Episodes
Whither the West Coast gangsta?
April 26, 2024 10:30G Slim's Revenge, a certain rap archetype that has faded since its '90s ubiquity appears to be alive and well.'/> A familiar rap character, the Cali hustler cruising in a low-rider, has faded in the 21st century. On new albums by G Perico, Mozzy and Gangrene, that figure is alive and well, living in the margins. (Image credit: Estevan Oriol) * This article was originally published here
Taylor Swift's confessional 'Tortured Poets' would have benefitted from an edit
April 25, 2024 10:30Though Swift performs a range of experience and emotions, the music on her 11th album feels thin and is often in service of lyrics that could have used a red pencil. * This article was originally published here
On 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Taylor Swift spares no one
April 23, 2024 10:18Taylor Swift dropped an epic new album that spans two hours — and two high-profile breakups. The Tortured Poets Department delves deeply into two of the singer's recent relationships — one with the English actor Joe Alwyn and the other with Matty Healy, who's the lead singer of The 1975. And while Taylor Swift indulges in a few beefs on this record, the target she returns to most often is herself. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour (Image credit: Beth Garr...
Why Future trusts Metro Boomin
April 20, 2024 10:06After a decade ruled by their influence, the buzzy reunion of two hip-hop giants finds one imbued with a startling new power. (Image credit: Theo Wargo) * This article was originally published here
Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' is written in blood
April 19, 2024 10:27The Tortured Poets Department, her artistry is tangled up in the details of her private life and her deployment of celebrity. But Swift's lack of concern about whether these songs speak to and for anyone but herself is audible throughout the album.'/> With The Tortured Poets Department, the defining pop star of her era has made an album as messy and confrontational as any good girl's work can get. (Image credit: Beth Garrabrant) * This article was originally published here
Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is a portrait of the artist getting joyously weird
April 11, 2024 10:09Cowboy Carter has ignited discourse about the place of Black musicians in country music. But it's also evidence of its creator's desire to break genre walls by following her most eccentric impulses.'/> Cowboy Carter has spurred plenty of discussion for being a groundbreaking country album. But for one critic, it calls to mind is a cult favorite '70s psych-rock concept album. (Image credit: Mason Poole) * This article was originally published here
Boots with the spurs: 'Cowboy Carter' and the need for validation
April 09, 2024 10:06Grab your cowboy hat, and saddle up that horse, because Beyoncé's highly anticipated album, Cowboy Carter is here. So far, the album has spurred praise, criticism, and questions about what the actual goal of this project is and how it fits into the Renaissance trilogy. To get into all of that, Brittany joined NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour to discuss whether this foray into country is an exercise in experimentation or industry validation. * This article was originally published here
Cellist Maya Beiser's variation on a minimalist manifesto
April 06, 2024 10:27In C, which helped launch the style of music called minimalism.'/> Armed with just her cello, a looping machine and a pair of percussionists, Beiser crafts a rendition of Terry Riley's pioneering In C that is equally mesmerizing and graceful. (Image credit: Boyang Hu) * This article was originally published here
Emo rap at its limits
April 05, 2024 10:24Embedded in genre : sadboy, a collaborative release by rappers MGK and Trippie Redd, is an accidental lesson in what once made the collision of rap and pop-punk so electrifying. (Image credit: Christopher Polk) * This article was originally published here
Beyoncé bucks the country industry establishment with sprawling 'Cowboy Carter'
April 04, 2024 10:20While Beyoncé's new album suggests the country-music industry's problematic history of excluding Black artists, the collection as a whole is as much a celebration as it is a critique. * This article was originally published here
Celebrating singer Sarah Vaughan, on what would have been her 100th birthday
March 28, 2024 10:18Born in 1924 in Newark, N.J., Vaughan came up in the '40s, alongside bebop, a new jazz style she instantly took to. In the following decades, she proved to be one of the best singers of any genre. * This article was originally published here
Tierra Whack springs to the forefront of hip-hop creativity on a new album
March 27, 2024 10:06The Philadelphia rapper and singer is known for her playful side, but she widens her subject matter on World Wide Whack, with emotions ranging from ecstatic happiness to the deepest despair. * This article was originally published here
On 'Tigers Blood,' Waxahatchee is in her anti-eras era
March 23, 2024 10:12Katie Crutchfield's gorgeous sixth album affirms that real lives are lived not in clear chapters, but as a zig-zag of pitfalls and revelations one can only hope to learn from. (Image credit: Molly Matalon) * This article was originally published here
Rediscovering the rigor of composers Julia Perry and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
March 02, 2024 10:12A new album, American Counterpoints, reasserts the importance of two 20th century Black composers whose work has been neglected. (Image credit: David Lees) * This article was originally published here
Argue's Secret Society produces 'Maximum Tension' on a lively new album
