From NPR Music and member station WXPN, hear a live mix of rock, folk, country and more in a series of concerts, webcast Fridays at noon ET on NPR.org. Also featuring archived performances by Alexi Murdoch, They Might Be Giants, Allison Moorer, Alejandro Escovedo, Keb Mo, Rosanne Cash and more.
June 16, 2007 ·
A collection of previously unreleased obscene recordings from the 1890s was just released on CD. Called Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s, the recordings are considered as lewd as anything a shock jock would say today. Producer David Giovannoni and writer Patrick Feaster talk with John Ydstie.
June 13, 2007 ·
Blending Beatles-style pop with hooky guitar-rock and a great ear for melody, the Nova Scotia band Sloan has spent 15 years at or near the forefront of an ongoing power-pop revival. The recent Never Hear the End of It represents a major leap forward for the group.
June 12, 2007 ·
The '90s saw Cole rise from a supporting player on a Peter Gabriel tour to a pop sensation. But after an eight-year recording hiatus, she finds herself on the rise again, thanks to a new album (Courage) and tour. Hear an interview and in-studio performance.
June 9, 2007 ·
Rufus Wainwright makes richly orchestrated, theatrical pop music inspired by the traditions of cabaret, musicals and opera. Hear Wainwright perform selections from his latest CD, Release the Stars, in a full concert recorded live from New York's Gramercy Theater.
June 9, 2007 ·
Slavic Soul Party mixes the "messed-up" rhythms of the Balkans with gypsy music, funk and jazz for a sound that brings young hipsters and older immigrants together in the same room. Hear an interview with band leader Matt Moran, as well as a studio performance of new songs.
Web Extra: Hear the Performance
June 8, 2007 ·
Armed with a deep catalog of sweetly rustic, warmly melancholic folk-pop, the Ontario band Great Lake Swimmers has become something of a word-of-mouth sensation. Hear Great Lake Swimmers perform a concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.
June 8, 2007 ·
One of the most important ska bands of all time, The English Beat helped revive the genre in the early '80s. Influenced by pop, punk and reggae, the group tackled political themes on its classic albums. Hear an interview and in-studio performance with singer Dave Wakeling.
June 7, 2007 ·
A Bronx-based duo, Pacha Massive blends the rhythms of bemebe, reggae, palo and meringue. The resulting mixture straddles the lines separating Latin music, drum-and-bass, dancehall and trip-hop. Hear an interview and in-studio performance.
June 6, 2007 ·
Alternating between carefree indie-rock and melancholy synth-pop, the North Carolina husband-and-wife duo The Rosebuds writes some of the year's catchiest hooks and sing-along choruses. Hear an interview with the band, as well as an in-studio performance.
June 5, 2007 ·
Led by Alasdair MacLain's breathy vocals and smart lyrics, the London band The Clientele mixes psychedelic melodies and driving guitars into appealing indie-pop — a blend that's caught on quickly with American listeners. Hear an interview and in-studio performance by the band.
June 1, 2007 ·
Like many rough-voiced singer-songwriters, Forbert has done time as a potential "next Bob Dylan," but he's carved out a distinct niche in an uncompromising career that spans nearly 30 years. Hear Forbert perform a concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.
May 30, 2007 ·
Forro in the Dark gets its name from a style of Brazilian dance music, but it doesn't conform to those limitations, instead drawing on influences from Enrique Iglesias to Beck. Hear an interview with the band, as well as a studio performance of its new songs.