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Music Reviews Music reviews of new albums in pop, rock, folk, jazz, blues, classical, world, and hip-hop.

Music reviews

'Foly!' from Mali's Habib Koite

Malian guitarist Habib Koite issues a new live album, Foly!. The double-disc release is an attempt to capture the flavor of Koite's live performances, which bring out the many influences in his blend of Afro-pop, from jazz to classical and rock. Music critic Banning Eyre has a review.

'Foly!' from Mali's Habib Koite

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Music Review: 'Margerine Eclipse' from Stereolab

The electronic-pop group Stereolab releases its first full-length CD since losing a core member to a cycling accident. The new album is called Margerine Eclipse. Critic Tom Moon has a review.

Music Review: 'Margerine Eclipse' from Stereolab

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Rock History: Television

Fresh Air

Rock historian Ed Ward looks at the early days of the Neon Boys who became the band Television. The "lost" third album by Television has just come out on CD — a 25-year old live broadcast, and their first two albums have just been remastered.

Rock History: Television

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Music Review: 'Cuckooland' from Robert Wyatt

Robert Wyatt releases his first CD in six years, Cuckooland. Wyatt is joined on the new CD by Brian Eno, David Gilmour and Wyatt's wife, Alfreda Benge, who co-wrote many of the songs. David Greenberger has a review.

Music Review: 'Cuckooland' from Robert Wyatt

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Music Review: 'Simple Truths' from the Holmes Brothers

The three Holmes Brothers have been playing music since 1979, a mix of gospel and blues — particularly electric blues. Their new CD, Simple Truths, features both originals and songs by Willie Nelson, Hank Williams and Bob Marley. Grammy-winning producer Craig Street, who has worked with Norah Jones and Cassandra Wilson, produced the record. Meredith Ochs has a review.

Music Review: 'Simple Truths' from the Holmes Brothers

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Joshua Bell's New 'Romance'

Joshua Bell plays a Stradivarius violin built in 1713 that's been notoriously stolen a few times. On his latest CD, the young virtuoso borrows a few great classical melodies and transposes them. He discusses his results with NPR's Liane Hansen.

Joshua Bell's New 'Romance'

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'Charlie Brown Christmas' Keeps Giving

Music critic Michelle Mercer reflects on the music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. For Mercer, the jazz tunes are sound of the holidays, and they reflect some of the season's less-cheerful sentiments.

'Charlie Brown Christmas' Keeps Giving

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Music Review: 'Hello Starling' from Josh Ritter

Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter's new CD, Hello Starling, has drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan. The CD, Ritter's second, offers songs that use basic, acoustic, instrumentation to back up Ritter's introspective lyrics. Meredith Ochs has a review.

Music Review: 'Hello Starling' from Josh Ritter

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Violinist Mixes Improv Into Baroque Sonata

Violinist Andrew Manze and harpsichordist Richard Egarr take a sonata by Arcangelo Corelli into new territory — at least for modern audiences. Manze improvises within Corelli's score, as he believes was common practice when it was performed in 1700. Manze and Eggar's new CD is called Corelli Violin Sonatas, Op. 5. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and NPR's Fred Child.

Violinist Mixes Improv Into Baroque Sonata

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Prefuse 73's 'One-Word Extinguisher'

Prefuse 73 is one alter ego of the musician and producer Scott Herren. Herren hails from Atlanta but now lives in Spain, where he makes hip-hop music that is far removed from the slickly produced hits of mainstream artists like 50 Cent and Eminem. Will Hermes has a review.

Prefuse 73's 'One-Word Extinguisher'

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