World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN: Recent Episodes
WXPN Listener Supported Radio
WXPN's live performance and interview program featuring music and conversation from a variety of important musicians
The Montreal-based band blends together different influences, from japanese folk to J-Pop and Brazilian surf rock.
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Frontman BJ Barham talks about working with producer Shooter Jennings and tackling the complexity of Southern identity on the band's new album.
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The English singer-songwriter chats about why "labour" went viral and the inspirations behind her new album.
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The English guitarist and songwriter joins us to talk about his fifth studio album.
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This English indie rock band formed while studying at the Leeds Conservatoire in 2020. Four years laters, they won the Mercury Prize.
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The funk, soul and R&B band from Seattle explores the more complicated side of love on their latest album, Love Direction.
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On The Past is Still Alive, folk songwriter Alynda Segarra reignites visions from a past life and the people they've met along the way.
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World Cafe's new concert series highlights music from Louisiana's Cajun Country.
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Lou Barlow and John Davis talk about what brought them together again, plus they perform live for World Cafe.
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The Los Angeles-based musician was inspired by the dark side of state's mythology in the making of her fourth studio album.
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The Australian musician talks about the motivation and meaning behind Wild God, a new album with his band The Bad Seeds.
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World Cafe correspondent John Morrison digs into the South African gospel group's latest record, which recontextualizes classic club hits.
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The Australian artist performs songs from her latest album.
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The folk duo's latest album is named after the East Nashville studio that was destroyed by a devastating tornado outbreak in 2020.
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A new box set chronicles Elvis Presley's time in Grind City.
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The Philadelphia band is back with a new self-titled album.
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Following a set at Coachella and a breakout hit, this energetic Japanese girl group has its sights set on world domination.
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The Philadelphia-born singer found a thriving community of jazz and blues musicians after moving to Japan.
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The New York-based folk rock band perform songs from their latest album, Valley of Abandoned Songs.
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The Japanese band's discography is heavily inspired by the American rock of the '60s, but with their own distinctive twist.
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From Hikaru Utada to imase, these tracks showcase the versatility found within Japanese pop music.
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Soyo Oka walks us through her journey from studying classical music to calling up Nintendo looking for a gig.
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The music of Long Island duo Michael and Brian D'Addario is rooted in '70s rock and pop.
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Meet the eclectic J-pop trio, CHAMELEON LIME WHOOPIEPIE.
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The Osaka band has made pop punk confections for more than 40 years, and they have no intention of slowing down.
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Step inside this stylish listening bar boasting over 14,000 vinyl records.
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We're kicking off our Sense of Place: Japan series with a session from this young, Tokyo-based singer-songwriter.
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The Bleachers frontman and star producer joins us for a performance and interview in front of a live audience.
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World Cafe correspondent John Morrison dives into Jackson's game-changing fifth studio album.
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The singer-songwriter sounds more confident on This Is How Tomorrow Moves, without losing any of her trademark vulnerability.
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On Motewolonuwok, the Canadian Indigenous musician sings in both his native Wolastoqey and English for the first time.
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Find out which songs the Canadian singer-songwriter chose to perform for World Cafe's new feature called Backtracking.
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The indie rock band is making waves in Chicago and beyond.
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The Canadian singer-songwriter's latest record counts minimalist composer Steve Reich and The Caroline Chocolate Drops among its inspirations.
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Frontman Colin Meloy says their latest record marks a new chapter for the Portland rock band.
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The Alabama rock outfit performs songs from their debut album, Black Noise.
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World Cafe correspondent John Morrison looks back at the record that helped turn the Minneapolis musician into a bonafide legend.
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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.
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World Cafe talks to "The Modfather" about making his 17th studio album, featuring collaborations with Noel Gallagher and Bobby Gillespie.
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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.
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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.
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The country rock band from Mobile, Ala., performs a song from their upcoming sophomore album, Made by These Moments.
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The musician and activist makes a sonic pivot on her 23rd studio album, plus she talks about starring in Hadestown.
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The English musician blends field recordings with his own musical improvisations to create something strange and deeply organic.
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The Chicago trio performs songs off their latest album, Poetry, at NON-COMMvention in Philadelphia.
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Plus, the Scottish band performs songs from their latest album, Look to the East, Look to the West.
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The Brighton, U.K., singer embraces more vulnerability in her third studio album.
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The New York-based instrumentalist performs songs from his latest album, Plunge.
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The Oklahoma native took inspiration from the movie musical named after her home state.
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On Adult Contemporary, the Canadian duo's subject matter may have matured, but their sense of humor hasn't changed.
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World Cafe correspondent John Morrison explains how the alt rock band's 1999 record subverted stereotypes at the time.
