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by WNYC Studios
WNYC, New York Public Radio, brings you Soundcheck, the arts and culture program hosted by John Schaefer, who engages guests and listeners in lively, inquisitive conversations with established and rising figures in New York City's creative arts scene. Guests come from all disciplines, including pop, indie rock, jazz, urban, world and classical music, technology, cultural affairs, TV and film. Recent episodes have included features on Michael Jackson,Crosby Stills & Nash, the Assad Brothers, Rackett, The Replacements, and James Brown.
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- Yesterday50 min
Best of Soundcheck: Annahstasia, Patrick Wolf
It’s common for songwriting artists to process their emotions through composing music. LA-based folk singer Annahstasia spent many years crafting her debut album, Tether, doing just that, without a metronome guiding her: “We’re human beings in a room following our heartbeats and the natural rhythm that we feel together… My production style is essentially like energy doula-ing,” she says. As for English baroque pop experimentalist Patrick Wolf, the making of his latest album, Crying the Neck, as well as other batches of new songs he’s been releasing that ended his decade-long hiatus, was a way to acknowledge that he was “a damaged vehicle”, after losing his mother to cancer and struggling to recover from a hit and run. Both artists are known for their big, often orchestral songs, but on this edition of Soundcheck, they each put on a solo performance, revealing the raw side of their lyrics and melodies.Annahstasia's Setlist: 1.Be Kind 2.SlowPatrick Wolf's Setlist: 1.Enter the Day 2.The Last of England Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 4 days ago38 min
Norwegian Chord Progression Artist Sondre Lerche Sings Acrobatic Melodies, In-Studio
Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche defines himself as a “chord progression artist”: “You establish a pattern, and then of course, you have to break it,” he says. This line of thinking is likely what drives him to disrupt the normal sequence of his daily life too, by staying out all night before a recording session, just to tap into the right emotion for a song the next day. Some artists don’t respond well to structure while creating and Sondre Lerche is definitely one of them. Whether he’s exploring acrobatic melodies that push his lungs to their limits or jumping from one genre to another, he seems to put the art first and figure out where he fits in it as a vessel later.Sondre Lerche’s latest album, aptly titled Acrobats, contains a big, cinematic sound, while blending elements of folk, jazz, pop, and rock. But his background in musical theatre becomes more apparent when it’s just him and his guitar, as he addresses the subjects of his songs as though they’re right by his side with unmistakable realism, for this episode of Soundcheck. - Sırma MunyarPS – Sondre Lerche is on tour in North America and Europe this Fall: https://www.sondrelerche.com/tour(Photo of Sondre Lerche by Hilde Solli)Setlist: 1.Little Kids 2.Acrobats 3.How Much of This Was Planned Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 1 weeks ago38 min
Indie Rock Band Shearwater Performs Cerebral Songs with Laurie Anderson, In-Studio
Shearwater is the project of singer, songwriter, and ornithologist, Jonathan Meiburg, who recently took a trip to the Antarctica to study the “the bizarre life of the polar seafloor” and wrote a book called A Most Remarkable Creature : The Hidden Life of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey. As he made significant attempts at understanding his natural surroundings, Meiburg also had several collaborators in Shearwater. Now, he’s back with a new album titled, The New World, joined by pianist Emily Lee and multi-instrumentalist Dan Duszynski.On the album, the band is also joined by a wide array of other respected musicians, from Firaz Zriek on qanun to Shahzad Ismaily on drums, bass, synthesizers, and more. But they bring a couple of other contributors to our studio: legendary avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson on vocals and violin, and Doug Wieselman on clarinet. Together, they perform skeletal, subdued, and sophisticated renditions of some of their cerebral new songs.Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater will be at Rough Trade Below on Thursday, September 17th, in New York, for a live acoustic performance and signing. - Sırma MunyarSetlist:1.Daydream Unbeliever 2.More and More 3.You and Your Dog Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 1 weeks ago51 min
Best of Soundcheck: Sofia Rei, Mike Doughty
Folk music is known to be the music of the people, but it can sound vastly different from region to region. There are also songs that take inspiration from folk music but fall under a different genre altogether. For American singer-songwriter Mike Doughty, who is a founding member of the cult 90s band Soul Coughing, the art of storytelling found a home in alternative rock music. As for the Argentine recording artist and educator Sofia Rei, using electronics to blur the lines between traditional South American, Caribbean, and contemporary dance music is a natural practice. On this episode of Soundcheck, you get to hear both of their live performances and stories, recorded at WNYC studios.Mike Doughty's Setlist: 1.White Lexus 2.Mr. Bitterness 3.Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating in the Future Sofia Rei's Setlist: 1.El Mundo Es Redondo 2.Si Una Cae 3.Marciana Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 1 weeks ago35 min
