Music Reviews http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1104&ft=1&f=1104 Music reviews of the best new albums in pop, rock, folk, jazz, blues, classical, world, and urban music. Song of the day, artist interviews, video sessions, and album reviews. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Tue, 21 May 2013 16:40:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Music Reviews http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1104&ft=1&f=1104 Pat Metheny And John Zorn: A Vivid Sound World The two artists are known opposites in the world of instrumental music. On Metheny's latest, the jazz guitarist wrings an unexpectedly visual listening experience from Zorn's knotty compositions. Tue, 21 May 2013 16:40:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/21/185824573/pat-metheny-and-john-zorn-a-vivid-sound-world?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/21/185824573/pat-metheny-and-john-zorn-a-vivid-sound-world?ft=1&f=1104 The two artists are known opposites in the world of instrumental music. On Metheny's latest, the jazz guitarist wrings an unexpectedly visual listening experience from Zorn's knotty compositions.

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]]> Aesop Rock And Kimya Dawson Showcase Their Strengths As The Uncluded, the two cancel each other's weaknesses — Dawson gains heft, while Aesop Rock lightens up. Critic Robert Christgau says the collaborative album is almost like two halves of a whole. Mon, 20 May 2013 15:15:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/183924031/aesop-rock-and-kimya-dawson-showcase-their-strengths?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/183924031/aesop-rock-and-kimya-dawson-showcase-their-strengths?ft=1&f=1104 As The Uncluded, the two cancel each other's weaknesses — Dawson gains heft, while Aesop Rock lightens up. Critic Robert Christgau says the collaborative album is almost like two halves of a whole.

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]]> Sarah Vaughan: A New Box Set Revels In Glorious Imperfections <em>Divine: The Jazz Albums, 1954-1958</em> packs four CDs with Vaughan's music, recorded live or in the studio with bands big and small. Two live albums from Chicago nightclubs are standouts, partly when a performance threatens to slide off the rails. Mon, 20 May 2013 12:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/179869404/sarah-vaughan-a-new-box-set-revels-in-glorious-imperfections?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/179869404/sarah-vaughan-a-new-box-set-revels-in-glorious-imperfections?ft=1&f=1104 Divine: The Jazz Albums, 1954-1958 packs four CDs with Vaughan's music, recorded live or in the studio with bands big and small. Two live albums from Chicago nightclubs are standouts, partly when a performance threatens to slide off the rails.

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]]> Jerry Lee Lewis: Live, Singing As If Life Depended On It In 1958, Lewis suffered a precipitous decline in popularity when people learned that his new wife was not only 13, but also his cousin. Nobody would touch his records. Then, in 1963, he signed a deal with Smash and it looked like things were getting better. Fri, 17 May 2013 13:27:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/182022948/jerry-lee-lewis-live-singing-as-if-life-depended-on-it?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/182022948/jerry-lee-lewis-live-singing-as-if-life-depended-on-it?ft=1&f=1104 In 1958, Lewis suffered a precipitous decline in popularity when people learned that his new wife was not only 13, but also his cousin. Nobody would touch his records. Then, in 1963, he signed a deal with Smash and it looked like things were getting better.

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]]> 100 Years Of Woody Herman: The Early Bloomer Who Kept Blooming In a career that ran from the 1930s into the 1980s, and included work in big bands and rock 'n' roll, the clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader changed to reflect the times. Herman would have turned 100 on May 16. Thu, 16 May 2013 12:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/16/179864519/100-years-of-woody-herman-the-early-bloomer-who-kept-blooming?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/16/179864519/100-years-of-woody-herman-the-early-bloomer-who-kept-blooming?ft=1&f=1104 In a career that ran from the 1930s into the 1980s, and included work in big bands and rock 'n' roll, the clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader changed to reflect the times. Herman would have turned 100 on May 16.

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]]> Laura Mvula's Velvet 'Moon' Is A Revelation Mvula's debut is ambitiously distinct and confident, as if she and her band had perfected their sound years ago but only now decided to share it with everyone else. Wed, 15 May 2013 15:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184189010/laura-mvulas-velvet-moon-is-a-revelation?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184189010/laura-mvulas-velvet-moon-is-a-revelation?ft=1&f=1104 Mvula's debut is ambitiously distinct and confident, as if she and her band had perfected their sound years ago but only now decided to share it with everyone else.

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]]> Bing Crosby: From The Vaults, Surprising Breadth Four albums of reissues and archival recordings from Crosby's own vaults are getting a high-profile release; they demonstrate that his influence on modern singing is so huge, we barely notice it anymore. He could sing anything from Latin to Hawaiian to The Great American Songbook. Mon, 13 May 2013 12:20:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/13/176954778/bing-crosby-from-the-vaults-surprising-breadth?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/13/176954778/bing-crosby-from-the-vaults-surprising-breadth?ft=1&f=1104 Four albums of reissues and archival recordings from Crosby's own vaults are getting a high-profile release; they demonstrate that his influence on modern singing is so huge, we barely notice it anymore. He could sing anything from Latin to Hawaiian to The Great American Songbook.