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The longtime drummer of Dr. Dog joins us to talk about letting his personality shine through on his new solo album.
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Hear Reverend Shawn Amos perform at the 30A Songwriters Festival.
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Born without sight, Davis uses their mastery of sound to bring their inner turmoil, and joy, to life on their new album.
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The Philadelphia multi-instrumentalist explores loss and surviving grief on her latest solo album.
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Hear Sunny War perform at the 30A Songwriters Festival.
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The acclaimed producer's latest album is a country blues affair inspired by a sinister dream.
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One of South Africa's greatest jazz musicians joins us to talk about his latest work and embarking on a world tour as he turns 90 years old.
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The Brooklyn-born Haitian American flutist and composer continues to strengthen her bonds with Haiti on her latest record.
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The blues guitarist and singer found himself seeking genuine, unfiltered connections.
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Watch KT Tunstall perform at the 30A Songwriters Festival.
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The Sonic Youth co-founder's latest solo album is full of hard edges and moments of digital distortion.
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The British musicians says his latest effort is a full-circle moment.
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Watch Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams perform at the 30A Songwriters Festival.
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World Cafe correspondent John Morrison dives into the seminal record from two jazz giants.
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Founded in the wake of a young musician's passing, this 23-year-old nonprofit has become a critical resource for the music scene in Athens, Ga.
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World Cafe talks with Adam Wayton, frontman of the five-piece punk band from Athens, Ga., about their debut record, Ad Nauseam.
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R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Danger Mouse are just some of this indie record store's former staffers.
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The music venue in Georgia regularly hosted performances by bands like Pylon, R.E.M., of Montreal, and more.
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Welcome to WUOG, the University of Georgia's student-run radio station.
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The Ohio band talks about collaborating with Beck, Juicy J and Noel Gallagher on their latest record.
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The former Dire Straits frontman talks about his latest solo album, "One Deep River."
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The French electronic duo return with their first album in over seven years.
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Escovedo joins World Cafe to talk about covering his own songs, plus he shares live performances.
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Watch Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal perform at the 30A Songwriters Festival.
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The Texas musician offers a glimpse into what someone goes through on their path to being a successful touring artist.
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Watch Grace Potter perform at the 30A Songwriters Festival.
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World Cafe takes a look back at the British music collective's impactful debut album.
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The Nashville-based musician modeled her latest album as a video game journey, complete with a character named Miss Freedomland.
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The singer-songwriter spent just five days at Electric Lady Studios making her latest record.
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The LA-based psychedelic pop band performs songs from their latest album, I Wish You Way More Than Luck.
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The musician, and founder of punk band Against Me!, talks about her latest solo album.
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The Nashville singer-songwriter's latest album features collaborations with Jerry Douglas and Billy Strings.
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The Chicago band showcases their nostalgic, yet fresh, sound on This House is Made of Corners.
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The brother duo perform a blissed-out set recorded at last year's AMERICANAFEST in Nashville.
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One of the best acoustic guitarists in the world performs a live set for World Cafe.
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The Chicago-based songwriter and poet talks about her latest album, Water Made Us.
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The British musician talks about the fourth installment of his ambitious Djesse project.
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The Grammy Award-winning songwriter drew inspiration from the 19th Amendment to pen her latest album, All My Friends.
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The songwriting legend wrote songs for the likes of Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin and more.
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The Atlanta rock band return with their first album in over a decade.
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The Grammy-winning artist talks about embracing a more collaborative spirit on her latest record.
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The Grammy Award-winning artist talks about her latest album.
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The Texas singer-songwriter talks about getting older, signs from the beyond and finding inspiration in nature.
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The film and TV composer talks about his second solo album, plus scoring hit shows like The Midnight Gospel.
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The Chicago band performs songs from their latest album, Careful!
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The Scottish rock band talk about their eight studio album.
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The California producer and sampling pioneer talks about his latest album, Action Adventure.
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The British rock band talk about their new album, Where's My Utopia?.
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For Black History Month, World Cafe correspondent John Morrison explores the trends that have defined dance music in the 2000s and beyond.
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The award-winning actor, singer and fashion icon talks about Black Mona Lisa and the road to becoming a pop star.
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The Chicago multi-instrumentalist performs songs from his latest album, Diagnosis.
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The psychedelic pop band turn their attention toward love and stability on their fifth record.
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The Canadian multi-instrumentalist talks about her sophomore solo record.
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For Black History Month, World Cafe correspondent John Morrison recounts the proliferation of dance music subgenres in the '90s.
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The Alabama native talks about the inventive process behind her sophomore solo album, plus she performs live for World Cafe.
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The Mercury Prize-winning musician talks about his arresting sophomore album.
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For Black History Month, World Cafe correspondent John Morrison walks us through the synth-driven boom of electronic music in the '80s.
