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Music Reviews

'Land of 1000 Dances' Chronicles The History Of Rampart Records Label

Rampart Records documented L.A.'s Eastside Sound during a fertile period of interracial collaboration from the 1960s through the early 1990s. Now, some of that music has been reissued.

'Land of 1000 Dances' Chronicles The History Of Rampart Records Label

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Powerful Lungs And Long-Spun Lines: Cecilia Bartoli Conjures Farinelli

Cecilia Bartoli explores ideas of gender fluidity on her new album, devoted to music written for the great castrato singer Farinelli. Bartoli says that, like him, she's always transforming herself on stage. Uli Weber/Decca hide caption

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Uli Weber/Decca

Deceptive Cadence

Powerful Lungs And Long-Spun Lines: Cecilia Bartoli Conjures Farinelli

On her new album, the restless Italian opera star sings virtuoso music composed for Farinelli, the greatest of the baroque castratos.

Powerful Lungs And Long-Spun Lines: Cecilia Bartoli Conjures Farinelli

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Beck's 'Hyperspace' Is A Technicolor Breakup Album (With Beats By Pharrell)

Beck's 14th album, Hyperspace, is out Nov. 22. Mikai Karl/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Mikai Karl/Courtesy of the artist

Beck's 'Hyperspace' Is A Technicolor Breakup Album (With Beats By Pharrell)

Fans have come to know two sides of Beck — the moody balladeer and the peppy funk surrealist. His latest is a dizzying hybrid of the two, born from the emotional havoc of a midlife divorce.

Hear More: Beck On Weekend Edition

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Erroll Garner's 'A Night At The Movies' Reissue Radiates Joy

Fresh Air

The late jazz pianist spins out new and old melodies and cracks little musical jokes on a new series of reissues representing albums he recorded for various labels between '59 and '73.

Erroll Garner's 'A Night At The Movies' Reissue Radiates Joy

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DaBaby's Humor-Infused 'Kirk' Is Among 2019's Best Hip-Hop Albums

Fresh Air

Few rappers have been as entertaining to listen to this year as DaBaby. In the often hyper-masculine context of hip-hop, his new album proves he's not afraid to be goofy.

DaBaby's Humor-Infused 'Kirk' Is Among 2019's Best Hip-Hop Albums

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Josh Homme's Rotating Supergroup The Desert Sessions Returns For 'Vols. 11 & 12'

Josh Homme's The Desert Sessions brought together an all-star line-up of rock legends to collaborate. Andreas Neumann/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Andreas Neumann/Courtesy of the artist

Josh Homme's Rotating Supergroup The Desert Sessions Returns For 'Vols. 11 & 12'

Musicians on the Queens of the Stone Age frontman-led album include ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Primus' Les Claypool.

Josh Homme's Rotating Supergroup The Desert Sessions Returns For 'Vols. 11 & 12'

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Reissue Captures Nat King Cole Before He Broke Through To Mainstream

Fresh Air

Early in his career, Cole formed a trio with guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Wesley Prince. Hittin' the Ramp, a new 7-CD roundup, showcases the band that help catapult Cole to stardom.

Reissue Captures Nat King Cole Before He Broke Through To Mainstream

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Gang Starr's 'One Of The Best Yet' Is A Welcome Throwback To An Earlier Rap Era

Hip hop duo Gang Starr broke up in the mid-2000s and in 2010, MC Guru died. So fans were surprised by the announcement of a new, posthumous album called One Of The Best Yet.

Gang Starr's 'One Of The Best Yet' Is A Welcome Throwback To An Earlier Rap Era

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Jon Pardi's 'Heartache Medication' Offers A Healthy Dose Of Traditional Country

Fresh Air

Country music has take a turn towards pop of late, but Pardi's new album goes back to the genre's roots, with a collection of excellent honky-tonk songs — many of which are about booze.

Jon Pardi's 'Heartache Medication' Offers A Healthy Dose Of Traditional Country

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Kanye West's 'Jesus Is King,' Like Its Creator, Asks A Little Too Much Of Us

Kanye West onstage during his Jesus Is King album and film event at The Forum on Oct. 23, 2019 in Inglewood, California. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ABA hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ABA

Kanye West's 'Jesus Is King,' Like Its Creator, Asks A Little Too Much Of Us

There are moments of inspired magic on West's gospel-flavored ninth album, and moments that sound ill-considered and slapped together. Those extremes feel like the story of his recent career.

Lakou Mizik Explores Haiti's Centuries-Old Connections With New Orleans In 2nd Album

Haitian band Lakou Mizik is out with its second album — a dazzling set of collaborations with New Orleans musicians, celebrating the close musical and cultural ties between the two places.

Lakou Mizik Explores Haiti's Centuries-Old Connections With New Orleans In 2nd Album

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Indian Percussion Infuses 'Good Hope' With Complex, Crossfire Beats

Fresh Air

Indian percussionist Zakir Hussain joins with saxophonist Dave Holland and bassist Chris Potter on a new album that that's clear and confident, with plenty of fire.

Indian Percussion Infuses 'Good Hope' With Complex, Crossfire Beats

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