Laufey, Fiona Apple, Lord Huron, more: The Contenders, Vol. 11

Summary

All Songs Considered: Laufey, Fiona Apple, Lord Huron, and More – The Contenders, Vol. 11

Release Date: May 20, 2025 | Host: Robin Hilton

---

Opening Conversation: Reflections on the Current Era (00:15 - 01:31)

Robin Hilton and Sheldon Pierce kick off the episode with a candid discussion about the state of the world, expressing a sense of frustration with contemporary issues. They reflect on the "dumbest time" sentiment, delving into how current "fresh horrors" feel avoidable, amplifying the perceived stupidity of the times.

Robin Hilton:

"I gotta be honest, it's hard sometimes not to think that we live in just the dumbest time."
(00:26)

Sheldon Pierce:

"We literally do. I think there's more an argument for than against at this point."
(00:40)

Fiona Apple’s New Single "Pretrial": A Critique of the Cash Bail System (01:38 - 07:15)

The conversation transitions to Fiona Apple's highly anticipated return with her new song, "Pretrial." After a five-year hiatus since "Fetch the Bolt Cutters," Apple addresses the cruelty and inefficiency of the cash bail system, drawing from her real-life experiences as a court watcher and volunteer with the Free Black Mamas DMV campaign.

Sheldon Pierce:

"The song ends up being this, like, amalgamation of the experience she's seen over and over and over again where women, especially black women who are caretakers for others, are then sort of criminalized for being poor."
(06:06)

Robin Hilton:

"I think that's what's really beautiful about it. It's not just about the cruelty and stupidity of the cash bail system itself... it's also just about the ways in which classism can crush a person."
(07:15)

Apple's poignant lyrics highlight the systemic issues that lead to the downfall of individuals who are presumed innocent but become ensnared in a cycle of economic and social instability due to inability to pay bail.

Jerskin Fendrix’s "SK1": Bridging Solo Work and Film Scoring (08:36 - 14:04)

The duo shifts focus to Jerskin Fendrix, celebrating his latest solo effort alongside his work in film scoring. Discussing his single "SK1," they commend the dynamic shifts and abstract lyricism that make the track both intriguing and emotionally resonant.

Robin Hilton:

"The place he takes that song just blows me away... the contrast between that and the noise that he brings in is just incredible."
(13:43)

Sheldon Pierce:

"The lyrics, when you key into them, are so abstract, so weird."
(14:04)

Fendrix's ability to blend subtle vocal styles with experimental sounds creates a compelling listening experience, showcasing his versatility as an artist.

Lord Huron’s "Looking Back" and Upcoming Album "Cosmic Selector, Volume One" (18:09 - 25:25)

Robin and Sheldon delve into Lord Huron's nearly two-decade-long journey, discussing their newfound appreciation for the band through their latest single "Looking Back." The song's exploration of life's choices and their consequences dovetails with the themes of their forthcoming album, "Cosmic Selector, Volume One," set to release on July 18th.

Sheldon Pierce:

"It's structured so carefully, so precisely, that you can only be sort of obsessed with the details."
(23:08)

Robin Hilton:

"It's about unity... taking note of the similarities between them and their driver, finding real and lasting and meaningful connections."
(31:00)

The conversation highlights the album's introspective nature, questioning fate versus free will and the inescapable nature of self, regardless of life’s paths.

Tiny Desk Contest Winner and FC’s "Malachi the Uber Driver" (25:25 - 32:50)

Celebrating the Tiny Desk Contest's winner, Ruby Abarra, the hosts also feature FC’s emotionally charged song "Malachi the Uber Driver." This original entry captures a profound moment of connection and reflection during an Uber ride, emphasizing themes of unity and shared human experiences.

Sheldon Pierce:

"It's so fragile and yet so strong, so resilient at the same moment."
(31:43)

Robin Hilton:

"It's about unity... meaningful connections with the people around them that are otherwise very easy to ignore."
(31:00)

FC’s lyrical storytelling and heartfelt performance resonate deeply, showcasing the power of music to connect individuals across different walks of life.

Levi’s "Tough Luck" and Album "A Matter of Time": Breaking Musical Boundaries (33:57 - 47:10)

Sheldon introduces Levi’s latest single "Tough Luck" from her upcoming album "A Matter of Time," highlighting her bold shift from traditional jazz and crooning to a more dynamic, rock-influenced sound. The song’s gradual intensification mirrors the metaphorical "boiling pot" of emotion, demonstrating Levi’s evolution as an artist.

