Sinkane: A West African Hero Meets East African Sound
If you happened to attend any of this year's CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, chances are you came across the name Sinkane. It's the project of guitarist and singer Ahmed Gallab -- who, in the...
View ArticleHearing 'Free To Be... You And Me' For The Very First Time
As the adage goes, "a lady never reveals her age." But then again, terms like "lady" aren't really all that welcome in the world of Free To Be… You And Me, so I'm just going to come out and say it: I'm...
View ArticleCheck Ahead: Whitehorse, 'The Fate Of The World Depends Upon This Kiss'
"The fate of the world depends upon this kiss." Husband and wife duo Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland of the Canadian band Whitehorse, came across this sensational turn of phrase in a Wonder Woman...
View ArticleWhich Holiday Songs Creep You Out?
"He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake." Yikes. Voiceover from a horror film trailer? No! Those are just some mildly disturbing lyrics from the beloved Christmas classic, "Santa...
View ArticleKatie Bishop's 2012 Music Survey
As we begin to wrap up 2012, it's time to take stock of the year in music and select our favorites. Team Soundcheck is presenting some of our favorite and least favorite music and moments from 2012,...
View ArticleProducer Picks: Katie Bishop and Mike Katzif's 2012 Music Surveys
Soundcheck producer Katie Bishop and digital producer Mike Katzif reveal some of their answers to Soundcheck's 2012 Music Survey, including two pop-based trends that they spotted. Plus, they share...
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Check Ahead: Joe Lovano Us Five, "Cross Culture"
In an article on Salon.com last week titled “Did the American songbook kill jazz?,” arts reporter Scott Timberg explores the genre’s reliance on standards -- and the idea that constant (and often...
View ArticleFive NYC Questions for Missy Higgins
1) Best place to grab a cheap meal? La Esquina (114 Kenmare, Nolita). "I almost always go there when I'm back in New York. I saw Lenny Kravitz walk in there once too, which is pretty cool."2) Best...
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Check Ahead: Ana Moura, 'Desfado'
“Many melodies can be transformed in fado.” When Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura said this in our studio last year, she was referring specifically to the Rolling Stones’ song “No Expectations” -- a...
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Song Premiere: Nadia Sirota, 'From The Invisible To The Visible'
Violist Nadia Sirota is one of those musicians whose talents seem constantly to be in demand. She regularly plays with New York-based “indie-classical” ensembles like yMusic, Alarm Will Sound and the...
View ArticleTrack Premiere: Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, 'Coney Island'
It’s possible that Darcy James Argue's Secret Society is the largest group to have ever squeezed into Soundcheck's recording studio -- which they did back when its debut album was released in 2009. Two...
View ArticleCheck Ahead: Kermit Ruffins, 'We Partyin' Traditional Style!'
If there's one thing that fans of the television show Treme know about Kermit Ruffins, it's that the guy likes to party. As a recurring character on HBO's ode to post-Katrina New Orleans -- which...
View ArticleCedar Walton And Marian McPartland: Two Piano Legends, Lives Long Intertwined
More than three decades ago, pianist Cedar Walton was one of the first guests on a new NPR program called Piano Jazz, hosted by Marian McPartland. This week, both legendary jazz pianists passed away --...
View ArticleA Hidden Gem At This Year's MTV VMAs: Duck Sauce's 'It's You'
This year's 'NSYNC reunion, er, MTV Video Music Awards is set to invade my Brooklyn neighborhood by way of the much-debated Barclays Center this coming Sunday. Sadly, I guess my invitation got lost in...
View ArticleThe Head And The Heart's Exuberant 'Shake,' Live On Soundcheck
Seattle indie pop band The Head And The Heart debuted in 2009 with a self-titled album released on its own. Since then, the band has been signed to Sub Pop Records -- the Seattle label behind bands...
