On the day before his album came out, Hobo Johnson joined me to play DJ. We discussed the making of his album and played some of the music that has inspired him over the years. I think you'll be surprised by some of his picks.

The week's best new album drops includes the genre-bending pop of Charli XCX, an ambitious concept record by The Lumineers, the euphoric songs of Emeli Sandé, new Chelsea Wolfe, Sampa The Great, more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. The Lumineers - 'III,' 2. Charli XCX - 'Charli,' 3. Bethlehem Steel - 'Bethlehem Steel,' 4. Emeli Sandé - 'Real Life,' 5. Microwave - 'Microwave,' 6. Chelsea Wolfe - 'Birth of Violence,' 7. Sampa The Great - 'The Return,' 8. Jeremy Ivey - 'The Dream and the Dreamer.' OTHER NOTABLE ALBUMS FOR SEP. 13: Alex Cameron ? Miami Memory; Belle & Sebastian ? Days of the Bangold Summer; Chasity ? Homemade Satan; Devendra Banhart ? Ma; Goo Goo Dolls ? Miracle Pill; Gruff Rhys ? Pang; Hobo Johnson ? The Fall of Hobo Johnson; Jenny Hval ? The Practice of Love; Joseph ? Good Luck Kid; Long Beard ? Means to Me; Pixies ? Beneath the Eyrie; (Sandy) Alex G ? House of Sugar; Shawn Colvin ? Steady On 30th Anniversary; Trupa Trupa ? Of the Sun.

There's a cinematic theme in the songs on this edition of All Songs Considered, including a new track from Thom Yorke called "Daily Battles" and an instrumental version of it from trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. These two songs were created for the Edward Norton film Motherless Brooklyn. FEATURED SONGS AND ARTISTS: 1. Ride: "R.I.D.E.," 2. Overcoats: "The Fool," 3. Arthur Moon: "Myelin," 4. Lydia Ramsey: "Story Untold," 5. Jim James & Teddy Abrams: "Set it to Song," 6. Thom Yorke & Flea: "Daily Battles," 7. Wynton Marsalis: "Daily Battles"

Our list of the best albums out this week includes The Highwomen's self-titled release, R&B singer Mahalia's remarkable Love and Compromise, new Frankie Cosmos, MUNA, Lower Dens and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Muna ? 'Saves the World,' 2. Tinariwen ? 'Amadjar,' 3. Lower Dens ? 'The Competition,' 4. Frankie Cosmos ? 'Close it Quietly,' 5. The Highwomen ? 'The Highwomen,' 6. Mahalia ? 'Love and Compromise,' 7. Daymé Arocena ? 'Sonocardiogram,' 8. Bat for Lashes ? 'The Lost Girls.' OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR SEP. 6: Adam Green ? Engine of Paradise; Alessia Cara ? This Summer (EP); Chrissie Hynde ? Valve Bone Woe; Crystal Gayle ? You Don't Know Me; Death Cab For Cutie ? The Blue EP; Ghostface Killah ? Ghostface Killahs; Iggy Pop ? Free; Kindness ? Something Like War; Miles Davis ? Rubberband

This edition of All Songs Considered has songs of gratitude from Pinegrove, a take on intimacy from Norway's Jenny Hval, a song of quietude from Anna Meredith and the magic of the Mellotron. 1. Sudan Archives: "Confessions," 2. Jenny Hval: "High Alice," 3. Pinegrove: "Moment," 4. Anna Meredith: "moonmoons," 5. Mellotron Variations: "Pulsar," 6. Bonnie "Prince" Billy: "One with the Birds."

Our shortlist for the week's best new albums includes Lana Del Rey's odyssey-length adventure Norman F****** Rockwell, Sheryl Crow's final album, Threads, new Black Belt Eagle Scout and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. G Flip - About Us, 2. Boy Scouts - Free Company, 3. Black Belt Eagle Scout - At The Party With My Brown Friends, 4. Lana Del Rey - Norman F****** Rockwell, 5. Close Talker - How Do We Stay Here, 6. Somos - Prison On A Hill, 7. Sheryl Crow - Threads. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR AUG. 30: Bon Iver - i.i (physical release); Common - Let Love; The Futureheads - Powers; Joan Shelley - Like The River Loves The Sea; Pharmakon - Devour; Tool - Fear Inoculum; Trisha Yearwood - Every Girl; Whitney - Forever Turned Around.

