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Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros On World Cafe

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Myles Pettengill/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Myles Pettengill/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros On World Cafe

XPN

Singer Alex Ebert discusses the band's energy and describes how its members handle criticism from naysayers. Hear four songs from the joyful folk group's recent performance at the XPoNential Music Festival.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros On World Cafe

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For 'All Is Lost,' A Songwriter Embraces Silence

Alexander Ebert is best known for his band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, a folk band with a dozen members. His latest project is the score for All Is Lost, a film about one man lost at sea. Stewart Cole/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Stewart Cole/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

For 'All Is Lost,' A Songwriter Embraces Silence

Alexander Ebert is the singer and songwriter of the band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Now, he's also a film composer. He speaks with NPR about his work on All Is Lost, which stars Robert Redford as a solitary man lost at sea.

For 'All Is Lost,' A Songwriter Embraces Silence

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First Listen: 'Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros'

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros' new, self-titled album comes out July 23. Nora Kirkpatrick/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Nora Kirkpatrick/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: 'Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros'

On its third album, the band conveys joy amid massively unselfconscious celebrations of community and optimism. Throughout, singer Alex Ebert mixes mission-statement anthems with more hard-bitten tracks in which happiness goes hand-in-hand with the real-world struggles that make music meaningful.

'Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros'

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Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros On World Cafe

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Myles Pettengill hide caption

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Myles Pettengill

World Cafe

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros On World Cafe

XPN

Singer Alex Ebert explains the origin of the band's name, which evolved from a childhood superhero fantasy.

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros On World Cafe

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Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros Are 'Here'

"There is no character, you know?" Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' Alex Ebert says. "I'm trying to be the most open and powered-by-the-universe version of myself than I can summon." Julie Ling hide caption

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Julie Ling

Music Interviews

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros Are 'Here'

David Greene profiles the 12-member indie-folk band, which just released its second album, Here. It's the first of two albums the group will release this year.

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros Are 'Here'

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First Listen: Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, 'Here'

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' new album, Here, comes out May 29. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, 'Here'

Here finds singer Alex Ebert and company ruminating on and celebrating the aftermath of salvation. It's another collection of sweet songs that search, seek and ultimately revel in the best of what they find.

Hear 'Here' In Its Entirety

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Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros In Concert
John Bartol/WXPN

Live in Concert

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros In Concert

XPN

Hear the psychedelic folk band perform live from WXPN. Their sound calls to mind Polyphonic Spree and Bob Marley, but it's hard to pin a single genre on its psychedelic, bluegrass-inflected neo-folk.

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros In Concert

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Memorable Moments From The Tiny Desk

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros perform a Tiny Desk Concert in 2009. Coburn Dukehart/NPR hide caption

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Coburn Dukehart/NPR

All Songs Considered

Memorable Moments From The Tiny Desk

This week, All Songs Considered looks back at three and a half years of live music at the NPR offices.

Memorable Moments From The Tiny Desk

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Alexander Ebert On World Cafe

Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros plays live from his new solo record on today's World Cafe. Adarsha Benjamin/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Adarsha Benjamin/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Alexander Ebert On World Cafe

XPN

The charismatic leader of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros plays songs from his new solo album.

Alexander Ebert On World Cafe

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Highlights From The 2010 Newport Folk Festival

Review

All Songs Considered

Highlights From The 2010 Newport Folk Festival

We look back at some of the most memorable moments from this year's Newport Folk Festival. Hear samples from standout performances by John Prine, Jim James, Andrew Bird, The Swell Season and more.

Highlights From The 2010 Newport Folk Festival

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Interview: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
Lindsay Sanchez

All Songs Considered

Interview: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

Hear Alex Ebert on his amazement with the band's success and its connection to fans. The sprawling, 10-person traveling band plays jubilant sing-a-long songs and sits in jam circles with fans at just about any show.

Interview: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

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All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

The Best Music Of 2009

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

We could tell early on that 2009 was going to be an outstanding year for music. Here are the top 25, as selected by All Songs Considered listeners.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: Kindness And Clamor
courtesy of the artist

Review

Song Of The Day

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: Kindness And Clamor

As "Home" grows more clamorous and kind, it gets catchier, building to a freewheeling celebration rooted in unmistakable affection. It sounds terrific here, but when it's blown out in 360-degree live performance, "Home" is enough to make even the tiniest heart grow three sizes.

'Home' by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

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Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: Tiny Desk Concert
Coburn Dukehart/NPR

Tiny Desk

Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: Tiny Desk Concert

At 10 members, this is the biggest band ever to play a Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices. But singers Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos still find a way to command attention.

Audio Only: Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros' Tiny Desk Concert

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World Cafe

Edward Sharpe's Psychedelic Folk Troupe

XPN

They're a big outfit as indie bands go, but the 13-piece Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have created quite a buzz in Los Angeles, and in the indie world writ large, making excellent '60s-style folk-rock that could be called revivalist. With their converted school/tour bus, their back porch acoustics and their almost communal air, this is one band not to miss.

Edward Sharpe's Psychedelic Folk Troupe

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