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]]> On Two New R&B Albums, An Old Soul Sound That Glows New York's Charles Bradley and London's James Hunter Six both mix inspiration and replication. Wed, 08 May 2013 15:55:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/182310396/on-two-new-r-b-albums-an-old-soul-sound-that-glows?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/182310396/on-two-new-r-b-albums-an-old-soul-sound-that-glows?ft=1&f=1104 New York's Charles Bradley and London's James Hunter Six both mix inspiration and replication.

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]]> Natalie Maines: A Country-Music Rebel Rocks On Her Own On <em>Mother,</em> Maines' first solo record,<em> </em>the singer moves beyond the music that propelled her to fame as a member of the Dixie Chicks. It features an assortment of pop and rock covers, including a reworking of the Pink Floyd song that lends the album its title. Wed, 08 May 2013 11:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/181985940/natalie-maines-a-country-music-rebel-rocks-on-her-own?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/181985940/natalie-maines-a-country-music-rebel-rocks-on-her-own?ft=1&f=1104 On Mother, Maines' first solo record, the singer moves beyond the music that propelled her to fame as a member of the Dixie Chicks. It features an assortment of pop and rock covers, including a reworking of the Pink Floyd song that lends the album its title.

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]]> Pistol Annies: Plain Truths, Sharp Humor, Three-Part Harmony The latest album from the trio of Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe unites three distinct perspectives from some of the strongest voices in country music. Tue, 07 May 2013 15:48:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/07/181931285/pistol-annies-plain-truths-sharp-humor-three-part-harmony?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/07/181931285/pistol-annies-plain-truths-sharp-humor-three-part-harmony?ft=1&f=1104 The latest album from the trio of Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe unites three distinct perspectives from some of the strongest voices in country music.

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]]> Caitlin Rose: A Singer Grounded In The Details Of Yearning Dubbed a country singer by virtue of her Nashville base, Rose sounds more like a pop vocalist on <em>The Stand-In</em>. Drawing inspiration from Roy Orbison, Carlene Carter and countless others, Rose knows it takes an assured performer to sell the notion of vulnerability over the long haul. Mon, 06 May 2013 11:38:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/06/173520166/caitlin-rose-a-singer-grounded-in-the-details-of-yearning?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/06/173520166/caitlin-rose-a-singer-grounded-in-the-details-of-yearning?ft=1&f=1104 Dubbed a country singer by virtue of her Nashville base, Rose sounds more like a pop vocalist on The Stand-In. Drawing inspiration from Roy Orbison, Carlene Carter and countless others, Rose knows it takes an assured performer to sell the notion of vulnerability over the long haul.

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]]> Marc Ribot Isn't Trying To Comfort Anyone Marc Ribot has spent nearly three decades as a guitarist on the margins. Critic Robert Christgau explains why Ribot's new hard-rock album with Ceramic Dog ranks among his most daring pieces of music. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:52:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/30/180044176/marc-ribot-isnt-trying-to-comfort-anyone?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/30/180044176/marc-ribot-isnt-trying-to-comfort-anyone?ft=1&f=1104 Marc Ribot has spent nearly three decades as a guitarist on the margins. Critic Robert Christgau explains why Ribot's new hard-rock album with Ceramic Dog ranks among his most daring pieces of music.

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]]> Jonny Fritz: A Country Jester Gets Personal On his new album, <em>Dad Country</em>, the Nashville singer-songwriter emerges from behind the moniker Jonny Corndawg to reveal a more serious side. In several songs on the new record, he draws on a year he spent trying to salvage a relationship. Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:28:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/179020305/jonny-fritz-a-country-jester-gets-personal?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/179020305/jonny-fritz-a-country-jester-gets-personal?ft=1&f=1104 On his new album, Dad Country, the Nashville singer-songwriter emerges from behind the moniker Jonny Corndawg to reveal a more serious side. In several songs on the new record, he draws on a year he spent trying to salvage a relationship.

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]]> Music We Love Now: Three Must-Hear Piano Albums The young Ingolf Wunder shines in Mozart, Jorge Federico Osorio reintroduces a Mexican classic and Elisveta Blumina reveals the gentle side of Valentine Silvestrov in three compelling new piano recordings. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2013/04/22/178465549/music-we-love-now-three-must-hear-piano-albums?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2013/04/22/178465549/music-we-love-now-three-must-hear-piano-albums?ft=1&f=1104 The young Ingolf Wunder shines in Mozart, Jorge Federico Osorio reintroduces a Mexican classic and Elisveta Blumina reveals the gentle side of Valentine Silvestrov in three compelling new piano recordings.

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]]> Dawes' Story Gets A Fine New Chapter The L.A. roots-rock quartet is often described as a band on the verge of greatness. Its new album, <em>Stories Don't End</em>, features disarmingly beautiful, refreshingly unflashy songwriting. It may not make the musicians superstars, but that's just fine. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:04:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/178420759/dawes-story-gets-a-fine-new-chapter?ft=1&f=1104 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/178420759/dawes-story-gets-a-fine-new-chapter?ft=1&f=1104 The L.A. roots-rock quartet is often described as a band on the verge of greatness. Its new album, Stories Don't End, features disarmingly beautiful, refreshingly unflashy songwriting. It may not make the musicians superstars, but that's just fine.

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