Heavy Rotation: The Songs We're Obsessed With Halfway Through 2018

July 14, 2018 • Watch all the action from WXPN's Latin music festival, starting Sunday, July 15 at 4:45 p.m. ET.

The Suffers inside the World Cafe Performance Studio Ashley Gellman/WXPN hide caption

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Ashley Gellman/WXPN

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July 13, 2018 • Yes, the band makes party music, but the members have worked incredibly hard to get here, surviving hurricanes and discrimination in the music business.

The Suffers On World Cafe

20:23

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Neko Case Has Been Through Hell And Back

Neko Case performs live at World Cafe Live (upstairs) in Philadelphia. Senia Lopez/WXPN hide caption

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Neko Case Has Been Through Hell And Back

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July 12, 2018 • Case reflects on a solitary childhood, the fire that consumed her house, the subjugation of women and the fate of humanity, and performs songs from her latest album, Hell-On.

Neko Case On World Cafe

42:36

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Frank Turner Breaks Down The 'Collective Problem' With Politics

"I feel that the people who have the expression 'Make America Great Again' written on their hats have, in my humble, ignorant, English opinion, misidentified what is great about America," Frank Turner says. Ben Morse/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ben Morse/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Frank Turner Breaks Down The 'Collective Problem' With Politics

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July 10, 2018 • The message of Turner's new album Be More Kind applies both to the ways we treat the world around us and the way we treat ourselves.

Frank Turner On World Cafe

26:46

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Dawes Magdalena Wosinska/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Magdalena Wosinska/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Dawes On World Cafe

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July 9, 2018 • Songwriting and musicianship aside, one of the things fans latch on to is that this band feels like a good hang.

Dawes On World Cafe

26:56

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Jen Rosenstein/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

The Record Company On World Cafe

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July 6, 2018 • The members of the trio talk about All of This Life, their relentless work ethic and the surprising similarities between touring in a rock and roll band and growing up on a dairy farm.

The Record Company On World Cafe

30:16

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First Album, First Song: The 150 Best Lead-Off Tracks

Albums clockwise from upper left: Crosby, Stills & Nash self-titled, Fleet Foxes, self-titled, Patti Smith, Horses, Stevie Wonder, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, Brandi Carlile, self-titled, Run-D.M.C., self-titled. Courtesty of the artists hide caption

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World Cafe

First Album, First Song: The 150 Best Lead-Off Tracks

XPN

July 4, 2018 • From rock and soul to R&B and rap, we've collected 150 lead-off tracks into one playlist.

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Brian Stowell/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Ray LaMontagne On World Cafe

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July 3, 2018 • LaMontagne shares life stories, including how he met his wife at 8 years old, and performs songs from his latest album 'Part of the Light.'

Ray LaMontagne On World Cafe

41:34

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Dave Alvin And Jimmie Dale Gilmore On World Cafe

Dave Alvin (left) and Jimmie Dale Gilmore (right) performing live in the World Cafe Performance Studio. Dylan Eddinger/WXPN hide caption

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Dylan Eddinger/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Dave Alvin And Jimmie Dale Gilmore On World Cafe

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by Stephen Kallao , David Dye

July 2, 2018 • As the longtime acquaintances found out when they were thrown together as tour mates, Alvin and Gilmore have the blues, classic folk and the L.A. club The Ash Grove in common.

Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore On World Cafe

25:52

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Heavy Rotation: The Songs We're Obsessed With Halfway Through 2018

Natalie Prass' The Future and The Past came out June 1 and has been a big hit with public radio ever since. Tonje Thilesen/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Tonje Thilesen/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Heavy Rotation: The Songs We're Obsessed With Halfway Through 2018

June 30, 2018 • For this month's edition of Heavy Rotation, stations selected songs that their listeners couldn't get enough of during the first half of the year.