Robin Hilton:

"As a listener, you're the frog in the pot of water... you can't escape yourself."
(44:01)

Sheldon Pierce:

"I was a bit put off by how practiced and deferential it seemed to history... but this record feels quite the opposite."
(45:24)

The hosts appreciate Levi’s strategic departure from her established style, praising the song's ability to seamlessly integrate new musical elements while maintaining emotional depth.

25th Anniversary Retro: Celebrating 2013’s Musical Milestones (47:21 - 53:28)

In commemoration of All Songs Considered’s 25th anniversary, Robin and Stephen Thompson reflect on standout tracks from 2013. They spotlight Kacey Musgraves' revolutionary "Follow Your Arrow," which challenged mainstream country norms with its progressive themes, and James Blake’s "Retrograde," lauded for its emotional resonance and impeccable vocal performance.

Stephen Thompson:

"Having a country singer singing a song where it's basically... felt, you know, in 2013 was a fairly revolutionary sentiment."
(49:21)

Robin Hilton:

"Retrograde is when an object appears to be moving in the opposite direction of the other objects around it... and the music has this falling thing."
(52:35)

These tracks not only defined the year but also left a lasting impact on their respective genres, exemplifying the diverse range of music celebrated by the show.

Closing Remarks: Looking Ahead (53:28 - 56:08)

Robin wraps up the episode by expressing excitement for the upcoming releases and thanking Sheldon for his insights. The hosts encourage listeners to explore the featured tracks and continue their musical journeys.

Robin Hilton:

"It's All Songs Considered. Show me where you feel."
(53:28)

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Robin Hilton:

  "It's hard sometimes not to think that we live in just the dumbest time."
  (00:26)

• Sheldon Pierce:

  "We literally do. I think there's more an argument for than against at this point."
  (00:40)

• Fiona Apple: "Pretrial" Lyrics:

  "They wouldn't let her go home... Shame and isolation economic deprivation and there's no more home."
  (05:55)

• Sheldon Pierce on Fiona Apple:

  "It's also just about the ways in which classism can crush a person."
  (07:15)

• Robin Hilton on Jerskin Fendrix:

  "The contrast between that and the noise that he brings in is just incredible."
  (13:43)

• Sheldon Pierce on Lord Huron:

  "You can only be sort of obsessed with the details."
  (23:08)

• Robin Hilton on Lord Huron's Album Theme:

  "It's about unity... meaningful connections with the people around them that are otherwise very easy to ignore."
  (31:00)

• Sheldon Pierce on FC’s Song:

  "It's so fragile and yet so strong, so resilient at the same moment."
  (31:43)

• Robin Hilton on Levi’s "Tough Luck":

  "You can't escape yourself... you're still stuck with yourself."
  (44:01)

• Stephen Thompson on Kacey Musgraves:

  "Having a country singer singing a song where it's basically... in 2013 was a fairly revolutionary sentiment."
  (49:21)

---

Tune In Next Week: Join Robin Hilton and the NPR Music family as they continue to explore new music, revisit classic tracks, and engage in thoughtful conversations about the ever-evolving landscape of the music world.

---

Thank you for listening to All Songs Considered. Share the show with friends, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform, and stay tuned for more musical discoveries!

Transcript

[Capital One Announcer]

This message comes from Capital One. Access comprehensive solutions from a top commercial bank that prioritizes your needs today and goals for tomorrow. Learn [e-mail] Commercial Member FDIC how are you doing, Sheldon?

[Robin Hilton]

Let me get a level on you here.

[Sheldon Pierce]

I'm doing okay.

[Robin Hilton]

I think the enthusiasm is staggering.

[Sheldon Pierce]

That's about the best I can muster.

[Robin Hilton]

Is that the best you can do?

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

I gotta be honest, it's hard sometimes not to think that we live in just the dumbest time.

[Sheldon Pierce]

I think we. We literally do. I don't think. I think there's more an argument for than against at this point.

[Robin Hilton]

Facts matter. I. I thought this can't just be the. The grumpy old man syndrome that my wife is certain I suffer from.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah. I mean, it always seems like there are fresh horrors. I think that's probably been true through most of history. I think what we're experiencing now, though, is, like, fresh horrors that it feels like we don't need to be experiencing.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, yeah.

[Sheldon Pierce]

And as a result, it's like this is really, really. The avoidability of so much of it is what makes it exceedingly dumb.

[Robin Hilton]

It makes me think of that onion essay. Guest essay from. This has been years ago, but the headline was, you learn something new and depressing every day.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

And the whole angle of it is sort of like, wow, you just can't imagine how many depressing things you know. No matter how much how many depressing things you lear still something new and depressing.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Just when you think you've seen it all, there's another one around the Corner is the first song that we're gonna play on your mind in this regard.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, actually, it is, because there's so many things in it that if you think about for very long, become very, very maddening.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah. The first song's already one of my favorites of the year. It's by Fiona Apple. Her first song in five years. It's called Pretrial. It's about the cruelty and stupidity of the cash bail system.

