NPR Music

Brennan Wedl. Jorja Smith. Brandon Flowers. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, August 21. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(01:23) Album No. 1
- Brennan Wedl, 'Brennan Wedl'

(08:34) Album No. 2
- Squirrel Flower, 'Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going'

(16:07) Album No. 3
- Westside Cowboy, 'It Goes On'

(22:45) Album No. 4
- Brandon Flowers, 'THRASHER'

(28:50) Album No. 5
- Jorja Smith, 'What Are The Odds'

(34:27) The Lightning Round

- Rapsody, 'God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops'
- OK Cowgirl, 'Rhinestone Cowgirl'
- Elanor Moss, 'The Knife, The Needle'
- Julia Holter, 'Materia'
- The Cramps, 'Gravest Gravy'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Celia Gregory, WNXP
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Sheldon Pearce and Lars Gotrich

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Mexico isn't the first place you think of as the cutting edge of experimental electronic music. But two new projects show that might be changing. LATIN MAFIA recently teamed up with British producer Fred again.. to make a bold new album featuring collaborators like Mabe Fratti and Lil Yachty. And the up-and-coming duo RØZ -- comprised of producers Manolo Cabrera and Hugo Lara -- just released their debut album, spinning a dazzling mix of hip hop, gospel and glitchy electronica. This week's episode also features a comically brilliant track from El David Aguilar, cumbia jam rockers Dos Santos, a cover from La Zorra Zapata, and a deep dive from Felix on the many interpretations of Consuela Velazquez's classic "Verdad Amarga."

Artists and albums featured in this episode:

(00:43) LATIN MAFIA & Fred again.., '9 months & 50 hours'
(07:40) Dos Santos, 'Es Amor'
(13:12) El David Aguilar, 'VIGENTE'
(18:42) Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, 'El Arte de Bolero, Vol. 3'
(25:23) RØZ, 'SE ESTÁ HACIENDO TARDE'
(29:11) La Zorra Zapata, 'I Love You Baby'

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.

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On this week’s show, Weezer gives the people what they want, plus a breathless “dirt dance” from saxophonist Colin Stetson and bagpiper Brìghde Chaimbeul, the scruffy cello-pop of yeemz, works by composer and vocalist Meredith Monk, electronic artist Jlin and more.  

NPR Music’s Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton as we share our picks for the best new songs of the week.

Leave us a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro

(00:51) Weezer: “C.E.O.”

(08:24) Colin Stetson, Brìghde Chaimbeul: “Dirt dance”

(18:16) slimdan: “Let’s Start A Cult!”

(25:09) Phaedra Ensemble: “Phantom Strings” (Meredith Monk)

(31:43) yeemz: “Brace for Impact” (single)

(37:36) PUBLIQuartet: “Baobab” (Jlin)

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Phoebe Bridgers. Jungle. Hovvdy. It's a surprisingly stacked Summer Friday this week, and you can hear all about it with New Music Friday host Stephen Thompson and guest Samantha Hval from WMNF in Tampa, Fla. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.


The Starting 5

(00:00) Phoebe Bridgers
'Lost Weekend' (Dead Oceans)

(10:25) Jungle
'Sunshine' (AWAL)

(19:38) Hovvdy
'Big World' (Arts & Crafts)

(27:08) Sweeping Promises
'You Say I Romanticize' (Sub Pop)

(32:59) L'Rain
'fata morgana' (Mexican Summer)

(37:54) The Lightning Round

• The Womack Sisters, s/t
• Channel Tres 'Enigma POV'
• Ayra Starr, 'Starr Girl'
• Nina Winder-Lind, 'Wild Love'
• Open Mike Eagle & Kenny Segal, 'DOOMED!'


Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Samantha Hval, WMNF
Audio Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Sheldon Pearce, Ann Powers and Rodney Carmichael
 
Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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Harry Styles just finished a 5-night run in Mexico City. You know who else had a 5-night run in Mexico City? Michael Jackson in 1993.

Mainstream artists have a long history of being enticed by the energy of performing for a Latin American crowd … which means there’s also a long and less-known history of big pop stars making music for that audience.

Did you know Michael Jackson has a Latin track? So does Madonna. A few actually.

As early as the '50s, Nat King Cole experimented with Spanish and released an entire record, Cole Español, writing songs in partnership with legendary "Bésame Mucho" composer Consuelo Velásquez.

This week’s Alt.Latino is a pop takeover. We’re mythbusting the idea that there’s only been one kind of crossover — from Latin to mainstream — and walking through a long history of mainstream wanting to go… Latin.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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