WNXP Podcasts

Alt-rock legends Violent Femmes are touring in 2024 celebrating the 40th anniversary of their sophomore release 'Hallowed Ground.' But in certain cities -- including Nashville on October 9 -- they're playing a wide selection from their discography with the accompaniment of symphony orchestras. Femmes frontman Gordon Gano shared with WNXP about the experience playing with so many instrumentalists, and also the sustained musical chemistry with bandmate Brian Ritchie.

This week for What Where When-sday, we discuss the Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival happening this Saturday at Centennial Park. 

Our special guest this week is former Nashvillian JD McPherson. He explains why the new record, Nite Owls, took seven years to arrive, how his daughter inspired one its greatest songs and how his covers EP opened the door to the new album’s direction.

Our Record of the Week is with newly crowned guitar god, MJ Lenderman, where he talks about his new found attention, the character studies of Manning Fireworks and learning about rock music through Guitar Hero.

After her single “labour” took the internet by storm, audiences worldwide impatiently awaited Paris Paloma’s debut full length. Luckily, Cacophony lived up to the hype. Inspired by Stephen Fry’s book of Greek myth retellings “Mythos,” Cacophony processes anxiety, oppression and trauma through brilliant songwriting and ethereal vocal layering. It’s hauntingly beautiful and unexpectedly textured.

Watch Paris Paloma perform “my mind (now),” “bones on the beach” and “labour” from Cacophony live at WNXP’s Sonic Cathedral here. 

Honeyglaze, the South London trio whose Fat Possum debut Real Deal has already produced two singles you’ve heard on WNXP in “Don’t” and “Pretty Girls” and whose ability to add soaring melody and nuanced vocals to a post-punk foundation helps them jump the line of soundalikes.

This week for What Where When-sday, we discuss Show Yourself Music and Activation Fest with Alex Wong and Leah Light. Happening this Sunday at the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition in South Nashville, the fest will feature music from Wong, Mike Floss, Ruby Amanfu, Brassville, Vienna Teng and Steph Jacques, and will be hosted by comedian Cortney Warner with appearances from Equity Alliance and TIRRC Votes. 

Chicago’s indie music scene is bursting at the seams with young talent. Yet few are as cohesive as laid-back quartet Slow Pulp. Country-tinged indie rock with a hint of shoegaze combined with emotional songwriting makes Slow Pulp’s music sink into your body like a warm cup of coffee. It’s breezy and welcoming. Their latest full length Yard embraces that sense of comfort, blending fuzzy guitars with sweet instrumental arrangements that showcase Slow Pulp’s undeniable chemistry as a band.

Watch Slow Pulp perform Yard standouts “Doubt,” “Slugs” and “Cramps” live at WNXP’s Sonic Cathedral here. 

Nada Surf's "Moon Mirror" the veteran indie rock band's 10th LP now out on New West Records, is WNXP's Record of the Week. The band's front man Matthew Caws dropped by our studio to talk about the record and play songs solo acoustic.

There’s a sub-genre of documentaries that track down figures who’ve disappeared from public view. A new film called “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story” captures Shane as a powerhouse R&B performer and a Black, trans woman who got her start in Nashville, then took the Toronto scene by storm in the 1960s. She eventually stopped performing and no one knew where she was. Decades later, Shane was excited to be found by a filmmaker, but she died before they could really get to work. 

Senior music writer Jewly Hight says the challenge became figuring out how to do justice to a performer who’d never been properly appreciated even in life.