Songs We Love: Be Charlotte, 'Machines That Breathe'
This charming and impeccable bit of pop songcraft is enhanced considerably by the thick brogue of 19-year-old singer Charlotte Brimner.
Music Reviews
Songs We Love: Trapo, 'Speed'
At 19, the Wisconsin rapper has already developed a distinct songwriting voice to go with a sonic palette that's instantly, identifiably his.
Nate Smith's 'Kinfolk': A Study In Nomadic Jazz
The drummer and Virginia native's first solo project, Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere, introduces a restless musical spirit.
The xx Mix Atmospheric Pop And Warm Soulfulness On 'I See You'
Critic Ken Tucker reviews the British group The xx's third album. "Beneath its sleek beauty, there's a fresh joyousness ... that at its best is something close to inspirational," he says of I See You.
In Pursuit Of A More Diverse Night At The Opera
How do you attract a more diverse audience at the opera? One answer is to produce operas with characters that look more like the general citizenry.
Songs We Love: Manu Delago, 'A Step (Feat. Pete Josef)'
Somehow both haunting and approachable, "A Step" is fueled by Pete Josef's sweet voice and the muted shimmer of the Hang, a cousin of the steel drum. Download the song via NPR Music's Austin 100.
Songs We Love: Joan Shelley, 'Wild Indifference'
In the lead single from her new, self-titled album, the folk singer addresses another person while turning inward. "If I had my way, every song would eventually lead to empathy," she says.
Songs We Love: Joshua James, 'Pretty Feather'
The second single from My Spirit Sister is dark, stark Americana, featuring James' knockout voice as he meditates on what happens when love's lightness becomes heavy.
First Listen: Hurray For The Riff Raff, 'The Navigator'
On her new album, Alynda Segarra embeds the rhythms of the Latinx diaspora to explore the saga of a people displaced through exile, segregation and gentrification.
First Listen: Jay Som, 'Everybody Works'
Oakland-based indie-rock musician Melina Duterte plays every instrument and produced nearly every sound on her new record.