[Fiona Apple]

They wouldn't let her they wouldn't let her they wouldn't let her Wouldn't let her go home they wouldn't let her go home they wouldn't let her go home they wouldn't let her go home and now there's no more home she took on extra shifts still couldn't pay the bill no danger, no flight risk but she will stay in jail she was not convicted of anything she was not convicted of anything Won't you let her go home? Won't you let her Go home Won't you let her go home at home she's got two kids and grandma needs her care who packed the lunch? He give meds if she's in jail not there they already took the only daddy that they ever had Shot him, then put a gun near him that he never ever Wouldn't let him go home Wouldn't let him go home Wouldn't let him go home Two months the runs passed Two and grandma took a fall the kid's been missing school to see her at the hospital when the teacher saw that they were not in school again today, she called CPS and CPS and took the kids away Wouldn't let them go home Wouldn't let them go Wouldn't let him go home Inside the news hits hard she's never been more alone can't afford a new phone card Besides, nobody's home Shame and isolation economic deprivation and there's no more home and there's no more home and there's no more home.

[Sam]

Sa.

[Fiona Apple]

Only witnesses he doesn't even show in court and all the charges get dropped what the fuck's the born of all the hell you put her through Took her whole world away and set her up to start round two Wouldn't let her go home Wouldn't let her go home Wouldn't let her go home and now there's no more they wouldn't let her they wouldn't let her they wouldn't let her Wouldn't let her go home they wouldn't let her they wouldn't let her they wouldn't let her go home Wouldn't let her go home Wouldn't let her go home Wouldn't let her go home and now.

[Robin Hilton]

There'S no more home I mean, it's all that line, they wouldn't let her go home and now there's no home to go to. It is just absolute insanity.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah. And it was informed by real life experience. Fiona Apple spent over two years attending bail hearings in Prince George's County, Maryland, as a court watcher. And she volunteered with the Free Black Mamas DMV campaign, which raises money to bring people home from jail. The song ends up being this, like, amalgamation of the experience she's seen over and over and over again where women, especially black women who are caretakers for others, are then sort of criminalized for being poor. They are charged with a crime, and even though you're presumed innocent, you end up in a situation where you can't pay bail. As a result, the dominoes of your life start falling apart, and then by the time you are released, everything is in chaos and you have to start picking up the pieces again.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. So, you know, my first thought when I saw the Fiona Apple had a new song out, and when I saw what the song was about, I thought, wow, that is so specific. The cash bail system. And, you know, and it's honestly not the first thing that comes to mind when I think about writing a song about injustice in the world, but basically, it ends up containing the whole world.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah. Yeah. I think that's what's really beautiful about it. It's not just about the cruelty and stupidity of the cash bail system itself, which is inherent to the process as she runs through the way that it destroys this woman's life. It's also just about the ways in which classism can crush a person, and you get a sense of just how excruciating it can be and how much of an impact it can have on people.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, this was one of the great surprises in the last couple weeks to get new music from Fiona Apple. She's one of those artists who so much time can go between releases, you never quite know if. All right, well, maybe that's the last we're gonna. And that's okay. It's because it's been a great run and we've gotten so great stuff, and then every time she. She pops up, every five, six, seven, sometimes eight years with something new. In this case, it's been five years since she released Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Bolt cutter? Yeah, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. And you want to know what she's been doing for the last five years?

[Sheldon Pierce]

Being a court watcher.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, being a court watcher. Well worth the wait. And I will always be standing by whenever she's ready to put more music out and give it.

[Sheldon Pierce]

If it's five years before the next one, I will wait patiently.

[Robin Hilton]

Sheldon, did you ever see that movie, Poor Things? That came out about a year and a half ago?

[Sheldon Pierce]

I have not seen it.

[Robin Hilton]

That your Ghost Lanthimos film had Emma Stone in it. A very weird movie. And I didn't like it as much as a lot of my friends did. I like your Ghost Lanthimos work a lot, but that one I didn't like.

[Sheldon Pierce]

I was about to say all of his movies are weird movies.

[Robin Hilton]

However, one thing I did love about that movie is its score, written by Jerskin Fendrix. Jerskin Fendritz is someone who was putting out music, his own solo work. You know, before he got into film scoring, he had a debut album in 2020 called Winteriza, and Jerskin is back with more music of his own, some solo work. He's put out a couple of singles so far this year. The latest one is the one that I want to play. It's called SK1, and it's a song that, honestly, for like, the first minute or so that I was listening to it, I wasn't entirely sure about it, but I stuck with it. And, man, does it pay off again. It's called SK1.

