Music & Culture

M.I.A.'s fourth album, Matangi, is out now.

Music & Culture

'I Built The Platform Myself': M.I.A. On Being Heard

2:52pm November 05, 2013

by NPR Staff

While making the new album Matangi, the singer-rapper discovered she had a divine counterpart: a Hindu goddess who shares both her birth name and her taste for self-expression. She speaks with NPR's David Greene about fame, war and controversy.

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Music & Culture

Digital Music, In The Truest Sense

4:33pm November 04, 2013

by Scott Simon

Like a tap dancer of the hands, Darren Drouin slaps, clicks, claps and snaps his way to YouTube stardom. He even includes a tutorial on "freestyle finger snapping" so you can snap your own tune.

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Amir ElSaffar's new album is called Alchemy.

Music & Culture

Amir ElSaffar Navigates Uncharted Blue Notes On 'Alchemy'

3:01pm November 04, 2013

by Kevin Whitehead

Alchemy is a step forward in defining and refining the trumpeter's mix of jazz and Iraqi rhythms.

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After years of attending church dances, Step Rideau says he was moved to connect with his heritage on a deeper level.

Music & Culture

Accordions, Beer And God: Zydeco In Gran Texas

5:07pm November 03, 2013

by David Brown

If it's Sunday in Houston, get ready to dance up and down the aisle at church. Zydeco music is the soundtrack to spirit-filled parties fueled by beer, boudin, and red beans and rice. It's a joyful continuation of a decades-old tradition.

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Luscious Jackson has reconvened after more than a decade for its new album, Magic Hour, which comes out Nov. 5.

Music & Culture

Luscious Jackson Is Ready For Its 'Magic Hour'

7:22am October 31, 2013

by NPR Staff

After a very long hiatus, the members of the infectious alternative rock crew are back with a new album. The musicians discuss how everyday life inspired the band's first new record in 14 years.

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Music & Culture

Arcade Fire Takes A Dancey Turn Down A Well-Trod Path

2:25pm October 30, 2013

by Will Hermes

With a new record, the band Arcade Fire is trying to top their 2011 release, which won a Grammy for Album of the Year. Critic Will Hermes says that on Reflektor, they turn to dance music to try to reinvigorate their sound.

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Music & Culture

Influential Musician Lou Reed Dies

2:25pm October 30, 2013

Rock musician Lou Reed died Sunday at 71. Renee Montagne and Steve Inskeep report.

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Jason Isbell was previously a member of Drive-By Truckers. His solo albums include Sirens of the Ditch and Here We Rest.

Music & Culture

Jason Isbell Locates His Musical Compass On 'Southeastern'

10:38am October 30, 2013

The singer-songwriter earned a name for himself while playing with Drive-By Truckers and The 400 Unit, but on his new album — written after he got sober — Isbell finds a new level of emotional honesty. Here, he talks with Terry Gross about his life and plays songs from Southeastern.

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In Memoir, Linda Ronstadt Describes Her 'Simple Dreams'

10:37am October 30, 2013

Last month, Ronstadt revealed that she has Parkinson's disease and can no longer sing. Her new memoir, Simple Dreams, reflects on a long career. In this conversation with Fresh Air's Terry Gross, she offers frank insights on sex, drugs, and why "competition was for horse races."

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Johnny Cash: The Life delves more deeply into Cash's dark side than the 2005 film Walk the Line.

Biography Doesn't Hold Back On Darkest Years Of 'The Man In Black'

7:49am October 30, 2013

by NPR Staff

Through all the pain and redemption, "Johnny Cash was a good man," author Robert Hilburn tells NPR's David Greene. Hilburn's new biography of the late country singer is titled Johnny Cash: The Life.

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