In this encore presentation of an episode from July, 2018, we fill you in on how to shade your summer pink, with unapologetically good pop music that is ready for any mood.

This week's podcast includes the stadium guitar rock of Sheer Mag, country legend Tanya Tucker, the hip-hop boy band BROCKHAMPTON, a wonderfully strange turn from R&B singer Raphael Saadiq and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Sheer Mag - A Distant Call; 2. Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee; 3. Jeezy - TM104: The Legend of the Snowman; 4. BROCKHAMPTON - Ginger; 5. Midland - Let it Roll; 6. Tanya Tucker - While I'm Livin'; 7. Rapsody - Eve; Jay Som - Anak Ko. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR AUG. 23: Jayson Hawk Harris - Love & the Dark; Joyero - Release the Dogs; Noah Gunderson - Lover; Queen of Jeans - If You're Not Afraid, I'm Not Afraid; Redd Kross - Beyond the Door; The Rembrandts - Via Satellite; Rose Dorn - Days You Were Leaving; Seratones - Power; Shannon Lay - August; Taylor Swift - Lover; Ty Herndon - Got it Covered; Vince Gill - Okie.

Bob Boilen and I are back together again to share some of the phenomenal new music we've been hearing, starting with Brittany Howard's stirring and inspired "He Loves Me," from her upcoming solo debut Jaime. She named the album after her sister who passed away when they were both teenagers. The music is a celebration of the human spirit.Also on the show: Big Thief surprises us with the band's second album of 2019 and this one is fierce; Bob is back from the DIY Musician Conference with a couple of discoveries: a playful, idiosyncratic British artist known only as EB and the singer-songwriter Anna Larson, who has a powerful reflection on mass shootings called "Acting Alone."We've also got new cathartic sounds from The Messthetics, the Philadelphia-based band Queen of Jeans and more. ? Robin Hilton

Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music's Ann Powers, Lyndsey McKenna and Sidney Madden as they share their picks for the best albums out on Aug. 16. FEATURED ALBUMS: Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won't Hold; Frank Turner - No Man's Land; Snoh Aalegra - Ugh, Those Feels Again; Cousin Stizz - Trying to Find My Next Thrill; Shura - Forevher; Lillie Mae - Other Girls; Rodney Crowell - Texas; The Hold Steady - Thrashing Thru The Passion. OTHER NOTABLE ALBUMS OUT AUG. 16: Blanck Mass - Animated Violence Mild; Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - Dragons; Jason Lytle - Nylon and Juno; Maria Usbeck - Envejeciendo; Oso Oso - Basking in the Glow

School is really hard ? and for many, music is the one thing that grounded them or made them feel connected to something bigger. On this encore edition of All Songs Considered, we hear moving stories from our listeners of how music became a force in their lives and helped them get through school. We'll also share the songs they say made a difference.

Our list of the week's best albums includes spiky and inventive punk from The Regrettes, sweetly reflective folk from Fionn Regan, the return of Ra Ra Riot and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. The Regrettes - 'How Do You Love?;' 2. half alive - 'Now, Not Yet;' 3. Fionn Regan - 'Cala;' 4. Murs & 9th Wonder - 'The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over;' 5. Marika Hackman - 'Any Human Friend;' 6. Ra Ra Riot - 'Superbloom;' 7. WHY? - 'AOKOHIO.' OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR AUGUST 9: Bas - 'Spilled Milk Vol. 1;' Rick Ross - 'Port Of Miami 2;' Electric Youth - 'Memory Emotion;' Marc Cohn & Blind Boys Of Alabama - 'Work To Do;' Tori Kelly - 'Inspired By True Events;' P.P. Arnold - 'The New Adventures Of P.P. Arnold.'

Originally from 2014 - Carrie Brownstein joins the All Songs gang to chat about relentless ear-worms, annoying novelty songs and other songs our hosts think of as quite possibly the worst of all time.

Our list of the week's best albums includes the breezy pop upstart Clairo and the return of rising roots-country singer Tyler Childers, as well as a few words about Chance The Rapper. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Clairo - 'Immunity;' 2. Tyler Childers - 'Country Squire;' 3. Cross Record - 'Cross Record;' 4. Ty Segall - 'First Taste;' 5. Penny And Sparrow - 'Finch;' 6. Chance The Rapper - 'The Big Day.' OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR AUGUST 2: My Morning Jacket - 'The Tennessee Fire: 20th Anniversary Edition;' Lil Durk - 'Love Songs 4 The Streets II;' The Bird And The Bee - 'Interpreting the Masters Volume 2: A Tribute To Van Halen.'

