Displaying items by tag: song clips

Live Concert Broadcast and Webcast Fridays At Noon

From NPR Music and WXPN, hear a live mix of roots rock, folk, country and more.

Made possible by XPN Members, and Comcast.
RSVP

May 8, 2009
Fastball at World Cafe Live

XPN Free at Noon at World Cafe Live.
A co-production of WXPN and NPR Music.

Starting out as a typical '90s garage-punk outfit, Fastball went through the normal basement practices and nearby venues in Austin. While building local buzz, they caught the attention of some record execs, and soon they had a deal with Hollywood Records. They changed their initial name from Magneto USA to Fastball (after their favorite porno), released their debut, and began touring the U.S. However, the band was still something of a side-project for all three members. Joey Shuffield, Miles Zuniga, and Tony Scalzo were all working part-time up until the release of their breakthrough album in 1998, All the Pain Money Can Buy.

Suddenly, Fastball was a household name. The catchy single "The Way" was heard on radios all over the country. Teens and adults alike were flocking to stores for cassettes and CDs, and sales reached the million mark at the end of the year. Fastball hit the road for world tours and TV appearances with two Grammy nominations under their belts. Audiences around the globe fell in love with the Fastball's alt-country and '70s balladry.

Since that time, Fastball has been recording, performing, and collaborating with artists including Al Anderson and Bowling for Soup. Each of their subsequent four albums have stayed true to their infectious pop-rock sound. Their latest album is no exception, yet it also shows how much the band has evolved since those late-night garage practices. Little White Lies was produced by Miles Zuniga and C.J. Eiriksson (Blue October, Jack’s Mannequin) and mixed by Bob Clearmountain (Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie). Fastball wowed audiences with some of their new songs from the album at the SXSW Festival this past March, and they have a nation-wide tour scheduled to support the release. After over a decade of shows and music, Fastball are proving that quality guitar rock will never lose its appeal.

Fastball is in town to play the Tin Angel on Thursday night, May 7.

Website: fastballtheband.com
MySpace: myspace.com/fastballtheband
Recent Release: Little White Lies
Release Date: April 14, 2009
Label: MRI/RED Distribution
Origin: Austin, TX

Song Clips:
Little White Lies | The Way

RSVP for Friday's Live Show

Serving People in Need - Help Drive Hunger from Our Communities

When you come to XPN's Free At Noon Concerts, bring a can of food to support Philabundance, Delaware Valley's hunger relief organization. We have drop-off boxes to collect canned goods for the needy. Current priority items include: canned pasta, chili, beef stew, tuna, mac & cheese, ready to eat cereal, pork & beans/ baked beans, green beans, corn, fruit cocktail, creamy peanut butter and/ or grape jelly (plastic containers only), and boxed sugar. Thanks!

WXPN and NPR Music Live Friday Free At Noon Concert Archives Include:

Dr. Dog, Carrie Rodriguez, Annuals, DeVotchKa, Adele, Angel Taylor, Winterpills, Sharon Little, Ollabelle, Andrew Lipke, The low Anthem, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Sean Lennon, Chris Smith, California Guitar trio, Joan Osborne, Disco Biscuits, Damien Rice, Cold War Kids, Marc Broussard, The Slip, Arlo Guthrie, Alice Smith, The Dears, Barenaked Ladies, and more...

WXPN Free at Noon Photo Gallery at Flickr
Click to visit our gallery for photos of the Free At Noon Concerts! Previous concerts include Hall & Oates, O.A.R., Citizen Cope, Old Crow Medicine Show, Kaki King and many more!

Live Concert Broadcast and Webcast Fridays At Noon

From NPR Music and WXPN, hear a live mix of roots rock, folk, country and more.

Made possible by XPN Members, and Comcast.
RSVP

April 10, 2009
Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks at World Cafe Live

Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks join us for XPN Free at Noon at World Cafe Live.
A co-production of WXPN and NPR Music.

So few truly original figures exist in pop music that Dan Hicks should be a national treasure.
- San Francisco Chronicle

Singer-songwriter Dan Hicks is truly an American original. Since the early '60s, Hicks has blended swing, jazz, folk and country to create the appealing sound he calls "Folk Jazz." At 66, Hicks is bringing back the Hot Licks on his upcoming album Tangles Tales. With the updated version of the female backup singers, the album is a swirling mix of swing, blues and folk-jazz. A rhythmically knee-shaking collection of originals and covers alike.

In addition to the XPN Free At Noon, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks play a full show at Sellersville Theater on Friday night April 10 at 8:30pm.

Website: danhicks.net
MySpace: myspace.com/danhicksthehotlicks
Origin: California
Recent Release: Tangled Tales
Release Date: March 24, 2009
Label: Surfdog Records

Song Clips:
The Rounder | Who Are You?

