Seasons & episodes
S5 · E25Novalima 2012-04-12
At the NPR offices, the band plays in a lean, funky configuration that gets the room grooving along.
S5 · E26Soweto Gospel Choir 2012-04-16
The group fuses the music of many Christian cultures, with nods to African songs of celebration.
S5 · E27Jolie Holland 2012-04-23
Holland plays songs with an unadorned tone that makes the voice and lyrics all the more touching.
S5 · E28Cowboy Junkies 2012-04-26
The venerable band sounds as poignant and tender as ever in this performance at the NPR offices.
S5 · E29Hospitality 2012-04-30
The group doesn't overwhelm so much as it wears listeners down with a subtle charm offensive.
S5 · E30Nathan Salsburg 2012-05-03
The guitarist displays intricate fingerpicking in two songs inspired by Kentucky Derby racehorses.
S5 · E31Endangered Blood 2012-05-07
The jazz quartet draws from post-bop, 20th-century chromaticism and New Orleans funeral marches.
S5 · E32Kishi Bashi 2012-05-10
K Ishibashi is a master at building songs from live violin loops, layered singing and beatboxing.
S5 · E33Pedro Soler And Gaspar Claus 2012-05-14
The improvisational music of the father-son, guitar-cello duo functions as a beautiful conversation.
S5 · E34Chuck Brown 2012-05-16
The Godfather of Go-Go died Wednesday. In 2010, he brought his full band to the NPR Music office.
S5 · E35Arborea 2012-05-17
Rooted in acoustic traditions, the music of Arborea stands out for its calm beauty and rough edges.
S5 · E36Yann Tiersen 2012-05-21
Tiersen's rich, liltingly eccentric pop music is constructed from lots of sweet, intricate pieces.
S5 · E37Canadian Brass 2012-05-26
The venerable brass quintet sports virtuosic, fresh-faced players in tried-and-true repertoire.
S5 · E38Patrick Watson 2012-05-31
Watson has a lovely voice and a gift for wringing evocative sounds out of everything he touches.
S5 · E39Kelly Hogan 2012-06-04
The unflappable singer performs three songs with seeming effortlessness and easygoing charm.
S5 · E40Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom 2012-06-07
The drummer dedicates tunes to her friends, including her first teacher — a "sometimes great guy."
S5 · E41Daniel Johnston 2012-06-11
Watch three songs by a troubled soul with a talent for writing honest, disarmingly direct music.
S5 · E42Glen Hansard 2012-06-17
Hansard flexes his neck muscles a bit as he performs new songs and deep cuts at the NPR offices.
S5 · E43Mariachi El Bronx 2012-06-21
The band plays with just the right mixture of passion and pathos in a fun set at the NPR offices.
S5 · E44Reggie Watts 2012-06-25
The comedian and musician performs spontaneous improvisations full of killer grooves and humor.
S5 · E45Exitmusic 2012-07-02
The band plays a beautifully buzzing, nuanced set, marked by gorgeous grace and stirring melodies.
S5 · E46Brandi Carlile 2012-07-09
At the NPR offices, Carlile and her band sing from-the-gut songs about messy lives, loudly lived.
S5 · E47Laura Marling 2012-07-12
Two songs from A Creature I Don't Know bookend a gorgeous new, unreleased song called "Once."
S5 · E48Souad Massi 2012-07-15
A soulful yet steely singer-songwriter from Algeria charts her own course in these four songs.