First Listen: Moon Hooch, 'Red Sky'
No one makes music like Moon Hooch, a muscular trio whose setup typically consists of two saxophones and a drummer. Its third album feels new, vibrant and essential.
Music
First Listen: Colvin & Earle, 'Colvin & Earle'
Side by side, with good humor and the wisdom of experience, two veteran songwriters dwell on what it means to be creatures of habit, all while learning to live with deficiencies and disappointments.
First Listen: Allen Toussaint, 'American Tunes'
A posthumous album from the great behind-the-scenes man sets a retrospective, autumnal focus on songs which gave rise to Toussaint and his city — and thus to a bigger American music canon.
The 'Best Fake Rappers Out There' Satirize Breakout Success In 'Popstar'
Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer describe themselves as "frappers" — fake rappers. Working together as The Lonely Island, they created a comic film about pop-music documentaries.
First Listen: Eli Paperboy Reed, 'My Way Home'
The gospel-inspired soul singer has a knack for imbuing narrative tropes with new meaning, transforming them into stories that couldn't be anyone else's.
Parker Millsap On World Cafe
The Oklahoma songwriter's new album, The Very Last Day, lays bare his blues influences. Hear him play live in the studio.
Naftule's Dream Returns, With A Fleshy, Folkie New Album
After a long absence, the klezmer-fusion band Naftule's Dream turns introspective on it's new release, Blood. Music critic Milo Miles says the band's warmth and cohesion is as rich as ever.
Pill's Hallucinogenic Punks Get Dose Of Own 'Medicine' In New Video
Animated eyes peer out of nipples in the playfully weird new video by a band that knows its way around playful weirdness.
Shura's 'What's It Gonna Be' Video Celebrates Teen-Crush Teamwork
The British electro-pop singer's newest song is a high-energy plea to a crush, and its video is replete with kitschy-sweet moments of teen affection.
The Thistle & Shamrock: Song Beat
On this week's episode, hear music that lightens workloads and keeps its singers going.