RSVP

Serving People in Need - Help Drive Hunger from Our Communities

When you come to XPN's Free At Noon Concerts, bring a can of food to support Philabundance, Delaware Valley's hunger relief organization. We have drop-off boxes to collect canned goods for the needy. Current priority items include: canned pasta, chili, beef stew, tuna, mac & cheese, ready to eat cereal, pork & beans/ baked beans, green beans, corn, fruit cocktail, creamy peanut butter and/ or grape jelly (plastic containers only), and boxed sugar. Thanks!

WXPN and NPR Music Live Friday Free At Noon Concert Archives Include:

Dr. Dog, Carrie Rodriguez, Annuals, DeVotchKa, Adele, Angel Taylor, Winterpills, Sharon Little, Ollabelle, Andrew Lipke, The low Anthem, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Sean Lennon, Chris Smith, California Guitar trio, Joan Osborne, Disco Biscuits, Damien Rice, Cold War Kids, Marc Broussard, The Slip, Arlo Guthrie, Alice Smith, The Dears, Barenaked Ladies, and more...

WXPN Free at Noon Photo Gallery at Flickr
Click to visit our gallery for photos of the Free At Noon Concerts! Previous concerts include Hall & Oates, O.A.R., Citizen Cope, Old Crow Medicine Show, Kaki King and many more!

Live Concert Broadcast and Webcast Fridays At 12 Noon ET

From NPR Music and WXPN, hear a live mix of roots rock, folk, country and more.

Made possible by XPN Members, and Comcast.
SOLD OUT
Listen

March 6, 2009
Celebrating the 4th Anniversary of XPN Free At Noon with
Shemekia Copeland & Indigo Girls at World Cafe Live

Shemekia Copeland & Indigo Girls join us for the XPN Free at Noon show at World Cafe Live.
A co-production of WXPN and NPR Music.

Grammy Award winning rock duo Indigo Girls officialy began performing under the now famous moniker in 1985, signing their first record contract to Epic Records three years later. Now celebrating their 20 year career, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers remain as creative as ever. Though they are associated with a major label, they have always retained an independent feel with their warm and crisp acoustic guitars and intertwined melodic vocals. With an incredible career behind them, it is not surprising that a great deal of excitement is building up in anticipation of Poseidon And the Bitter Bug, expected to be released at the end of March.

Recorded in a short three-week period in Atlanta, the album intends to focus less on perfection and more on the rich mixture of textures explored. According to Ray "... it was very much an in-the-moment recording... we had to trust our instincts." Following the successful release of their 2006 album Despite Our Differences, the girls have a lot to live up to; however, circulating previews are already labeling the album as one of their best. Though they retain the very qualities of folk and Americana music that fans adore, they have embarked on new musical explorations by incorporating styles such as R&B. The album will also feature acoustic versions of all the songs in order to give fans an idea of how they sound without a back-up band.

Website: indigogirls.com
MySpace: myspace.com/indigogirlsmusic
Origin: Decatur, Georgia
Recent Release: Poseidon and the Bitter Bug
Release Date: March 24, 2009
Label: Vanguard

Song Clips:
Closer to Fine | Hammer and a Nail

The daughter of blues guitarist/singer Johnny Copeland, the young Shemekia Copeland was greatly influenced by her father's work. As a child she would often accompany him on tours, making her own mark in the blues circuit. The unfortunate turn in her father's health pushed her to embrace her incredible vocal talent and share it with the rest of the world. In 1998, the 19-year-old established herself as raving new artist with the release of her debut album Turn the Heat Up! The soulful intensity of the album was met with a great deal of enthusiasm and landed her several features in motion pictures. Her style, which integrates elements of blues, soul, funk and jazz, is rich and mind-blowingly powerful. Though she is not yet 30, the passionate singer has already won several blues awards, recieved a Grammy nomination, and opened for top acts such as the Rolling Stones, B.B. King, and Taj Mahal.

The incredible list of accomplishments hasn't quite struck the young artist. In fact, the humble Copeland continually strives to strengthen her singing and grow and an individual. Her fifth album, Never Going Back, is a powerful and soul-drenched compilation of tracks. While she remains true to her blues roots, she takes a step further in her career by experimenting with new styles of music and new approaches to singing (including a silky cover of Joni Mitchell's "Black Crow"). She is not afraid to step outside of her comfort zone; and as the album demonstrates, she does so with both grace and unbelievable power.

Prepare to be blown away by the future Queen of Blues, this Friday at noon!

