NPR: Second Stage Podcast: Episodes
<em>F, Monday, Orange, February, Venus, Lunatic, 1 or 13</em>, the improbably named, full-length debut from rock band Colourmusic, has a mouthful of a title, and it's not the only thing that's over-the-top about the Oklahoma group. Not only does the band dress in matching all-white outfits for live performances, ...
The Great Bloomers are a rootsy, rock quintet based out of Toronto, Canada who, earlier this year, released a self-titled debut EP. Today's featured song, "Catching Up," opens up the EP and showcases a healthy admiration for the Beach Boys, who happen to be one of the Great Bloomers' biggest influences.
Chances are you've heard at least one song by the London-based Noah and the Whale. Recently, the folk-rock band had its immutably cheerful tune "5 Years Time" featured in a Saturn SUV commercial. Clapping, whistling and ukulele play joyfully together with choruses capable of inducing a Diabetic coma ...
In early 2007, singer and songwriter Daniel Ingala began writing and recording catchy, synth-driven pop music in his New York City apartment. He soon took on the moniker Plushgun, and uploaded his first song, "Just Impolite," to his MySpace page. The track quickly found an online audience, drawing more ...
East London's Dark Captain Light Captain is preparing to release its full-length debut, <em>Miracle Kicker</em>, later this month, but in the meantime listeners can get a taste of the band's whispy, experimental folk style with the four-song <em>Circles</em> EP.
For his follow-up to 2004's <em>Of What Lies Beneath</em>, Austin, TX resident Dan Dyer draws from gospel, Bossa Nova and even ragtime for a contemporary homage of pulsating grooves. His selt-titled sophomore release, which dropped in late August, begins with the soulful "Love Chain," featuring members ...
Australia's The Curse of Company is the union of several musicians known primarily for their roles in other projects, including David Wiley Rennick of Dappled Cities. The band's first release, <em>Leo Magnets Joins a Gang</em> is a hazy, ethereal soundtrack for a rainy day.
John Moen, best known as drummer for Portland, Oregon's The Decemberists, steps into the spotlight with his side project, Perhapst. On Perhapst's self-titled debut, Moen sings and performs most of the quirky, 1960s-influenced pop music himself, with the notable exception of a guest spot by Stephen Malkmus ...
Liz Durrett is finally stepping out of her shell on her third and latest album, <em>Outside Our Gates</em>. Known for her sparse and somber Southern folk music, the Athens, Ga.-based musician has put together a release that still has plenty of gloom but is now balanced by over a dozen guest musicians, ...
Musician and composer Ant Neely is an advocate of literally spreading his music around the world. A member of the electronic band Subthunk, Neely has turned the release of his first solo album, <em>Not Fit For Human Consumption</em>, into a global experiment by leaving copies of the CD in public locations ...
<em>I'm Not Entirely Clear How I Ended Up Like This</em>, the latest album from Berlin-based Michael Knight, is a jumble of unexpected twists. For starters, Michael Knight is not a person but rather a large collective of musicians fronted by lead singer Richard Murphy. Then there's the fact that <em>I'm ...
The cover art for Kira Lynn Cain's debut, <em>The Ideal Hunter</em>, depicts the San Francisco-based chanteuse bearing an uncanny resemblance to 1940s actress Veronica Lake. That, along with the dark background and bright red block lettering of the album's name, makes the artwork seem more like a film ...
Have a listen to The Invasion's debut album, <em>How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Madness</em>, and you might be inclined to wonder which part of England the rock quartet is from. Yet despite similarities to Radiohead and Muse, the band actually hails from Naples, Idaho.
Until recently, Portland, Oregon-based musician Jared Mees had no band to call his own. But for his sophomore album, <em>Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine Money</em>, Mees gathered over a dozen musicians, known as The Grown Children, to formally back him in his quirky pop endeavor.
British singer-songwriter Ed Laurie is one of the many musicians who's benefited from the limitless possibilities of Internet exposure. After making his music available on his MySpace page, Laurie was courted by an iTunes executive who then helped the Londoner with the online release of his seven-song ...
If The Shins played music after popping Prozac, they might come up with something similar to <em>Spark Large</em>, the full-length debut from the Swedish duo Marching Band. Musicians Erik Sunberg and Jacob Lind have created an album that is brimming with breezy pop songs, perfect for a rise-and-shine ...
Listen to <em>Slimming Mirrors, Flattering Lights</em>, the sophomore release from Vancouver, B.C.'s The Awkward Stage, and it's obvious the pop band weaves an overarching theme through each track. Though the songs on the album vary stylistically — its three gentle instrumental interludes contrast ...
Icelandic acts like Bjork and Sigur Ros have earned the Nordic nation a reputation for strange, elfin rock. Folk-pop singer Emiliana Torrini, who grew up just outside of Reykjavik, hopes to change that. On her latest CD, <em>Me and Armini</em>, Torinni draws from a refreshing hodgepodge of influences.
Jaymay has been called a folk artist and she cites Bob Dylan among her influences. But her music is richer and more unpredictable than traditional folk singers. Jaymay's debut album, <em>Autumn Fallin'</em>, is a collection of charmingly heartbroken songs that mix bluesy-folk and pop. She's got a ...
Long-time fans of Detroit, Michigan-based PAS/CAL have certainly had to be patient over the years. Although the pop band, led by songwriter Casimer Pascal, released its first EP in 2002, its full-length debut came out only this past July. But the intriguingly titled <em>I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, ...