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Lead vocalist Emily Massey joins World Cafe to talk about the indie rock band's sophomore album.
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Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker talk about the band's 11th studio album, Little Rope.
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The frontman of the experimental indie band talks about living in Valparaíso and turning inward on the band's latest record.
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For Black History Month, World Cafe correspondent John Morrison dives into the rise of disco in the '70s and the genesis of dance and club culture.
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The Sacramento-based singer-songwriter drew from early memories of listening to music with his late grandfather for his new album, Traffic Fiction.
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The former member of Arcade Fire plays songs off his band's new album.
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The Austin, Texas, band talks about the follow-up to their Grammy Award-nominated self-titled debut.
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The Los Angeles-based DJ and music producer talks about his latest record, This Mixtape is Fire TOO.
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James Curran, who goes by the moniker JTM, talks about striking a balance between making secular hip-hop music while also wanting to share his faith.
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Philly-based Shamir talks about his latest album and exploring an alternative pop rock sound on Homo Anxietatem.
Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas make their World Cafe debut to talk about The Album, their second record since reuniting in 2019.
As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, World Cafe takes a look at the history of the genre in Philly.
Los Angeles musician Sabrina Teitelbaum talks about the making of her self-titled debut album, Blondshell.
The Australian musician Genesis Owusu talks about making his sophomore album, Struggler.
One of country music's go-to songwriters leaned into a more personal, Americana sound with the help of Carlile.
The vocalist and guitarist for Best Coast strikes out on her own with Natural Disaster.
Bully's Alicia Bognanno talks about how losing her longtime companion influenced the making of Lucky For You.
The legendary hip-hop group's back catalog is finally available on digital platforms. They look back on their genre-shaping career and remember their bandmate Trugoy the Dove.
In this bonus episode of WXPN's Artist To Watch, we meet Denitia, a soulful singer-songwriter whose poetic lyrics and retrospective music exhibit elements of country and folk.
The live music program celebrates 40 years on air this year, and to celebrate, host Kathy Mattea shares some of her favorite performances and memories from her time as a listener, guest and now host.
The Brooklyn-band explores what they call "pop essentialism" on their latest self-titled album.
In this bonus episode of WXPN's Artist To Watch, we meet Nashville-based twin brothers Brandon and Derek Campbell, who harmonize, write and perform as The Kentucky Gentlemen.
We dig into a genre-defying album that captured the feel of the final years of the 20th century.
The leader of the folk band talks about their latest album, plus the band performs live for World Cafe.
Plus, Emma Hardyman talks about how her Utah band wrote the song that won them 2023's Tiny Desk Contest.
The Atlanta rapper dives into Michael, his autobiographical new album and his first in a decade.
In this bonus episode of WXPN's Artist To Watch, we meet Grace Givertz, a Boston-based folk artist and multi-instrumentalist whose witty and honest lyrics bring a refreshing energy and sound to folk music.
The singer-songwriter talks about her debut album, plus she performs live for World Cafe.
The four-piece rock outfit formed in 2019, weathered the pandemic together and came out an even stronger band.
The songwriter and producer melds elements of contemporary electronic music and hip-hop with traditional Spanish sounds.
Following Francisco Franco's death in the 1975, a counterculture movement known as La Movida Madrileña took root in the Spanish capital.
The duo bring vibrant and incisive dance tracks off of their debut album, Topical Dancer, to World Cafe.
Jason Isbell talks about his latest album, recorded with his backing band The 400 Unit.
The North Carolina band Wednesday performs songs off their critically acclaimed record, Rat Saw God.
The singer and actress says her nearly 60 years in show biz is thanks to a series of chance encounters, but her talent is undeniable.
Her autobiography, Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You, coincides with the release of a new album, Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart.
World Cafe celebrates 35 years of one of the most influential albums of all time: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
The musician talks about her new record, and shares exclusive live performances for World Cafe.
Highly sought after as backing vocalists, the Nashville duo chat about making their latest album, "Holler."
In this week's bonus episode from WXPN's Artist To Watch podcast, we meet Samantha Rise, a Philadelphia singer-songwriter who was selected for the Black Opry Residency project.
Here's a bonus episode from WXPN's new podcast, 'Artist To Watch.' Black artists in Americana and country music are challenging the outdated notion that their lack of representation is due to a shortage of interest or talent. Their rich melodies, soulful harmonies, and artful lyrics are the newest contributions to a body of work that has for too long been overlooked. Join host John Morrison as he presents five stories of up-and-coming Black Americana musicians seeking to reclaim country music as an inclusive genre. In this episode of Artist To Watch: Tylar Bryant's story.
Five acts (Tylar Bryant, Grace Givertz, Denitia, Samantha Rise and The Kentucky Gentlemen) joined World Cafe to chat about their young careers and perform live.