February 29, 2024 10:06Composer Darcy James Argue runs a jazz big band — but imagines its sound as if big bands had stayed current rather than faded away. The music's clarity, contrasts and rhythms are all impressive. * This article was originally published here
'Untame the Tiger' represents a high point of Mary Timony's adventurous career
February 28, 2024 10:15The indie rocker's guitar playing conveys a confidence in making music — even when the songs themselves detail doubt and vulnerability. Untame the Tiger is her first solo album in 15 years. * This article was originally published here
The Beatles' 'Now and Then' is a wistful curiosity, 45 years in the making
February 27, 2024 10:27The Beatles' final song could never live up to the body of work that precedes it. But it could never diminish it, either. (Image credit: Bruce McBroom) * This article was originally published here
A disciplined plea for peace – and quiet – from composer Arvo Pärt
February 26, 2024 10:24A new album of music by the 88-year-old Estonian mystic seems to put an arm around you and whisper, "In troubled times, music can help." (Image credit: Luciano Rossetti) * This article was originally published here
Composer Angelica Sanchez takes inspiration from the sound of the woods at night
February 25, 2024 10:30Sanchez's latest album, Night Creatures, features music for nine instruments that variously contrast, blend or clash — channeling the open-air feeling of the pitch-dark woods at night. * This article was originally published here
Reflecting on the legacy of the flute in pop music
February 24, 2024 10:15This week, Andre 3000 released an instrumental album featuring the flute instead of an expected rap album. Scott Simon asks LA Times' August Brown about the flute's decades-long role in pop music. * This article was originally published here
Guitarist Marnie Stern mixes wit and warmth on 'The Comeback Kid'
February 23, 2024 10:03Stern is known for the eight years she spent as a guitarist in Seth Meyers' late-night-talk-show house band, but her own upbeat, highlight original music is unlike anything you'll ever hear on TV. * This article was originally published here
A music critic revisits 2 artists he overlooked in 2023: King Tuff and Danny Brown
February 22, 2024 10:03Given the ceaseless torrent of music being released, it's almost inevitable that worthy artists slip through the cracks. Rocker King Tuff and hip-hop's Brown deserve a special mention. * This article was originally published here
Chick Corea renders Mozart with daring and playfulness on a posthumous new album
February 21, 2024 10:24In 2018, three years before his death, the pianist and composer gave a concert in Sardinia that included both Mozart and George Gershwin. A live recording of that concert is now available. * This article was originally published here
At Ye's listening events, true believers rally around a chaotic idol
February 20, 2024 10:30Vultures 1. His new collab with Ty Dolla $ign is now a No. 1. album.'/> Kanye West has made stumbling rollouts, toxic comments and blown deals his calling card. But at the launch for his new album Vultures 1, it's clear there's one place where his magnetism hasn't faded. (Image credit: Jason Martinez) * This article was originally published here
Can Thom Yorke escape his own voice?
February 19, 2024 10:09The second album from Radiohead offshoot The Smile is very good. But can its singer ever transcend his role in his revolutionary other band? * This article was originally published here
The Paranoid Style blends rock with literary flair with 'The Interrogator'
February 18, 2024 10:06The Washington D.C.-based band is led by Elizabeth Nelson, who is also a published music critic. It shows — the music is packed with wordplay, jokes and an undercurrent of serious dread. * This article was originally published here
Is André 3000 in his jazz era?
February 17, 2024 10:06During his residency of the famed Blue Note jazz club in New York, the OutKast-rapper-turned-flutist showed us why New Blue Sun is both less and more than that question. (Image credit: Dervon Dixon) * This article was originally published here
New songs by Brittany Howard, Jim Kweskin and Colby T. Helms crackle with energy
February 16, 2024 10:15Fresh Air's rock critic recommends three songs that transcend age and genre: Howard's "Another Day," Kweskin's duet with Maria Muldaur, "Let's Get Happy Together," and Helms' "Leanne." * This article was originally published here
On 'What Now,' Brittany Howard is a virtuoso in pursuit of a flow state
February 10, 2024 10:03The former Alabama Shakes leader is in total control of her new album's genre-defying odyssey through this thing called life, evoking the mastery of another do-it-all maestro: Prince. (Image credit: Medios y Media/Getty Images) * This article was originally published here
'Fresh Air' marks the 100th birthday of legendary opera soprano Maria Callas
October 26, 2023 10:12Widely considered the greatest singing actor in opera history, Callas died in 1977 at the age of 53. Now, several new releases celebrate both her singing and her acting. * This article was originally published here
Blink-182 is back with reunion record 'One More Time'
October 21, 2023 10:15Blink-182's new album is called One More Time, and it's the first for their classic lineup in 12 years — the same three members who landed those pop-punk hits in the late 1990s and early 2000s. * This article was originally published here
'Archives' box set surveys a crucial part of Joni Mitchell's pop career
October 14, 2023 10:27The five discs in Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 3, The Asylum Years (1972-1975) represent both a summation of Mitchell's pop achievement and a harbinger of her later, more experimental work. * This article was originally published here
An appreciation of Von Freeman, the patron saint of Chicago jazz musicians