View ArticleRoll Over Beethoven: Music To Calm Your Dog
Inspired by Soundcheck producer Katie Bishop's tale of canine separation anxiety woe, today on the show we attempt to get to the bottom of the question -- can music help a dog in distress? We hear from...
View ArticleIn Our Headphones This Week: Lucius, The Dismemberment Plan, And Tim Hecker
Every week brings another batch of new music releases -- often before there's even been a chance to catch up and digest the last week's onslaught. It can be more than any one person can keep up with....
View ArticleHouse Of Horrors: A Visit To Blood Manor
As our House Of Horrors series continues, Soundcheck is visited by Jim Faro and Jimmy Lorenzo -- two of the creators of the New York City haunted house, Blood Manor -- conveniently located right across...
View ArticlePlaylist: Remembering The Life And Legacy Of Nelson Mandela In Song
Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president and a treasured symbol of hope in the struggle against racial oppression, died Thursday at 95.Born in a country that saw him as a second-class...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Iron And Wine, 'Winter Prayers'
The Gig Alert is off skiing in Aspen for the holidays, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download of a live performance recorded...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Bobby McFerrin, 'Joshua'
The Gig Alert is off driving around Dyker Heights admiring the lights, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download of a live...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: The Julie Ruin, 'Kids In NY'
The Gig Alert is off playing bingo with its grandparents in Florida, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download of a live...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Gary Clark Jr., 'When My Train Comes In'
The Gig Alert is off with Gig Alert Jr. waiting on the Santa line at Macy's, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download of a live...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: The Lone Bellow, 'You Never Need Nobody'
The Gig Alert is currently in Vegas auditioning as a backup dancer for the new Britney Spears show, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Dirty Projectors, 'Impregnable Question'
The Gig Alert is spending the holidays helping out with its family's Christmas tree stand, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only...
View ArticleThe Year In Music: Joe Keyes' Picks; A Holiday Gift Guide; Why NYC Ruled In...
All this week, Soundcheck is looking back at the music of 2013 -- from best albums and unstoppable songs to pop music hype to our favorite in-studio performances, and much more. Plus, each day...
View ArticleSoundcheck's Hyper-Specific 2013 Album Gift Guide
Music can be the perfect gift during the holidays: It's entertaining, inexpensive, and oh-so-easy to wrap. But matching the right album to the various people in your life can be a bit of a challenge....
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Deltron 3030, 'Nobody Can'
The Gig Alert is working the Zamboni at McCarren Park Ice Rink this holiday season, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download of...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Laura Mvula, 'Father Father'
The Gig Alert is slaving over a hot kettle of Glühwein at Rolf's this holiday season, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Chris Thile, 'Adagio' from Bach's Sonata No. 1 In G...
The Gig Alert is busy hanging its stockings by the radiator with care, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only download of a live...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: James McBride, 'Standing In The Need Of Prayer'
The Gig Alert is spending the holidays waiting in line at the new Whole Foods in Gowanus, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back for a new, one-day only...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Lucius, 'Turn It Around'
The Gig Alert is spending the holidays recovering from its attempt to perform a triple Salchow jump at Wollman Rink, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Each weekday, check back...
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12 Days Of Soundcheck: Arctic Monkeys, 'Do I Wanna Know'
The Gig Alert is spending Christmas At The Airport, so instead we're bringing you The 12 Days Of Soundcheck! Thanks for joining us for 12 days of live performances recorded in the Soundcheck studio...
View ArticleYour Cooking Soundtrack, And Why Bluegrass Makes The Best Eggs
This Sunday is the Super Bowl. At my last place of employment, we would have been talking about the big game for weeks by now. No, no, I didn't work for the NFL. I didn't even work for some sort of...
View ArticlePick The Songs For Our Running Playlist
Earlier this week, we asked our listeners to help us build the ultimate running playlist. After years of jealously guarding its staff from the benefits of exercise en masse, Soundcheck is offering up...
