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NPR Music's No. 1 Albums And Songs Of August

Clockwise from upper left: Bartees Strange, Kelly Lee Owens, Bright Eyes, Victoria Monét. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

NPR Music's No. 1 Albums And Songs Of August

On this edition of All Songs Considered, we pick our favorite music released in August 2020, featuring everything from the genre-busting indie rock of Bartees Strange and Victoria Monét's layered R&B to the return of Bright Eyes.

NPR Music's No. 1 Albums And Songs Of August

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How The Past 10 Years Shaped The First New Bright Eyes Record In Almost A Decade

Bright Eyes Danny Cohen /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Danny Cohen /Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

How The Past 10 Years Shaped The First New Bright Eyes Record In Almost A Decade

XPN

Bright Eyes performs new songs off Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was and talks about finding bagpipe players for "Persona Non Grata" and remembering loved ones in the minutiae of experience.

Bright Eyes On World Cafe

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New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On August 21

The rapper, singer and New York Times bestselling author Lecrae. His latest release, Restoration, is on our shortlist for the best new albums out on Aug. 21. Alex Harper/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On August 21

NPR Music's shortlist for the best new albums out this week includes the first full-length from Bright Eyes in nearly a decade, the rapper Lecrae, U.K. jazz wonder Nubya Garcia and more.

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On August 21

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New Mix: Bright Eyes, Jónsi, Nils Frahm, More

Clockwise from upper left: Bright Eyes, Nils Frahm, Ela Minus, Jónsi, Noveller Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Mix: Bright Eyes, Jónsi, Nils Frahm, More

This week's must-hear mix includes the long-awaited return of Jónsi and Bright Eyes, some quietude from pianist Nils Frahm and some great unknowns, including Ela MInus and Noveller.

New Mix: Bright Eyes, Jónsi, Nils Frahm, More

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Better Oblivion Community Center, A Project Built On Mutual Fandom

Better Oblivion Community Center Nick Freitas/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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World Cafe

Better Oblivion Community Center, A Project Built On Mutual Fandom

XPN

What could be better than a new project built on the friendship of two World Cafe favorites, Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst?

Better Oblivion Community Center On World Cafe

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Love Songs You Love To Love

Clockwise from upper left: Bright Eyes, Ed Sheeran, Louis Armstrong, Etta James, Peter Gabriel Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Love Songs You Love To Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, we asked for your ideal romantic songs. On this week's All Songs Considered, we count down the 10 most popular tunes that make you swoon.

Love Songs You Love To Love

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All Songs At 15: The Near Disaster Of Our First Live Concert Webcast

Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes in January, 2005. Cara Bloch/The Hell Gate/Corbis hide caption

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All Songs Considered

All Songs At 15: The Near Disaster Of Our First Live Concert Webcast

On this week's throwback Thursday, we look back to the year 2005 and the first time we ever tried to webcast a live concert. The band was Bright Eyes; things did not go exactly as planned.

All Songs At 15: The Near Disaster Of Our First Live Concert Webcast

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Music Interviews

Bright Eyes: The Mellowing of a Protest Singer

Conor Oberst, lead singer of Bright Eyes, captured public attention as a protest singer with artistic ambitions. At 27, he seems to have mellowed. "Make a Plan to Love Me" is a gentle throwback to the '60s.

Bright Eyes: The Mellowing of a Protest Singer

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Top Music Picks for 2005

The Best Music of 2005 Countdown

All Songs Considered counts down the year’s best music. Host Bob Boilen talks with reviewers and listeners about their picks for the best CDs and songs of 2005. The show was originally webcast live on NPR.org

The Best Music of 2005 Countdown

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Music Interviews

A Chat with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes

NPR's Melissa Block talks to Conor Oberst about his two new CDs with Bright Eyes. Oberst is from Omaha, Neb., where he has built a reputation as a great songwriter and poet and carved an odd success story. Bright Eyes refuses to record for major labels, shuns corporate radio and won't play venues owned by Clear Channel Communications. The two new CDs, out Jan. 25, are titled I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn.

A Chat with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes

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Live in Concert

Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band In Concert

Best known as the prolific and gifted frontman for the country-rock band Bright Eyes, Oberst ventured out on his own this summer. He released his first solo album in more than a decade: an eponymous sketchbook of introspective folk and rock, steeped in Americana. The new collection of songs are the centerpiece of a full concert by Oberst and his backing group, The Mystic Valley Band, recorded live from the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

Conor Oberst In Concert

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NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums Of 2011

50 Favorites Of 2011: B-E

This year was about changing perspectives. American string quartet Brooklyn Rider revealed a warmer Philip Glass and France's Ebène Quartet found a common thread from Mozart to Bruce Springsteen. Demdike Stare proved that dark techno can be breathtakingly beautiful and Conor Oberst reinvented himself as a rock star. The list of our 50 favorite records of 2011 continues with Bright Eyes, Brooklyn Rider and more artists from B to E.

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