Natalia Lafourcade, Chris Staples, more: The Contenders, Vol. 10

Summary

All Songs Considered – Episode: Natalia Lafourcade, Chris Staples, more: The Contenders, Vol. 10
Release Date: May 13, 2025
Host: Robin Hilton
Contributors: Tom Huizenga, Stephen Thompson, Hazel Sills

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Introduction

In this vibrant episode of NPR’s flagship music discovery podcast, All Songs Considered, hosts Robin Hilton, Tom Huizenga, Stephen Thompson, and Hazel Sills delve into a rich tapestry of contemporary and classical music. Celebrating the show’s ongoing commitment to uncovering the year's best sounds, this episode spotlights a variety of artists, including Natalia Lafourcade, Chris Staples, and Third Coast Percussion, while also taking a nostalgic look back at the top songs from 2012 as part of the show's 25th-anniversary celebrations.

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Third Coast Percussion and Jaylen’s "Please Be Still"

[01:39] Stephen Thompson introduces Third Coast Percussion, a renowned percussion ensemble celebrating its 20th anniversary with a new album, Standard Stoppages. The ensemble has been collaborating with electronic composer Jaylen, who contributes the track "Please Be Still".

Tom Huizenga remarks on the blending of electronic influences with acoustic performances:

“It sounds very much like an electronic piece that is performed on acoustic instruments.” [09:30]

Stephen Thompson elaborates on the creative process:

“She composes a work and shares it with them as a sound file, and then she entrusts the band to arrange it on their acoustic instruments.” [10:01]

The discussion highlights Third Coast Percussion’s innovative approach to merging classical percussion with modern electronic elements, creating a dynamic and rhythmic experience.

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Chris Staples and "Two Carat Diamond"

Transitioning to singer-songwriter Chris Staples, the hosts delve into his latest single from the upcoming album Don't Worry. The song "Two Carat Diamond" showcases Staples' economical storytelling and emotional depth.

Tom Huizenga praises the song’s narrative efficiency:

“Just that opening line. Graduated, worked hard. 2 carat diamond on a credit card… you have an entire novel in that one little line.” [15:55]

Stephen Thompson adds:

“This is a masterclass in Less is More. The song is only 2 minutes and 37 seconds long, but it packs a huge wallop of regret.” [16:15]

The hosts appreciate the song’s subtle complexity, including its vocal harmonies and melodic refrains, which add layers of meaning and emotion.

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Barbara Hannigan’s "Que to Fatio" and "Electric Fields"

[19:38] Stephen Thompson introduces Barbara Hannigan, alongside pianists Katia and Marielle Lebeck, and electronics composer David Shelman, who collaborate on the album Electric Fields. The track "Que to Fatio" is highlighted for its experimental fusion of classical and electronic elements, inspired by 12th-century composer Hildegard von Bingen.

Tom Huizenga describes the piece as a surreal auditory experience:

“Do you feel like falling asleep in a time machine? That’s exactly what this track does.” [19:45]

The conversation emphasizes the album's ability to bridge ancient compositions with modern electronic soundscapes, creating a "fevered dream" that challenges traditional music boundaries.

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Natalia Lafourcade’s "Cancionera" and "Cocos on la Playa"

Celebrating Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade, the hosts discuss her new album Cancionera, which pays homage to traditional Mexican folk music while incorporating original compositions.

Tom Huizenga expresses his admiration for Natalia’s return to her roots:

“This new album is sort of all on tradition. It’s really kind of a love letter to her roots, along with some original work on it.” [27:54]

The featured song "Cocos on la Playa" captivates the hosts with its joyful and transporting vibe:

“It just slurps you up into that world and… you are there with them on the beach.” [33:00]

Stephen Thompson shares a personal connection:

“This song is especially poignant for me because up until Covid, my mom took the family to this old mom and pop hotel right on the beach.” [34:17]

The track’s blend of classic rhythms and heartfelt lyrics makes it a standout piece, resonating deeply with listeners.

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Brooklyn Rider’s "Tenebrae"

[37:16] Exploring the realm of classical string ensembles, Brooklyn Rider celebrates their 20th anniversary with a performance of "Tenebrae" by Argentine composer Osvaldo Goliov. The piece, inspired by the Holy Week traditions and the image of Earth as a “tiny blue dot” from 2001: A Space Odyssey, is lauded for its emotional depth and technical prowess.

Stephen Thompson describes the piece's emotional journey:

“It is a work filled with pain, but it's also very beautiful. If you're a fan of Max Richter's 'On the Nature of Daylight,' you will love this music.” [38:58]

The hosts appreciate the composition’s ability to evoke a sense of celestial journeying and emotional turbulence, culminating in a serene resolution.