Plus, the North Carolina musician talks about collaborating with symphony orchestras and how a trip to Australia inpsired one of the songs on What Matters Most.
Watch the folk musician from Mobile, Alabama perform songs from his latest album, Love in the Dark.
The two country music veterans talk about navigating the industry and how they became friends.
Mercury Prize-winner Arlo Parks chats about her new album, My Soft Machine, plus catch live performances.
The musician talks about making Shabang with the help of his group, THE EVER-EXPANDING.
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus chat about group therapy, Rainer Maria Rilke and the making of their debut album as boygenius.
The Philadelphia native chats about the story behind her breakout record, five seconds flat.
The pop star talks about the myriad sonic and visual influences behind her new record, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You.
What started as a casual experiment evolved into the U.K. duo's first studio album in 24 years.
The Seattle musician performs songs from his latest album, which features Lucius, Guy Garvey of Elbow, and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek.
The musician's first full-length album since 2017 was influenced by the birth of her daughter and the death of her father.
The fierce independence behind their polka music has taken Brave Combo from Japan to an episode of The Simpsons to playing at David Byrne's wedding.
Join us as we attend a rehearsal and talk with University of North Texas' One O'Clock Lab Band's director, Alan Baylock.
Whether they're just starting out or they're big stars, like Leon Russell, it's a place to see live music almost nightly in Denton, Texas.
The record is all instrumental — no vocals, no lyrics — and was written and recorded on a road trip from LA to New York.
Frontman Carl Newman talks about the band's new album and why he steers clear of the internet.
The country singer calls it a foundation. In this session, Hear a live performance of songs from The Weakness.
The Irish crooner talks about his recent EP and offers details about his new album, Unreal Unearth, due out later this year.
Hakim stopped by World Cafe for a mini-concert featuring live performances of songs off his latest album, COMETA.
Plus, Chris Thile and Sara Watkins join World Cafe to talk about the making of and meaning behind Celebrants.
One of the greatest artists of all time, Warwick joins World Cafe to recount stories from throughout her career.
Vocalist Piya Malik talks about how the Brooklyn band formed and their debut album, Prism.
World Cafe correspondent John Morrison dives into Rundren's 1973 album, A Wizard, a True Star.
World Cafe sits down with guitarist The Edge, who produced and curated the band's new collection of re-recordings.
Enjoy this mini-concert featuring songs from Shufflemania!, Hitchcock's latest album of surrealistic rock.
Country music belongs to anyone with a story. Adeem The Artist asks big questions about privilege, race and toxic masculinity on their new album White Trash Revelry.
The Okkervil River frontman plays songs from his debut solo album in this mini-concert recorded live for World Cafe.
The Philadelphia musician shares his fears and observations on an increasingly anxiety-inducing world.
The musician, who also plays with Eyedress, Simps and U.S. Velvet, explores the ways their hometown has grown and changed over the years.
Jason Singer's mix of optimism and vulnerability has been one of indie rock's most exciting stories in the last few years.
World Cafe caps off its exploration of the Black roots of R&B with a look at the genre in the 2000s, forward.
The Birmingham, Ala.-based eight-piece band play songs from their entire catalog in this mini-concert for World Cafe.
The Utah band talks about how they grew closer during the making of their second album, Waiting to Spill.
From Prince to Whitney Houston, the '80s was a pivotal decade for R&B music in the mainstream.
With six platinum records and a career going on its fifth decade, "Weird Al" went from parodying the biggest artist to becoming one.
Brian Aubert and Nikki Monninger talk about the indie rock band's sixth studio album, Physical Thrills.
To celebrate Black History Month, World Cafe is exploring the Black roots of R&B through the decades, beginning with the '70s.
World Cafe asked veteran music journalists Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot of Sound Opinions to choose the definitive Chicago album.
Chicago's Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church played a pivotal role in the evolution of gospel.
The "beat scientist" and composer chats about his musical upbringing and his approach to remixing live music.
Ayana Contreras, host of WBEZ's Reclaimed Soul, talks about what makes Chicago soul special.
The city's Chicago Music Exchange boasts a massive showroom that looks more like a museum of musical instruments.
DePaul University student Eli Schmitt hosts live performances from local bands as part of his New Now series.
The Puerto Rican rapper and educator travels all over the city and the world using hip hop as a way to connect.
Born in Chicago, Mayfield was responsible for so much music over the course of his career, from soundtracks to his work with The Impressions.
The musician talks about her latest album, It Was A Home, and the creative community she's fostered in Chicago.
The man behind albums by Nirvana, the Pixies and more opens the doors to Electrical Audio and details his egalitarian approach to working with musicians.
