Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Brand New, Again: 'Science Fiction' Is A Self-Revival

3:12pm August 26, 2017

by Maria Sherman

Emo has its survivors, but few can command attention the way Brand New has in eight years without an album. The band's surprise return with Science Fiction comes, characteristically, on its own terms.

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real's new, self-titled album was released August 25.

Music & Culture

Lukas Nelson On Surfing And Stingrays, A Childhood On Tour And His Georgia Love Story

8:10am August 26, 2017

The Texas-born, Hawaii-raised musician has toured with Neil Young and his father, outlaw poet Willie Nelson. The new, self-titled album from his band, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, is out now.

Music & Culture

Vijay Iyer On Jazz's 'History Of Defiance,' His Influences And Playing In A Sextet

8:10am August 26, 2017

The acclaimed jazz pianist and Harvard music professor talks with NPR's Scott Simon about the Vijay Iyer Sextet's new album, Far From Over, and the politics that inspired it.

After surgeons removed a tumor from Dan Fabbio's brain, they gave him his saxophone — to see whether he'd retained his ability to play. A year after his surgery, Fabbio is back to work full time as a music teacher.

This Music Teacher Played His Saxophone While In Brain Surgery

6:40pm August 25, 2017

by Andrea Hsu

The surgeons tasked with removing a tumor from Dan Fabbio's brain had worked hard not to disrupt his ability to perform music. They rejoiced when he was able to play his sax on the operating table.

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Iron & Wine's new album is titled Beast Epic.

Music & Culture

Iron & Wine Returns To The Whispers And Hush On 'Beast Epic'

5:23pm August 25, 2017

by Stephen Thompson

On Iron & Wine's new album, Sam Beam scales back his sound's lavish orchestration while maintaining a sense of brightness and verve.

"The Night Begins To Shine," a previously unknown song first used as a joke in a 2014 episode in Teen Titans Go!, hit the charts this summer.

Music & Culture

An Accidental Hit 'Begins To Shine' — And Only Because Of 'Teen Titans Go!'

4:35pm August 25, 2017

by Andrew Limbong

In 2005, a group called B.E.R. was commissioned to write a 1980s-style pop song. "The Night Begins To Shine" was unearthed by TV show Teen Titans Go! as a joke; now, years later, it's a Billboard hit.

Music & Culture

Sharing Traditions, Hearing Connections

4:00pm August 25, 2017

by Paul Brown

As the U.S. has been roiled by racial tension and occasional violence in recent weeks, we present a program focusing on the sharing of traditions through music and on togetherness.

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Music & Culture

Dan Wilson On World Cafe

3:58pm August 25, 2017

by Talia Schlanger

The frontman and songwriter for Semisonic talks about co-writing with artists like Adele, Dixie Chicks and Gabe Dixon, and performs songs from his album Recovered.

Matt "Airistotle" Burns (center) took home the top award at the 2016 Air Guitar World Championship in Oulu, Finland. He is back to defend his title this year.

World Air Guitar Champion Is In Finland To Defend His Title

3:51pm August 25, 2017

by Jacob Pinter

The 2017 world air guitar finals are Friday night in Finland, and Matt Burns is there. He was last year's winner. Burns picked "Airistotle" as his nom de rock.

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Music & Culture

Patrice Rushen On Piano Jazz

3:44pm August 25, 2017

Hear the songwriter and master keyboardist perform with host Marian McPartland on this 1987 episode.