courtesy of the artist First Listen Exclusive First Listen: Yo La Tengo XPN September 1, 2009 • One of America's most influential and captivating rock bands, Hoboken, N.J.'s Yo La Tengo celebrates its 25th anniversary with the release of Popular Songs, which continues the trio's tradition of balancing soft acoustic pop with dark, enthralling rock. Hear the album in its entirety here, for the week prior to its release on Sept. 8. Exclusive First Listen: Yo La Tengo Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/112333045/112313064" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Exclusive First Listen: Yo La Tengo Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/112333045/112313064" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Review Song Of The Day Silky Strings and Girl-Group Rhythms XPN January 11, 2008 • In "Maybe Tonight," Nicole Atkins' robust, sultry voice conveys vulnerability and confrontation, seemingly without effort. Imagine if Patsy Cline led The Shangri-Las, or if k.d. lang had been raised on Bruce Springsteen and '80s hair-metal instead of country music. 'Maybe Tonight' by Nicole Atkins Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18019465/18004053" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'Maybe Tonight' by Nicole Atkins Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/18019465/18004053" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Review Song Of The Day Dead Confederate: The South Does It Again XPN December 19, 2007 • Dead Confederate's "The Rat" opens with a throbbing guitar blast over tribal rhythms before settling into a seductive but riotous groove. Like Radiohead's "Creep" or U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky," the song builds and bursts with passion. 'The Rat' by Dead Confederate Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17398283/17384680" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'The Rat' by Dead Confederate Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17398283/17384680" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Best Music of 2007 The Top 10 Debuts of 2007, from WXPN XPN December 19, 2007 • From French electronica and melancholy songwriters to worldly, eccentric indie-rock, here are 10 of this year's best debut albums, as chosen by Bruce Warren, executive producer of WXPN's World Cafe.
Review Song Of The Day A Joyous 'Trip' from Start to Finish May 14, 2007 • Dr. Dog's "Worst Trip" combines classic rock with indie-pop and soul; its universal, accessible sound seems modern while recalling Todd Rundgren, The Band and The Kinks. Mostly, though, its captivating pop hooks and lush instrumentation lead back to the Beatles, and John Lennon in particular.
Review Song Of The Day A Compassionate Call to Come Back April 27, 2007 • Much of the material on Lucinda Williams' West was inspired by the death of her mother, as well as a bitter breakup. The album's heartsick "Are You Alright?" functions as either a post-breakup lament or a tribute to a lost loved one, or possibly both.
Review Song Of The Day The Shangri-Las Meet The Supremes April 17, 2007 • Amy Winehouse is a young Londoner who draws on the musical past while telling tales about love and ex-lovers. She combines '60s R&B and soul, blues and jazz. With a stack of black hair, an athletic trainer's body and a unique personal style, her look is as arresting as her subject matter.
Review Song Of The Day A Premature Proclamation of Hip-Hop's Demise February 27, 2007 • It's audacious to declare the end of an entire musical subculture, and downright outrageous to do so when it's your musical subculture. With "Hip Hop Is Dead," Nas attempts to steer the genre in new directions while reasserting his status as one of its foremost personalities.
Review Song Of The Day A Rock Supergroup Gets Sublimely Mysterious February 1, 2007 • An ominous track in a musical class of its own, "Herculean" is the product of an eccentric and sublime collection of talent, including members of Blur, Gnarls Barkley and The Clash. Though much of its membership finds its roots in rock, The Good, The Bad & The Queen opts for subtler ambience.
Review Song Of The Day Transcending Desire, Finding Desperation January 24, 2007 • The tone of The Twilight Singers' "Live with Me" moves beyond that of a simple lover's plea: Over an ominous slide guitar, washes of electric guitars and a pulsing backbeat, the vibe gets pushed into ever more unnerving territory, thanks to two great singers who know their way around it.
Review Song Of The Day A Musical Christmas (and Birthday) Present December 22, 2006 • Being born around Christmas has its drawbacks, but at least now holiday babies can revel in their own anthem, courtesy of The Slip. A whirling, jangly rock song distinguished by its Steely Dan-esque lyrical and musical manner, "Children of December" employs quirky pop-cultural wordplay.
Review Song Of The Day Summoning Pure Bliss, One Beat at a Time December 15, 2006 • Fujiya & Miyagi isn't a duo, and its members aren't named Fujiya or Miyagi. A U.K. trio consisting of David Best (Miyagi), Steve Lewis (Fujiya) and Matt Hainsby (the ampersand), the group mixes the minimalist beats of Krautrock bands like Can, the angular new-wave guitars of Wire and the swirling electronica of Aphex Twin.
Review Song Of The Day A Three-Minute Blast of Rock and Electronics November 30, 2006 • Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner, who perform as Ghostland Observatory, play electronica with the ferocity of great rock 'n' roll. The Austin duo's music presents a beguiling synthesis of new-wave-influenced bands like The Rapture and the progressive dance-floor musings of Daft Punk.
Review Song Of The Day A 28-Year Absence Gets Washed Away November 22, 2006 • Most famously known as Cat Stevens, the folk songwriter returns under the name Yusuf Islam. On An Other Cup, his first album of pop songs since 1978, it's as if the man who wrote "Morning Has Broken" never missed a step.
Review Song Of The Day Nelson and Adams, Spanning Eras Seamlessly November 7, 2006 • A concert favorite of Deadheads, "Stella Blue" doesn't seem like natural turf for Willie Nelson and producer Ryan Adams, but the cover plays out as a guitar-soaked country power ballad, with Nelson digging into the vocal with longing and resignation as Adams lays down guitar feedback.