For the past 14 years, producer Andy Zax has been digging into the music and sounds of Woodstock, that culture-shifting music festival that unfolded in August of 1969. Now, 50 years later, all 32 performances ? the audio announcements, the entirety of this three-day festival in upstate New York ? is about to be released by Rhino Records in a 38-disc box titled Woodstock - Back To The Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive. There's also a 10-CD collection, a book by Woodstock promoter Michael Lang, a Blu-ray disc and more. Andy Zax came to the NPR studios to play some of that previously unheard or released music and talk about the history of this culture-altering festival.

Our list of the week's best albums includes Cuco's highly anticipated Para Mí, a Spoon greatest hits compilation, rapper YBN Cordae's debut LP, devotional music from Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn, and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Spoon - 'Everything Hits At Once;' 2. YBN Cordae - 'The Lost Boy,' 3. Burna Boy - 'African Giant,' 4. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - 'Live At WOMAD, 198d,' 5. Mikey Erg - 'Waxbuilt Castles,' 6. Florist - 'Emily Alone,' 7. Cuco - 'Para Mí.' OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JULY 26: Bill Ryder-Jones - Yawny Yawn; BJ the Chicago Kid - 1123; Of Monsters and Men - Fever Dream; Strange Ranger - Remembering the Rockets; Violent Femmes - Hotel Last Resort; Various: Original Broadway cast recording of Hadestown.

This month marks 60 years since the very first Newport Folk Festival. NPR has been covering the event since its rebirth in 2008. Jay Sweet, now the executive producer, was mostly responsible for the festival's revival, booking unexpected bands and reinvigorating the spirit of the annual gathering. It's long been a place where musicians would collaborate and make music often steeped in social justice. On this Newport Folk Festival preview edition of All Songs Considered we'll look specifically at the newer faces at this year's festival, including lesser-known artists Yola Carter, Illiterate Light, Courtney Marie Andrews and the debut performance of a new, influential band of well-known women known as The Highwomen. That collaboration includes Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby.

The best new albums out this week include the latest from psych-pop mainstays The Flaming Lips, singer Freya Ridings' stunning debut full-length, Houston rapper Maxo Kream and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Freya Ridings - 'Freya Ridings,' 2. Tony Molina - 'Songs From San Mateo County,' 3. IDER - 'Emotional Education,' 4. Maxo Kream - 'Brandon Banks,' 5. The Flaming Lips - 'The King's Mouth,' 6. Ada Lea - 'What We Say In Private,' 7. avery r. young - 'tubman.,' 8. Lingua Ignota - 'Caligula.' OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JULY 19: Beyoncé - Lion King: The Gift; Jacob Collier - Djesse IIs; Generationals - Reader as Detective; Murs & 9th Wonder - Night Shift; Saul Williams - Encrypted & Vulnerable; Sum41 - Order in Decline.

Host Bob Boilen goes solo for this week's essential new mix, with defiant joy from Wilco, the atmospherics of Brian Eno, new discoveries from Erin Durant and Pearla, a side-project for Sylvan Esso's Nick Sanborn and more. 1. Wilco: "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)," 2. Pearla: "Daydream," 3. Khruangbin: "Mary Always," 4. Erin Durant: "Rising Sun," 5. Rosenau & Sanborn: "Saturday," 6. Bon Iver: "Jelmore," Brian Eno: "The End of a Thin Cord"

GoldLink joined NPR Music's Sidney Madden from the BBC in London to discuss his new album, Diaspora, rapid gentrification in D.C. and what he's learned about the universal black experience.

1. Imperial Teen: Now We Are Timeless; 2. Mal Blum: Pity Boy; 3. Africa Express: EGOLI; 4. Big K.R.I.T.: K.R.I.T. IZ HERE; 5. Ed Sheeran: No. 6 Collaborations Project; 6. Blood Orange: Angel's Pulse; 7. Various: Tiny Changes: A Celebration of the Midnight Organ Fight; 8. K.Flay: Solutions. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JULY 12: Bleached - Don't You Think You've Had Enough?; The Dolly Rots - Daydream Explosion; Félicia Atkinson - The Flower and the Vessel (released 7/5); Jesca Hoop - Stone Child (released 7/5); Kyle Craft - Showboat Honey; METZ - Automat; Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun: A Good Beginning; Tycho - Weather.

