- and that always gets me listening. But I don't like this band much. I think it's the singer that turns me off.

This has happened to me in the past, with bands like R.E.M. and U2. So what are some of the bands you should love, but don't? Can you think of an act that has all the talent in the world, but you can't get into it?

10:56 AM ET | 05-26-2009 | permalink

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R.I.P. Jay Bennett

by Bob Boilen

Today we say goodbye to the talented Jay Bennett, who brought a wonderful depth of sound to some of Wilco's best-loved records -- particularly my favorites, Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Bennett left the band in 2001, but his influence remains stamped on its sound.

Continue reading "R.I.P. Jay Bennett" »

11:32 PM ET | 05-24-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: James Yuill

by Robin Hilton

Download "You Always Do" by James Yuill (Right-click or control-click to save to computer)

Anyone who's paid much attention to this blog, or to All Songs Considered, knows that I'm a shameless sap for lo-fi, softly sung neo-folk songs. Think M. Ward, Sam Beam of Iron & Wine or Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. So when you listen to today's Second Stage track from singer James Yuill, you'll immediately hear the appeal. He's got a fantastic voice, there's some fine acoustic-guitar fingerpicking, and the song has a lovely melody. "You Always Do" is the opening track to Yuill's new album, Turning Down Water for Air, so it's easy to assume it sets the tone for the rest of the record. But it turns out "You Always Do" is the most straightforward, gentlest track of the bunch. Most of the songs that follow feature aggressive, digital club beats and other electronic atmospherics. That's not to say they're less compelling than the opening song; "You Always Do" is just my favorite.

Listen to "You Always Do" by James Yuill:

London-based musician James Yuill

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

Submit your music for possible feature on Second Stage or All Songs Considered.

3:28 PM ET | 05-22-2009 | permalink

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Canceled: Television's Best Show For Music

by Robin Hilton

I was upset to learn recently that one of the best music programs on television has been canceled. No, it's not American Idol. (I'll spare you a recap of last night's horrid upset finale.) The show was called Life, and it was on NBC. If you've never heard of it or seen it, don't worry. Apparently, no one else has, either.

Life was a cop drama that delivered consistently surprising story lines with some fantastic characters each week. But what I loved most about the show, what made it so memorable for me, was the music. During every episode, I'd invariably find myself holding my iPhone up to the TV speakers, as it scanned the audio to tell me what song was playing.

Continue reading "Canceled: Television's Best Show For Music" »

3:01 PM ET | 05-21-2009 | permalink

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Time Killer In B Flat

by Bob Boilen

Sometimes, the simple things are the most fascinating. Say goodbye to your day.

2:15 PM ET | 05-21-2009 | permalink

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Jazzed!

by Bob Boilen

If you listen to one jazz concert this year, tonight is your night. Allen Toussaint has put together an ensemble of great players for a show at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City. WBGO and NPR Music will be there to webcast it live, and there'll even be video.

Toussaint has put together a band that includes my favorite clarinet player (Don Byron), my favorite drummer (Jay Bellerose) and the brilliant guitarist Marc Ribot. These guys play all styles of music, and bring something new to whichever form they explore.

This show isn't just for the jazz fanatic, and Toussaint isn't just known as a jazz musician: Elvis Costello is more likely to pop on stage -- as he did last night -- than a jazz legend. This show is about the popular side of jazz. There is rich history in the music, but it won't feel like a history lesson: It's jazz from the '20s to the '60s, played brilliantly by an R&B piano player steeped in pop music, with a great ear and a creative soul.

You can read more about Toussaint on NPR's brand-new jazz blog, "A Blog Supreme." There, you'll find video of tonight's concert and share the fun with others listening all around the world. Have a good time -- I know I'll be there.