[Jerskin Fendrix]

Think it's time to leave the party Charge my jewel finish off the base faux pas of my friend's apartment Wake up, exit through the garden But I change my mind about you and I change my mind.

[Robin Hilton]

I.

[Jerskin Fendrix]

Change my mind about you and I change my mind.

[Sam]

Sam.

[Jerskin Fendrix]

I believe that you're an artist pregnant with a shelf of hard bags you're awake while you still drink Screaming and getting anxious in the supermarket But Jocelyn, it's too late there's blossom on your running shoes it's too late But I change my mind about you I change my mind I change my mind about you and I.

[Sam]

Sham.

[Robin Hilton]

The place he takes that song is just blows me away. You know, I'm not always a fan of that sort of Basie sort of speak, singing, you know, style that he starts off with. And if I think if he just camped out there, I. I probably wouldn't have fallen for the song as much as I have. But the contrast between that and the noise that he brings in is just incredible.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah, I was gonna say. I was. I would have been surprised that you brought this to. To the show. Otherwise, this. This doesn't normally seem like your jam. But I do agree that it's really the dynamic shifts that make it. The lyrics, when you key into them, are so abstract, so weird. I believe that you're an artist pregnant with a shelf of hardbacks.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I think whoever the narrator is in this song, let's say it's Jerskin, is very conflicted, and there's a lot of clouded thinking going on in this song. I really honed in on the party that he said that he was at and where some sort of faux pas was committed. And he's thinking, okay, well, it's time for me to go.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

And just let me, you know, charge up my vape pen here and I'll finish this Bailey's real quick. And then. But, like, what happened at the party? Exactly. And, you know, there's something kind of, I don't know, a little unsettling about it all, but I guess I'm always a sucker for the kind of song that gets you trapped in that kind of thinking where there's no real clear way out. I like ambiguity. Well, Jerskin, Fendrix, he does have a full album coming out at some point. We don't have a lot of details on it yet, but he, you know, in addition to the Poor Things score, he did a couple more Yorgos Lanthimos films. He did Kinds of Kindness. I think that came out last year. And there's another one coming up called Begonia that the Internet tells me is coming out maybe in the fall. All right, keep listening. We've got a new cut from Levi coming up along with Lord Huron and some more tunes. Plus, we look back at our number one songs from 2013 that's part of our 25th anniversary retro we've been doing, plus your weekly reset. All of that's coming up.

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[Robin Hilton]

You know Sheldon, if you like this show, did you know that you could share it with a friend? I did know that, yeah. Yeah, you could share it with a friend. Send it to. Send it to somebody who you think might enjoy this or, you know, at least tell them about it. You can also leave us a review in Apple or Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. But what else do you got well.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Robin, I did want to ask you something. Have you ever sort of had a band that existed on the periphery of your musical listening and you knew that they.

[Robin Hilton]

All of them, just all of them.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Well, I mean, you know that they exist, and you're sort of keyed into the idea of other people being into this artist, but that you've never sort of given them any time, and then suddenly you're, like, sucked into their orbit randomly. And you have this greater appreciation for what they are.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, yeah, all the time. And some big ones, too. First people. One that comes to mind is like, Bob Dylan. Everybody loved Bob Dylan. I couldn't listen to Bob Dylan. And then I had a moment with Bob Dylan, and I totally got pulled into Bob Dylan's world. And.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah, I mean, that's kind of how I've been feeling about Lord Huron lately. The band's been around for almost a decade and a half now, maybe almost two decades now, actually. And I had sort of heard people were fans of this band. It was completely passing me by. And it wasn't until I saw the tour announcement in which bands that I was very familiar with were opening for them. Waxahachie Indigo, D' Souza, S.G. goodman. And they're playing venues like Madison Square Garden and Meriwether Post Pavilion. And it's like, oh, this is a big band. A lot of people like this band.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, yeah.

[Sheldon Pierce]

And then all of a sudden, I'm like, okay, so what is it about this band that people like? And I heard their new song, and I get it. The new one is called Looking Back.

[Sam]

I'll find a place where I can stay forever if I get a little money I I'll get gone and I won't be found I don't want nothing but a lonesome quiet place where I can think Spend my whole life looking back and wondering who I was Something changed the day you left and I never know just what Spent my whole life looking up and wondering who I am Something tells me you and I will never meet again Had a few good years out of my home but it didn't last long Had a couple good friends we used to pass the lonely days together Made a little bit of money and I got stone and I let it all go All I want is a noisy crowded place where I can drink Spend my whole life looking back and wondering who I was Something changed the day you left and I never notice one Spend my whole looking up and wondering who I am Something tells me you and I will never meet again.

