NPR Music

Anderson .Paak and Cordae. Michael Kiwanuka. Fenne Lily. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 23 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Francesca Harding from KCRW in Los Angeles, Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee and Alex Newman from KMHD Jazz Radio in Portland, Ore. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:47) Album No. 1
- Anderson .Paak & Cordae, 'Heavy Is The Crown'

(07:34) Album No. 2
- Michael Kiwanuka, 'Fudge'

(14:33) Album No. 3
- Fenne Lily, 'Win Win'

(20:34) Album No. 4
- Fine, 'Jazz dreams'

(27:07) Album No. 5
- Surprise Chef, 'Frogs In A Pond'

(33:53) The Lightning Round

- Shabazz Palaces, 'It's a Style Sport'
- Claud, 'Me and the Music'
- Josh Johnson, 'Animative'
- The Olivia Tremor Control, 'The Same Place'
- Jlin & Third Coast Percussion, 'Vernacular'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Francesca Harding, Erin Wolf, Alex Newman
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Lars Gotrich and Tom Huizenga

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More than any song we’ve covered yet in this series about songs that persist in culture, "Crimson and Clover" is a stealth classic. Maybe you heard it in 1968 after its rough mix was leaked by a radio station and it became a top-40 hit. Maybe you only know it from a popular rock ’n’ roll cover in 1980s, or when it became a singalong in an emo song in the 2000s. Maybe it’s not even the lyrics that you recognize, but those three heavy, insistent chords. But it’s a song that’s stuck around, that feels endlessly replayable, and that helped inspire the new name for this NPR Music series: “Over and Over.” 

This week on Over and Over, NPR Music critic Ann Powers and editor Daoud Tyler-Ameen discuss “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and the Shondells, from 1968. 

Check out more episodes on songs that keep coming back by looking for “Over and Over” in the NPR Music podcast feed. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one by signing up at plus.npr.org. Follow NPR Music coverage and the Tiny Desk Concerts at npr.org/music.

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Last week we published a Tiny Desk Concert that ended up being unusual for a few reasons.

First of all, it was the final production of our sixth annual El Tiny series. This was a very emotional moment for a lot of reasons. People really love Los Tigres del Norte, to the point that playing their albums feels like sitting with family. And if you’ve seen the introduction I gave the band just before they played at the desk you can see that I wasn’t embarrassed to get emotional when I talked about what the band means to me. 

That emotional intro led to some changes in our process and format that resulted in a huge response from the audience that went viral. The result was a messy moment behind the scenes here at NPR and more than a little confusion for a lot of you.

This week’s episode looks back at last week. 

First we want to share with you, directly from us, an explanation of what happened.

But mostly we want to put the spotlight back on the band and their music because for decades they have been bringing out the kind emotions that got this whole thing started.

Give it a listen and enjoy the music. Again. - Felix

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Jacob Ganz and Otis Hart. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.

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With the arrival of the first new Olivia Tremor Control album in nearly 30 years, we attempt to make sense of the sprawling, enigmatic collective behind it known as Elephant 6.

NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich joins host Robin Hilton.

Special thanks to Greenwich Entertainment, C.B. Stockfleth and Rob Hatch-Miller for use of audio featured in the 2022 documentary, The Elephant 6 Recording Co. 

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro with “A New Day” by The Olivia Tremor Control
(03:00) The Elephant 6 story in 60 seconds with “Black Foliage (Animation 2)” by The Olivia Tremor Control
(04:28) The Apples In Stereo: “Tidal Wave”
(07:34) Robert Schneider on the creative process, from the documentary ‘The Elephant 6 Recording Co.’
(12:39) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Love Athena”
(16:17) The Apples In Stereo: “Glowworm”
(18:14) Neutral Milk Hotel: “Ghost”
(22:13) Elf Power: “Embrace The Crimson Tide”
(26:08) of Montreal: “Gallery Piece”
(29:25) The Gerbils: “Glue”
(33:54) The Instruments: “Song for Thomas”
(37:01) Beulah: “Score From Augusta”
(39:35) Great Lakes: “A Little Touched”
(41:21) Dressy Bessy: “I’m Still Here”
(51:12) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Meeting Ourselves”
(53:39) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Path of the Parallels VI - Last Occupants”
(55:15) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Leaf”
(57:41) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Begin Now!”

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]

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Fontaines D.C. Sophia Stel. The Avalanches. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 16 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville, Skylar Rochelle from 90.9 The Bridge in Kansas City and Andrew Brown from KUTX in Austin. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round. 

The Starting 5

(02:23) Album No. 1
- Fontaines D.C., 'Dopamine Chamber'

(09:30) Album No. 2
- @, 'Autosmile'
 
(16:34) Album No. 3
- Sophia Stel, 'the greatest album of all time'

(23:05) Album No. 4
- June McDoom, 'Follow the Light'

(28:32) Album No. 5
- The Avalanches, 'No Bad Memories'

(35:53) The Lightning Round

- N8NOFACE, 'Tomorrow's World'
- Richard Thompson, 'Hippies, Thugs and Heroes'
- Max Richter, 'While The Flood Rages'
- Chuwi, 'Libertad'
- Flora Hibberd, 'Mammoth'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Celia Gregory, Skylar Rochelle, Andrew Brown
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Anamaria Sayre and Tom Huizenga

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The Tiny Desk’s magnetism is its intimacy. We strip back lights and a big stage and get to see artists speak honestly about who they are directly to an audience around the world.

This becomes all the more profound during our El Tiny takeover of Latin Music Month, where artists whisper truths and share secrets about community, country, pain and family. Often on production days, artists share with us the importance of each individual song — the stories behind them and why they needed to be played in such an honest space.

