Music & Culture

John K Samson's new album, Winter Wheat, comes out Oct. 21.

Music & Culture

First Listen: John K. Samson, 'Winter Wheat'

7:00am October 13, 2016

by Stephen Thompson

The former Weakerthans singer returns with an album full of gorgeous, vividly detailed songs about characters whose potential doesn't always lend them a pathway out of their own heads.

Weyes Blood's new album, Front Row Seat To Earth, comes out Oct. 21.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Weyes Blood, 'Front Row Seat To Earth'

7:00am October 13, 2016

by Jewly Hight

Natalie Mering's performances are framed in ebbing-and-flowing chamber-folk, set off by psychedelic detours and surreal manipulations of captured sound.

American Football's new album, American Football, comes out Oct. 21.

Music & Culture

First Listen: American Football, 'American Football'

7:00am October 13, 2016

by Lars Gotrich

Just like that, the emo band returns 17 years after its debut album — a bit older and a bit more introspective, yet still holding on to that teenage feeling.

The Radio Dept.'s new album, Running Out Of Love, comes out Oct. 21.

Music & Culture

First Listen: The Radio Dept., 'Running Out Of Love'

7:00am October 13, 2016

by Otis Hart

The protest album is alive and well in 2016. Listen to a synth-pop record created to fight the rise of far-right nationalism in Sweden.

Tanya Tagaq's new album, Retribution, comes out Oct. 21.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Tanya Tagaq, 'Retribution'

7:00am October 13, 2016

by Katie Presley

Tagaq, an Inuk throat singer, marries modern pop with deeply-vested tradition to gobsmacking effect. The songs on her new album, Retribution, encompass terror, rage, ecstasy and bone-leeching sadness.

Steve Gunn plays a Field Recording in Queens, N.Y.

Music & Culture

Steve Gunn Plays Between The Ties On An Abandoned Railroad

7:48pm October 12, 2016

by Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey

The wandering Americana guitarist brings new songs to a forgotten New York relic.

William Tyler's latest album is called Modern Country.

Music & Culture

William Tyler On World Cafe

4:53pm October 12, 2016

Traveling the back roads inspired the Nashville guitarist's latest album, Modern Country. Hear a conversation and performance.

Andy Shauf by Geoff Fitzgerald (left), Tanya Tagaq by Katrin Naleid (right top), Kaytranada by Liam McCrae (right bottom)

Music & Culture

Gifts From The North: 10 Canadian Artists You Need To Know

4:28pm October 12, 2016

by Talia Schlanger

World Cafe's new contributing host and producer, Talia Schlanger, spotlights music from her mother country.

Shovels and Rope collaborate with Margo Price at the Luck Mansion in East Nashville.

Music & Culture

Magical Musical Moments In A Nashville Mansion

4:10pm October 12, 2016

by Bob Boilen

A sample of some very special sessions that paired musicians for a single performance in a Nashville mansion during the Americana Music Festival.

Music & Culture

Bob Weir Sings About Pinto Ponies And Ghost Towns On 'Blue Mountain'

3:25pm October 12, 2016

by Ken Tucker

Best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, Weir goes solo on his new album, which was inspired by his time working as a ranch hand in Wyoming as a teen. Critic Ken Tucker has a review.

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