World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

40 Episodes
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By: NPR

WXPN's live performance and interview program featuring music and conversation from a variety of important musicians

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Willow Avalon on her latest album, 'Pink Pocket Pistol'
Willow Avalon on her latest album, 'Pink Pocket Pistol' episode artwork
Today at 1:00 PM

Willow Avalon is making room for a kind of country song where women can sing about more than just broken hearts. On her new album, she draws on the traditions of her rural Georgia upbringing.

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Orville Peck on his latest album, 'Mule'
Orville Peck on his latest album, 'Mule' episode artwork
Last Friday at 12:00 PM

Orville Peck is famous for wearing a mask, but his new album, Mule, is a deeply personal, vulnerable, chronological account of the year he got sober.

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Low Cut Connie on his latest album, 'Livin in the USA'
Low Cut Connie on his latest album, 'Livin in the USA' episode artwork
Last Thursday at 3:32 PM

Low Cut Connie has always been about letting loose. But on Livin in the USA, frontman Adam Weiner wrestles with a country filled with fear and division.

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Tune in to a mini-concert with Stephen Wilson Jr.
Tune in to a mini-concert with Stephen Wilson Jr. episode artwork
Last Wednesday at 2:29 PM

The Indiana singer-songwriter is nominated for four Country Music Association awards at next month’s ceremony, including male vocalist and new artist of the year.

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Like a pink-haired gladiator, Adéla enters the pop arena hellbent on victory
Like a pink-haired gladiator, Adéla enters the pop arena hellbent on victory episode artwork
Last Tuesday at 6:57 PM

From ballet school to Dream Academy, the Slovakian singer and dancer has been training her whole life for pop stardom.

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Revisiting Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain'
Revisiting Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' episode artwork
10/22/2026

World Cafe correspondent John Morrison talks about the way Jimi Hendrix influenced the band’s playing, and digs into some of the very specific, emotional direction George Clinton gave in the studio during the recording.

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Metric on their latest album, 'Romanticize The Dive"
Metric on their latest album, 'Romanticize The Dive" episode artwork
10/20/2026

The Canadian band talks about how their latest record looks back on the "indie sleaze" era, plus they play a stripped down set of songs.

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Personal Records: Jen Agg
Personal Records: Jen Agg episode artwork
10/16/2026

The restaurateur and star of the new Food Network show Restaurant Impossible: Last Call shares the songs that shaped her. 

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How a Midwestern landfill inspired Fruit Bats' latest album
How a Midwestern landfill inspired Fruit Bats' latest album episode artwork
10/15/2026

Eric D. Johnson, who performs as Fruit Bats, talks about making The Landfill.

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How being 'fake brave' helped The Army, The Navy find real confidence
How being 'fake brave' helped The Army, The Navy find real confidence episode artwork
10/13/2026

The bond between Maia Ciambriello and Sasha Goldberg, who perform together as The Army, The Navy, is at the heart of their debut album, Fake Brave Life.

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Before the Breakthrough: Selena
Before the Breakthrough: Selena episode artwork
10/09/2026

For Hispanic Heritage Month, World Cafe is diving into the late Tejano performer's ascent to stardom.

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For Alabama Shakes, making music together again was like 'riding a bike'
For Alabama Shakes, making music together again was like 'riding a bike' episode artwork
10/09/2026

The trio returns with their first studio album in 11 years.

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How Brian Jackson reimagined some of his legendary work with Gil Scott-Heron
How Brian Jackson reimagined some of his legendary work with Gil Scott-Heron episode artwork
10/08/2026

Jackson and Scott-Heron created some of most memorable protest music of the early '70s, through the duo’s combination of jazz, soul, funk and spoken word poetry. Fifty years later, Jackson’s new album, Now More Than Ever, revisits some of their most iconic songs.

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The Womack Sisters leaned on each other to keep their musical ambitions alive
The Womack Sisters leaned on each other to keep their musical ambitions alive episode artwork
10/07/2026

BG, Zeimani and Kucha Womack are music royalty — nieces to Bobby Womack and the granddaughters of Sam Cooke. Their debut album comes after a series of  tragic setbacks.

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John R. Miller takes to the road on 'The Great Unknowing'
John R. Miller takes to the road on 'The Great Unknowing' episode artwork
10/06/2026

Miller's new album is a sort of travelogue inspired by his years as a traveling musician, but it’s also an exploration of quieter moments.

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Before the Breakthrough: Los Lobos
Before the Breakthrough: Los Lobos episode artwork
10/02/2026

For Hispanic Heritage Month, World Cafe is diving into the East Los Angeles band's career and music before "La Bamba" changed everything. 

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'You gotta make it wiggly': How The Wiggles set the standard for kid's entertainment
'You gotta make it wiggly': How The Wiggles set the standard for kid's entertainment episode artwork
10/02/2026

Plus, the Australian children's music group perform a cover of Olivia Dean's megahit, "Man I Need."

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For Michaela Anne, the 'humdrum is holy'
For Michaela Anne, the 'humdrum is holy' episode artwork
10/01/2026

The singer-songwriter found her way out of a two-year songwriting drought after finding inspiration in the "absolute magic" of everyday life.

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Tune in to a mini-concert with Friko
Tune in to a mini-concert with Friko episode artwork
09/30/2026

The Chicago band performs music from their sophomore album, Something Worth Waiting For.

