Parquet Courts' Misery Is Exhilarating
The quartet has drawn comparisons to the Velvet Underground, the New York Dolls, and Sonic Youth, but rock critic Ken Tucker says this album proves Parquet Courts is an original.
Music
Just In Time For Father's Day: Bad Dads In Opera
Renee Montagne talks to music commentator Miles Hoffman, who says his candidate for opera's most evil father is the character of Alberich from Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung.
'Fresh Air' Remembers Jazz Singer Jimmy Scott
Scott, who had a rare genetic condition that made him sound like a woman, was popular in '50s but didn't make any records between 1975 and 1992. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1992 about his comeback.
Nobody Panic! It's Only A Pop Song About Sex
Jody Rosen says that 1909's "I Love My Wife — But Oh! You Kid!" not only spurred guardians of public morality to action but also changed American popular music forever.
Jenny Scheinman Reaches Out To Her Father In Song
Scheinman says that since writing and performing The Littlest Prisoner's "Just a Child," the song has "really transformed" her relationship with her father.
A High School Band Where Everyone's Voice Can Be Heard
One music teacher has used tablets to change life for students at a New York school. The members of the school's orchestra have learning disabilities. For some, the band has opened up their world.
In Big Bill Broonzy's Blues, Brothers Find A Way To Sing Together
Dave and Phil Alvin have made their first full album together in nearly 30 years, a tribute to one of their early influences. "His persona was so big to me," Phil Alvin tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross.
From Jack White, A Fierce New Record Raised In Captivity
Whether he's producing, leading a band or on his own, White continues to evolve with each project. His first solo album was the sound of heartbreak, but the new Lazaretto feels more like isolation.
Apple Jacks The Headphone Port
Industry folks and Apple fanatics are upset about the company's plan to lose the standard 3.5mm connector in favor of a Lightning port. But the decision might be good for consumers in the long run.
Album Review: 'Natalie Merchant'
Though she's been a popular singer since the '80s, Natalie Merchant has often worn the air of one who finds pop stardom distasteful. On her new self-titled LP, she dredges that tension to the fore.