[Jerskin Fendrix]

I'm going To see.

[Sam]

If I can live outside the light of my body and mind I'm gonna see if I can find the time to sit and wonder why forever if I need a little money I sail My song isn't worth much maybe I can pay my cosmic debt Before I turn to dust Spend my whole life looking back and wondering who I Something changed My whole life looking up and wondering who I am Something tells me you and I will never meet again.

[Robin Hilton]

I think this is a pretty Lord Huroni kind of song. I'm wondering what finally broke loose for you.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah, I think it's sort of the displaced sense of time, the way it's, like, sort of written like a little fable. It seems to unspool in so many different directions. It isn't just like this quiet, almost whimsical sound, but the way that it's, like, drawing you into the center of it. It's structured so carefully, so precisely, that you can only be sort of obsessed with the details.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Yeah. And I think it has a theme that kind of is through this whole album. Right. That it's from. It's from the album Cosmic Selector, Volume one. And that is the idea or the question of what your life would look like if you had simply made different choices.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah. Yeah. I think what's really interesting is the way that the verses seem to not only, like, build out different directions that this life could have taken, but there is also sort of an interplay between them. Like, in the first verse, he's like, you know, if I get a little money, I'd set myself aside. I'm going to this quiet place, and I'm gonna stay there, out of the way. Just think by myself. And then verse two comes and he's like, you know, being in a quiet place is not really. For me. It hasn't worked out. I spent all my money on weed, and now I'm looking for a noisy place that I can drink and sort of have that drown out my thoughts. And the chorus is going back and forth. It's like he spent his whole life looking back, wondering who he was, and then he spent his whole life looking up, wondering who he is. And both phases, it's like something somebody else shifted the trajectory of his life.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, it's that whole idea you can't escape yourself. You can go to the cabin in the woods or the mountaintop or go to the noisy city or whatever, but wherever you go, there you are. You're still stuck with yourself.

[Sheldon Pierce]

You've got to be with you anywhere you go.

[Robin Hilton]

So this is cosmic selector volume one. It's out July 18th. Have you heard anything like. So is this part of a package or is it going to be a volume two?

[Sheldon Pierce]

I think there's supposed to be a second volume. I like the music on this one a lot. I'm curious to see how much further they can take the concept.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, again, that is volume one of the Cosmic Selector from Lor Huron. And that is out July 18th. Well, Sheldon, you probably saw that we just announced the winner of this year's Tiny Desk Contest. Rapper and spoken word artist from the Bay Area named Ruby Abarra. Everyone should go and check out her entry. She's an incredible artist. We all loved her entry so much, but, you know, we got thousands of entries this year. It was a record year. In fact, did you see we got nearly 7,500. I did keep in mind that's 7,500 videos to watch. It was just a staggering number of entries. But as we go through them, there are so many entries that grab us even if they don't go on to win the contest. And we do feature some of them in a YouTube series we do along the way called Top Shelf. Anyway, there was one in particular from this year's contest that I have been wanting to play on the show because I did love it so much. It's by a singer named F.C. they're from Boston and the song that they sent in is called Malachi the Uber Driver. I cannot tell you how many times I have ugly cried to this song. Not because it's sad, but because it is just so beautiful. And I was, you know, thinking, ah, should I play it on the show? And if the contenders episodes are about the songs that we love so much, they could end up on the Best of the Year. If it's not a song that can wreck me like this song does, then I don't know what it would be. They only wrote this song a couple weeks before sending it in. So they actually don't have an official, you know, like a studio recording of it or anything. It's never been officially released. Released. So this is the audio from their actual entry. So you're going to hear FC at the top here introducing the song.

[FC]

1, 2, 3 and hello, tiny desk. My name is FC and this song is called Malachi the Uber Driver. Inspired by Malachi the Uber driver who inspired me. One night, Malachi the Uber driver picks me up half past midnight. I just had the time of my life and he just spent the whole night.

[Sam]

Getting hick.

[FC]

It made me think of what we're fighting for. Malachite Uber child jokes and says he's worldwide he only drives to pass the diamond. I believe him. He calls me polite But I know artists who strive but don't make a dime if they do, that's fine they're still into pain or to melt hatred it's all in your face. I guess what I'm saying is Malachi the Uber driver, we're not so different. You and I both had tough times in grades four and five and took to art to ease our minds. You told me about your grandma and how she would send you art supplies to try out. Then it slowly became about business and fame and you weren't any good unless folks knew your name. And if you're not any good, then you might as well Even if the pen keeps you from slitting your wrist and it's a sick, awful game that I'm no longer playing.

