Under the name Active Child, Pat Grossi crafts gorgeous arrangements out of harps, synths and electronic drums, each of which complements his own ethereal voice. The elements of church music in his compositions stem from an authentic place: Grossi has been singing since his early days as a choirboy.
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside's frontwoman was working as a waitress when she met bandmates Tyler Tornfelt (upright bass), Ford Tennis (drums) and Jeff Munger (guitar). Together, the four quickly built a following in their local music scene for their quirky style and energetic retro sensibility.
Oh! Pears is the brainchild of Seattle native Corey Duncan, who started the 13-piece group after a split with his former band Pattern Is Movement. With two violas, a violin, two cellos, four guitars, two drum stations, a flute, a trumpet and plenty of voices, Oh! Pears creates robust layers of instrumentation and vocals on its latest EP, Fill Your Lungs.
Jack White of The White Stripes performs during the fourth and final day of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival June 17, 2007 in Manchester, Tennessee.
Throughout the month of October, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of World Cafe by revisiting some of the best and most memorable interviews of the past 20 years.
Heather Browne, who runs the music blog I Am Fuel You Are Friends, stands before her formidable record collection. She and WXPN's Bruce Warren share their picks for artists to watch in 2012.
At 22 years old, Adele was inspired by the works of Etta James, Jeff Buckley and Jill Scott when she decided to enroll in the BRIT school. By the time of graduation she had perfected her sound and emerged as a soulful songbird and MySpace sensation in 2007 and 2008.
It's a stretch to call "Beth/Rest" the year's most divisive song, but it's hard to discuss Bon Iver's second album without weighing in on its '80s-style closer. Next to the lush, impeccably crafted grace that precedes it, "Beth/Rest" couldn't be more jarring: With its electric keyboards, saxophones and epic guitar solos, the track could double as the lost love theme to a misbegotten action movie in which Morgan Fairchild seduces a suave diamond thief played by Lou Diamond Phillips.
Though Annie Clark began as a member of Sufjan Stevens' touring band and The Polyphonic Spree, those experiences do little to explain the incredible things that happen on Strange Mercy, her third album under the moniker St. Vincent. As if unleashed from the constraints of her previous work, Clark straight-up shreds.
Ditching the prog-folk of their previous two albums, The Decemberists have taken a more cut-and-dried approach with The King Is Dead. Recorded in a barn outside of Portland, the album has strong ties to R.E.M. in sound and production — Peter Buck, guitarist for R.E.M., decided to climb on board for three songs.
