Presenting new and significant music
and the artists who create it.
Top Ten CDs Of 2008
David Dye looks back at the 10 albums that best kept him interested through multiple listens.
Current Show
The Notwist: Complex And Entangling
Though best known for their textured, electronica-infused pop, the German rockers have explored a wide variety of styles in over 20 years together. They perform a set of songs from 2008's The Devil, You + Me — their first album in six years — at WXPN.
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Tom Moon And Heather Browne's Best Of 2008
Author and NPR music critic Tom Moon (1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die) and music blogger Heather Browne joined the World Café to share their picks for the best albums of 2008.
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M.I.A.: Vibrant Hip-Hop and Dancehall
With its eclectic range of dance music, M.I.A.'s recent Kala is similar in sound to her breakout debut, yet uses a wider variety of beats and samples. It features collaborations with Diplo, Timbaland and Blaqstarr. Hear an interview and performance from WXPN.
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Vampire Weekend: A-Punks On Afro-Pop
Vampire Weekend's endearingly wordy lyrics make the band sound collegiate in the best possible way. Its unique sound inventively mixes contemporary American indie-rock, Western classical music, and South African traditional music. Hear a performance and interview from WXPN.
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Bon Iver: Sparse And Ghostly
Using the Bon Iver moniker, Justin Vernon became an instant critics' darling upon the release of For Emma, Forever Ago early this year. Vernon's primal falsetto accentuates his stark and simple arrangements in a session on WXPN.
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