NPR Music

We brought together all six Tiny Desk Contest winners for some music and conversation. Hear the songs that earned them a ticket to the Tiny Desk, plus their advice for entering the Contest.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tracks of the week, including "the most fun song" Torres has ever written, the latest from Laura Marling's project called LUMP and more.

1. Torres: "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head," from Thirstier
2. LUMP: "Animal (feat. Laura Marling & Mike Lindsay)," from Animal
3. Caveman: "Like Me," from Smash
4. Rodrigo Amarante: "Maré," from Drama
5. koleżanka: "7th st/ 7th ave," from Place Is
6. Water From Your Eyes: ""Quotations"," from Structure

WNXP's Jewly Hight shares a conversation with electronic dance artist Dawn Richard and her mom Debbie. Her new album, Second Line, grew out of Dawn's desire to better understand where her mom came from and what matters to her.

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include the intricately detailed pop of Dodie, a posthumous release from legendary drummer Tony Allen, a mind-blower from Daniel Bachman and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Dodie — Build A Problem
Featured Song: "Special Girl"
2. L'Orange & Namir Blade — Imaginary Everything
Featured Song: "Nihilism"
3. Daniel Bachman — Axacan
Featured Songs: "Blues in the Anthropocene" and "Year Of The Rat"
4. Tony Allen — There Is No End
Featured Song: "Stumbling Down"
5. Sophia Kennedy — Monsters
Featured Song: "I'm Looking Up"
6. James Brandon Lewis — Jesup Wagon
Featured Song: "Lowlands of Sorrow"
7. Nasimiyu — Potions
Featured Song: "Parasite"

Other notable releases for May 7: Angel Olsen — Song of the Lark and Other Far Memories; Iceage — Seek Shelter; Miranda Lambert — The Marfa Tapes (with Jack Ingram and John Randall); Squid — Bright Green Field; Sufjan Stevens — Convocations; Weezer — Van Weezer.

In April, we adored biting and beautiful indie rock from Pom Pom Squad and Flock of Dimes, witnessed Zao's metallic brutality, were transported by Catalan multi-instrumentalist Rita Payés and kora player Toumani Diabaté, and were reminded why we love ILOVEMAKONNEN.

Songs featured on this episode:
• Pom Pom Squad: "Head Cheerleader" from Death of a Cheerleader
• Flock of Dimes: "Awake for the Sunrise" from Head of Roses
• Zao: "Creator/Destroyer" from The Crimson Corridor
• Rita Payés: "Nunca vas a comprender" from Como La Piel
• Toumani Diabaté & London Symphony Orchestra: "Elyne Road" from Kôrôlén
• ILOVEMAKONNEN: "So Saucy" from My Parade

Follow the Press Pause playlist for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include girl in red's long-awaited debut, the Flying Lotus soundtrack for Yasuke and more.

Featured Albums:
1. girl in red — If I Could Make It Go Quiet
Featured Song: "Serotonin"
2. Dawn Richard — Second Line
Featured Song: "Bussifame"
3. Ashley Monroe — Rosegold
Featured Song: "Siren"
4. Shelley FKA Dram — S/T
Featured Song: "Rich And Famous"
5. Amy Shark — Cry Forever
Featured Songs: "The Wolves" and "Amy Shark"
6. Matt Sweeney & Bonnie "Prince" Billy — Superwolves
Featured Song: "Make Worry For Me"
7. Flying Lotus — Yasuke
Featured Song: "African Samurai"

Other notable releases for April 30: Amy Speace & The Orphan Brigade — There Used To Be Horses; Gojira — Fortitude; Julia Stone — Sixty Summers; Manchester Orchestra — The Million Masks of God; Marianne Faithful & Warren Ellis — She Walks In Beauty; Rosie Tucker — Sucker Supreme; Teenage Fanclub — Endless Arcade; Tōth — You And Me And Everything.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tracks of the week, including the calming sounds of Ballaké Sissoko, the plainspoken wisdom of singer Faye Webster and more.

Featured Songs:
1. No-No Boy: "The Best God Damn Band in Wyoming," from 1975
2. Faye Webster: "Cheers," from I Know I'm Funny haha
3. Tōth: "Guitars Are Better Than Synthesizers for Writing Through Hard Times," from You And Me And Everything
4. Ballaké Sissoko: "Kadidja," from Djourou
5. Lau Noah: "Las Siete Lágrimas," 3
6. Manchester Orchestra: "Telepath," from The Million Masks of God

NPR Music's shortlist for the best albums out on April 23 includes Nashville singer and rapper Houston Kendrick's technicolor pop, Malian Kora player Toumani Diabaté, Dinosaur Jr. and more.

1. Houston Kendrick — Small Infinity
Featured Song: "Ugly Vybes"
2. Hannah Jadagu — What Is Going On?
Featured Song: "Sundown"
3. Dinosaur Jr. — Sweep It Into Space
Featured Song: "And Me"
4. Arooj Aftab — Vulture Prince
Featured Songs: "Suroor" and "Baghon Main"
5. Toumani Diabaté and The London Symphony Orchestra — Korolen
Featured Songs: "Elyne Road" and "Cantelowes"
6. Hasaan Ibn Ali — Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album
Featured Song: "El Hasaan"

Other notable releases for April 23: Alfa Mist — Bring Backs; Ethel Cain — Inbred; Jupiter Okwess — Na Kozonga

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tunes of the week including a "Hot and Heavy" track from Lucy Dacus, and Beatles producer George Martin's little-known side project, Ray Cathode.

1. Lucy Dacus: "Hot & Heavy," from Home Video
2. Uwade: "The Man Who Sees Tomorrow" (Single)
3. Field Music: "When You Last Heard From Linda," from Flat White Moon
4. Ray Cathode (George Martin and Maddalena Fagandini): "Time Beat" (Single)
5. Ray Cathode (George Martin and Maddalena Fagandini): "Waltz In Orbit" (Single)
6. Rosie Tucker: "Barbara Ann," from Sucker Supreme
7. Smoothboi Ezra: "Stuck" from Stuck EP

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on April 16 include the latest from UK rapper AJ Tracey, Norah Jones' first-ever live album, a feast of sonic wonders from Son Lux and more.

Featured Albums:
1. AJ Tracey — Flu Game
Featured Song: "Anxious"
2. Norah Jones — Til We Meet Again
Featured Song: "Cold, Cold Heart"
3. Masabumi Kikuchi — Hanamichi
Featured Song: "Ramona"
4. London Grammar — Californian Soil
Featured Song: "America"
5. Sharon Van Etten - Epic 10
Featured Songs: "Don't Do It" and "Peace Signs"
6. Son Lux — Tomorrows III
Featured Songs: "Come Recover" and "Unbind"

Other notable releases for April 16: The Armed — ULTRAPOP; Conway the Machine — La Maquina; David Wax Museum — Euphoric Ouroboric.