So, this week on Alt.Latino we wanted to let you all in on the secrets. Alex Ferreira, Draco Rosa and Los Tigres del Norte shared in their own words, what their Tiny Desk songs meant to them. Hopefully, learning what’s behind the songs will help each show mean a little bit more for all of you, too.

Artists and songs featured in this episode:

• Mon Laferte, "No Le Regales Tu Corazón"
• Alex Ferreira, "Monte Adentro"
• Draco Rosa, "Vagabundo"
• Los Tigres del Norte, "Somos Más Americanos"

You can watch the Tiny Desk Concerts featured in this episode here.

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

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Who’s the Mariah Carey of Halloween? Labels and artists are trying to capitalize on spooky season, but these are the songs that belong in the creepy canon, from the truly terrifying to simply seasonal and nostalgic.

Note: An earlier version of this episode appeared on All Songs Considered in 2025.

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]

Featured artists and songs:

Phoebe Bridgers: “Killer” from ‘Stranger in the Alps’
Fever Ray: “If I Had A Heart,” from ‘Fever Ray’
Sufjan Stevens: “John Wayne Gacy, Jr” from ‘Illinois’
Jack Lenz: “Goosebumps” (theme from the TV show)
Disneyland Records: “Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House”
Alice Cooper: “Welcome to My Nightmare,” from ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’
Oksana Linde: “Horizontes lejanos,” from ‘Travesias’
Florence + the Machine: “Everybody Scream,” from ‘Everybody Scream’
Ethel Cain: “Housofpsychoticwomn,” from ‘Perverts’
girl in red: “We Fell In Love In October” (single)
Mimicking Birds: “Bloodlines,” from ‘EONS’
Van Morrison: “Moondance,” from ‘Moondance’
The Cramps: “I Was A Teenage Werewolf,” from ‘Songs the Lord Taught Us’
Dead Man’s Bones: “My Bodies a Zombie for You,” from ‘Dead Man’s Bones’
Vince Guaraldi: “The Great Pumpkin Waltz,” from ‘The Great Pumpkin’

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At almost exactly the midpoint of our conversation about the fifth album made by his band, Fontaines D.C., Grian Chatten told me, “It's an interesting time to be a self.” We'd been talking about the themes on 'Dopamine Chamber,' which comes out on Oct. 16, and could serve as a soundtrack to the era we live in now, what Chatten calls our “glorious age of distraction.”

It's also an interesting time to be a rock band in the mainstream, and that’s where Fontaines D.C., which formed in 2014, definitely lives these days. The Irish quintet’s next tour has them in stadiums and arenas, and the one guest on 'Dopamine Chamber' is pop's universal “it” girl, the Spanish singer Rosalía. The 2024 album Romance took Fontaines to another level, earning them two Grammy nominations and their best sales ever, with hits like the sweet and earnest “Favourite.” Following it up, Fontaines didn't take the easy way. Instead, they explored new sounds to create a captivating sonic travelogue that somehow connects the decadent beauty of old Europe with the narcotic ethereality of cyberspace.

Things really gel for Fontaines on 'Dopamine Chamber.' Using vintage synthesizers and studio effects, the band builds on the hypnotic energy that's always been its calling card to make something huge and seductive and haunting. I was lucky to speak with Chatten about his evolution as a storyteller and his place within a band that's always growing, but which remains utterly true to itself.

When they were making 'Dopamine Chamber,' Chatten’s bandmates recorded the instrumental parts of the songs first, and then Chatten went off on his own to write and record lyrics. This interview worked the same way — I talked with Chatten on his own, and with bassist Conor Deegan (who goes by “Deego”) about how guys who have been playing together since college have taken their bashing punk sound all the way to the stratosphere.   - Ann Powers

Credits:
Host: Ann Powers
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Editor: Jacob Ganz
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta

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Troye Sivan’s 2023 album, 'Something to Give Each Other,' marked a turning point in the Australian singer-songwriter’s career. Its choreo-driven singles “Rush” and “Got Me Started” became viral hits, earned Sivan his first Grammy nominations and even spawned a Timothée Chalamet and boygenius spoof on Saturday Night Live. Soon after came the Sweat tour with friend and peer Charli xcx amid the hype of “Brat” summer. 

But while Sivan says it was a thrilling moment in his career, it also didn’t paint a full picture of what he was going through at the end of his 20s. His new album, 'She’s the Best,' gives the artist breathing room to dig into some darker feelings. Sivan sat down with NPR Music reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento to talk about honoring the women in his life, moving away from perfect pop music and making an “unsexy” album that reflects his true feelings. 

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Hazel Cills. NPR Music’s chief editor is Jacob Ganz. Our executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our executive director is Sonali Mehta. 

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Cameron Winter. Troye Sivan. Remi Wolf. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 9 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Tshego Letsoalo from KALW in San Francisco, Aurora McGuckin from MVYRADIO in Massachusetts and Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:39) Album No. 1
- Cameron Winter, 'Live at Carnegie Hall'

(07:30) Album No. 2
- Troye Sivan, 'She's the Best'

(14:45) Album No. 3
- Remi Wolf, 'Mud'

(21:11) Album No. 4
- Jess Williamson, 'A Mile South of Heaven'

(27:20) Album No. 5
- Danielle Ponder, 'Everything Has Changed'

(34:40) The Lightning Round

- Dawn Richard, 'creole culture'
- Margo Cilker, 'Little White Cross'
- Imperial Teen, 'All Over You'
- heavensouls, 'cantu of the sower'
- Joyce Wrice, 'Machiko'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Tshego Letsoalo, Aurora McGuckin, Jewly Hight
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers and Sheldon Pearce

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