Remembering Pere Ubu's David Thomas, a frontman who preserved chaos
Thomas' April 23 death at age 71 brings to a close one of the most significant avant-garde experiments ever conducted within the confines of pop music. Rock critic Ken Tucker reflects on his legacy.
Reporter Covering Immigration Warns Government Is 'Ill Equipped' To Reunite Families
New Yorker writer Jonathan Blitzer has been in El Paso, Texas, reporting on immigration and family separation. "I've been meeting women who are crying so violently they can barely speak," he says.
'Sicario: Day Of The Soldado' Is A Swaggering Sequel That's Short On Precision
The war on drugs has gone from bad to worse in this follow-up to the 2015 film. Justin Chang says that though its "bigger and brasher" than the original, the story in this sequel doesn't fully engage.
Betrayal, Ruination And Dark Comedy Converge In 'A Very English Scandal'
A new BBC miniseries streaming on Amazon and starring Hugh Grant tells the story of Britain's Thorpe affair, a 1970s tabloid fiesta that brought together politics, illicit sex and a criminal trial.
'Squeezed' Explores Why America Is Getting Too Expensive For The Middle Class
Author Alissa Quart writes that the costs of housing, child care, health care and college are outpacing salaries and threatening the livelihoods of middle class Americans.
Black Lung Disease Can't Keep Frank Newsome From Singing Hymns
Newsome, a former coal miner who has black lung disease, started singing when he joined a church in 1963. His sings a cappella in a lined-out hymn style — one of America's oldest music traditions.
Fresh Air Weekend: John Prine; Novelist Stephen McCauley
Prine explains why he never thought he'd be a recording artist. Critic Justin Chang reviews the documentary The King. McCauley's novel, My Ex-Life, centers on couple whose marriage ended decades ago.
'The King' Fuses Elvis' Turbulent Life Story With The Soul Of America
Eugene Jarecki's documentary uses the rise and fall of Elvis Presley to track the ups and downs of America's past century. Critic Justin Chang calls The King a "feverishly analytical" musical essay.
In The Event Of Attack, Here's How The Government Plans 'To Save Itself'
In Raven Rock, Garrett Graff describes the bunkers designed to protect government leaders and the roles for various agencies in the event of catastrophe. Originally broadcast June 21, 2018.