View Article'Missed Connections' At SXSW: Dramatic Readings
During South By Southwest every year, thousands of people from around the world descend on Austin, Texas for concerts, conferences... and connections. Missed connections, to be precise. Yes, we're sure...
View Article'Missed Connections' At Coachella: Dramatic Readings
The second weekend of Coachella takes place this weekend in Indio, California. And that means it’s time for Soundcheck to dive back into the local "Missed Connections" section of Craigslist, where...
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Knee-Jerk Reaction: Michael Jackson And Justin Timberlake's Throwback Duet
A year and a half after Michael Jackson's death in June 2009, Sony and Epic Records released the first posthumous album of previously unreleased tracks from the pop star, called Michael. It was a...
View ArticleNow That's What I Called Music! Reliving The Trauma Of 7th Grade Through One...
Last week, the Now That's What I Call Music! series reached a milestone when it released its 50th hits compilation album in the U.S. To commemorate the occasion, Soundcheck producer Katie Bishop...
View ArticleMy 'Coffee' Addiction: The One Song I Need To Hear Over And Over Again
Hi, my name is Katie Bishop, and I’m a song addict.As a producer at Soundcheck, I hear a lot of music. I watch videos… I download track samples. I stream new singles on Soundcloud. I hear bands playing...
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About Last Night: Sylvan Esso And tUne-yArDs' Colorful Shows At Webster Hall
Earlier this week, Sylvan Esso, the experimental electronic R&B-infused duo comprised of singer Amelia Meath and electronic producer Nick Sanborn, and tUnE-yArDs, the project led by always-vibrant...
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I Wasn't Allowed To Watch: Boyz II Men's 'I'll Make Love To You'
Back in the summer of 1994, I had just wrapped up the second grade and was really busy doing things like pretending that I was Ariel in the pool, turning 8 years old in a decorative visor, and tumbling...
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Check Ahead: Chris Thile And Edgar Meyer, 'Bass & Mandolin'
When bassist Edgar Meyer and mandolin player Chris Thile began performing together in 2003, only one half of the duo had been deemed a "genius" by the MacArthur Foundation. But exactly a decade after...
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In New Orleans: From Raising Hell to Raising Kids
A decade after Hurricane Katrina, Terri Coleman is teaching a summer class to incoming students at Dillard University—a historically black college in New Orleans. But 10 years ago, when she was about...
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In New Orleans: Becoming the Demo Diva
Simone Bruni never imagined she would someday run a demolition company. "I grew up in a very traditional Latin home," she says. "My mom did not work. I wanted her life. I wanted to be a stay at home...
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In New Orleans: Big Freedia Bounces Back
Even before becoming Big Freedia, Freddie Ross was known around New Orleans. Her "signature call"—an operatic bellow that she lets out when I ask to hear it—was legendary in the city. "They'd be like,...
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In New Orleans: A Doctor Stands By Her Adopted Home
Ten years ago when Katrina hit, Dr. Kiersta Kurtz-Burke didn’t evacuate. Instead she stayed inside New Orleans’ Charity Hospital, where she worked for six days, caring for 18 patients on the 5th floor....
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In New Orleans: How to Get Elected Coroner
Dr. Jeffrey Rouse is New Orleans' coroner—a job he describes as the “interface between law and medicine.” But ten years ago, he was working in a lab studying the brains of people with PTSD, getting...
View ArticleJem, The Last Witch Hunter, The Ghost Dimension, Rock the Kasbah, and Room
This week's Movie Date podcast includes a very special radio play acted out by Rafer, Kristen, Sean Rameswaram (of the late, great "Sideshow" podcast), and Katie Bishop (of "Death, Sex & Money")....
View ArticleWatch Live: The New York Times Podcast Club Talks Death, Sex & Money's...
Podcast obsessives, take a break from your earbuds to watch a first-ever live meetup of The New York Times Podcast Club, a weekly geek-out over the best in on-demand audio that expanded from a NYT...
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