October 03, 2023 10:06The tenor saxophonist, who died in 2012, would have been 100 on Oct. 3. Freeman's weekly jam session at the New Apartment Lounge on Chicago's South Side became an international pilgrimage site. * This article was originally published here
On 'Scarlet,' Doja Cat finds power harnessing the darkness of online vitriol
September 29, 2023 10:06The pop star has always loved out-trolling her trolls. But Doja Cat's fourth album and dramatic rollout pushes that persona further, interpreting her antics through a playfully demonic lens. (Image credit: Illustration by Jackie Lay) * This article was originally published here
Celebrating jazz great Sam Rivers, on what would have been his 100th birthday
September 26, 2023 10:21The composer and multi-instrumentalist from El Reno, Okla., played blues, bebop, big-band music and free jazz — and sometimes a mix of everything. Rivers also gave other musicians a place to play. * This article was originally published here
Musician Allison Russell is full surprises and ambition on 'The Returner'
September 13, 2023 10:03The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist spent years in various bands, including Birds of Chicago and Our Native Daughters. Now Russell's startling sophomore album serves as a sort of rebirth. * This article was originally published here
Tiny Tech Tips: From iPhone to Nothing Phone
September 12, 2023 10:09As the world waits for the iPhone 15, a loyal iPhone user tries out a competitor, the Nothing Phone 2. (Image credit: courtesy of Nothing) * This article was originally published here
Critic's corner: Blur's 'The Ballad of Darren'
September 09, 2023 10:15British band Blur, lead by singer-songwriter Damon Albarn, has a new album. It's called The Ballad of Darren. * This article was originally published here
Nicki Minaj paints hip-hop pink — and changes the game
September 08, 2023 10:27The 2010 Nicki Minaj album Pink Friday brought vibrant new shades to hip-hop. (Image credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) * This article was originally published here
Bon Iver wasn't born in a vacuum — it took an 'Epoch' to form
August 30, 2023 10:26DeYarmond Edison's Epoch revels in the early alchemic triumphs of Bon Iver and Megafaun members. But the box set also reminds us that no moment of creative inspiration takes place spontaneously. (Image credit: D.L. Anderson/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
Noname's 'Sundial' pursues a hip-hop revolution
August 29, 2023 10:12The Chicago rapper and poet is among the greatest lyricists of her generation. In asking tough questions of the art she practices, her third album reveals a fearless and visionary performer. (Image credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images) * This article was originally published here
After 12 years, pianist Awadagin Pratt rediscovers his sweet spot
August 28, 2023 10:27Absent from the recording studio for more than a decade, the restless musician has commissioned six composers for his new album. (Image credit: Rob Davidson/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
'Verdi Choruses' showcases the impressive variety of a master's choral music
August 27, 2023 10:09Verdi imagined each of his operas painted with a different tincture. Conductor Riccardo Chailly puts together an exciting new album of Verdi's choruses, from his best known to his most obscure. * This article was originally published here
Wayne Shorter, From Here to Eternity
August 26, 2023 10:21Nearly six months after his death, a tribute concert and a documentary attempt to capture the spirit of the perpetually exploring saxophonist and composer. (Image credit: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images) * This article was originally published here
Becca Mancari fights for their existence with an expanded pop palette
August 25, 2023 10:24On Left Hand, Mancari positions themselves in the eye of sonic storms to communicate emotional truths with startling clarity. (Image credit: Sophia Matinazad/Courtesy of the artist) * This article was originally published here
'They Live In My Head' is as vital any album the Bush Tetras have ever made
August 22, 2023 10:21Bush Tetras formed in NYC in 1979, at the height of the punk era. Decades later, the band brings a sustained energy to a new album, an urgency to get things said and to make some different sounds. * This article was originally published here
Jazz pianist Sonny Clark gets first-class treatment on a new box set collection
August 17, 2023 10:21Clark recorded nine sessions with the prestigious Blue Note label between 1957 and '61. A new set featuring his work as band leader for the label showcases his crisp, tuneful creativity. * This article was originally published here
From NPR's 'Alt Latino,' a review of Karol G's 'Manana Sera Bonito: Bichota Season'
August 15, 2023 10:24NPR's Alt Latino host Anamaria Sayre reviews Colombian singer Karol G's second album of the year, Manana Sera Bonito: Bichota Season. * This article was originally published here
MeShell Ndegeocello shows off her range and experience on 'Omnichord'
August 11, 2023 10:06Ndegeocello has combined soul, funk, pop, hip-hop and jazz to create a unique body of work over the course of her more than 30-year career. Now in her 50s, her latest album is The Omnichord Real Book. * This article was originally published here
2 Live Crew fought the law with its album, 'As Nasty As They Wanna Be'
August 10, 2023 10:25In 1989, 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be became the first album declared legally obscene, and the group's legal battles set a precedent for the rappers that followed. (Image credit: Raymond Boyd / Contributor/Getty Images / Michael Ochs Archives) * This article was originally published here