Bob Boilen

Ólafur Arnalds, Live In Concert

Bob Boilen — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:57:00 +0000

How can music be happy and sad at the same time? Listen to Olafur Arnalds and you'll hear it. Depending on your mood, the tone changes, and a song that may have been uplifting one day sounds like an elegy the next. It's spacious, undeniably beautiful work. Much of the music performed in this concert, recorded on April 18 at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City, is drawn from the Icelandic musician's recent album For Now I Am Winter.

First Watch: Femi Kuti, 'The World Is Changing'

Bob Boilen — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:11:00 +0000
"'The World Is Changing' is groove with a message." That quote, a pretty good summary of the music of Femi Kuti in just nine words, comes from Juan Gélas, the creative director of a new video for Kuti's new song. Femi Kuti is a saxophonist, trumpeter, keyboard player and singer and songwriter. The son of legendary afrobeat musician Fela Kuti, he carries on the tradition of mixing Nigerian beats along with jazz and a healthy dose of politics.

Father Figures: Tiny Desk Concert

Bob Boilen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:03:00 +0000
In a small, packed Washington, D.C., living room late one December night, I heard a cacophony of horns, keys, drums and guitars that simply floored me. It was brash, zany, brainy, scary and danceable. At the end of a long year of amazing live music, this would turn out to be one of the most memorable concerts I'd seen.
I walked up to Adam Schatz, the man behind the saxophone and chief instigator in Father Figures, and told him his band needed to play the Tiny Desk. How this music would translate to the brightness of day — to say nothing of a busy office — was hard to anticipate.

First Watch: Iron And Wine, 'Joy'

Bob Boilen — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:15:00 +0000
"Deep inside the heart of this crazy mess, I'm only calm when I get lost within your wilderness."
That's a key line in this song, "Joy," by Iron and Wine, the project of Sam Beam. Sam is a songwriter who has a way of making the personal very universal.

Blaudzun: NPR Front Row

Bob Boilen — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:49:00 +0000
The Dutch band Blaudzun had its work cut out for it at the SXSW Music Festival, as it somehow wound up opening for a March 15 showcase of Turkish music.

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill: Tiny Desk Concert

Bob Boilen — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:03:00 +0000
You're about to watch one of the best fiddlers on the planet and a subtle guitar master work their magic. For too many of us, Irish music is something that merely gets trotted out around this time of year, associated with St. Patrick's Day and the coming of spring — and made a cliche by commercialism and whatever other shallow notions make cliches what they are.
But for a moment, stop, put aside your notion of jigs and reels, and just listen.

The Lone Bellow: Tiny Desk Concert

Bob Boilen — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:10:00 +0000
After hearing The Lone Bellow's self-titled debut, I couldn't wait to play it for friends and on All Songs Considered — I knew people would love it. Still, honestly, I was unprepared for the stunning power of the band's live show. When you see this Tiny Desk Concert, I'm sure you'll experience the same sensation I did. The Lone Bellow features three brilliant players, with Zach Williams singing every word as if it's the last time he'll ever get the chance.

First Watch: Angel Olsen's 'Tiniest Seed' In 16mm

Bob Boilen — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:02:00 +0000
"A transatlantic collaboration between four friends. Two songs were written and recorded in Chicago and then sent to Vienna. There they were translated into a film score."
That statement from four filmmakers should give you a clue that this isn't your everyday video project/premiere. It is, though, a perfect introduction to Angel Olsen, a musician I hope to hear a lot from in this new year. If you don't know Angel Olsen, just start watching the video for "Tiniest Seed," below.

You'll Know This Band In 2013: The Lone Bellow

Bob Boilen — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 12:03:00 +0000
The world of acoustic music is about to get a new household name. The music of The Lone Bellow is born from tragedy and told with heart and simplicity. Zach Williams, a singer and songwriter for this Brooklyn-based group, is originally from Georgia, and his words began to flow following his wife's catastrophic horse riding accident that nearly left her paralyzed. Listen to The Lone Bellows' song "Two Sides of Lonely," from the band's forthcoming self-titled album.
Williams was encouraged to write by his friend, the songwriter Caleb Clardy.

Song Premiere: Erin McKeown, 'The Jailer'

Bob Boilen — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:30:00 +0000
Erin McKeown's music is a bit hard to describe. It is music and lyrics with meaning so it makes me think, but it's also playful and so it makes me smile. I'll have another chance to hear it soon, since Erin has made a new record, called MANIFESTRA. The album, her seventh, was funded by her fan base via PledgeMusic and will be out on January 15.