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Looking Back: All Songs Considered’s Number One Songs from 2012

As part of the show’s 25th-anniversary celebration, hosts reflect on the standout tracks from 2012. Hazel Sills highlights Frank Ocean’s iconic song "Thinkin' 'Bout You" as a timeless classic that encapsulates emotional complexity.

Tom Huizenga shares his renewed appreciation:

“It usually doesn’t rain well, Frank Ocean. Thinking about you… It is timeless, and it’s a classic.” [50:03]

Hazel Sills delves into the song’s lyrical and musical brilliance:

“That song does so much in 3 minutes and 21 seconds. But what the guitar is doing in that bridge just sends me.” [52:04]

The segment also touches on Fun’s "We Are Young", Japan Droids, Best Coast, and other memorable tracks from 2012, underscoring the year’s rich musical landscape.

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Conclusion

In this episode, All Songs Considered masterfully weaves together discussions on innovative percussion ensembles, poignant singer-songwriters, experimental classical fusions, and reflective retrospectives. By featuring a diverse array of artists and thoughtfully analyzing their work, the hosts provide listeners with a comprehensive and engaging exploration of contemporary music. Whether celebrating longstanding ensembles or reminiscing about past hits, the episode encapsulates the essence of music discovery that has defined the show for over two decades.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Tom Huizenga on Third Coast Percussion’s "Please Be Still":
  “It sounds very much like an electronic piece that is performed on acoustic instruments.” [09:30]

• Stephen Thompson on Chris Staples’s Storytelling:
  “This is a masterclass in Less is More. The song is only 2 minutes and 37 seconds long, but it packs a huge wallop of regret.” [16:15]

• Tom Huizenga on "Que to Fatio":
  “Do you feel like falling asleep in a time machine? That’s exactly what this track does.” [19:45]

• Tom Huizenga on Natalia Lafourcade’s "Cocos on la Playa":
  “This just slurps you up into that world and… you are there with them on the beach.” [33:00]

• Stephen Thompson on Brooklyn Rider’s "Tenebrae":
  “It is a work filled with pain, but it's also very beautiful. If you're a fan of Max Richter's 'On the Nature of Daylight,' you will love this music.” [38:58]

• Hazel Sills on Frank Ocean’s "Thinkin' 'Bout You":
  “That song does so much in 3 minutes and 21 seconds. But what the guitar is doing in that bridge just sends me.” [52:04]

---

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, ensuring that both avid listeners and newcomers can appreciate the depth and variety of discussions held by the All Songs Considered team.

Transcript

[Robin Hilton]

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.

[Tom Huizenga]

Tom, you've got a birthday coming up, don't you?

[Stephen Thompson]

True.

[Tom Huizenga]

And don't tell me when it is, because I want to. This is a great chance for me to do my little parlor trip. Oh, I know everybody's birthday, but, you.

[Stephen Thompson]

Know, it happens every year. I have one a year.

[Tom Huizenga]

But do you know when my birthday is?

[Stephen Thompson]

May something.

[Tom Huizenga]

You are correct. It isn't. Yours is May 17th.

[Stephen Thompson]

I think this is correct.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah. You know who else has a birthday on May 17th?

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes, I do. Eric Satie and the Ayatollah.

[Tom Huizenga]

Okay, not where I was going. I was gonna say NPR's Hazel Sills. Her birthday's also on May 17th.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's right.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, that is right. I forgot all about that.

[Tom Huizenga]

Mine's May 28th.

[Stephen Thompson]

Okay.

[Tom Huizenga]

So file that away.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'll file that away.

[Tom Huizenga]

This is my. I don't know where I got this superpower, but I can tell you people's birth.

[Stephen Thompson]

I will file that away and I'll be certain to forget it.

[Tom Huizenga]

All right. All songs considered. I'm Robin Hilton. Tom Huizenga here again on the world's greatest podcast. We're talking new music this week. And, you know, we keep a running list of the year's best songs. We call them contenders because they could. They could land on our best of 20, 25 lists. You know, when we put those together at the end of the year, and it always comes up faster than you think it's going to. And we're going to update that list on this episode with the songs we can't stop playing. Kind of a weird little mix, I think, this week that you and I have brought to the show. You want to just kick things off.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. Speaking of celebrations, this band that I really love, Third Coast Percussion, is celebrating 20 years and they have a new record out.

[Tom Huizenga]

Oh, that's right.

[Stephen Thompson]

And like I always say, we're in a golden age of percussion ensembles, and Third coast is a really good one. And they've had this really cool relationship over the last five to seven years with Jaylen. You know Jaylen, right?

[Tom Huizenga]

J L I n. Right.

[Stephen Thompson]

The. The electronics composer and whiz from Gary, Indiana, and she's been writing music for them and for a third coast percussion. For Third coast percussion. And there's a track of Jaylen's on this new third coast percussion album, and it's called Please be Still. And it's really terrific.

[Tom Huizenga]

It.