To be clear, sad songs make up the majority of this week's All Songs Considered. So, if you have a love for the type of music you might hear from Julien Baker or Japanese Breakfast, we have five new artists to add to your playlist, including a 19-year-old singer from Belgium who goes by the name Asia; The artist known as Dolly Valentine asks, "Do you know where you want to go?" And there are more beautiful but crushing tunes brought to you by "the dream team," of NPR's Lyndsey McKenna and Marissa Lorusso. Featured Tracks: 1. Joseph: "Fighter," 2. Long Beard: "Sweetheart," 3. Strange Ranger: "Message to You," 4. Asia: "Church," 5. Bad Heaven Ltd.: "bed," 6. Dolly Valentine: "Michigan, 1997."

For the past year, NPR has been taking a deep look at American anthems and all the forms they can take. These are the songs that unite us, inspire us or say something about what it means to be an American ? songs as traditional as Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land," or as defiant as Public Enemy's "Fight the Power." On this special edition of All Songs Considered, NPR's Elizabeth Blair and Tom Cole share highlights from this ongoing series, along with some of the stories behind their favorite tracks, from "America The Beautiful" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" to Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." and Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man."

Our list for this week's best new albums includes a solo release from Thom Yorke, the return of garage rock stalwarts They Black Keys, a new project from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: Black Keys: Let's Rock; Gena Rose Bruce: Can't Make You Love Me; Thom Yorke: ANIMA; Freddie Gibbs & Madlib: Bandana; Runaway June: Blue Roses; Chris Staples: Holy Moly; Daughter of Swords: Dawnbreaker; Dizzy Fae: NO GMO; OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JUNE 28: The Appleseed Cast: The Fleeing Light of Impermanence; B52s: Cosmic Thing; Erin Durant: Islands; Foy Vance: From Muscle Shoals; Ingrid Michaelson: Stranger Songs; Outer Spaces: Gazing Globe; The Small Glories: Assiniboine & The Red.

Most cities tend to have a voice, but few quite as loud or fascinating as Seattle's. This is a city that gave us Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana and Pearl Jam but also the softer sounds of Fleet Foxes, The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie.I wondered just what's bubbling up in Seattle. So I went to NPR member station KEXP, a hugely important voice in the Seattle scene, now and in the past as KCMU. Kevin Cole is someone I trust implicitly. He's been at KEXP for 20 years and is the Chief Content Officer and the afternoon DJ. The musical landscape we explore on this episode of All Songs Considered is deeper than the guitar-based music we've come to know from Seattle. You'll hear everything from sonic laptop adventures in hip-hop to post-horncore. Yup, you read that right: menacing punk energy with brass. I love Seattle.

It's another packed release week; Lil Nas X's debut EP is finally here, along with a posthumous release from Prince, a solo album from producer Mark Ronson, the return of The Raconteurs and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: Black Pumas: Black Pumas; Bedouine: Bird Songs of a Killjoy; The Raconteurs: Help Us Stranger; Prince: Originals; Hatchie: Keepsake; Mark Ronson: Late Night Feelings; Lil Nas X: 7. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JUNE 21: Blick Bassy: 1958; Cassius: Dreems; Black Midi: Schlagenheim; Buddy and Judy Miller: Breakdown on 20th Avenue South; Fruit Bats: Gold Past Life; Gucci Mane: Delusions of Grandeur; Mannequin Pussy: Patience; Pell: Gravity; Titus Andronicus: An Obelisk; Willie Nelson: Ride Me Back Home.

The first half of 2019 has given us a lot of emerging artists to celebrate, from Lil Nas X and his insanely catchy (and endlessly meme-able) "Old Town Road" remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, to the Irish punk group Fontaines D.C. On this episode of All Songs Considered we count down the top ten most-mentioned new artists as selected by listeners in our recent online poll.

