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50 Years Ago, Black Sabbath Found Its Sound And Took Metal Worldwide

Black Sabbath circa 1970. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Music News

50 Years Ago, Black Sabbath Found Its Sound And Took Metal Worldwide

Recorded in a few days and released just months after the band's self-titled debut, Paranoid delivered bleak but unforgettable songs about war, corruption and trauma.

50 Years Ago, Black Sabbath Found Its Sound And Took Metal Worldwide

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Nap Eyes' Nigel Chapman Is Always On The Brink Of A New Discovery

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Alex Blouin & Jodi Heartz/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Nap Eyes' Nigel Chapman Is Always On The Brink Of A New Discovery

XPN

The Nap Eyes frontman's wheels are always turning, about himself, about creativity, about the universe and about music.

Nap Eyes On World Cafe

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John Craigie Has A Knack For Spinning Stories

John Craigie Bradley Cox/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Bradley Cox/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

John Craigie Has A Knack For Spinning Stories

XPN

In this session, Craigie performs songs from his new album, Asterisk the Universe, and we get to hear what makes him such a great storyteller at his shows.

John Craigie On World Cafe

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Carolina Story's Music Has The Ability To Stop Time

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Chrissy Nix/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Carolina Story's Music Has The Ability To Stop Time

XPN

The husband and wife duo's music shimmers, hangs in the air, leaving you not thinking about anything else. Hear a mini-concert in this session.

Carolina Story On World Cafe

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A Final Bow From Hal Willner, The Producer With The Golden Rolodex

Hal Willner in 2011. The producer's final project, created before his death in April, is AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan. Timothy Greenfield-Sanders hide caption

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Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Music News

A Final Bow From Hal Willner, The Producer With The Golden Rolodex

The beloved producer's last project, created before his death in April from COVID-19, is a tribute to the songwriting of T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan.

A Final Bow From Hal Willner, The Producer With The Golden Rolodex

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Will Toledo Takes Car Seat Headrest In A New Direction

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Carlos Cruz Sol/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Will Toledo Takes Car Seat Headrest In A New Direction

XPN

On his band's latest album, Making a Door Less Open, Toledo expanded the scope of Car Seat Headrest's sound, embracing dance music wholeheartedly.

Car Seat Headrest On World Cafe

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Hannah Georgas, The Other Singer-Songwriter Who Enlisted Aaron Dessner

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Vannessa Heins/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Hannah Georgas, The Other Singer-Songwriter Who Enlisted Aaron Dessner

XPN

The Canadian singer-songwriter's new album, All That Emotion, was released on Friday.

Hannah Georgas on World Cafe

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Ray Lamontagne's 'Monovision' Provides A Soothing Escape From Everyday Life

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Brian Stowell/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Ray Lamontagne's 'Monovision' Provides A Soothing Escape From Everyday Life

XPN

The singer-songwriter's latest album gives you a glimpse into the natural world that inspires him — and the first album he's made entirely on his own.

Ray Lamontagne On World Cafe

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Mondo Cozmo Topped The Charts, And Then Lost His Cool

Mondo Cozmo Travis Shinn/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Travis Shinn/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Mondo Cozmo Topped The Charts, And Then Lost His Cool

XPN

Josh Ostrander shares how putting his hand through a pane of glass influenced his latest album, New Medicine.

Mondo Cozmo On World Cafe

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On His New Song, Colin Meloy Gets Lost In 'Slint, Spiderland'

Colin Meloy says that the idea for his new song came while watching a documentary on Slint's 1991 album Spiderland. Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Morning Edition Song Project

On His New Song, Colin Meloy Gets Lost In 'Slint, Spiderland'

The Decemberists' Colin Meloy talks about his entry to the Morning Edition Song Project, a meditation on the banality of everyday life in the midst of an international emergency.

On His New Song, Colin Meloy Gets Lost In 'Slint, Spiderland'

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The Honesty & Self-Reflection Of The Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls Jeremy Cowart/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jeremy Cowart/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

The Honesty & Self-Reflection Of The Indigo Girls

XPN

The accomplished songwriters are tireless activists for causes ranging from gun control to indigenous rights to the removal of confederate monuments from town squares.

Indigo Girls On World Cafe

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Amidst The Pandemic, The New Music Out Of Nashville Never Stops

Ruston Kelly Alexa King /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alexa King /Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Amidst The Pandemic, The New Music Out Of Nashville Never Stops

XPN

World Cafe's Nashville correspondent, Ann Powers, talks about the state of Music City and five new releases that she's excited about.

Nashville New Music - August 2020

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Phoebe Bridgers' 'Punisher' Is An Album For The Moment

Phoebe Bridgers Frank Ockenfels/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Frank Ockenfels/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Phoebe Bridgers' 'Punisher' Is An Album For The Moment

XPN

Since its release, fans are sharing stories of personal connection to Bridgers' latest album, one that's made many feel less alone in a time of self-isolation.

Phoebe Bridgers On World Cafe

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How Old 97's Kept It Together Through Life's Ups And Downs

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Alysse Gafkjen/Courtery of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

How Old 97's Kept It Together Through Life's Ups And Downs

XPN

Together for 27 years with the same lineup, the long-running band is back with its 12th album, Twelfth.

Old 97s On World Cafe

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How The Past 10 Years Shaped The First New Bright Eyes Record In Almost A Decade

Bright Eyes Danny Cohen /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Danny Cohen /Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

How The Past 10 Years Shaped The First New Bright Eyes Record In Almost A Decade

XPN

Bright Eyes performs new songs off Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was and talks about finding bagpipe players for "Persona Non Grata" and remembering loved ones in the minutiae of experience.

Bright Eyes On World Cafe

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