Industrial music heavyweight Martin Atkins pulled from his personal collection of memorabilia to create Chicago's new Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music.
Demi Lovato reflects on the limitations of the "hyper-feminine pop star" and embracing a hard rock sound on her latest album, HOLY F***.
For a long time, singing was something Danielle Ponder did on the side, but with the release of her debut album, Some of Us Are Brave, last fall, it's become her main focus.
Captain Kirk Douglas, the guitarist and vocalist for The Roots, talks about his second solo album, New Unknown.
Alvvays frontwoman Molly Rankin talks about the stolen demos and recording experiments that led to the Canadian band's latest album, Blue Rev.
Copeland, widely considered one of the greatest blues singers of her generation, talks about the third installment in a trilogy of albums.
Hear Honey Harper's blend of cosmic country and southern rock in this mini-concert recorded live for World Cafe.
The Philadelphia-based musician performs covers from Baker's classic record, Chet Baker Sings.
Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake talk about the band's 10th record, Get Rollin', and how the public perception of Nickelback has changed in recent years.
Hear Father John Misty perform a mini-concert showcasing music from his latest album, Chloë and the Next 20th Century.
The band's new record, Love Songs for Losers, was recorded in the rock and roll icon's old Nashville home.
The Boss' 21st studio album is a collection of faithful covers from some of his favorite soul and R&B acts like the Four Tops, Jerry Butler, and Commodores.
Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood formed a new band, and they share this exclusive mini-concert, recorded at the 2022 Montreux Jazz Festival.
Guided by their former music teacher turned producer, the gospel group crafted a powerful new album.
Diaz is an in-demand songwriter who's worked with Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town and Kesha.
In his new memoir, titled Still Alright, Kenny Loggins chronicles his journey to becoming one of the best-selling artists of the 1980s.
The British band sought to be more earnest in their exploration of love on their fifth album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language.
Hear Tamino perform a mini-concert, including two songs from his latest album, Sahar, recorded live for World Cafe.
Fans of the Mexican singer-songwriter were surprised to hear Julieta Venegas embrace disco and synth pop on her latest album, but the artist has never shied away from new sounds.
The Los Angeles-based band reacted a little differently to the "Summer of Love" with their 1967 album, Forever Changes.
Calexico's new album, filled with Latin influences including cumbia and ranchera music, is about introspection and connectivity.
On her latest solo album, the Indigo Girls member finds positivity and love in places some folks might give up on.
For his ninth album, the Philadelphia artist branched out and enlisted the help of different studios and engineers for the first time.
The Philadelphia band taps into the sounds of Americana and country without abandoning its indie rock roots. Hear a live mini-concert in this session of World Cafe.
Marcus King's new album, Young Blood, sounds almost jubilant — but is the product of some very difficult years for the guitarist.
In this session, Marcus Mumford talks about sharing a message of hope and healing on his solo debut album, self-titled.
With Surrender, Rogers is figuring out what she can control, what she can't and exactly what it means to accept and give in.
Hear a live performance from Phoenix recorded in their dressing room before a concert in Boston earlier this fall.
Though Black Thought and Danger Mouse have known each other for a very long time, it took a while to complete their debut collaborative album, Cheat Codes.
It was recorded during the early stages of the pandemic with his friend and fellow songwriter/producer extraordinaire, Butch Walker.
Janet Jackson experimented lyrically on the 1997 album, which included exploring new sexual themes she'd never sung about before.
In this session, MGK opens up about the ups and downs he's faced in the music industry, his relationship with fame and how being a father has shaped his music.
The music industry is known for hype and drama and flash-in-the-pan stars who are up-and-coming one day and gone the next. But Belle & Sebastian are an exception.
The London-based artist's latest album is a genre-blending record that was produced by a much smaller team than her previous releases.
Whether singing stories she wrote herself or those written by others, Bonnie Raitt is a brilliant storyteller.
NPR Music's Alt.Latino new co-host, Anamaria Sayre, joins us to showcase some of the best new Latinx music out right now.
In this session, The Lumineers talk about how they improvised more than ever while writing their latest album, Brightside.
The Filipino-British songwriter fashioned her new album with help from the colorful, imaginary world she created when she was just 7 years old.
On today's edition of The Culture Corner, World Cafe Correspondent John Morrison talks about that song and dives deep into Cody's 2002 album, The Headphone Masterpiece.
Getting dropped from your record label isn't a good thing, per se, but for Beth Orton, it gave her the opportunity to take the reins.
The discovery of Los Pasteles Verdes, an experimental Peruvian band from the 1960s, sent Adrian Quesada down a rabbit hole that would, decades later, lead to his new solo album, Boleros Psicodélicos.
Miller talks about the making of the record, how much he missed live performance, his side hustle as a children's author and more on World Cafe Live.