[Sam]

Everything's changing.

[FC]

What I'm trying to say is Malachi the Uber driver, I think we changed each other. Slide rising up. It's been of a ride, a moment in time. I remember what it all could be like. Thank you so much, tiny desk.

[Robin Hilton]

I don't know, maybe we don't live in the stupidest time ever where somebody can have that kind of clarity of thought and have a moment like that where the whole universe opens up to them in a Uber ride.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, we talk a lot on the show about big ideas and small moments, and that's certainly something that's happening in this song, but really, it's about unity. You know, we live in a world with a lot of divisions, and. And here FC is in this moment and song, taking note of the similarities between them and their driver, finding real and lasting and meaningful connections with the people around them that are otherwise very easy to ignore. As FC even says at the top of the song, they were out having the time of their lives, while Malachi the Uber driver, is just spending all of his time being acknowledged.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah, I mean, when I first hit play on this, I was like, this is a Robin Hilton song if I've ever heard one. This is right up your alley, but I totally see what you're seeing in this. It's so fragile and yet so strong, so resilient at the same moment. It has that quality where you feel like you can see the whole world in an instant. You are drawn into this very small, very intimate, very familiar scene. But in this moment, they find this captivating connection, this love of art that has pulled them in for fc, it's like a passion that they are still pursuing for the Uber driver. It's this thing that exists on the outside of their life now because they find that they can't make it work, that connecting with a larger audience is not possible and therefore it's not worth doing. And FC finds themselves trying to communicate with this person the love of the thing itself.

[Robin Hilton]

A friend of mine was complaining recently. He's a musician and he wishes he was playing in a band again. And he's like, I'm all rig, no gig. And I said, you know what man? The rig is the gig. The rig is the gig. If you're not enjoying the rig by itself without the gig, then I don't.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Know, you got to do it for the love first before anything else.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, I still have that levee cut that I want to play, but Sheldon, I think you've got one more cut you want to put.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah, I want to play something from the artist Casey Hill. Casey Hill I've been following Casey Hill since she was the most random outlier on the Good Music label. She only released one record on the label, but she has self released really beautiful indie pop music since then, up until the last album, Bug, which was released released in 2024. And now she's making a pretty dramatic sonic shift with her new music. It started in March with the single when in Rome, which was more of a folk Americana sounding song, and she has continued that with her new single. It's called Please Don't Cry.

[Robin Hilton]

A pickup in a daydream.

[Levi]

Autumn leaves in green to see There's a full moon this week and I'm thinking about.

[Fiona Apple]

The old me.

[Levi]

O just in time Been watching from the glass Come back inside.

[Sam]

Please don't cry.

[Robin Hilton]

Twist and turn.

[Fiona Apple]

In every single night.

[Sam]

Please.

[Robin Hilton]

Don'T cry.

[Levi]

You make it hard to let it.

[FC]

Die.

[Levi]

My dad is sick, your brother.

[Robin Hilton]

Too I'll try not to be.

[Jerskin Fendrix]

There.

[Levi]

For you I'm in love again oh.

[Sam]

And it's nice I wonder if I do him Right, Clear. Please don't cry.

[Levi]

Twist and turn in every single night.

[Robin Hilton]

Please.

[Levi]

Don'T cry. You make it hard to let it.

[Robin Hilton]

Die.

[Levi]

Please don't cry Twist and turn in every single all night.

[Sam]

Please.

[Robin Hilton]

Don'T cry.

[Levi]

You make it hard to let it die.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I mean, that's really lovely. And I. I have to tell you, it is such a departure for her that when I was doing a little research, I thought, is there another Casey Hill? Like, maybe. Maybe I've got the wrong Casey Hill. Is this the same Case Hill who was like. She was on a Travis Scott cut, right? And Bon Iver. And when I think of like that album she had, 2020's Is It Selfish if we talk about me again? It's almost like 80s synth pop or something. Like, where did this come from?

[Sheldon Pierce]

It's a complete left turn. I mean, every time I listen to this song, I'm like, how could this be?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, this is like straight up, like a little bit of Laurel Canyon, like Americana folk.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

Wild.

[Sheldon Pierce]

The shock of it is that it is so incredibly competent and beautiful. It sounds like something she's been practiced in for like 10 years. It's like completely out of left field and yet so, so fully embodied. I mean, I'm no audiophile, but the mix on this record is crazy.

