Unknown Mortal Orchestra Unknown Mortal Orchestra artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Saturday March 18, 2023

Unknown Mortal Orchestra takes on family and the free breeze of '80s-oriented rock on new double album, "V." Juan Ortiz-Arenas/Unknown Mortal Orchestra hide caption

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Juan Ortiz-Arenas/Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Music

Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Ruban Nielson on the family-inspired new album 'V'

March 18, 2023 • NPR's Scott Simon talks to Ruban Nielson of Unknown Mortal Orchestra about "V," a new album reflecting on family and sunshine with a 1980s rock flare.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Ruban Nielson on the family-inspired new album 'V'

Listen · 8:06 8:06

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Transcript

Thursday February 8, 2018

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Announces 'Sex & Food' With A Fuzzy Rager

A still from Unknown Mortal Orchestra's "American Guilt" video. YouTube hide caption

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YouTube

All Songs Considered

Unknown Mortal Orchestra Announces 'Sex & Food' With A Fuzzy Rager

February 8, 2018 • Ruban Nielson really puts some stank on "American Guilt," which, if you're going to call your new album Sex & Food, maybe is a requirement.

Tuesday March 15, 2016

Unknown Mortal Orchestra performs at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Breanna Keohane/WXPN hide caption

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Breanna Keohane/WXPN

World Cafe

Unknown Mortal Orchestra On World Cafe

XPN

March 15, 2016 • Hear a rare acoustic session including songs from the band's most recent album, Multi-Love.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra On World Cafe

24:22

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Thursday July 16, 2015

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 'Can't Keep Checking My Phone'

Unknown Mortal Orchestra performs live in the WFUV studio. WFUV hide caption

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WFUV

Favorite Sessions

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 'Can't Keep Checking My Phone'

WFUV

July 16, 2015 • This summer's jangliest tune, "Can't Keep Checking My Phone," is brought to you by chronic insomnia and a complex love triangle.

Sunday May 17, 2015

Review: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 'Multi-Love'

Unknown Mortal Orchestra's new album, Multi-Love, comes out May 26. Dusdin Condren/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Dusdin Condren/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 'Multi-Love'

May 17, 2015 • Inspired by a complex relationship in his past, frontman Ruban Nielson makes his sweetest, catchiest, most impeccably crafted music yet.

Friday January 24, 2014

Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Unknown Mortal Orchestra On World Cafe

XPN

January 24, 2014 • Ruban Nielson talks about his passion for electronics and performs songs from his new album, II.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra On World Cafe

23:45

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Wednesday May 29, 2013

Unknown Mortal Orchestra performs live at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 27, 2013. Lizzie Chen/NPR Music hide caption

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Lizzie Chen/NPR Music

Front Row

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: NPR Front Row

May 29, 2013 • Watch the band perform "No Need for a Leader," a tremendous cocktail of riff-rock and Black Sabbath-style psychedelia, recorded live at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Thursday February 28, 2013

Unknown Mortal Orchestra performs live at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. Lizzie Chen/NPR Music hide caption

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Lizzie Chen/NPR Music

Live in Concert

Unknown Mortal Orchestra In Concert

February 28, 2013 • Hear the psych-rock trio douse a sold-out Washington, D.C., crowd in an epic wash of guitar noise during an hour-long performance at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra In Concert

Listen · 57:59 57:59

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Tuesday February 19, 2013

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Solo And Acoustic

Ruban Nielson of Unknown Mortal Orchestra performs for opbmusic. opbmusic hide caption

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opbmusic

Favorite Sessions

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Solo And Acoustic

OPB

February 19, 2013 • Ruban Nielson is the voice behind Portland's Unknown Mortal Orchestra. In this studio session recorded at opbmusic, Nielson strips away his music's accoutrements and sticks to an acoustic six-string.