Our list of the week's best new albums includes Bruce Springsteen's wistful ode to orchestral pop, the rock artistry of Baroness, DMV rapper Goldlink, the spoken-word artist Kate Tempest and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Baroness: Gold & Grey; 2. Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars; 3. Kate Tempest: The Books of Traps and Lessons; 4. Bill Callahan: Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest; 5. Calexico + Iron & Wine: Years to Burn; 6. House and Land: Across the Field; 7. John Luther Adams: Become Desert; 8. Goldlink: Disaspora. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JUNE 14: Another Sky: Life Was Coming in Through the Blinds; Bad Books: III; Cigarette: Light Blues; Dressy Bessy: Fast Faster Disaster; Julia Shapiro: Perfect Version; Kaleidoscope: After the Futures; Keb' Mo': Oklahoma; Luxury: Trophies; Madonna: Madame X.

Host Bob Boilen is joined by NPR Music's Lyndsey McKenna and Marissa Lorusso for an essential mix that includes the honey-sludge pop of Haybaby, cathartic rock from the Shreveport band Seratones, dancer-turned singer-songwriter Jordan Moser and more. PLAYLIST: 1. (Sandy) Alex G: "Gretel," 2. Haybaby: "Animosity," 3. Seratones: "Power," 4. Outer Spaces: "YMLGOML," 5. Jordan Moser: "The Devil," 6. Joan Shelley: "Coming Down For You."

Our shortlist for the best new albums out on June 7 includes the roots-rock duo Ida Mae, new gospel from disco legend Gloria Gaynor, the ruminative rock of Palehound, Santana, Stef Chura and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Ida Mae: Chasing Light; 2. Jamie Cullum: Taller; 3. Gloria Gaynor: Testimony; 4. Santana: Africa Speaks; 5. Jake Xerxes Fussell: Out of Sight; 6. Jon Mueller: Canto; 7. Palehound: Black Friday; 8. Stef Chura: Midnight. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR JUNE 7: Aurora: A Different Kind of Human; Avicii: Tim; Bob Dylan: The Rolling Thunder Review - The 1975 Live Recordings; Cave In: Final Transmission; Dylan Leblanc: Renegade; Earthen Sea: Grass and Trees; Future: Save Me; Jonas Brothers: Happiness Begins; Neil Young: Tuscaloosa; Perry Farrell: Kind Heaven; Rickie Lee Jones: KICKS; Silversun Pickups: Widow's Weeds; Yeasayer: Erotic Returns; Tim Heidecker: What the Brokenhearted Do.

Jessi Whitten of Colorado Public Radio's Open Air co-hosts this week's All Songs Considered and turns me on to the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, the funnest band name of the year with music all the way from Perth, Australia to match. All of Jessi's picks are laced with fun, including French Vanilla's new-wave, early-'80s sound, reminiscent of the British punk band X-Ray Spex. She also brings us music from Colorado by Kiltro, a band with one foot in Colorado and another in Chile. I also have a noisy band called Wives., These folks are from Queens, New York and have a five-minute-plus, Velvet Underground-inspired tune called "Workin'." I also play one of Bon Iver's newest songs that's a nod to the past and to a mother's love. And my favorite new discovery is Kate Davis, a singer who co-wrote Sharon Van Etten's song "Seventeen." The same talented lyricism can be found in Kate's song, "rbbts."

Our list of the best new albums out this week includes Kishi Bashi's moving remembrance of Japanese internment camps during World War II, R&B singer Raveena, solo piano from Eluvium, Skepta and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: Kishi Bashi: Omoiyari; Raveena: Lucid; Eluvium: Piano Works; Daniel Wohl: État; Skepta: Ignorance Is Bliss; Christelle Bofale: Swim Team. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR MAY 31: Apex Manor: Heartbreak City; Denzel Curry: Zuu; Fujiya & Miyagi: Flashback; The Gotobeds: Debt Begins at 30; Lee Scratch Perry: Rainford; Pip Blom: Boat; Sinkane: Dépaysé; Soundwalk Collective with Patti Smith: The Peyote Dance; Thomas Rhett: Center Point Road.

This week's All Songs Considered features a gorgeous, solo piano instrumental from Rhye, Tiny Desk contest winner Quinn Christopherson's unique look at male privilege, psych-pop via Ari Roar and more. 1. Ari Roar: "Let Out" from 'Best Behavior;' 2. Quinn Christopherson: "Erase Me" from his winning entry for the Tiny Desk contest; 3. Rhye: "Malibu Nights" from 'Spirit;' 4. T?th: "When I Awoke" from 'Practice Magic and Seek Professional Help When Necessary;' 5. Joanna Sternberg: "For You" from 'Then I Try Some More;' 6. Another Sky: "The Cracks" from 'Life Was Coming in Through the Blinds;' 7. Marika Hackman: "I'm Not Where You Are" from 'Any Human Friend.'