Website: shemekiacopeland.com
MySpace: myspace.com/shemekiacopeland
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Recent Release: Never Going Back
Release Date: February 24, 2009
Label: Telarc

Song Clips:
Never Going Back to Memphis

SOLD OUT
Listen to the Show Live

Serving People in Need - Help Drive Hunger from Our Communities

When you come to XPN's Free At Noon Concerts, bring a can of food to support Philabundance, Delaware Valley's hunger relief organization. We have drop-off boxes to collect canned goods for the needy. Current priority items include: canned pasta, chili, beef stew, tuna, mac & cheese, ready to eat cereal, pork & beans/ baked beans, green beans, corn, fruit cocktail, creamy peanut butter and/ or grape jelly (plastic containers only), and boxed sugar. Thanks!

WXPN and NPR Music Live Friday Free At Noon Concert Archives Include:

Dr. Dog, Carrie Rodriguez, Annuals, DeVotchKa, Adele, Angel Taylor, Winterpills, Sharon Little, Ollabelle, Andrew Lipke, The low Anthem, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Sean Lennon, Chris Smith, California Guitar trio, Joan Osborne, Disco Biscuits, Damien Rice, Cold War Kids, Marc Broussard, The Slip, Arlo Guthrie, Alice Smith, The Dears, Barenaked Ladies, and more...

WXPN Free at Noon Photo Gallery at Flickr
Click to visit our gallery for photos of the Free At Noon Concerts! Previous concerts include Hall & Oates, O.A.R., Citizen Cope, Old Crow Medicine Show, Kaki King and many more!

South roots country rocker, Ryan Bingham, has a rough style that encapsulates his life struggles on Texas and New Mexico ranching communities. Though he is still young at 26 years old, his husky voice and mature content makes him appear wise beyond his years.

27-year-old Ingrid Michaelson may be compared to artists Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor, but she has definitely staked out her own territory in the music industry. The New York-based singer-songwriter fuses indie pop, folk and alternative in a smooth and unique way, a quality that first attracted her audience via MySpace.

Frequently (and justifiably) compared to a cross between Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake, English singer-songwriter Scott Matthews crafts an endlessly listenable blend of folk, rock and blues.

Not quite folk or alt-country, but more than just a rock group, Philadelphia's Hoots & Hellmouth crafts fiery, cathartic roots-rock that the band describes as "new music for old souls." Hear Hoots & Hellmouth perform a concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. {readmorelink}Read More...{/readmorelink}

The National is a band of New Yorkers transplanted from Cincinnati, Ohio: Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, and Scott Devendorf. What each member of the band does is not that important, but what they do together seems increasingly more so.

Ryan Shaw is a native of Decatur, Georgia and has been singing and performing since he was three. He honed his musical talents in church and local choirs. When he felt the need for more, he made the move of a lifetime, following his dream to New York City in 1998.

Amy Winehouse has exploded onto the UK pop scene as a retro-inspired, yet fiercely liberated, very modern soul singer. Her joyful clash of pop jazz stylings with brash hip-hop attitude and powerful vocals has turned more than just heads.

Filtering classic rock and pop hooks through a willfully lo-fi slacker aesthetic a la Pavement or Guided by Voices, Philadelphia's Dr. Dog are able to sound both timeless and immediate as only the best music can. {readmorelink}Read More...{/readmorelink}

Vampire Weekend has emerged from the fertile New York indie-rock scene. All four of its members met while attending Columbia University. Still, they stick out of the crowd for two reasons.

Born in Neptune City, New Jersey singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins has been one of XPN's Free At Noon Concert Series artists, featured on World Cafe with David Dye, and was one of Bruce Warren's picks for My Morning Download. {readmorelink}Read More...{/readmorelink}

This band has been wowing festival audiences in the past year, showcasing a true blues sound. These natives of the tiny Isle of Man, include Davy Knowles on vocals, lead guitar, mandolin and lap steel, Ross Doyle on drums, and Adam Jones on bass - all three, still in their twenties.

It's not hard to see why Melody Gardot's debut album Worrisome Heart (Verve) has already established her as one of music's most exciting new discoveries. The 23-year-old chanteuse's songs offer deeply compelling evocations of love, {readmorelink}Read More...{/readmorelink}

Combining elements of hip-hop, punk, new wave, electronica and classic pop music, Santigold's self-titled debut album is truly a remarkable piece of work. Philadelphia native Santi White, along with songwriter and producer John Hill - a.k.a. Johnny Rodeo {readmorelink}Read More...{/readmorelink}

Langhorne Slim (Sean Scolnick) is quite an unconventional folk and blues artist. Based in Brooklyn, and originally from PA, Slim's incredible skill at mixing elements of bluegrass, country, and blues has gained him recognition. {readmorelink}Read More...{/readmorelink}

The five-piece, Seattle-based band, Fleet Foxes, play baroque harmonic pop jams, and take great pleasure in obscuring their genre. Derived from folk and pop influences, these guys love to have fun while expressing themselves through their music.

Based in San Diego, the Delta Spirit have made their musical home somewhere between indie-rock and alt-country, with a foundation built on battle-cry vocals and unconventional instrumentation, even including trash can lids.