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Bob Boilen Bob Boilen is the creator and host of NPR's All Songs Considered.
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Bob Boilen
First Listen: Midlake's 'The Courage Of Others'

Review

Music Articles

First Listen: Midlake's 'The Courage Of Others'

This is one deep, dark, beautiful record. Midlake has been working on The Courage of Others for a few years now, even scrapping it all entirely at one point. The band stopped touring in 2007, in part, to make this album — and now, for the first time in almost three years, it's finally ready. A gentle masterwork, it's available here in its entirety for the week leading up to its release on Feb. 2.

Hear Midlake's 'Courage Of Others'

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La Cumbiamba eNeYe: GlobalFEST 2010

La Cumbiamba eNeYe. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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La Cumbiamba eNeYe: GlobalFEST 2010

Originally from Colombia but now based in New York, La Cumbiamba eNeYe cooked up a dance party at Webster Hall in New York City on Jan. 10. The fusion of Colombian sounds made for a festive atmosphere from the moment the band took the stage.

La Cumbiamba eNeYe: GlobalFEST 2010

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Cedric Watson In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

Cedric Wilson. Photo courtesy of artist hide caption

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Cedric Watson In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

As a singer-songwriter growing up in the hills of east Texas, Cedric Watson took an interest in Cajun music that made him want to learn the fiddle and accordion. Watson moved to Lafayette, La., to learn zydeco music. There, he played amongst the Creole community, and eventually formed his own band, Bijoux Creole. Hear Watson's gripping zydeco music, recorded live at New York City's GlobalFEST on Jan. 10.

Cedric Wilson In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

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Alif Naaba In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

globalFEST

Alif Naaba In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

Naaba opened GlobalFEST 2010 in New York City on Jan. 10, and his was a welcoming voice — warm and friendly. His spirit was infectious and the music made the crowd at Webster Hall smile and sing along, and that was after only a few minutes of hearing "The Barefoot Prince" perform.

Alif Naaba In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

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Nguyen Le In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

globalFEST

Nguyen Le In Concert: GlobalFEST 2010

At GlobalFEST in New York City on Jan. 10, Nguyen Le's group made some of the best music Bob Boilen heard that day. There, the performer cut a small figure, but with a mighty electric-guitar sound. It helped that he was flanked by the extraordinary Mieko Miyazaki on koto (a zither-like Japanese stringed instrument) and Prabhu Edouard on tabla.

Nguyen Le In Concert At GlobalFEST 2010

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The Kinks Choral Concert
Bob Boilen

Live in Concert

The Kinks Choral Concert

For some diehard Kinks fans, the idea of mixing the band's classic songs with a full choir had little appeal. One of those fans, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen, was dubious, before he heard the results on the latest CD from Kinks frontman Ray Davies, The Kinks Choral Collection. Boilen was part of a rapt audience at a Nov. 20 performance of the songs, recorded live in New York, by Ray Davies and the Dessoff Chamber Choir. Hear that show in its entirety here.

The Kinks Choral Concert

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Exclusive First Listen: Laura Veirs
David Belisle

First Listen

Exclusive First Listen: Laura Veirs

Veirs' latest release, July Flame, is a stripped-down album, using atmosphere and tension as the connective tissue for the songs. Veirs says she was in a writing slump going into this record, so she challenged herself with odd tunings on her nylon-string guitar. She dug deep inside for inspiration, did away with her full band for most of the album and wrote many of these tracks in her barn in Portland, Ore.

Exclusive First Listen: Laura Veirs

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