NPR Music

Host Bob Boilen shares more songs about finding both light and darkness in life on this week's All Songs Considered, including a devastating new single from Lucy Dacus.

1. Ben Howard: "Far Out," from Collections From The Whiteout
2. Lucy Dacus: "Thumbs" (Single)
3. Sour Widows: "Crossing Over," from Crossing Over EP
4. Kelli Scarr: "Eve of Spring" (Single)
5. Cautious Clay: "Roots" (Single)
6. Lightning Bug: "The Right Thing Is Hard To Do," from A Color of the Sky

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on March 12 include Valerie June's magical meditations, a Blake Mills and Pino Palladino collaboration, Selena Gomez's first Spanish language record and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Valerie June — The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers
Featured Songs: "You And I" and "Starlight Ethereal Silence"
2. Selena Gomez — Revelación
Featured Song: "Adios"
3. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills — Notes With Attachments
Featured Song: "Soundwalk"
4. Lushlife — Redamancy
Featured Song: "Depaysement"
5. LOUISAHHH — The Practice of Freedom
Featured Song: "Love Is A Punk"
6. Graham Lambkin — Solos
Featured Songs: "Ginkamix"

Other notable releases for March 12: Allie Crow Buckley — Moonlit and Devious; DJ Muggs — Dies Occidendum; Lake Street Dive — Obviously; Leanne Betasamosake Simpson — Theory of Ice.

All Songs Considered's Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson listened to the nearly 300 artists performing at this year's online edition of SXSW and share their most exciting discoveries.

This includes the Korean electro-pop duo HAEPAARY, the South African folksinger Bongeziwe Mabandla, the gentle Australian pianist Sophie Hutchings and the occasional detour into Welsh indie-rock, danceable hip-hop and more.

An absolute eccentric, Peter Stampfel picked one favorite song for every year of the 20th century, then performed and recorded them all for an enormous collection.

Our picks for the best new albums out on March 5 include an ambitious remix from Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats, the surreal hip-hop of Genesis Owusu, flickering dance pop from Jane Weaver and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats — Unlocked 1.5
Featured Song: "Cosmic"
2. Ian Sweet — Show Me How You Disappear
Featured Song: "My Favorite Cloud"
3. Adult Mom — Driver
Featured Song: "Wisconsin"
4. Hafez Modirzadeh — Facets
Featured Song: "Facet 33 Tides"
5. Genesis Owusu — Smiling With No Teeth
Featured Songs: "Centrefold," "Drown," "Smiling With No Teeth," and "On The Move!"
6. Jane Weaver — Flock
Featured Song: "The Revolution of Super Visions"
7. Elizabeth and the Catapult — Sincerely, e
Featured Song: "Together Alone"

Other notable releases for March 5: Arab Strap — As Days Get Dark; Fruit Bats — The Pet Parade; Jesswar — TROPIXX; Jimbo Mathus and Andrew Bird — These 13; Kings of Leon — When You See Yourself; Tigers Jaw — I Won't Care How You Remember Me.

In February, new albums by Aaron Lee Tasjan, Wild Pink and Black Country, New Road had us yearning for live music; VanJess sang matters of the heart; and Will Liverman devoted an entire album to Black composers.

Songs featured on this episode:
• Aaron Lee Tasjan: "Computer of Love" from Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!
• Wild Pink: "Oversharers Anonymous" from A Billion Little Lights
• Black Country, New Road: "Science Fair" from For the First Time
• VanJess: "Slow Down" from Homegrown
• Maxine Funke: "Lucky Penny" from Seance
• Will Liverman: Three Dream Portraits: No. 2, Dream Variation from Dreams of a New Day

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

NPR Music's picks for the best new albums out this week include Julian Baker's Little Oblivions, the warped pop of Jimmy Edgar, stirring protest songs from Chris Pierce, a debut from Sam Dew and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Julien Baker — Little Oblivions
Featured Song: "Highlight Reel"
2. Karima Walker — Waking The Dreaming Body
Featured Song: "Window I"
3. Chris Pierce — American Silence
Featured Song: "Sound All The Bells"
4. Don Cherry — Cherry Jam
Featured Song: "You Took Advantage Of Me"
5. Jimmy Edgar — Cheetah Bend
Featured Song: "Cheetah"
6. Sam Dew — Moonlit Fools
Featured Song: "Rap Shit"
7. Adrian Younge — The American Negro
Featured Song: "James Mincey Jr."
8. A Winged Victory For The Sullen — Invisible Cities
Featured Songs: "The Merchant Of Seven Nations" and "The Celestial City"

Other notable releases for Feb. 26: Blanck Mass — In Ferneaux; Cloud Nothings — The Shadow I Remember; Glitterer — Life Is Not A Lesson; Lucy Spraggan — Choices; Nick Hakim — Will This Make Me Good (Remixes)

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite tracks of the week, including Charlie Hickey's collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers, José González's first song in Spanish and more.

Featured Songs And Artists:
1. Charile Hickey: "Ten Feet Tall," from Count The Stairs
2. Francis of Delirium: "Let It All Go," from Wading
3. Floatie: "Catch a Good Worm," from Voyage Out
4. Matt Sweeney and Bonnie "Prince" Billy w/ Mdou Moctar: "Hall of Death," from Superwolves
5. José González: "El Invento" (Single)
6. Ethel Cain: "Michelle Pfeiffer," from Inbred
7. Mint Julep: "Pulse," from In A Deep And Dreamless Sleep

NPR Music's picks for the best new albums out on Feb. 19 include the disco euphoria of SG Lewis, soaring, instrumental rock from Mogwai, the Somali supergroup 4 Mars, Tash Sultana and more.

Featured Artists And Albums:
1. SG Lewis — times
Featured Song: "Back to Earth"
2. Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears In Sunlight
Featured Song: "Temple Gardens At Midnight"
3. Mogwai — As The Love Continues
Featured Song: "F*** Off Money"
4. Tash Sultana — Terra Firma
Featured Song: "Crop Circles"
5. Lava La Rue — Butter-Fly
Featured Song: "Magpie"
6. 4 Mars — Super Somali Sounds From The Gulf Of Tadjoura
Featured Song: "Dhulka Hooyo"
7. Cassandra Jenkins — An Overview On Phenomenal Nature
Featured Song: "Crosshairs"
8. The Hold Steady — Open Door Policy
Featured Song: "Unpleasant Breakfast"

Other notable releases for Feb. 19: Animal Collective — Crestone; Another Michael — New Music And Big Pop; David Gray — Skellig; Hand Habits — Dirt; Indigo Sparke — Echo; Katy Kirby — Cool, Dry Place; Wild Pink — A Billion Little Lights.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares thrilling new music from Tune-Yards, Tōth's tale of playing the trumpet — and fainting — during a funeral, the stunning voice of a singer named mehro and more.

Featured Songs:
1. mehro: "Chance With You," from SKY ON FIRE
2. Tōth: "Turnaround (Cocaine Song)," from You And Me And Everything
3. Buzzy Lee: "Strange Town," from Spoiled Love
4. Johanna Samuels: "Nature's Way," from Excelsior!
5. Moontype: "About You," from Bodies of Water
6. Tune-Yards: "hold yourself," from sketchy.