Search results for

The monks of Heiligenkreuz Abbey in Austria sing ancient Gregorian chants in their 12th-century church — and then post them to YouTube. Their technological savvy landed them a record deal, and now their album is storming the European charts and arriving in America. Father Karl Wallner talks to host Andrea Seabrook about balancing pop stardom with the religious life.

After singing back-up for Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, The Watson Twins' members step into the spotlight with Fire Songs, a knock-out debut that showcases their seamless vocals. Hear the Kentucky natives in this World Cafe session with host David Dye.

Led by Shane MacGowan, The Pogues' members took their multicultural musical cues from their countrymen in The Clash and gave Irish folk music a punk-rock spirit. Steve Lillywhite talks with host David Dye about producing the band's third album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God.

The best little bar-band in Texas is back with more ballads of heartache and anthems for getting over it. The Old 97's have just released Blame It On Gravity. Front-man Rhett Miller joins Fresh Air to talk about the recording and to perform some new songs.

Stars Like Fleas' music is disjointed, meandering, chaotic, and wonderfully unique. The group's second full-length release, The Ken Burns Effect, is a gorgeous jaunt through experimental orchestral pop that is as engaging as it is utterly confusing. The record seems at times aimless and at other times perfectly composed, if insanely so. With a wealth of instruments (at the album's recording the group was a 12-piece collective) that clash as often as they harmonize and tracks that drift from beautiful symphonies to discordant pandemonium on a whim, the album stands as a work of mad genius. Stars Like Fleas have created a sound that, though certainly not easily digestible, is extremely rich.

Whether blaring to the stratosphere or holding back to fit a room, Jon Faddis' trumpet is always in conversation. Faddis is a personal hero to many aspiring trumpeters. Here, he performs at Jazz Standard in New York with his quartet and guest percussionists from West Africa.

With his third album, Three Flights from Alto Nido, Greg Laswell continues to refine his acoustic sound, which combines powerful guitar riffs and sweeping piano with rousing vocals. In a session on World Cafe, Laswell plays songs from the new album.

The new album from the Philadelphia hip-hop band The Roots contains verses from the perspective of a child soldier in Sierra Leone, a campus shooter in America, and those in the grip of addictions. Rising Down may be the group's best album.

It's important to note how much good music is coming from our northern neighbors these days. City and Colour is the solo project of Ontario-native Dallas Green, founding member of the Canadian band Alexisonfire. Bring Me Your Love is Green's second full-length release under the City and Colour moniker, and the record's acoustic singer-songwriter work balances beautifully simple music with powerful vocals and heavy, confessional lyrics.

Ted Leo of the group Ted Leo and The Pharmacists plays a special solo set before a performance at New York's River to River Festival.