The best new albums out this week include a stirring call for social justice from soul and gospel legend Mavis Staples, rapper YG's remembrance of Nipsey Hussle, lo-fi rock veteran's Sebadoh and more. 1. Mavis Staples: We Get By; 2. Justin Townes Earle: The Saint of Lost Causes; 3. Lucky Daye: Painted; 4. YG: 4REAL 4REAL; 5. Billy Ray Cyrus: The Snake Doctor Circus; 6. Flying Lotus: Flamagra; 7. Sebadoh: Act Surprised. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR MAY 24: Cate Le Bon: Reward; Fay Webster: Atlanta Millionaires Club; Hayden Thorpe: Diviner; Honeyblood: In Plain Sight; Middle Kids: New Songs for Old Problems; Sean Nelson: Nelson Sings Nilsson; Steve Lacy: Apollo XXI; Stray Cats: 40.

On this edition of All Songs Considered, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood joins us to talk about two of his classical compositions we've just premiered on our Tiny Desk series. He also shares some of the music that's inspired him over the years by other artists and explains how he came to love such a rich and diverse tapestry of sounds.

Our shortlist of the best new albums out this week includes a visionary work from The National, the pop wisdom of Carly Rae Jepsen, Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. The National: I Am Easy to Find; 2. Duckwrth: The Falling Man; 3. Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram: Kingfish; 4. Carly Rae Jepsen: Dedicated; 5. Megan Thee Stallion: Fever; The Head and the Heart: Living Mirage. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR MAY 17: Alex Lahey: Best of Luck Club; DJ Khaled: Father of Asahd; Injury Reserve: Injury Reserve; Josephine Wiggs: We Fall; Olden Yolk: Living Theater; Slowthai: Nothing Great About Britain; Steel Pulse: Mass Manipulation; Tyler, The Creator: IGOR.

On this Guest DJ edition of All Songs Considered a conversation with Joe Talbot. Joe is a passionate force behind the British band IDLES. They are a band that at once are both fierce and compassionate. IDLES are one of the best live rock bands I've seen, creating mosh pits and community with their noise and humanity. They have two albums out, Brutalism from 2017 and the summer of 2018, the beautifully titled, Joy As An Act of Resistance. The band was in D.C. and just played a Tiny Desk Concert. I begin our conversation with Joe Talbot curious what music plays in their van as they tour around the U.S. That conversation has us playing everything from old soul music to modern British hip-hop with Radiohead in between.

Our shortlist of the week's best new albums includes a career-defining release from singer Jamila Woods, the sparkling guitar rock of Charly Bliss and Holly Herndon's genius work with the AI "Spawn."FEATURED ALBUMS: 1. Charly Bliss: Young Enough; 2. Holly Herndon: Proto; 3. Jamila Woods: Legacy! Legacy!; 4. HÆLOS: Any Random Kindness; 5. Tim Hecker: Anoyo; 6. Lowland Hum: Glyphic. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR MAY 10: A.A. Bondy: Enderness; Ciara: Beauty Marks; Dehd: Water; Lydia Ainsworth: Phantom Forest; Mac Demarco: Here Comes the Cowboy; Maps: Colours, Reflect. Time, Loss.; Radiator Hospital: Sings Music for Daydreaming; The Get Up Kids: Problems; Mourning A BLKstar: Reckoning.

This week's episode of All Songs Considered is a show of contrasts ? cotton-candy pop one moment (from mxmtoon), raging punk sung in Farsi the next (from Khiis) ? and then calming, instrumental, prog rock courtesy The Quiet Temple. For All Songs Considered's nearly 20 years, we've tried to live up to our namesake and on this show, we consider more drastic ends of the song spectrum than we have in recent memory. This week I'm joined by NPR Music's Lars "Vikings Choice" Gotrich and Joshua (cotton candy) Bote for five tunes that explore the rich polarity of making music in 2019. ? Bob Boilen

Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music's Lars Gotrich and Stephen Thompson as they share their picks for the week's best new albums. FEATURED RELEASES: 1. Judah & The Lion: 'Pep Talks,' 2. Caroline Spence: 'Mint Condition,' 3. Big Thief: 'U.F.O.F.'; 4. SYML: 'SYML,' 5. Vampire Weekend: 'Father of the Bride,' 6. Joy Williams: 'Front Porch,' 7. Rhiannon Giddens: 'There is no Other,' 8. Unwed Sailor: 'Heavy Age,' OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR MAY 3: Barrie: 'Happy to Be Here;' Empath: 'Active Listening, Night on Earth;' Fury: 'Failed Entertainment;' Jesse Mac Cormack: 'Now;' L7: 'Scatter the Rats;' Lucy Spraggan: 'Today Was a Good Day;' Protomartyr: 'No Passion All Technique;' Tacocat: 'This Mess is a Place;' Tank and the Bangas: 'Green Balloon.'

Have you ever had Persian cotton candy? It looks like Muppet hair and tastes like pistachio ? well, at least the one we ate in the studio. We begin our show with one of the great poets of the day, Kate Tempest. The British playwright, novelist and spoken word artist has a new record coming called The Book of Traps and Lessons. We play "Firesmoke," a song dedicated to her lover. We also have new music from Japanese Breakfast, and as NPR Music's Marissa Lorusso tells us, the entire song was written and recorded by Michelle Zauner in a hotel in Bali.NPR Music's Lyndsey McKenna brings us music from Mannequin Pussy and a song about what happens on the downside of romance, called "Drunk II." Lyndsey also brings us "Emotional Bachelor" from Future Teens, a band that calls its style "Boston bummer pop." And I have the shortest song in recent memory from a new trio I love called Patio. This 1:35-minute gem takes inspiration from a dream and features the winning line, "I think I'm gonna go home and listen to Washer / Instead of spending any more time with you."

FEATURED ALBUMS: Nick Murphy: Run Fast, Sleep Naked; Rodrigo y Gabriela: Mettavolution; Jackie Mendoza: LuvHz; Josh Ritter: Fever Breaks; The Mountain Goats: In League With Dragons; SOAK: Grim Town; OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR APRIL 26: Aldous Harding: Designer; Bailen: Thrilled to Be Here; Bear's Den: So That You Might Hear Me; The Cranberries: In the End; Craig Finn: I Need a New War; Kevin Morby: Oh My God; King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Fishing for Fishies; Local Natives: Violent Street; Marissa Nadler & Stephen Brodsky: Droneflower; Otoboke Beaver: Itekoma Hits; Schoolboy Q: CrasH Talk; Sunn O))): Life Metal

Kevin Morby's new album is unlike anything he's done before. Gone is the guitar (for the most part) from his earlier recordings. In its place are more droning instruments ? sounds more suited for church than the concert hall, including a recurring, small choir. The subject for the album is God and our culture's relationship with God, from deep introspection to the trivial, everyday use of that ever-present expression "oh my God."The origins of his album Oh My God began in 2016 with events at the forefront of American politics, including mass shootings at the Bataclan and Pulse nightclubs, the death of Freddie Gray and, for Kevin Morby, the day-to-day news, including the Presidency of Donald Trump. (Kevin Morby wrote a one-off song about the heartbreak of the world called "Beautiful Strangers," and donated proceeds to charity.)On this edition of All Songs Considered we look at the origin story behind Oh My God, including Nina Simone's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne," music from Ethiopia and the quirky, groundbreaking New York duo Suicide.

Our list of the best albums out this week includes Lizzo's long-awaited debut, the rousing, infectious anthems of Johnnyswim, new music from The Tallest Man On Earth, Loyle Carner and more. FEATURED ALBUMS: Lizzo, Cuz I Love You; Johnnyswim, Moonlight; Kelsey Lu, Blood; The Tallest Man On Earth, I Love You. It's A Fever Dream.; Loyle Carner, Not Waving, But Drowning; Wand, Laughing Matter. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR APRIL 19: Anna Tivel, The Question; Cage the Elephant, Social Cues; Diane Coffee, Internet Arms; Drugdealer, Raw Honey; Fat White Family, Serfs Up; Heather Woods Broderick, Invitation; Jade Bird, Jade Bird; The O'Jays, The Last Word; Sad Planets, Akron, Ohio.

