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Music Interviews

The Decemberists on their new album, 'As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

The Decemberists on their new album, 'As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again'

WXPN

Frontman Colin Meloy says their latest record marks a new chapter for the Portland rock band.

The Decemberists on World Cafe

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Joey Berkley

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Sarah Matthews/Big Apple Jazz

Music

An electrode in the brain restores the career of saxophonist Joey Berkley

Saxophonist Joey Berkley lost his ability to play due to the muscular disorder focal dystonia, but experimental treatment has given him enough flexibility to record a comeback album titled A Suite Life.

JOEY BERKLEY A Suite Life

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The Culture Corner: 40 years of Prince's 'Purple Rain'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

The Culture Corner: 40 years of Prince's 'Purple Rain'

WXPN

World Cafe correspondent John Morrison looks back at the record that helped turn the Minneapolis musician into a bonafide legend.

The Culture Corner on World Cafe

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Talia Schlanger on her debut album, 'Grace for the Going'

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Katherine Holland/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Talia Schlanger on her debut album, 'Grace for the Going'

WXPN

The former World Cafe host returns to talk about leaving the radio world to pursue a music career, plus she performs songs from her new record.

Talia Schlanger on World Cafe

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Paul Weller on his latest album, '66'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Paul Weller on his latest album, '66'

WXPN

World Cafe talks to "The Modfather" about making his 17th studio album, featuring collaborations with Noel Gallagher and Bobby Gillespie.

Paul Weller on World Cafe

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Revisiting the radical harmonies of Sweet Honey in the Rock

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Revisiting the radical harmonies of Sweet Honey in the Rock

WXPN

In memory of Bernice Johnson Reagon, a founding member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, we share this World Cafe episode from 1996 with the African American vocal ensemble.

Sweet Honey in the Rock on World Cafe

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Reyna Tropical on her debut album, 'Malegría'

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Devyn Galindo/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Reyna Tropical on her debut album, 'Malegría'

WXPN

In the wake of losing her creative partner, Reyna Tropical's Fabi Reyna channeled her grief into "the most beautiful thing" she's ever made.

Reyna Tropical on her debut album, 'Malegría'

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Ani DiFranco on her latest album, 'Unprecedented S***'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Ani DiFranco on her latest album, 'Unprecedented S***'

WXPN

The musician and activist makes a sonic pivot on her 23rd studio album, plus she talks about starring in Hadestown.

Ani DiFranco on World Cafe

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Cosmo Sheldrake captures the essence of the natural world on 'Eye to the Ear'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Cosmo Sheldrake captures the essence of the natural world on 'Eye to the Ear'

WXPN

The English musician blends field recordings with his own musical improvisations to create something strange and deeply organic.

Cosmo Sheldrake on World Cafe

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Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

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Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

This week, the legendary singer and civil rights figure Mavis Staples is turning 85 and there's no sign of her slowing down: She released a new song, "Worthy," and a children's book, Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples.

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

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Camera Obscura make their return after a decade of uncertainty, grief

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Camera Obscura make their return after a decade of uncertainty, grief

WXPN

Plus, the Scottish band performs songs from their latest album, Look to the East, Look to the West.

Camera Obscura on World Cafe

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Bess Atwell on her latest album, 'Light Sleeper'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Bess Atwell on her latest album, 'Light Sleeper'

WXPN

The Brighton, U.K., singer embraces more vulnerability in her third studio album.

Bess Atwell on World Cafe

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For David Byrne, Talking Heads was about making emotional sense — not literal sense

In November 2023, Byrne spoke about the 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense and described the band's hit song "Burning Down the House" as a compilation of "non-sequiturs" with an emotional impact.

For David Byrne, Talking Heads was about making emotional sense — not literal sense

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'I can only give the best': Jon Bon Jovi on vocal surgery and the road to recovery

A few years ago, Bon Jovi stopped performing due to a vocal cord injury. The Hulu docuseries Thank You, Goodnight highlights his surgery and return to stage. Originally broadcast April 24, 2024.

'I can only give the best': Jon Bon Jovi on vocal surgery and the road to recovery

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On 'Roadrunner!', Kaitlin Butts reimagines a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

On 'Roadrunner!', Kaitlin Butts reimagines a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic

WXPN

The Oklahoma native took inspiration from the movie musical named after her home state.

Kaitlin Butts on World Cafe

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On their latest album, Chromeo gets serious ... but not that serious

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

On their latest album, Chromeo gets serious ... but not that serious

WXPN

On Adult Contemporary, the Canadian duo's subject matter may have matured, but their sense of humor hasn't changed.

Chromeo on World Cafe

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'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40
Columbia Records

All Songs Considered

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

With the Fourth of July week here, we look at an album all about the messy, complicated and wonderful culture of America: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., which recently turned 40 years old.

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

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Fairport Convention band cofounder Richard Thompson looks back on his life in music

Fresh Air

The British singer/guitarist spoke to Fresh Air in 1994 and '22 about about his formative years and about pioneering a new musical genre that blended rock with traditional music of the British isles.

Fairport Convention band cofounder Richard Thompson looks back on his life in music

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The Culture Corner: How Cibo Matto quietly influenced New York in the '90s

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

The Culture Corner: How Cibo Matto quietly influenced New York in the '90s

WXPN

World Cafe correspondent John Morrison explains how the alt rock band's 1999 record subverted stereotypes at the time.

The Culture Corner on World Cafe

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Super-producer Edgar Barrera on turning old-school genres into pop hits
Natalia Aguilera

Alt.Latino

Super-producer Edgar Barrera on turning old-school genres into pop hits

Even if you don't know Edgar Barrera's name, you know his work. The multiple Grammy-winning writer and producer has worked with dozens of the biggest names in Latin music — Bad Bunny, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo — the list goes on. But he's also one of the main forces pushing regional Mexican into the mainstream over the past few years, and turning Pan-Latin sounds into pop perfection.

Super-producer Edgar Barrera on turning old-school genres into pop hits

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Eric Slick on his latest album, 'New Age Rage'

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World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Eric Slick on his latest album, 'New Age Rage'

WXPN

The longtime drummer of Dr. Dog joins us to talk about letting his personality shine through on his new solo album.

Eric Slick on World Cafe

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