Episode 123

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The year's best pop music from Lily Allen
The quiet and contemplative Damien Rice
Chilling out with The Hold Steady
Three new CDs from Tom Waits
A tragic treasury from The Gothic Archies
Surreal sounds out of Kansas: White Flight
West Africa's Refugee All Stars

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Lily Allen is a young British pop singer who scored a number one hit on the UK singles charts in July 2006 with the song "Smile." Though her quirky, inventive songs are extremely popular in her home country, Allen's CD Alright, Still won't be released in the U.S. until early 2007.

Lily Allen

DVD: Alright, Still
Song: "Cheryl Tweedy"
Label: Capitol

Listen to "Cheryl Tweedy"

Damien Rice emerged from Ireland in early 2002 with a small collection of warm, beautifully delicate songs simple titled O. Two tracks used on the soundtrack to the 2004 film, Closer helped broaden his audience. Fans eager for a follow-up album should be pleased with Rice's latest release.

Damien Rice

CD: 9
Song: "The Animals Were Gone"
Label: Warner Bros

Listen to "The Animals Were Gone"

The Hold Steady is a Brooklyn, NY rock group fronted by Craig Finn, former singer for the Minnesota band Lifter Puller. The Hold Steady has just released it's third album in as many years. Boys and Girls in America is getting high praise from critics and fans for its catchy, sometimes playful and raucous rock.

The Hold Steady

CD: Boys and Girls in America
Song: "Stuck Between Stations"
Label: Vagrant

Listen to "Stuck Between Stations"

Tom Waits has been crafting wildly imaginative and entirely original songs for more than 30 years, with one of the most distinctive voices in American music. He's about to release three new CDs in a single set called Orphans. The collection of 54 songs includes some of Waits' most experimental sounds.

Tom Waits

CD: Orphans
Song: "Bottom of the World"
Label: Anti

Listen to "Bottom of the World"

The Gothic Archies, one of Stephin Merritt's many musical projects, offer 13 quirky tunes to accompany the Lemony Snicket stories by Daniel Handler.

The Gothic Archies

CD: The Tragic Treasury
Song: "Shipwrecked"
Label: Nonesuch

Listen to "Shipwrecked"

White Flight is the music of Justin Roelofs. Based in Lawrence, KS, Roelofs plays most of the instruments on this self-titled recording he released on his own label. The music of White Flight is largely experimental with off-balanced poly-rhythms, electronics and strangely affected vocals.

White Flight

CD: White Flight
Song: "Pastora Divine"
Label: Rangeoflife

Listen to "Pastora Divine"

Watch a video of "Pastora Divine"


For more information on this band, visit the artist's Web site.

The Refugee All Stars are six Sierra Leonean musicians who've been living as refugees at a camp in the Republic of Guinea. They were forced from their homes during a civil war that began in 1991. Their struggle and ultimate solace found through music was the subject of a documentary film.

The Refugee All Stars

CD: Living Like A Refugee
Song: "Soda Soap"
Label: Anti

Listen to "Soda Soap"

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