Don't worry! Everything's going to be alright. But if you need more reassurance than that, look no further than "Set of Stairs," from the Amsterdam-based band Pip Blom. It's a burst of frenetic joy to lift you up whenever life deals you a bad hand. Its singular message: You got this!That's just one of the songs we're featuring on this week's show. We've also got wild and wonderful new music from former Tiny Desk contest winners Tank and the Bangas, gorgeous harmonies and an uplifting message of unity from Jesca Hoop with Lucius, and the singer known as Sevdaliza has a dark and mysterious reflection on love gone bad.All that plus singer-songwriter Chris Staples announces his new album Holy Moly and shares a tale of young love called "Everybody Said;" and singer, multi-instrumentalist and poet Vera Sola pairs with Kenneth Pattengale of The Milk Carton Kids on "Loving, Loving (Acoustic Reprise)."

Anderson .Paak drops his followup to Oxnard, Norah Jones collaborates with Jeff Tweedy, and Sia joins Labrinth and Diplo for "LSD." Those and more make our shortlist of the week's best new albums. FEATURED: Shovels & Rope: By Blood; Damien Jurado: In the Shape of a Storm; Norah Jones: Begin Again; Anderson .Paak: Ventura; Glen Hansard: This Wild Nothing; Odonis Odonis: Reaction; LSD: Labrinth, Sia, Diplo Present LSD. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR APRIL 12: BTS: Map of the Soul; The Budos Band: V; Chris Forsyth: All Time Present; Emily Reo: Only You Can See It; Fontaines D.C.: Dogrel; Inter Arma: Sulphur English; John Paul White: The Hurting Kind; Jeff Tweedy: Warmer (vinyl only); Melissa Etheridge: The Medicine Show

On this episode of All Songs Considered, Bob Boilen and Lars Gotrich talk about the music released in the first part of 2019 that for Lars soundtracked nap time, quick rides to the grocery store for eggs (and an excuse to get out the house) and whatever else perked my ears while blissfully stuck to the couch with a sleeping babe. There are buzzing Ethiopian hymns and Tuareg folk songs, but also white-hot psych-rock and anguished black metal when I just needed some paternal catharsis. Psychedelic Speed Freaks "Redline"? Sosena Gebre Eyesus "Aser Awetar": Catherine Watine "Verrophone" (Géométries sous-cutanées) Keith Fullerton Whitman "Apollo Museumhotel Generators" (Generatorss) Griefloss "Anneliese" (Griefloss) Ahmed Ag Kaedy "Akaline Kidal" (Akaline Kidal)Ronin Arkestra "Redeye Reprisal" (First Meeting)

Host Robin Hilton, NPR Music's Lyndsey McKenna, Ann Powers and Stephen Thompson run through their picks for the best new albums out on April 5. FEATURED ALBUMS: Martha: Love Keeps Kicking; Khalid: Free Spirit; Lee Fields and the Expressions: It Rains Love; Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising; PUP: Morbid Stuff; Molly Tuttle: When You're Ready; Ages and Ages: Me You They We. OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES FOR APRIL 5: Brooks & Dunn: Reboot; Girli: Odd One Out; Idlewild: Interview Music; Lady Lamb: Even in the Tremor; Lissie: When I'm Alone: The Piano Retrospective; Priests: The Seduction of Kansas; Reba McEntire: Stronger Than the Truth.

Songs includeNatural by Julia ShapiroSIDEWINDER by Cautious ClayThe River St. Johns by Jake Xerxes FussellHenryk Górecki: Symphony No. 3 sung by Beth GibbonsThe Weight of Things by The GloamingTorched and Wrecked by Third Coast Percussion

FEATURED ALBUMS: Mekons: Deserted; Billie Eilish: When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? Quelle Chris: Guns; Shafiq Husayn: The Loop; Marvin Gaye: You're The Man; Fennesz: Agora; Son Volt: Union.OTHER NOTABLE ALBUMS OUT MARCH 29: Beth Gibbons & The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra: Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No. 3; Billy Woods & Kenny Segal: Hiding Places; Choosey & Exile: Black Beans; DJ Muggs & Mach-Hommy: Tuez-Les Tous; Joni Void: Mise En Abyme; Karyyn: The Quanta Series; Laura Stevenson: The Big Freeze; MED & Guilty Simpson: Child of the Jungle; Mdou Moctar: Ilana; Saweetie: Icy; Small Feet: With Psychic Powers; Steve Earle & The Dukes: GUY.