Felix Contreras and new co-host Anamaria Sayre discuss the evolution of Alt.Latino and give a preview of their month-long takeover of the Tiny Desk Concert series, El Tiny.
Hear Shelley perform a mini-concert of songs from her latest album, "The Spur," recorded live for World Cafe.
In this session, Doug Martsch talks about how discovering a lo-fi punk band from Brazil led to the album's creation and shares advice he'd give to his younger self.
Charley Crockett performs songs from his latest album, in the great tradition of Ray Charles and Aaron Neville.
In this session of World Cafe, Shires shares about getting to a place of confidence again after thinking she was finished with making music.
We didn't realize quite how big they were until we landed in Vienna — Bilderbuch stops by for a Sense of Place: Vienna studio session in the middle of a sold-out arena tour.
To find out what made Nannette Streicher's pianos so special, World Cafe visited the Museum of Science and Technology in Vienna, where a couple of her pianos still survive.
On the outskirts of Vienna, more than 3 million people are buried in the Vienna Central Cemetery — including Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and one of Austria's most celebrated musicians, Falco.
For the World Cafe's Sense of Place: Vienna series, we knew there would be lots of Classical music. But it turns out, there's also a thriving indie music scene.
Emerging rap star YUGO takes World Cafe on a tour of the the 15th district on the outskirts of Vienna in this Sense of Place episode.
Vienna is known for classical music, but if you know where to look, you'll find a flourishing indie rock scene, too. Hear a live performance from DIVES in this Sense of Place session.
With some time back in the studio, and working on better ways to communicate, the band release their latest album, Every Shade of Blue.
There's a whole other side of Viennese music other than grand symphonies or operas performed on gilded stages. Enjoy this live Sense of Place: Vienna series performance by Sharktank.
Vienna is a city where the streets are alive with the sounds of violins, pianos, clarinets and ... vegetables!? A member of the city's Vegetable Orchestra takes us shopping at a local market for instruments.
Catbite offers something for almost everyone. Hear it for yourself in this mini-concert session.
It turns out the music Michaela Anne was making was just what she needed to hear herself, in an incredibly uncertain time.
In this World Cafe session from 1993, Kate Bush spoke with original host David Dye about a range of subjects: from her ambitions to working with Prince to being an Elton John fan as a teenager.
In this session of World Cafe, we caught up with Indigo De Souza to talk about the album and growing up in North Carolina.
Bragg's decades of activism and songwriting have only helped to crystallize and empower his thinking on what we need to make the world a better place.
Cruel Country, the group's 12th studio album, is a meditation on the current state of affairs in America, one that is complicated and flawed, as Jeff Tweedy tells it.
The force of nature talks about her new album, Storm Queen, how she discovered her voice and what "America" means to a person who grew up in Melbourne, Australia.
Maren Morris' star has been rising quickly — she's had a bunch of chart hits, taken home a slew of awards, including a Grammy, and she's part of the country supergroup The Highwomen.
Enjoy this mini-concert of songs recorded by Elizabeth King inside Sam Phillips Recording's Studio B in Memphis.
Warpaint's rhythm section talks about how the whole band shared writing credits on their latest album, as well as some of their extracurricular collaborations.
In this edition of Culture Corner, explore how Missy Elliott completely shifted the sonic palette of hip hop and RNB, in particular.
His latest album, Blessings and Miracles, is a not-so-subtle reference to his current outlook on life.
The Los Angeles indie-rock band pays tribute to and references some of their musical heroes in their latest album. Hear a live mini-concert in this session of World Cafe.
We're thrilled to welcome Dehd back to World Cafe for a mini-concert, starting with a performance of "Bad Love."
In this session, Lyle Lovett talks about starting a family and reflects on his long and storied career, going back to when he first got signed at the age of 28.
The British musician and record producer shares how crossing the Berlin Wall border and a secret concert helped change the course of history.
Recorded live in Berlin's Hansa Recording Studios, hear Sofia perform new singles in front of an audience for the very first time.
First finding success with her band Gurr, World Cafe's Sense of Place: Berlin series explores Laura Lee's new solo project.
Why is Berlin such a hotbed of creativity? American expat and musician Emperor X answers the question in this installment of our Sense of Place: Berlin series.
While you've maybe never heard of them here in America, in the German-language indie rock world, Von Wegen Lisbeth are a pretty big deal.
What happens when you write an album — Mattiel's latest, Georgia Gothic — in seclusion? Where does it lead? To Jeff Goldblum, of course! Hear a live mini-concert in this session of World Cafe.
World Cafe kicks off its Sense of Place: Berlin series with a session with local trio Shybits, featuring a live performance and interview from local rock club 8MM Bar.