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Swamp Dogg contemplates the afterlife
Swamp Dogg contemplates the afterlife episode artwork
09/28/2026

The 84-year-old musician and producer has built a cult following for his weird, satirical, hilarious musical personality.

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Before the Breakthrough: Daddy Yankee
Before the Breakthrough: Daddy Yankee episode artwork
09/25/2026

The Puerto Rican star's 2004 single, "Gasolina," helped launch reggaeton into the stratosphere.

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Bedouine builds a home for herself on 'Neon Summer Skin'
Bedouine builds a home for herself on 'Neon Summer Skin' episode artwork
09/24/2026

After a trip to her childhood home in Saudi Arabia, the Syrian American musician was left contemplating what it means to "be home."

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Tune in to a mini-concert with Brother Wallace
Tune in to a mini-concert with Brother Wallace episode artwork
09/22/2026

The Georgia singer performs songs from his debut album, Electric Love.

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beabadoobee looks toward what connects us on 'Pylon'
beabadoobee looks toward what connects us on 'Pylon' episode artwork
09/19/2026

The singer and songwriter joined forces with Chino Moreno, Turnstile's Brendan Yates and more on her grunge-leaning fourth studio album.

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Before the Breakthrough: Shakira
Before the Breakthrough: Shakira episode artwork
09/18/2026

For Hispanic Heritage Month, World Cafe is diving into the Colombian star's career before she made her U.S. crossover with 2001's Laundry Service.

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Carly Rae Jepsen pulls out all the stops on 'Day and Night'
Carly Rae Jepsen pulls out all the stops on 'Day and Night' episode artwork
09/18/2026

The Canadian pop star talks about her ambitious double album, becoming a parent and writing music for the Broadway adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You.

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Kelsey Lu faces a reckoning on 'So Help Me God'
Kelsey Lu faces a reckoning on 'So Help Me God' episode artwork
09/17/2026

The vocalist and cellist also performs a stunning set live from World Cafe's performance studio.

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Culture Corner: Revisiting DJ Shadow's 'Endtroducing.....'
Culture Corner: Revisiting DJ Shadow's 'Endtroducing.....' episode artwork
09/16/2026

World Cafe correspondent John Morrison explains how the California producer's debut album shifted what music could sound like.

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Interpol gets experimental on 'This Mirror Weighs a Ton'
Interpol gets experimental on 'This Mirror Weighs a Ton' episode artwork
09/15/2026

Lead guitarist Daniel Kessler joins World Cafe to talk about the band's eighth studio album.

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Old Crow Medicine Show reflect on 250 years of U.S. history
Old Crow Medicine Show reflect on 250 years of U.S. history episode artwork
09/14/2026

Morgan Jahnig and Ketch Secor join us to talk about the band's latest album, Union Made.

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Sylvan Esso are finding ways to laugh among the doom
Sylvan Esso are finding ways to laugh among the doom episode artwork
09/11/2026

Lead singer Amelia Meath says the album reflects "a decision to continue living despite the fact that we continue being hurt."

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Bruce Hornsby on his latest album, 'Indigo Park'
Bruce Hornsby on his latest album, 'Indigo Park' episode artwork
09/10/2026

The record features collaborations with longtime friends like Bonnie Raitt and Bob Weir, as well as a new generation of artists like Ezra Koenig and Blake Mills.

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Tune in to a mini-concert with Ryan Bingham
Tune in to a mini-concert with Ryan Bingham episode artwork
09/08/2026

The Oscar-winning musician and actor performs songs from his latest record, They Call Us The Lucky Ones.

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His family thought he was off to college. Dublin rapper KhakiKid had other plans.
His family thought he was off to college. Dublin rapper KhakiKid had other plans. episode artwork
09/02/2026

The rising artist landed a viral hit in 2025 with "Date Night." He's following it up with a new EP, Girl Bites Dog.

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Step into the world of 'Riverdance'
Step into the world of 'Riverdance' episode artwork
08/31/2026

As part of our Sense of Place: Dublin series, World Cafe sat down with Riverdance's principal dancer.

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'Life will always flourish': How Madra Salach turned painful history into joy
'Life will always flourish': How Madra Salach turned painful history into joy episode artwork
08/28/2026

The Irish band performs a powerful set of music from their debut EP, It's a Hell of an Age.

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Tune in to a mini-concert with Florence Road
Tune in to a mini-concert with Florence Road episode artwork
08/27/2026

The Irish rock band performs music from their latest EP, Spring Forward.

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'It’s the music of my soul': In 2001, Dolly Parton brought bluegrass to World Cafe
'It’s the music of my soul': In 2001, Dolly Parton brought bluegrass to World Cafe episode artwork
08/25/2026

Hear previously unreleased live performances from the country icon's bluegrass album, Little Sparrow.

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Dublin band SPRINTS is finding success in a world that's on fire
Dublin band SPRINTS is finding success in a world that's on fire episode artwork
08/25/2026

World Cafe kicks off its latest Sense of Place series with a live session recorded in Ireland.

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How letting go of control helped Weezer's 20th album shine
How letting go of control helped Weezer's 20th album shine episode artwork
08/21/2026

Dubbed "the Gold Album," the rock band's latest record marks a new collaborative approach between the original members.

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