All Songs Considered

Host Bob Boilen chats with Monitor Mix blogger Carrie Brownstein, All Songs Considered producer Robin Hilton and Song of the Day editor Stephen Thompson about their favorite songs for love and heartbreak. Hear some of the lesser-known tracks by artists like Betty Davis, The Gerbils, Brian Eno, and Clem Snide, plus a few classic favorites. (Note: This version of the program contains an important correction about our upcoming M. Ward performance.)

Next month The Decemberists will debut their new album, The Hazards Of Love, live, in its entirety, at the NPR Music showcase, at this year's South by Southwest festival. In the meantime, you can hear a sneak preview on this edition of All Songs Considered, with "The Rake's Song." Also on the show: previews of new music from the wild and infectious electro-pop artist Dan Deacon; solo music from Dan Auerbach, guitarist for The Black Keys; the beautiful voice of Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic; South African street music from Blk Jks; and remembering the legendary Buddy Holly.

The New York-based band Beirut travels to Mexico for its latest album: a brassy, adventurous double EP called March of Zapotec. It won't be released until the end of February, but you can hear a sneak preview here with the song, "The Shrew." Also on this edition of All Songs Considered: an ambitious debut release from the seven-piece, Nashville-based ensemble Darla Farmer; a collaboration between David Byrne and the Dirty Projectors, as part of a new album to promote AIDS awareness; a moody, gorgeous new album from Mali's Rokia Traore; new music from the seemingly tortured Antony and the Johnsons; a solo release from AC Newman of the New Pornographers; and Norwegian punk-pop singer Ida Maria.

A conversation with Animal Collective members, Dave Portner (Avey Tare), Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) and Brian Weitz (Geologist).

On this special edition of NPR's All Songs Considered, we offered a challenge to songwriters. Write a song that reflects these historic times. I think when we look back in time and listen to these songs, they will aptly reflect the spirit and mood of America, January 20th 2009.

For the past six years, New York City has been host to the brief but intense annual world music festival known as GlobalFEST. This year, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen attended the one-night event, featuring a dozen bands on three different stages. It was a stunning mix of music: an electronica band from Marsailles, a Qawwali band from Brooklyn, an Inuit throat singer raised near the magnetic North Pole, a bagpiper from Iran, and much more. On this edition of All Songs Considered Bob Boilen looks back at highlights from the festival with Banning Eyre, host of Afropop, and Rob Weisberg, host of a weekly world music show on WFMU in New Jersey called Trans Pacific Sound Paradise.

On this edition of All Songs Considered we've got exclusive sneak previews of some of this year's most anticipated albums: M. Ward's upcoming release, Hold Time, is a gorgeously produced mix of finger-picked guitars, upright bass and shuffling rhythms, all tied together by his achy voice. Hear the song "Stars of Leo," now on All Songs Considered, and the entire M. Ward album at midnight Monday, Jan. 12. Also on the show: Bon Iver, Animal Collective, Heartless Bastards, and a classic from the Bee Gees.

Andrew Bird chats about his new album, Noble Beast, with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. This week, NPR Music is giving listeners the chance to hear the entire record as part of its exclusive First Listen series. This chat originally took place on Jan. 8.

We start the new year with a new mix, featuring an exclusive preview of Andrew Bird's latest album, Noble Beast. The classically trained violinist and singer performs a quirky mix of whistled melodies, Gypsy ballads, folk and art-rock. We've got the song "Oh No" here, but you can also hear the entire album as part of our "first listen" series. Also on the show: classic folk-rock singer Benjy Ferree, the Afro-funk rhythms of Chopteeth, an eclectic mixtape from Malawi-born singer Esau Mwamwaya, the haunting guitars of Begushkin, and the jazz trio Bad Plus covers the music of Pink Floyd.

For the past month, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich laid out multiple strips of paper on his desk, occasionally re-arranging them and whittling down the numbers. The small strips of paper said things like Uncle Owen Aunt Beru, Extra Life and Erykah Badu. It was like some odd game of solitaire. It turns out he was working on his list of the year's top CDs, analog-style. Lars' love for music is keen, and his tastes are quite different from ours, so from time to time, we invite him to All Songs Considered in the hope of finding something different to hear. On this show, we offer you his Top 10 CDs of 2008.

It's sort of silly for anyone to try to narrow down a definitive list of the year's best music, but it's a lot of fun. Hopefully, reading all these lists provides a chance to find out about something you haven't heard and see if it fills something inside. Give a listen to the music highlighted below, and in the comments section, tell me what you think. In light of my selections, I'd love to hear recommendations for music you think I'd like.

Pour yourself some eggnog, throw on the shawl, and cozy up to the computer for our annual mix of holiday music, featuring fresh takes on old classics and a few new surprises. On this year's edition, we've got the dulcet tones of Winston... a pug, singing "Up On The Housetop." Electro-pop mashup genius The Real Tuesday Weld re-imagines a classic from Count Baise. Also on the program: A singing saw does "Frosty The Snowman," Christmas wishes from John Waters and Stephen Colbert, The Old 97's, and more.

When the votes started pouring in from NPR listeners for the year's best albums, two things became clear immediately: It was going to be tight, and many of the top spots would go to new, smaller bands and their debut albums. Bigger, more established acts (Coldplay, My Morning Jacket) were well represented, but listeners seemed more inspired by the year's quieter, more intimate albums.

When the votes started pouring in from NPR listeners for the year's best albums, two things became clear immediately: It was going to be tight, and many of the top spots would go to new, smaller bands and their debut albums. Bigger, more established acts (Coldplay, My Morning Jacket) were well represented, but listeners seemed more inspired by the year's quieter, more intimate albums.

On this edition of All Songs Considered, host Bob Boilen talks with Carrie Brownstein (Monitor Mix blogger), Stephen Thompson (editor for Song of the Day), and Robin Hilton (All Songs producer and host of Second Stage) about the year in music. What were the biggest surprises of 2008? What were the best new bands, or the best songs? Listen and let us know what you think by joining the NPR online community, and sharing your comments.