10:50 AM ET | 05-20-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Ice Palace

by Robin Hilton

Download "Phonebook Pillow" by Ice Palace

I love bands that can make dreary music that's full of anguish, but somehow still really catchy. That's what drew me to a group out of Minneapolis, Minn. called Ice Palace. The title of the band's latest CD, Wonder Subtly Crushing Us, sort of says everything you need to know about the music. It's crunchy and noisy and dark. But there's also a youthful and curious wonder in the songs, and even a little humor in titles like "Pirate By Thirty" or "Slow Motion Fall." But it was the opening cut that got stuck in my head. It's called "Phonebook Pillow."

Listen to "Phonebook Pillow"

Ice Palace, photo by Staciann Photography

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

Submit your music for possible feature on Second Stage or All Songs Considered.

4:40 PM ET | 05-19-2009 | permalink

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Old Music Tuesday: The Flaming Lips' 'The Soft Bulletin' Is Ten Years Old

by Michael Katzif

For many people around my age, the mid and late '90s seemed like a total black hole for good new music, especially on the radio. Nearly everything new was commercial and derivative, polluted by boy bands and rap rock. Sure there were unquestioned landmark albums and phenomenal bands during that era (Radiohead's OK Computer, Beck's Mutations, to name couple personal favorites), and with hindsight, I've discovered there was even more great music to like if you dug beneath the surface.

The Flaming Lips album The Soft Bulletin was one of those albums that became incredibly personal to me throughout my college years, and is still one of my all-time favorites that I frequently listen to.

Continue reading "Old Music Tuesday: The Flaming Lips' 'The Soft Bulletin' Is Ten Years Old" »

3:22 PM ET | 05-19-2009 | permalink

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The Band I Love Is... Continued

by Bob Boilen

We asked you about the bands you love, in particular the ones you love that few people know about. In response you overwhelmed us with more than seven hundred suggestions.

On this week's All Songs Considered we feature a few of those picks.

One of the songs we wanted to feature was by a Congolese group called Staff Benda Bilili and the song is called Na Lingui Yo. Here's a video:

Listener Wim de Haas tipped us off to the band. He says, "Na Lingui Yo. Song: don't know, but it has the James Brown words sex machine. Hello Bob, I Think you should listen to this unusual band from Congo. Greetings from Holland, Wim de Haas."

Here are the other listener picks I found most interesting, so far, and mostly never heard of:

Continue reading "The Band I Love Is... Continued" »

6:28 PM ET | 05-18-2009 | permalink

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The Beatbox Battle World Championship

by Robin Hilton

Who's the greatest beatboxer in the world? We'll soon find out, when the annual Beatbox Battle World Championship gets underway in Berlin, Germany on May 28. Each year contestants from all over the world flock to the city to lay down some sweet, human-generated beats in hopes of snagging the grand prize. This year's winner will be crowned on May 31.

In the meantime, the BBWC has announced the winner of its wildcard competition. It's Julia Dales, a 17 year-old from Canada:

Julia Dales took first place as a wildcard, so she gets a shot at winning the whole thing.

Continue reading "The Beatbox Battle World Championship" »

3:35 PM ET | 05-18-2009 | permalink

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Dan Deacon: The Funnest Birthday Party Ever

by Bob Boilen

It was "Ring Around the Rosie," "London Bridge" and crowd surfing with a fierce, fun 14-piece band playing wildly pulsing, upbeat electronic music on the best sound system you'd ever want. Oh, and there was some alcohol. In short, Dan Deacon's show was the the best birthday party you'd ever want to attend, without the balloons or cake and without a birthday boy or girl, but with Dan Deacon as the party dad.

Here is my time-lapse of the entire concert.
You can also hear the entire concert here along with an interview.

Continue reading "Dan Deacon: The Funnest Birthday Party Ever" »

11:41 AM ET | 05-18-2009 | permalink

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One Of The Year's Best Albums Finally Has A Home

by Robin Hilton

Soon after I first heard Hospice, the breathtaking new album from the band The Antlers, I was shocked to learn that a number of labels had actually turned down opportunities to put out the record. It seemed criminal.