It might surprise you to know that when Bob Marley was making the internationally beloved album, things weren't very relaxing at all.
A major change for the band taken during the pandemic showed the group's willingness to make concessions to their aspirations.
Their latest album, Iré, was released in January and features a rhythmic foundation rooted in Afro-Caribbean transcendence, bewildering chants, booming drums and psychedelic distortion.
Written during the pandemic, Van Etten's latest album, We've Been Going About This All Wrong, is an intimate and moving collection of songs that are stronger because of how they all fit together.
Lucius seem to somehow know everyone — including Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow and Paul McCartney — they share those stories in this session.
John Morrison talks about how important Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced was, how it happened and what its legacy has been for the culture at large.
In this session of World Cafe, The Dip talks about its journey from playing house parties to having a million Spotify listeners a month.
For this new album, Almost Proud, quarantine gave Del McCoury the time and space to dig through a box of collected music to find some gems to record.
Once Twice Melody was released in four chapters over the course of several months and embraces maximalism in both size and sound.
In this session, Jason Pierce of Spiritualized talks about their latest album, Everything Was Beautiful, how it grew and changed in unexpected ways as he worked on it, and how he let himself get lost in the process.
In our conversation, Judy shares some of those stories, talks about her songwriting process and the advice she's gotten from some of her very well-known songwriter friends.
A lack of interest and supervision from its label allowed Beastie Boys to experiment, resulting in their critically acclaimed third album, Check Your Head.
González's classical guitar sound and dreamscape vocals are still there, but there's more layers, more percussion, more synthy sounds and more forward momentum.
Ahead of their time in igniting interest in the String Band tradition, Old Crow Medicine Show was also ahead of the curve, landing in Nashville in the mid-'90s, well before it was declared the It City.
Don't go into Chan Marshall's latest album, Covers, expecting a karaoke party — Chan transforms, inhabits and recreates them, makes them entirely new and entirely hers.
Hayes Carll is a Texas singer-songwriter with an easygoing, everyman style of storytelling that's earned him comparisons to John Prine and Townes Van Zandt.
AHI's third album, Prospect, is informed by the past but paving the present road toward the future.
In this session, Ben Bridwell takes us through the events that led to Things Are Great in his usual self-deprecating charm.
Burt's latest album, You, Yeah, You, builds on his previous work as he grows ever more sophisticated, empathetic and razor-sharp as a storyteller and musical philosopher.
The last few years, Buffalo Nichols' heart led him back to the blues, in the process releasing one of the beat blues albums in recent memory.
The foundation of the group remains, but they've added psychedelic- and stoner-rock influences in their latest album.
Erin tells Nashville correspondent Jessie Scott that the idea of "lightening up" wasn't about the outside world, but her own inner world.
The hip-hop group's album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of..., turned 30 this year.
The first release, Good Morning, America, features appearances from Lucinda Williams, Katie Pruitt, Mary Lattimore and Amanda Shires.
The memoir spans his time with Bruce Springsteen, his diverse and underrated solo career, and of course his work on The Sopranos as Sylvio Dante.
Hear Sierra performing live in her adopted home city, starting off with a song from her debut album, "The Bells of Every Chapel."
As Otura Mun's connections to Afro-Cuban rhythms have deepened, so has his commitment to Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions. Hear a live performance.
Mandolinist Chris Thile and guitarist Chris Eldgridge share their love of Tony Rice's music, their longtime friendship with Tony himself.
Her love of the blues drew her to Austin, Texas, when she was 21 years old, and she's never looked back.
After years of touring, the trio realized that they'd developed some bad habits — COVID presented the band a much-needed opportunity to hit pause.
Not only did she co-write the hit song with Kacey Musgraves and Shane McAnally, she's also written for Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Sheryl Crow, and Keith Urban.
In this session, Janis Ian joins World Cafe for a conversation about her career, her creativity and her first new album of new material in 15 years
In this session, Roland and Curt join us for a conversation about making a new record 17 years after the last, as well as their past, their present and the future of Tears for Fears.
Since R.E.M.'s amicable end in 2011, the frontman has continued to create and write. He spoke to World Cafe about revisiting New Adventures in Hi-Fi and what it's like making new music on his own.
Realizing they were spending more time playing instruments than Mario Kart they formed a band and, by the time they graduated high school, Geese had hit its stride.
The Black Opry was founded in Nashville by Holly G, starting as a website that's now grown into a collective of artists. Hear from members of the Black Opry Revue in the World Cafe studio.
Lee acknowledges how hard it can be to live with anxiety and talks about how he was finding ways to heal.
In our final entry, we look at innovators of the new millennium — including the music of Santigold who, John Morrison says, has a unique way of combing rock with lots of other genres.