Recording Artist and Actor Saul Williams Speaks Contemplative Words, In-Studio
Saul Williams is many things. A poet, a musician, an actor, and a writer, embodying multiple forms of art in his existence. He’s the preacher in the Oscar-winning 2025 film, Sinners. He’s the conceiver of several books, including his latest title, Songs My Mother Taught Me: Why the Artist Must Take Sides. And now, after seven long years, Williams is back with a new album called Leap Year, in which he uses his voice in more ways than one. He sings and speaks his contemplative words, often relying on his vocal samples to enrich the production. But in our studio, his solo performance is thoughtful yet subdued, putting his lyricism front and center. Hear those words, and a few others, as Williams shares his inner world with host, John Schaefer. - Sırma MunyarSetlist: 1.Friends That I Ain't Met Yet 2.Vengeful Spirit 3.Robot Slave(Photo of Saul Williams by Sam Lee) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 2 weeks ago27 min
Quiet Reflection in Acoustic Songs by Daughter of Swords (Archives)
North Carolina singer and guitarist Alex Sauser-Monnig records under the name Daughter of Swords, in which they "combine the eerie sound of old Appalachian folk music with elegant guitar playing and touches of lo-fi pop." (John Schaefer) They're also part of the alternative folk trio Mountain Man, a group of singers whose precise harmonies offer songs of warmth, belonging, and community. Sauser-Monnig’s record, Dawnbreaker, a homespun country-pop offering of vulnerability, brings liberation to the "breakup record" and hope for the next phase of life. Daughter of Swords joins us to perform in-studio on this episode of Soundcheck from August 2019. - Caryn Havlik (Photo of Daughter of Swords by Kendall Bailey Atwater) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 2 weeks ago51 min
Best of Soundcheck: Paris Paloma, Cautious Clay
Some musicians make ambitious records that dig into the depths of meaning behind art, mythology, time, or life itself. Two of those musicians are the British singer-songwriter Paris Paloma and the American alternative R&B producer Cautious Clay. Both musical adventurers sit down with our host, John Schaefer, to chat about their latest works and perform intimate live sets exclusively for Soundcheck. Hear how hitmaker Paris Paloma’s career progressed after her viral hit, “Labour”, and the process that led to the creation of her sophomore album, The Fatal Flaw. Then, multi-instrumentalist Cautious Clay explains how he takes listeners through each hour of the day and night in The Hours trilogy.Paris Paloma's Setlist: 1.labour 2.Miyazaki 3.Stem the FlowCautious Clay's Setlist: 1.Tokyo Lift (5am) 2.Art Museum (2am) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 2 weeks ago50 min
Fearless Creative Expression and Lived Experience From Arturo Sandoval Who "Sounds Good", In-Studio
Trumpeter and bandleader Arturo Sandoval is a Latin music legend who began his career as a co-founder of the essential Cuban band Irakere and since moving to the States has incorporated the sounds of soul, jazz, funk, and Afrobeat into his music. Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his life was the subject of the film For Love Or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, with Andy Garcia starring as Arturo. The real Arturo Sandoval was born in Cuba, defected to America with the help of his friend Dizzy Gillespie, and became one of the foundational figures in Afro-Cuban jazz. By the way, he was recently knighted by the King of Spain.His new album shows that Sandoval retains his youthful enthusiasm; it’s called Sangú – an inadvertent bit of Spanglish that simply means “sounds good.” Arturo Sandoval leads his band in some of these latest tunes from Sangú - bebop, funk, Yoruba spiritual memory, riding along with Cuban phrasing and percussion, in-studio. He also demonstrates the jaw harp, shows off his “Red Trumpet”, and tells the harrowing story of how he gained political asylum for himself and his family while touring in Europe in 1990. - Caryn HavlikSet list: 1.Scat 2. La Ventura 3. Sangu Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
About Soundcheck
WNYC, New York Public Radio, brings you Soundcheck, the arts and culture program hosted by John Schaefer, who engages guests and listeners in lively, inquisitive conversations with established and rising figures in New York City's creative arts scene. Guests come from all disciplines, including pop, indie rock, jazz, urban, world and classical music, technology, cultural affairs, TV and film. Recent episodes have included features on Michael Jackson,Crosby Stills & Nash, the Assad Brothers, Rackett, The Replacements, and James Brown.
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