Today, we learned that The Antlers have finally been picked up by Frenchkiss Records, the label behind bands like The Hold Steady, The Dodos and Passion Pit. Hospice will be remastered and rereleased in August. Congratulations to the band. They really deserved it.

Here's my favorite song from Hospice. It's called "Kettering."

What do you think?

5:07 PM ET | 05-15-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Emily Jane White

by Robin Hilton

Download "Hole In The Middle" by Emily Jane White (right-click or control-click to save to your computer)

Sometimes you know you're going to love a song after only hearing one or two seconds of it. That was the case for me when I first listened to "Hole in the Middle" by Emily Jane White. Maybe it's the spare thump of an upright bass paired with a single beat of a rumbling drum, or the strumming guitar that seems to kick up dust down a sun-bleached country road. Or maybe it's the killer recurring line: "Everybody's got a little hole in the middle / Everybody does a little dance with the devil."

Emily Jane White, a San Francisco-based singer-songwriter with a dark streak, has the perfect voice to deliver those lines with conviction -- a coarse but beautifully aged alto soaked in rye. "Hole in the Middle" is from her latest CD, the appropriately titled Dark Undercoat, a beautifully produced collection of shiver-inducing songs, and one I'll return to many times this year.

Listen to "Hole in the Middle" by Emily Jane White:

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

Submit your music for possible feature on Second Stage or All Songs Considered.

4:09 PM ET | 05-14-2009 | permalink

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A Music Geek's Prayers Answered

by Robin Hilton

Hear Dark Night of the Soul in its entirety.

None of us at NPR Music were sure what, exactly, Dark Night of the Soul (not to be confused with the recent benefit compilation Dark Was the Night) was when we first started hearing about it back in March. Was it a movie, or an album, or some combination of the two? And who was behind it? One thing we knew: The artists associated with the mysterious project were so closely aligned with my own tastes, some of the producers here joked that I was secretly the producer behind it all.

Cover art for 'Dark Night of the Soul.' Can you see the face?

Admittedly, it sounded like a dream project to me. Some of the musicians we knew were involved with Dark Night: Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse, Vic Chesnutt, Jason Lytle, The Flaming Lips, Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel, James Mercer of The Shins, Suzanne Vega. The list went on and on. And director David Lynch was somehow involved. Whatever Dark Night of the Soul was, it sounded too cool and too good to be true.

Continue reading "A Music Geek's Prayers Answered" »

3:47 PM ET | 05-14-2009 | permalink

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Current 93: Doomed Folk Gets Heavy

By Lars Gotrich

My coworkers are used to loud, pounding music leaking out of my headphones, but this time it wasn't the new disc from Mastodon. Instead, it was the upcoming Current 93 album, Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain. David Tibet's ongoing exploration of haunting Gnostic folk hasn't been this loud in quite a few years, and yet Matt Sweeney's doom-riddled guitar is the perfect grating foil to Tibet's dramatic ruminations on the apocalypse. Clearly, someone has been listening to Sleep.

Hear the opening track, "Invocation of Almost," by Current 93, including a delightfully cryptic warning from a young child about the dangers of file-sharing. "God is love," indeed.

2:47 PM ET | 05-14-2009 | permalink

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Download Iron And Wine

by Stephen Thompson

I visited Iron & Wine's Web site yesterday while doing a bit of research for an upcoming Song of the Day essay -- SPOILER: A song from Iron & Wine's new Around the Well collection is about to be featured on Song of the Day -- and stumbled across this sentence in the middle of the band's news feed: "Also, the 8 acoustic versions of songs from The Shepherd's Dog are available again for free download. Enjoy the music. Thanks for listening."

Now, the existence of these recordings may be old news to diehards, but I was thrilled -- so much so that I delayed listening to the new Wilco stream for an hour or two while I basked in eight gorgeous Iron & Wine songs, each stripped to their barest, warmest essentials. Balancing the intimacy of Sam Beam's early home recordings with the springy sweetness of his lush later material, they're a perfect companion to one of my favorite albums of 2007.