Author Robert Hilburn Shares Stories And Revelations Inside 'Paul Simon: The Life'

Author, Robert Hilburn Christopher Morris/Courtesy of the author hide caption

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Christopher Morris/Courtesy of the author

Studio Sessions

Author Robert Hilburn Shares Stories And Revelations Inside 'Paul Simon: The Life'

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June 29, 2018 • The former Los Angelese Times music critic was given complete editorial control over the singer-songwriter's biography.

Author Robert Hilburn On World Cafe

34:35

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Ruen Brothers performing live at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Senia Lopez/WXPN hide caption

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Studio Sessions

Ruen Brothers On World Cafe

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June 26, 2018 • Hear the story of how the brothers went from singing in the pubs of an old steel town outside London to recording at Rick Rubin's Shangri La Studios in Malibu.

Ruen Brothers On World Cafe

28:29

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Rare Essence inside the World Cafe Performance Studio Dylan Eddinger/WXPN hide caption

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Dylan Eddinger/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Rare Essence On World Cafe

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June 25, 2018 • Go-go is an offshoot of funk that combines elements of R&B, hip-hop and blues. Rare Essence, the Washington D.C. pioneers of go-go, bring the get-down to World Cafe.

Rare Essence On World Cafe

33:54

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Zoe Reynolds, also known as Kississippi. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Studio Sessions

Kississippi On World Cafe

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June 22, 2018 • After some ups and downs, Zoe Reynolds persisted and independently released her debut album. Hear a live performance.

Kississippi on World Cafe

15:27

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Spinal Tap's Derek Smalls Strikes Out On His Own And Talks About Getting Old

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Studio Sessions

Spinal Tap's Derek Smalls Strikes Out On His Own And Talks About Getting Old

June 21, 2018 • Spinal Tap's legendary bassist drops by with a few songs from his new reflective solo record, Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing).

Derek Smalls On World Cafe

17:06

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Liz Cooper & The Stampede's Music Video For 'Hey Man' Turns A Tea Party Upside Down

Liz Cooper & The Stampede Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Review

World Cafe

Liz Cooper & The Stampede's Music Video For 'Hey Man' Turns A Tea Party Upside Down

XPN

June 21, 2018 • The new video from the Nashville band plays out like a mini episode of The Twilight Zone.

Watch Lera Lynn's 'Plays Well With Others' Record Release Concert In Nashville

Watch Lera Lynn's Record Release Concert, live via VuHaus on June 22, 2018. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Nashville Sessions

Watch Lera Lynn's 'Plays Well With Others' Record Release Concert In Nashville

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June 20, 2018 • The Nashville singer-songwriter perform live from 3rd and Lindsley Bar & Grill featuring special guests John Paul White, Rodney Crowell, Peter Bradley Adams, Nicole Atkins and more.

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Mark Seliger/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Bettye LaVette On World Cafe

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June 20, 2018 • At 72 years old, LaVette is back with a deep dive into Bob Dylan's songbook for her latest record Things Have Changed.

Bettye LaVette On World Cafe

32:53

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Bermuda Triangle Visit Wolrd Cafe, Share New Song 'Till The End Of Days'

From left, Jesse Lafser, Brittany Howard and Becca Mancari of Bermuda Triangle. Harvey Hale/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Harvey Hale/Courtesy of the artist

Nashville Sessions

Bermuda Triangle Visit Wolrd Cafe, Share New Song 'Till The End Of Days'

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by Ann Powers

June 19, 2018 • Jesse Lafser, Brittany Howard and Becca Mancari all maintain their own brilliant careers. What brings them together as Bermuda Triangle is friendship, pure and simple.

World Cafe Nashville: Bermuda Triangle

30:53

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Welles and his band inside the World Cafe Performance Studio. Galea McGregor/WXPN hide caption

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Galea McGregor/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Welles On World Cafe

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June 15, 2018 • Jeh-Sea Welles has the look, the voice, the licks, the hooks and the attitude of a real rock star.

Welles on World Cafe

26:13

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Natalie Prass inside the World Cafe Performance Studio. John Evin Groome/WXPN hide caption

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John Evin Groome/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Natalie Prass On World Cafe

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