First Listen: Heron Oblivion, 'Heron Oblivion'
Meg Baird leads a supergroup with the skills, the background and the vision to play dark acid-folk for a modern generation.
Music
First Listen: M. Ward, 'More Rain'
On his eighth solo album, the singer and multi-instrumentalist crafts a warm, thoughtful mood piece, buoyed by guest stars but desolate where necessary.
First Listen: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, 'A Man Alive'
On her third album, Thao Nguyen and her band sound emboldened and unafraid to delve into some heavy, nervy stuff.
First Listen: Nada Surf, 'You Know Who You Are'
Almost 25 years into its career, the stalwart power-pop band seems like an inexhaustible force on its eighth album, which smartly juxtaposes the epic and the everyday.
First Listen: Polica, 'United Crushers'
The Twin Cities band's roiling, hands-on electronic music hews between dance fare that could catalyze a club and slower new-wave sounds.
Dylan LeBlanc On World Cafe
Hear the young Muscle Shoals, Ala., singer-songwriter perform songs from his new album.
Songs We Love: Ali Beletic, 'Stone Fox'
In the Sonoran Desert, an installation artist found the spirit of rock 'n' roll and stories that needed telling. Her words curl smoke around a song about exploration and the unknown.
'All My Yesterdays' Captures The Beginning Of A 50-Year Engagement
Music from Thad Jones and Mel Lewis' first and seventh Mondays at the Village Vanguard is out on a new two-CD set. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says All My Yesterdays explodes with creative energy.
Jeffrey Lewis' 'Sad Screaming Old Man' Could Be You
A funny and scary claymation rendering of a song from the impassioned singer Jeffrey Lewis that wonders if a small twist of fate could turn any of us down a bitter and lonely road.
Ben Arnold On World Cafe
The Philly singer-songwriter brings 17 friends along to perform new music on stage in his hometown.