Continue reading "Download Iron And Wine" »

10:44 AM ET | 05-14-2009 | permalink

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Wilco (The Stream)

by Bob Boilen

NOTE:5/20/09 WILCO HAS TAKEN THE STREAM DOWN FOR NOW

Wilco is now streaming its entire new record, appropriately titled Wilco (The Album).

Feel free to post your first impressions here.

12:58 PM ET | 05-13-2009 | permalink

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You Call That Music?

by Robin Hilton

This morning, Bob admonished me for having never listened to Terry Riley's IN C. If you've never heard of Terry Riley or IN C, don't feel bad: It's only, as Bob noted, "the single most famous and influential piece of minimalist music in the 20th century."

All this came up because IN C is celebrating its 45th anniversary, and we ran a story about it on All Things Considered yesterday.

Continue reading "You Call That Music?" »

11:01 AM ET | 05-13-2009 | permalink

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Old Music Tuesday: Big Star

by Bob Boilen

Good news for power-pop fans: Big Star's first two albums are being remastered and reissued on June 16. I've not heard the remasters yet, so I'll save the praise/critique until then, but the good news is that it's a chance for another generation to hear simple pop in its purest, sweetest form.

I saw this and thought I'd share it while we wait for the reissues. It's footage of Big Star working on its first album, called #1 Record. You'll see founding member Chris Bell and Alex Chilton here.

Bell would eventually leave the band he started while Chilton carried on, and the song you hear while this old footage plays is one that Chilton recorded under the Big Star name, minus Chris Bell. Bell died shortly after this song was released in 1978; his funeral was on Alex Chilton's birthday.

3:56 PM ET | 05-12-2009 | permalink

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Animal Collective Thoughts

by Bob Boilen

We had the pleasure of webcasting Animal Collective at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., last night. You can hear the entire concert here -- and, of course, on the All Songs Considered Live Concert Podcast.

Here's a photo gallery from the performance, by photographer Shantel Mitchell:

I quite liked the show, but this wasn't the concert I thought I'd hear, given the hyperactive sound of Animal Collective's latest album, Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Continue reading "Animal Collective Thoughts" »

1:35 PM ET | 05-12-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Lissy Trullie

by Robin Hilton

Download "Self-Taught Learner" by Lissy Trullie (right-click or control-click and save to computer)

I'm usually pretty good at judging a CD by its cover. At the very least, I can generally guess the genre or general sound of an album based on its artwork. But I couldn't have been more wrong when I saw the suggestive cover to Lissy Trullie's debut EP, Self-Taught Learner.

Continue reading "Second Stage: Lissy Trullie" »

12:57 PM ET | 05-12-2009 | permalink

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BriTunes And Fein Tunes: Everybody's A Critic

by Bob Boilen

Two new adventures in music coverage come from U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and NBC's Brian Williams. I'm not making this up. They're called "Fein Tunes" and "BriTunes," respectively. I'm not making this up.

Acknowledging that things are tough in the world, Feingold says he figures it's time for a bit of music to get us through. His first choice: Wisconsin native Bon Iver. Which shows good taste -- a bit late, but he picked a winner.

Now, to Brian Williams.

Continue reading "BriTunes And Fein Tunes: Everybody's A Critic" »

11:46 PM ET | 05-10-2009 | permalink

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Decorating The Stage For Mom

by Bob Boilen, with The Shackeltons' Mark Redding

I recently saw The Shackeltons at the South by Southwest music festival and conference in Austin, Texas. I probably saw a hundred bands that week, but none were as impassioned as this one.

I was particularly taken with the heartfelt emotions of singer Mark Redding, who performed on a stage decorated with fresh-cut flowers -- flowers that Redding would toss into the audience in bursts of ecstasy and rapture. It both delighted me and puzzled me.

Mark Redding decorates a Shackeltons stage in New York City. (Credit: Alexandra Marvar)

In honor of Mother's Day, Redding tells us why he decorates every Shackeltons show with flowers.

