Sessions From 10 Grammy-Nominated World Cafe Guests

A Deeper Understanding - Nominated for Best Rock Album

The War on Drugs' A Deeper Understanding is epic. Ambitious. Huge. Case in point: the first single they released, "Thinking of a Place," clocked in at over 11 minutes. But make no mistake, this isn't the work of a noodley jam band. Every sound is deliberate, every dynamic is thoughtful, the builds brilliant. That's thanks in large part to the way lead singer and songwriter Adam Granduciel works. (Read More)

What Now - Nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album

Sure, the incredibly intuitive duo Sylvan Esso is releasing its second album, What Now, on April 28, but here's something even better — a chance to hear the new songs before the record's out. Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn — on voice and electronics, respectively — performed a selection live in concert at World Cafe's recent 25th anniversary celebration. (Read More)

Humanz - Nominated for Best Alternative Music Album

The musical mastermind and human frontman of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, started writing Humanz more than a year ago, before Donald Trump was the Republican nominee for President. He says the album started with one clear premise: "I imagined him winning the election and sort of set the album a year ahead, on the night Donald Trump won. And how would I feel? How would we spend that night?" Albarn calls the concept a "dark fantasy" and talks about how the meaning of Humanz has changed now that it's a political reality. (Read More)

Pure Comedy - Nominated for Best Alternative Music Album

Josh Tillman, a.k.a. Father John Misty, joins World Cafe to chat and to perform songs from his new album, Pure Comedy. In this session we talk about Tillman's childhood, spent at a Pentecostal school, where he was regularly told there were demons inside of him that needed to be exorcised. It was a process Tillman says is strangely relaxing. (Read More)

"Tin Man" - Nominated for Best Country Solo Performance.

"I Never Cared For You" - Nominated for Best American Roots Performance

Alison Krauss has been a musician her whole life, and a major star for the past 30 years. A vocalist known for her remarkable grace and purity of tone, Krauss is also a dazzling fiddler and an accomplished record producer. She began her career in bluegrass as a teenager, playing with the band Union Station, with which she still collaborates. She's also recorded several solo albums, made beloved contributions to film soundtracks (most notably, O Brother Where Art Thou) and worked with a wide array of artists, including a memorable partnership with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant on Raising Sand. (Read More)

"Cumberland Gap" - Nominated for Best American Roots Song

In this session, David Rawlings performs songs from his new album. Well, a new-old album. It's called Poor David's Almanack and, in writing it, Rawlings set out to craft new folk songs that evoke old folk traditions. Joining him in that effort, and in studio today is his longtime partner in music and in life, Gillian Welch. Since their seminal 1996 album Revival, their collaboratively written albums have largely been released under Gillian's name (technically). Poor David's Almanack features some of the first songs written solo by David. (Read More)

The Nashville Sound - Nominated for Best Americana Album

"If We Were Vampires" - Nominated for Best American Roots Song

Recorded in Music City at RCA's legendary Studio A, Jason Isbell's latest album, The Nashville Sound, tackles issues like race and privilege, anxiety, sobriety, hope and family. (Isbell is married to Amanda Shires, a talented fiddle player and singer-songwriter who is also a member of Isbell's band, The 400 Unit.) (Read More)

Beast Epic - Nominated for Best Americana Album

Iron & Wine, the nom de plume of songwriter Sam Beam, returned to World Cafe for a solo set in front of a live audience. His latest abum, Beast Epic, was recorded at the Wilco Loft in Chicago. (Read More)

Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm - Nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album

Even if you've never heard of Memphis' Royal Studios, you probably know some of the records made there. Royal was the home studio of Hi Records and producer Willie Mitchell in the '70s; it's the birthplace of countless Al Green hits, including "Tired Of Being Alone" and "Let's Stay Together," as well as records by Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson and others. (Read More)

Semper Femina - Nominated for Best Folk Album

Last time Laura Marling visited World Cafe, the city sounds of Los Angeles had begun to drone their way into her English folk-based music. Almost two years later, her new album, Semper Femina, features winding vines of sound that are darker, smokier and utterly tantalizing. It's the sixth full-length studio record she's released in nine years. The title is Latin for "always a woman," and the album itself is an exploration of what that means, what it doesn't and where it all blurs together. (Read More)