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Music Reviews

Song Of The Day

Miss Murgatroid And Petra Haden: A Slow 'Fade'

Singer Petra Haden and infrequent collaborator Miss Murgatroid (a.k.a. photographer Alicia J. Rose) have composed a gorgeous ode to impermanence in "Fade Away," one of many dark, sublimely gorgeous pocket symphonies on the appropriately named Hearts and Daggers.

Fade Away

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The Ethereal, Ambient Sound Of 'Hearts Of Space'

Fresh Air

Hearts of Space began as a late night radio show out of San Francisco in 1973. Ten years later, it went national. The show has issued a series of albums to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

The Ethereal, Ambient Sound Of 'Hearts Of Space'

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Song Of The Day

Dent May And His Ukulele: Winningly Winking

A crooning throwback to an era of music in which boy bands were likely to be wearing matching sweater-vests, Dent May produces an infectiously enjoyable sound with the help of His Magnificent Ukulele. A Four Preps song from 1958, "26 Miles" gets a good-natured makeover from May and His Magnificent Ukulele.

26 Miles (Santa Catalina)

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Song Of The Day

Ani DiFranco: Beyond Mankind In 'The Atom'

Not many musicians possess the audacity to take on the entirety of existence as the topic for a single song, but Ani DiFranco has never been easily daunted, as "The Atom" demonstrates. Here, she offers up an appreciation for the fundamental building blocks of the universe in a track reverent enough to double as a prayer.

Atom

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Rock With A West African Twist

When pop stars collaborated with African musicians in the 1980s and '90s, they embraced sounds once heard as foreign and exotic. Now a new generation of American musicians is creating homegrown rock music with a West African twist.

Rock With A West African Twist

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World Cafe

Frightened Rabbit: Emotional Scottish Rock

XPN

Slowly stepping into the public spotlight after years spent honing their style and sound, the Scottish indie-rockers in Frightened Rabbit make music marked by emotional lyrics, lush instrumentation and catchy melodies.

Frightened Rabbit: Emotional Scottish Rock

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Elliott Carter at 100: A Trio of Tributes

Fresh Air

American composer Elliott Carter celebrates his 100th birthday this month, and three new CDs have been released in honor of the occasion. Fresh Air's classical music critic has a review.

Elliott Carter at 100: A Trio of Tributes

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Song Of The Day

Bobby Lounge: Finally, It's Time For 'Rudolph'

A pianist hammers out a jaunty intro that sounds familiar, yet seems hard to place. There are octave runs and an insistent bass line, as well as repeated chords that conjure up "Heart and Soul." Wait, could it be? It sure could, as Bobby Lounge begins yelping like Jerry Lee Lewis and singing words that everyone knows by heart: "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer / Ow, he had a shiny nose..."

'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer' by Bobby Lounge

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A 'Francophonic' Take On Congolese Pop

Though the Congolese music known as soukous was Africa's biggest pop-music style in the '70s and '80s, it only reached the U.S. in bits and pieces. But a new anthology by the musician known as Franco goes a long way toward completing the puzzle.

A 'Francophonic' Take On Congolese Pop

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Song Of The Day

Joplin's 'Bethena' Sounds As New As It Is Old

When Scott Joplin wrote "Bethena (A Concert Waltz)" in 1905, his wife of two months had just died; Bethena may well have been her nickname. Now, more than a century later, "Bethena" sounds as fresh as it if were written just minutes ago, a tender and heartfelt remembrance of a love lost.

Bethena (A Concert Waltz)

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