[Robin Hilton]

And then thematically, I think this song reminded me a little bit of the Lord Huron, actually. Kind of gets into some of those ideas of thinking about your past, you know, the person you used to be, the person you want to be, and sort of how much our present and future, how much those things are controlled by our past. Like sort of fate versus free will. Are we sort of destined to be who we are because of who we used to be?

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, this is a really beautiful direction for her to take her music. And as you say, it works so well. The song Please Don't Cry, let's get to that levee cut that I know you've been dying to talk about because you're such a huge Leve fan. Well, you're not. And we can talk more about why you're not and what works and what doesn't work in Le Vey's music. But I think she is not an artist that is easy to sum up with any one label. She gets labeled with a lot of different things. Jazz singer, crooner, someone who draws on the great American songbook, all those sorts of labels. I think those are all labels that she would like to get away from. And I think on this new song, an album that Levi has coming up. You can hear her pushing back against all of that and pushing further and further away from it. The album is called A Matter of Time. The song is called Tough Luck. Just try to follow the very subtle shift that Leve makes from where she starts the song and where she ends the the song.

[Levi]

Are you tired? I can tell that you're tired your eyes turn gray you beg me to be silent you said I can't read your mind but I'm reading it just.

[Sam]

Fine.

[Levi]

You think, think you're so misunderstood the black cat of your neighborhood Tough luck my boy your time is up I'll break it first. I've had enough of waiting til you lie and cheat Just like you did to the actress before me Oopsie, he doesn't. Even though you won't be missed I'm glad to see you since we're spilling secrets does your mother even know you demoralized a faced me just to feed your frill real ego when you're screaming at the TV cussing out opposing football teams you said I'd never understand the things that make a man a man of luck my boy your time is up I'll break it first I enough of waiting till you lie and cheat Just like you did to the actress before me Oops, she doesn't. Even though you won't be missed I'm glad to see you I should congratulate thee for so nearly convincing me I'm not quite, quite as smart as I seem that I'm a loud mouth nobody my accent and music are dumb your tattoos are no better on the proofs as you're tragic as the truth is.

[Sam]

That'S just tough to flag, tough to fly.

[Levi]

Tough, tough, tough luck my boy your time is up I'll break it first. I've had enough of waiting till you lie and cheat Just like you did to the actress before me O she doesn't even know you won't be missed. I'm glad to see you go.

[Robin Hilton]

As a listener, you know what you are. As a listener, as you're taking this song in, you're the frog in the pot of water and you don't realize you're getting boiled alive until the end of the song because she eases you into it so perfectly. Like the first minute of the song, you're getting everything that people think of with Levi's music. You know, a little bit of jazz, the great American songbook, all that she's crooning so beautifully, a little bit of Broadway, but then comes in an acoustic guitar an acoustic guitar kind of chugging. And then about a minute after that, then now you're getting electric guitar and it's starting to chug. And she's just pushing it and pushing it until the very end. I love this so much.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah. I think this is playing with the idea of her sound in a very interesting way. To your point, it does feel like pushing back a little bit against the narrative of her music, which I do think the narrative is true. There is a sense that I think a lot of her songs were a bit displaced from time. Very evocative of the standards that were used.

[Robin Hilton]

Is that what drive you crazy about it?

[Sheldon Pierce]

It's very much like. I think I was a bit put off by how practiced and deferential it seemed to history it very much.

[Robin Hilton]

You mean it's like too perfect or.

[Sheldon Pierce]

It's very. It felt like an homage to the past in a way that didn't feel very forward looking to me. But I think this record feels quite the opposite.

[Robin Hilton]

I think this is a very smart and perfectly executed move on her part. I haven't heard the full album yet, but it's not hard for me to imagine her moving more and more in this direction to the point where in a couple of years her sound might be completely unrecognizable from what it is now. Yeah, you're not on social media very much, so you may be okay. As far as the Leve fans go.

[Sheldon Pierce]

I don't want smoke with the Leve fans. Let me just put that out there. I think she's very talented. I see what they see in her. It just has not been for me up until this point.

[Robin Hilton]

Let me tell you something. I went to go see Ben Folds play at the Kennedy center, and Dodie was going to be performing with him. And I noticed while I was sitting in the audience, wow, there sure are a lot of young people here. That's amazing. Wow, Ben Folds really finding a new audience. He's been around a long time. That's incredible. Good for him. And at some point, he's on stage and he says, all right, well, look, I've been up here long enough. I think I know why everyone's here. And everyone just freaks out. Everyone's just screaming. I'm like, what is happening? And he. He's like, okay, you've waited long enough. Here she is. Leve and the crowd was out of its mind. It was like when the Beatles came to America. I mean, it was complete freak out.