Continue reading "Decorating The Stage For Mom" »

1:32 PM ET | 05- 8-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Woods

by Robin Hilton

When the band Woods started out, it was just two guys making largely improvisational music, with a rotating cast of guest musicians who referred to themselves as "woodists." Jeremy Earl and Christian DeRoeck say they've since figured out how to craft a melody and wield a tambourine, but their music still has a beautiful clumsiness to it, as though the group's members are playing with joyful abandon, without worrying about it all falling apart. It's a refreshing, innocent sound you can really hear on this track, from the band's fourth and latest CD, Songs of Shame. This one is called "To Clean."

(right-click or ctrl-click to save to your computer)

Download "To Clean."

Woods' official Web site

4:06 PM ET | 05- 7-2009 | permalink

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Top 10 Wedding Party Songs

by Robin Hilton

Today on All Things Considered, listeners were invited to submit their stories about inappropriate songs heard at weddings. Please join the conversation in the comments section below.

A "friend" of mine is getting married this weekend, and I'll be supplying the music for the reception. My iPod will act as a virtual DJ, randomly grabbing songs from an eight-hour playlist I've put together. I originally thought I'd plan out every minute, putting every track in a specific order so that the slower, more reflective, romantic tunes come early in the evening while the faster-tempo songs come later, but that proved to be way too much work. So I've been testing the playlist out this week, just listening in the background as it randomly grabs various songs, and it seems to be working. Every now and then, I'll cut one that sounds out of place.

Continue reading "Top 10 Wedding Party Songs" »

2:00 PM ET | 05- 7-2009 | permalink

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The Band I Love Is...

by Bob Boilen

It seems a fair exchange: We tell you about great music; you tell us about great music. One downside, though, is this: The music, email and Facebook messages you send me aren't seen or heard by others. And if I don't put it on the show, then it stays your secret.

Let's fix this right here, right now. Here's the plan.

Continue reading "The Band I Love Is..." »

1:57 PM ET | 05- 6-2009 | permalink

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When It Comes To Rock, 60 Is The New 20

by Robin Hilton

When John Lennon died in 1980, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen says he remembers thinking, "Well, at least Lennon lived a long, full life."

John Lennon was 40. At the time of his death, Bob had already lost plenty of other favorite musicians, like Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones, all of whom died when they were just 27. At the time, 40 must have seemed very old to Bob.

John Lennon at the ripe old age of 40. (Credit: AP)

Continue reading "When It Comes To Rock, 60 Is The New 20" »

10:15 AM ET | 05- 6-2009 | permalink

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Old Music Tuesdays: Who Knows Where The Time Goes?

by Bob Boilen

The other day, this song written by Sandy Denny (and performed by Fairport Convention) played randomly on my speakers. It gave me the chills.

How can a song I've heard hundreds of times still do that? This isn't really an answer, but I do have some thoughts. First of all, Sandy Denny had a perfect voice for the British folk music she sang: She was an inimitable antidote to all the male poets/singers making tripped-out rock music in 1968. Her voice was pure and honest. And then there are those words, made so much more potent by her tragic death at 31.

Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time
For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?
Sad, deserted shore, your fickle friends are leaving
Ah, but then you know it's time for them to go
But I will still be here, I have no thought of leaving
I do not count the time
For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?
And I am not alone while my love is near me
I know it will be so until it's time to go
So come the storms of winter and then the birds in spring again
I have no fear of time
For who knows how my love grows?
And who knows where the time goes?

I know others have recorded this song. Even Sandy Denny had recorded it with Strawbs before this 1968 recording with Fairport Convention on the LP Unhalfbricking. But this version, with Richard Thompson on guitar, is the one that'll raise the hair on the back of your neck.

Can you think of a song that gives you the chills, time after time? Why is that, and how does it happen?

