On this week's New Music Friday, All Songs Considered's Robin Hilton talks to NPR Music guests Ann Powers and Stephen Thompson about the essential new releases for July 27, including the jangly guitar pop of Tony Molina, a celebration of queerness and the company we keep from Thin Lips and whimsical sing-a-longs from Raffi.  Featured Artists/Albums: 1. Israel Nash: Lifted, featured song "Rolling On," 2. Phantastic Ferniture: Phantastic Ferniture, featured song "Bad Timing," 3. Thin Lips: Chosen Family, featured songs "Chosen Family" and "Gaslight Anthem (The Song Not The Band)," 4. Tony Molina: Kill The Lights, featured song "Nothing I Can Say," 5. Raffi: Dog On The Floor, featured song "Play Play Play," 6. Cody Jinks: Lifers, featured song "Head Case"

New Music Friday: July 27

Since launching in 2000, All Songs Considered has been NPR's flagship program for music discovery, artist interviews and conversations with friends and fellow music lovers about the really big questions, like what was the best decade for music, are there albums everyone can agree on, and what do you put on when you need a good cry? Weekly, with host Robin Hilton and the NPR Music family.

Music

Brittany Luse, host of NPR's It's Been A Minute, joins All Songs Considered's Robin Hilton to update our running list of the year's best songs.  

Featured artists and songs:
1. Ekko Astral: "Baethoven," from 'pink balloons'
2. Nubiyan Twist: "Carry Me (feat. Seun Kuti)," from 'Find Your Flame'
3. T-Bone Burnett: "He Came Down," from 'The Other Side'
4. Bien et Toi: "So Long (feat. Paris Texas)," from 'London Safari II'
5. Bnny: "Missing," from 'One Million Love Songs'
6. Chanel Beads: "Unifying Thought," from 'Your Day Will Come'


Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The Contenders, Vol. 8: The songs we can't stop playing this week

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Sheldon Pearce discuss new albums from St. Vincent, Charley Crockett, Iron & Wine and more.

Feature Albums:
• St. Vincent, 'All Born Screaming'
• Charley Crockett, '$10 Cowboy'
• Iron & Wine, 'Light Verse'
• Maria Chiara Argirò, 'Closer'

Other notable albums out April 26:
• Neil Young and Crazy Horse, 'FU##IN' UP'
• PartyNextDoor, 'PartyNextDoor 4'
• Justice, 'Hyperdrama'
• Anitta, 'Funk Generation'

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 26

Is April, as T.S. Eliot put it, the cruelest month? We reflect on the question with a mix that's both cringe-inducing and hilarious, from the cruelest takedowns to the most insidious earworms.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Hazel Cills dig into Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which hit streaming services last night, and share a handful of other new albums out Friday, April 19.

Featured Albums:
• Taylor Swift, 'The Tortured Poets Department'
• Bbymutha, 'Sleep Paralysis'
• claire rousay, 'sentiment'
• Pearl Jam, 'Dark Matter'

Other notable albums out April 19:
• Stephanie Lambring, 'Hypocrite'
• Cadence Weapon, 'ROLLERCOASTER'
• Tei Shi, 'Valerie'
• Ekko Astral, 'pink balloons'
• Bill Frisell, 'Orchestras'
• BIG|BRAVE, 'A Chaos of Flowers'
• Blue Lab Beats, 'Blue Eclipse'
• Chanel Beads, 'Your Day Will Come'
• Local Natives, 'But I'll Wait For You'
• Gangrene (The Alchemist & Oh No), 'Heads I Win, Tails You Lose'
• Brian Eno, 'Eno'
• Cloud Nothings, 'Final Summer'
• Melvins, 'Tarantula Heart'
• Mozzy, 'CHILDREN OF THE SLUMS'
• Lucy Rose, 'This Ain't The Way You Go Out'
• Pillow Queens, 'Name Your Sorrow'
• A Certain Ratio, 'It All Comes Down To This'
• Cavalier, 'Different Type Time'
• Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds, 'That Delicious Vice'
• T Bone Burnett, 'The Other Side'

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

New Music Friday: Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' and the best albums out April 19

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras round up their favorite new music, from Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko's boundary-pushing new music, to Alejandro Escovedo's genre-bending rock and Angelica Garcia's electro-cumbia.

Songs featured in this episode:
• Young Miko, "Tamagotchi"
• The Mavericks, "Moon & Stars (with Sierra Ferrell)"
• Angelica Garcia, "Juanita"
• Alejandro Escovedo, "Castañuelas"
• Nella, Yendry, "Veinte Años"
• Sheila E., "Bemba Colorá (ft. Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar)"

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

New Music Friday: July 27

Download our free app to listen on your phone