[Sheldon Pierce]

I get it. And I think it's admirable that she's been able to connect her own reverence for these forms with a music that has reached so many people.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, you're gonna have to wait a little while until the whole album comes out, because it is not out until August 22nd, which I cannot believe. We're already talking about albums coming out at the end of August. It goes by so fast. But, Sheldon Pierce, thanks so much for hanging out and sharing all these great tunes. It's always a pleasure, always a great time, Robin. So, as I mentioned, we've been celebrating the 25th anniversary of all Songs Considered by looking back at some of the songs that defined the show over the years. We've been doing a different year at the end of the show each week. And Stephen Thompson back here again to talk about 2013. We're up to 2013. Hey, Stephen.

[Stephen Thompson]

Hello, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

So 2013, another great year for music. There are so many things that we could pick, but what's the first thing that you think to reach for?

[Stephen Thompson]

I'm gonna go right here.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I know it's Kacey Musgrave's, and I remember the song very well, but I cannot for the life of me come up with the name. If you save yourself from marriage, you're a bore. If you don't save yourself from marriage.

[Sam]

You'Re a horrible person.

[Robin Hilton]

If you won't have a drink, then you're prude. But they'll call you a drunk as soon as you down the first one.

[Sam]

If you can't lose the weight, then you're just fine.

[Robin Hilton]

But if you. If you lose too much, then you're on crack.

[Sam]

You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. So you might as well just do whatever you want. So make lots of noise. Kiss lots of boys or kiss lots of girls if that's something you're into. Straighten it.

[Robin Hilton]

Follow your arrow. Follow your arrow One second before she said it.

[Stephen Thompson]

Really? That's incredible, Robin. Your. Your powers.

[Robin Hilton]

It really is.

[Stephen Thompson]

Your powers of recognition.

[Robin Hilton]

It's encyclopedic. One of the reasons why I hate playing this name that tune game is because it just. It exposes all the cobwebs. I've forgotten so much, and I'm so terrible with names, but, yeah, Kacey Musgraves and this, you know, and obviously an artist who's gone on to be very near and dear to our hearts.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

This was one of the first singles from same trailer, different park her, you know, break her big breakthrough record. She went on to win album of the year at the Grammys, she went on to basically become an a lister. Put out a great record called Deeper well just last year. But this was the record that put her on the map. And I mean, having a country singer singing a song where it's basically, you know, kiss lots of boys, kiss lots of girls, I don't care, you know, felt, you know, in 2013 was a fairly revolutionary sentiment coming from a, you know, from a mainstream country singer kind of of trying to make a breakthrough as a country artist. And I remember a couple years later when Oberfell, the Supreme Court decision legalized same sex marriage. That decision came down the day Kacey Musgraves was playing the Tiny desk and she played that song with her band and we kind of put it out as a freestanding. Here's what we were listening to, you know, as that decision was handed down. And so this was my favorite album of 2020. I completely loved it. What, you know, what a song.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I want to pick something that is also from what I think ended up being a breakout album for an artist who had already had one self titled album out before this one. But this is the one that I think really sort of solidified their position as a sort of a mega talent.

[Stephen Thompson]

Is this James Blake?

[Robin Hilton]

Yes. This is retro great.

[Sam]

You're on your own.

[Robin Hilton]

In a world.

[Sam]

You'Ve grown Few more years to go don't let the hurdle fall so be the girl you loved.

[Robin Hilton]

So he had had that self titled album out whatever a couple years before this one. But yeah, overgrown to me is the is peak. James Blake, his voice could not be more perfect. More. It's like crystalline, it's warm, it's resin. And then he's just crooning but with.

[Stephen Thompson]

Real emotion behind it.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's not just a perfect voice, it's a perfect voice that is taking you so long.

[Robin Hilton]

And this was a song I remember when it came out. I could go very deep in talking about all the things happening in this song. You know, like, you know, thematically and sonically retrograde is when an object appears to be moving in the opposite direction of the other objects around it. And you know, in this song when he goes high on the chorus, the music has this falling thing, so they're moving in opposite directions. But this song, and it's an incredible video for this song too that people should, should check out. But I. There were so many other things I could have picked from this year. I thought about going with a look. The Sun Is Rising by the Flaming Lips because you. From their album the terror came.

[Stephen Thompson]

The terror was 2013.

[Robin Hilton]

You gave me so much grief for how much I love that, that song. You were obsessed, absolutely obsessed with that song at the time. And, and I still love it. But yeah, we'll go out on this retrograde from James Blake. And until next time, thanks, Stephen.

[Sheldon Pierce]

Thank you, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's All Songs Considered. Show me where you feel.

[Sam]

So show me where you.

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