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Music Reviews

Roger And Brian Eno's First Album Together Comes At The Perfect Time

Mixing Colours is Roger and Brian Eno's first release as a duo. Bee Eno and Mary Evers/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Bee Eno and Mary Evers/Courtesy of the artist

Roger And Brian Eno's First Album Together Comes At The Perfect Time

Brothers Brian and Roger Eno have spent decades making music separately, but Mixing Colours is their first release as a duo. Tom Moon writes that its ambient calm offers sanctuary for these times.

Roger And Brian Eno's First Album Together Comes At The Perfect Time

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Jazz Guitarist Jeff Parker Crosses Musical Genres On 'Suite For Max Brown'

Fresh Air

Parker's breezy new album, which mixes live music with vintage synthesizers, draws on R&B, early hip-hop, droning electronica, jazz-funk, Afropop and flailing '60s-rock solos.

Jazz Guitarist Jeff Parker Crosses Musical Genres On 'Suite For Max Brown'

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K-Pop Band BTS Proves Its Skill And Influence On 'Map Of The Soul: 7'

Fresh Air

BTS' new record features songs that vary from grandly dramatic to impishly playful. The album's been a near-instant hit, selling over 2 million copies in its first two hours of release in South Korea.

K-Pop Band BTS Proves Its Skill And Influence On 'Map Of The Soul: 7'

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On 'I Think I'm Good,' Kassa Overall Expands The Realm Of Jazz/Hip-Hop Fusion

Kassa Overall calls himself a "backpack jazz producer." He recorded his new album I Think I'm Good by capturing free-form jazz exploration and then chopping the recordings on his laptop. Spencer Ostrander/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Spencer Ostrander/Courtesy of the artist

On 'I Think I'm Good,' Kassa Overall Expands The Realm Of Jazz/Hip-Hop Fusion

Kassa Overall calls himself a "backpack jazz producer": a combination of jazz musician, rapper and bedroom producer. His latest album captures the evolving sound of hip-hop/jazz fusion.

On 'I Think I'm Good,' Kassa Overall Expands The Realm Of Jazz/Hip-Hop Fusion

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Best Coast Achieves A New, More Poignant Power On 'Almost Tomorrow'

Fresh Air

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Bethany Cosentino opens up about sobriety on a propulsive new album with musical partner Bobb Bruno. Almost Tomorrow is Best Coast's first record in five years.

Best Coast Achieves A New, More Poignant Power On 'Almost Tomorrow'

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Soccer Mommy On 'Color Theory': 'I Want To Keep Growing Until I Hit The Ceiling'

When recording her latest album Color Theory, Sophie Allison used everything from floppy disk samples, to drum machines, to bubble sound effects to create the sound she wanted. Brian Ziff/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Brian Ziff/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Soccer Mommy On 'Color Theory': 'I Want To Keep Growing Until I Hit The Ceiling'

Ahead of the release of her new album Color Theory, Soccer Mommy's Sophie Allison spoke with NPR's Audie Cornish about her songwriting process, her '90s inspirations and her career ambitions.

Soccer Mommy On 'Color Theory': 'I Want To Keep Growing Until I Hit The Ceiling'

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Pat Metheny's Lyricism Still Shines On Cinematic Album 'From This Place'

Pat Metheny's latest album From This Place features the same lyrical guitar work that he has been known for while also exploring new cinematic sounds. Florian Thoss/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Florian Thoss/Courtesy of the artist

Pat Metheny's Lyricism Still Shines On Cinematic Album 'From This Place'

A consistent force in jazz guitar since 1976, Metheny continues to search for new ground on his latest album, which he calls a "culmination."

Pat Metheny's Lyricism Still Shines On Cinematic Album 'From This Place'

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Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt Is Understated And Nuanced On 'The Art Of Intimacy, Vol. 1'

Fresh Air

Though Pelt can certainly play uptempo with a lot of fire, he also loves to play ballads, including a batch of obscure ones. A new album showcases his more introspective side.

Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt Is Understated And Nuanced On 'The Art Of Intimacy, Vol. 1'

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A New Piano Concerto For The People

British composer Thomas Adès leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and soloist Kirill Gerstein, in the premiere performances of his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra at Symphony Hall in Boston. Winslow Townson/Deutsche Grammophon hide caption

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Winslow Townson/Deutsche Grammophon

Deceptive Cadence

A New Piano Concerto For The People

Thomas Adès' Concerto for Piano and Orchestra riffs on the old classics while speaking in the distinctive voice of a 21st century master composer.

'Royal Albert Hall' Album Captures Bryan Ferry In All His Contradictory Glory

Fresh Air

Best known as the lead singer for Roxy Music, Ferry released two solo albums in the '70s filled with covers. A marvelous new concert album features Ferry performing many of these songs live.

'Royal Albert Hall' Album Captures Bryan Ferry In All His Contradictory Glory

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Review: On 'Miss Anthropocene,' Grimes Crafts Pop Both Visceral And Cryptic

Grimes' fifth album, Miss Anthropocene, pushes the pleasure buttons of mainstream pop while also appearing to critique it. Mac Boucher/Neil Hansen/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Mac Boucher/Neil Hansen/Courtesy of the artist

Review: On 'Miss Anthropocene,' Grimes Crafts Pop Both Visceral And Cryptic

The electronic artist's new album, her first since 2015's acclaimed Art Angels, subverts the expectations of mainstream pop music with dark, densely-layered songs.

Review: On 'Miss Anthropocene,' Grimes Crafts Pop Both Visceral And Cryptic

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Carla Bley's Trio Brings A Scaled-Down Dynamic To 'Life Goes On'

Fresh Air

Bley spent decades leading big bands. Now in her 80s, the jazz composer and pianist has a new album with longtime pal and partner bassist Steve Swallow and English saxophonist Andy Sheppard.

Carla Bley's Trio Brings A Scaled-Down Dynamic To 'Life Goes On'

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