Dionne Warwick, Reduced To An Essence
On an unlikely tribute album, singer Dionne Farris and guitarist Charlie Hunter tackle Warwick classics with revealing subtlety — and nods to the musicians' own origins in early-'90s rap.
Music & Culture
Tsapiky: Dance Music Fit For A Funeral
In the West, we're used to hearing dance music at weddings. In southern Madagascar, guests might hear tsapiky, a regional guitar-band music, at funerals, as well as any other number of ceremonies.
No Lie: Shakira's 'Hips' Gets An Oxford Makeover
The Oxford University men's a cappella group Out of the Blue has its own version of "Hips Don't Lie" — and an endorsement from the pop star herself.
Before War, A Punk Drummer Preserved Syrian Chants
Jason Hamacher wasn't trained as a photographer, a musicologist or a member of a religious community. The former Frodus drummer simply felt compelled to document this music.
Ty Segall Rocks Out — Acoustic-Style, And With More Polish
The garage rocker performs stripped-down versions of songs from his new album, Manipulator, and tells NPR's Arun Rath why the new songs are less rough around the edges than some of his earlier work.
Julian Casablancas: New Band, New Album, No Compromises
The Strokes frontman — now with a new band, The Voidz — returns with his most challenging release yet: a strange, dark album influenced by '80s hardcore and underground world music.
Queen Of Soul Gives Adele Some R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Aretha Franklin is covering Adele's song "Rolling in the Deep." The song is included on Franklin's new album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, which is due out later this month.
How Did 'Bailando' Become A Spanglish Crossover Hit?
Enrique Iglesias' catchy song went to No. 1 on the Latin streaming charts before jumping to the Billboard Hot 100. It's hardly the first crossover hit — but demographic shifts might be at play too.
The Atlanta Symphony Lockout Continues, Musicians Picket On Peachtree Street
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra was supposed to open its fall season last week but, in a scenario that has become familiar, contentious contract negotiations led to a lockout of musicians.
Sober And Sold-Out: Dance Club In Sweden Cuts Booze For A Night
Breathalyzers were placed in the doorway of a nightclub in Stockholm this weekend, with an unusual purpose: to ensure no guests had been drinking any booze.