Music

Music & Culture

Review: Jonas Kaufmann Sings Wagner And Verdi

4:28pm December 09, 2013

by Lloyd Schwartz

At 44, the German tenor Jonas Kaufmann may be the most popular tenor of his generation in the international opera world, and one of the most versatile. Among his recordings this year are albums dedicated to both Verdi and Wagner, celebrating the bicentennials of their birth.

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Jason Isbell's new album is called Southeastern.

Music & Culture

Jason Isbell: A 'Southeastern' Songwriter's Path To Sobriety

12:07pm December 09, 2013

by NPR Staff

The country-rock musician's new solo album is deeply personal, drawing on issues like recovery from a battle with alcoholism that peaked during his time with the band Drive-By Truckers.

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Nick Lowe's Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family is an album of original holiday songs and some reworked classics.

Music & Culture

Why Would Nick Lowe Make A Christmas Album? Ask Nick Lowe

6:12pm December 08, 2013

by NPR Staff

The esteemed UK songwriter says the idea of making a holiday record seemed laughable at first. He tells NPR's Arun Rath how he came around, and performs a few songs from the new Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family.

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Oscar Isaac as the titular character in Joel and Ethan Coen's Inside Llewyn Davis.

Music & Culture

On Becoming Llewyn Davis, A Hero Who Excels At Failing

4:10pm December 06, 2013

by NPR Staff

Actor Oscar Isaac disappears into the title role of the new Coen brothers film, Inside Llewyn Davis, a black comedy about a '60s folk singer who just can't make it, no matter what he does. He speaks with NPR's Melissa Block about playing the less-than-likable character.

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Music & Culture

Pharrell Williams Blurs Lines With Daylong Music Video

11:57am December 06, 2013

Multi-music hyphenate Pharrell Williams hit it big earlier this year with the song, "Blurred Lines," which he co-wrote. Now Williams has blurred the lines of what makes a music video. The 24-hour-long music video for his new single, "Happy," has people dancing and lip-synching down Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles as the song loops over and over. Mimi Valdes, Williams' creative director, was on set for every day of the 11-day shoot, and she tells Robert Siegel and Melissa Block about the process.

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Songwriter Clegg On Mandela, South Africans' 'Bridge'

10:49am December 06, 2013

Renee Montagne talks to South African musician Johnny Clegg about his relationship with Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at age 95. Clegg says his banned 1980s song that named Mandela and became an anthem came to him one day when he woke to gunshots and wondered "who can bridge you and me, every South African."

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Music & Culture

William Parker's Abstract Grooves Collected In Box Set

2:55pm December 05, 2013

by Kevin Whitehead

With six concerts spread over eight discs, Wood Flute Songs documents the bassist's exhaustive and creative live output.

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Music & Culture

Heavy Rotation: 5 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

8:36pm December 04, 2013

The DJs at public radio stations listen to a lot of songs every day. Download five of their recent favorites, including songs from The Milk Carton Kids, Cayucas, Chance the Rapper, Miranda Dodson and Katie Mullins.

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Mark Mulcahy, the songwriter behind the much-beloved "Hey Sandy," returns after eight years and a tragic loss.

Music & Culture

Mark Mulcahy Is The 'Moving Forward Type'

2:57pm December 04, 2013

The smart songwriter behind the much-beloved "Hey Sandy" returns after eight years. Dear Mark J. Mulcahy, I Love You is full of smart wordplay and Mulcahy's unmistakable voice, but it's also driven by loss.

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From left: Video director Joe Sabia, bassist Michael Thurber and recording engineer Matt McCorkle of CDZA.

Music & Culture

Classical Pranksters Don't Just Play Music: They Play With It

12:14pm December 04, 2013

by Jon Kalish

Collective Cadenza, or CDZA for short, is a loose-knit group of musicians — many of them graduates of Juilliard. They've made a name for themselves with funny YouTube videos that have received millions of views. As a result, the group was invited to perform live at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards alongside Eminem, Lady Gaga and Arcade Fire.

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