Alynda Segerra talks about making the new record, alongside a whole host of topics including astrology, life in New Orleans and why she calls the band's music "nature punk."
At a certain point, it's time to speak up — that's what Pierce has done with his new album, American Silence. And, as maybe you can guess from the title, he's hoping other people join him.
This week, our ongoing series focuses on the end of the '80s and the '90s, starting with two of the biggest Black rock acts of the '90s: Living Colour and Fishbone.
The blues musician is known for his transcendent live shows. We'll hear one in this session of World Cafe.
On its 2017 album Hot Thoughts, Spoon wove in new, electronic textures in the studio. Now, for its follow-up, the band tried a totally different direction.
In celebration of Black History Month, today's episode celebrates Black innovators of rock and roll from the 1970s and '80s: a time of musical experimentation.
A video of the teenage group playing in the Los Angeles Public Library went viral last year; since then, the group has released new songs and earned a spot on the Epitaph Records roster.
Extensive footage and recordings from the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 were packed away in a basement for decades. And then, Questlove was approached to make all of it into a documentary.
To celebrate Black History Month, World Cafe correspondent John Morrison is digging deep into the Black Innovators of Rock and Roll throughout February.
World Cafe talks to the pair of Americana songwriters about the trajectory of their rocking new record and how effortless that collaboration was.
The duo teamed up during quarantine and recorded their first album together – the newly released Ghost Stories.
You may know about Bowie's time in New York City and Berlin. But do you know about his connection to Philadelphia? In this episode of The Culture Corner, correspondent John Morrison explains.
How did the singer-songwriter end up living in a church parsonage? He tells the story in this World Cafe session, and perform songs from his new album.
Fire and Flood, features appearances by Nathaniel Rateliff, Chris Stapleton, X Ambassadors, Phantogram, Eddie Vedder and Bruce Springsteen.
The phrase "young at heart" is a cliché, but when it comes to Elvis Costello, it really does apply. The Boy Named If isa trip through the inner life of a young person growing up full of imagination and self-discovery.
Mann was tapped to write songs for a stage adaptation of Susanna Kaysen's memoir, and released several of the songs on her album Queens of the Summer Hotel.
Burt's latest album, You, Yeah, You, builds on his previous work as his songwriting grows ever more sophisticated.
The band''s fifteenth studio album, Future Past, has all the familiar sonic signatures — while exploring the contours of modern production.
In this session, Pastor T. L. Barrett joins me for an inspiring conversation on the incredible music of his Youth For Christ Choir, first released 50 years ago.
Jones' very first solo Christmas album is a mix of originals and covers, some traditional and some more unexpected.
MC Taylor acknowledges that this time of year isn't all jingle bells and snowmen and flying reindeer.
Today we get an opportunity to learn more about Rev. Cleveland, a musical giant, thanks to our guest Robert Marovich, gospel historian and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Gospel Music.
On their latest album, From Dreams To Dust, brothers Ian and James Felice sing about anxieties, pressures and a world that makes less and less sense.
You may know Josh Ritter primarily as a songwriter and musician, but did you know he's also a novelist? He put out his first book a decade ago, and now he's returned with a new one.
Elton John recently scored his first #1 chart ranking in 16 years – thanks to a song on his latest album The Lockdown Sessions. In this session, we chat about being inspired, finding musical chemistry, and more.
Every recent flash of inspiration seemed to drive singer Brandon Flowers towards that small community, with its modern-day problems.
A collaboration with several orchestral musicians from Reykjavík served as the foundation for Albarn's new solo album, The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows.
In this session, hear songs that Crockett recorded live in front of a virtual World Cafe audience, from that tribute album and from another recent album of his called Music City USA.
On today's Culture Corner, World Cafe correspondent John Morrison dives into the 1971 album, exploring its songs and the unique way it combines genres.
Enjoy a live session, recorded at In Your Ear Studios during World Cafe's Sense Of Place trip to Richmond, Va.
Members of Celtic punk band, The Pogues, blend their style with Lost Bayou Ramblers from South Louisiana.
In this session, hear Sellers perform songs from her new album. We also discuss her journey and the joy of anonymity in a new place.
Huey Lewis and the News just released the group's first new full-length album of original music in almost two decades.
A session that captures that spirit of being an audience of one, from the trio of Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats, multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman and Anaïs Mitchell.
The band brings its high-energy psychedelic funk to a room packed with characters – including a wizard – in this live performance.
Hear a live performance of "Heather's Letters to Her Mother," a song about a young woman who was murdered while peacefully protesting the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.
Harmer's latest record, Are You Gone, is a spiritual successor to an album that came out back in the year 2000: You Were Here.
If you initially dismissed the band as a novelty, then you've missed out on more than 25 years of consistently smart alt-rock greatness.