4:40 PM ET | 05- 5-2009 | permalink

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Second Stage: Fantasmes

by Robin Hilton

For the past few years, we've been featuring great unknown and unsigned artists on a program we call Second Stage. We originally started Second Stage because we were hearing and discovering so much great music, but just didn't have enough room or time to get all of it on All Songs Considered. So Second Stage became our place to showcase all these great artists that few people had heard of.

Starting today, Second Stage will become a regular feature of the All Songs Considered blog. For longtime fans of the show, you'll still be able to discover great music. You'll also be able to download the songs directly from the site.

Cover art for 'The Reveller,' the debut album from Fantasmes.

Continue reading "Second Stage: Fantasmes" »

2:10 PM ET | 05- 5-2009 | permalink

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NPR Sweeps Music Webbys

by Bob Boilen

Ah, for the love of job security: NPR.org and NPR Music won a bunch of Webby Awards this morning. For each category, there's a Webby Award (chosen by a panel of judges) and then a People's Voice Award (chosen by the public).

Here's the list:

WEBSITES

Category: Music
Webby Award Winner: NPR Music
People's Voice Winner: NPR Music

Category: Radio
Webby Award Winner: NPR.org
People's Voice Winner: NPR.org

Category: Podcasts
People's Voice Winner: NPR Podcasts

MOBILE

Category: News
Webby Award Winner: NPR iPhone Site

ONLINE FILM & VIDEO

Category: Music
Webby Award Winner: NPR Music's Project Song

Thanks so much to all of you for visiting the site, downloading the podcasts, participating in our discussions, keeping us on our toes, telling your friends, casting your Webby votes, and continuing to be such a smart, dedicated and all-around tremendous audience.

10:23 AM ET | 05- 5-2009 | permalink

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Attention Guitar Players: You May Quit Now

by Robin Hilton

I mean, sure, maybe it's not Beethoven, but this kid is pretty amazing. Be sure to watch at least through his version of "Crossroads."

4:59 PM ET | 05- 4-2009 | permalink

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Bands That Kept Their Integrity

by Bob Boilen

I was listening to the new Sonic Youth record, The Eternal, and it got me thinking about bands that have held on to a vision or their integrity over the course of a long career. Sonic Youth has been creating uncompromising music for more than a quarter of a century.

Of course, it's unlikely that every record someone makes will be a gem. It is, however, possible to admire a band for what it does, even after decades of making music. I think that's what I mean by integrity, along with not jumping into the latest trend, but simply making the music you feel deep inside.

Continue reading "Bands That Kept Their Integrity" »

4:29 PM ET | 05- 4-2009 | permalink

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One Of The Year's Most Refreshing Albums

by Robin Hilton

One of the most surprising and refreshing albums you'll hear this year is featured this week on All Songs Considered. It's by an artist who goes by the name Mamer. He's from the grasslands of northwestern China -- a remote area where, he says, many people live as nomads.

Continue reading "One Of The Year's Most Refreshing Albums" »

2:28 PM ET | 05- 4-2009 | permalink

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The Best Jazz Record Of 2009 (So Far)

by Bob Boilen

There was a time when new jazz records would take my breath away. Give me a new World Saxophone Quartet record or an Art Ensemble of Chicago record, and I knew I'd be in for a treat. That's happened less and less in recent years -- that is, until now.

The jazz record that's going to carry me through the year is by Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics, and it's called Inspiration, Information.

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12:31 PM ET | 05- 3-2009 | permalink

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New Project From The Apples In Stereo's Robert Schneider

by Robin Hilton

File this under "One We Missed." I was searching my backlog of emails today and came across a note about a new project from Apples In Stereo frontman Robert Schneider. It was dated Feb. 20. Doh!

It turns out that Schneider has a new album out under the name Robert Bobbert and The Bubble Machine. It's an appropriately cutesy moniker for an artist who's always had a healthy sense of play in his music. But in this case, it's particularly appropriate, because it's a project devoted entirely to music for kids.

"We R Super Heroes" from Robert Bobbert and The Bubble Machine (right-click or ctrl-click on 'download' image)

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5:49 PM ET | 05- 1-2009 | permalink

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