[Eric Satie]

It's sa.

[Tom Huizenga]

I have so many thoughts, so many thoughts about this. One is that I. I believe this was inspired by a Bach pie.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, that's true. By the opening movement of the Bach B Minor Mass.

[Tom Huizenga]

I gotta say, I don't hear any Bach in this at all.

[Stephen Thompson]

I don't either. In fact, I wrote to one of the band members, Sean Connors, and said, you know, what's the deal with the Bach? And he wrote back and said, I can hear the Bach influence mainly within the first eight measures. He says, to my ear, the piece sounds less like a Variations on a Theme or a transmutation of a, you know, a specific melody and more of a launching off point, a place that Jalen used as a musical departure by which to be inspired. And we're talking about this, this tune, which is called Please Be still by Jalen, performed by Third coast percussion from the record called Standard Stoppages.

[Tom Huizenga]

Well, let me see if I can stick this landing here with a thought I was having while I was listening. Okay, so one of the things that's interesting about this is that we know Jay Lin is an electronic composer. And when you listen to this, to me, it sounds very much like an electronic piece that is performed on acoustic instruments.

[Stephen Thompson]

Right, right.

[Tom Huizenga]

And that made me think of how very often it's the other way around. You take a piece that is normally performed on acoustic instruments and someone blows it up as an electronic piece. And I was thinking of Wendy Carlos Switched on Bach. Switched On Bach. And how Wendy Carlos took the music of Bach and turned it into electronic music. And in this case, an electronic artist is taking the ideas and behind this Bach piece and turning it into this very rhythmic acoustic piece.

[Stephen Thompson]

And she has this really great way of working with Jalen that is working with Third coast percussion. She composes a work and shares it with them as a. As a sound file, and then she, like entrusts the band to arrange it on their acoustic instruments. And it's a very give and take. And, you know, they, they, they say she's like a super generous composer because she gives us this piece which we kind of, you know, put the window dressing on and orchestrate it like we, like we want to. And in that piece, by the way, if you want a little list of what we heard.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah, because I'm curious.

[Stephen Thompson]

Marimba, vibraphone, Vibraphone resonator. So they take a stick and rub it across those resonators below the vibes. Glockenspiel, drum set, maracas. Tom Tom, Korean wood block, Crotales, shakers, a cymbal stack, and Chinese cymbals.

[Tom Huizenga]

So you mentioned how percussion ensembles are kind of having a moment. There's the Third coast percussion, which we just heard. There's sandbox percussion. There's so percussion.

[Stephen Thompson]

Right.

[Tom Huizenga]

And some of these groups have been at it for a minute. And I was trying to think of why they're having a moment, like, why now so deep into their career. You know, like you said, Third Coast Percussion celebrating its 20th anniversary.

[Stephen Thompson]

I think a lot of these percussion groups are like Third coast percussion. They are branching out of the traditional classical spaces, and they are making connections and working with people outside those classical boundaries, like Jaylen. And Third coast made a record with Dev Hines, otherwise known as Blood Orange. So I think that that is helping get the music out there. And people who normally wouldn't be, you know, classical music people are, you know, listening to a lot of percussion.

[Tom Huizenga]

So Third coast percussion. Please Be Still, A song that is not remotely still. It just skitters all over the place. From the album Standard Stoppages. Standard Stoppages. Where to Go From There. Well, I know you're a fan of great storytelling in music.

[Stephen Thompson]

Of course.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah. And we both love Andy Schaaf. I had Fox Warren on recently. Have you heard the new Fox Warren album yet?

[Stephen Thompson]

No, not yet.

[Tom Huizenga]

Oh, you're gonna love it. Andrew Shaft, another great storyteller and one of my favorites is Chris Stap. Not to be confused with Chris Stapleton.

[Stephen Thompson]

Exactly.

[Tom Huizenga]

Chris Staples, singer, songwriter, and a poet. I think he just writes these really affecting songs that. Well, I mean, really like all of my favorite storytellers, you know, he gets at really big ideas and very subtle, plain spoken ways with, you know, just little details that are easy to miss. He's got this new album coming out called Don't Worry, and the first single we've got from it is, I think, a great example of what I'm talking about in his music. It's a song that's kind of about the dreams we chase, even if they're very small or even very mundane dreams. And how even those mundane dreams can be very exhausting. The song is called Two Carat Diamond.

[Chris Staples]

Graduated Worked hard to get a diamond On a credit card honeymoon Sonic grand birthday party Letter from Uncle Sam Always did what I had to do Nobody told me I was free to choose Would have been nice to know that back then in another life maybe I could be free again if hell is.

[Tom Huizenga]

Real.

[Chris Staples]

I don't wanna go Sunday morning Status Quo Talking Head puppet Take My.

[Eric Satie]

Money.

[Chris Staples]

Hit the secret Always did what I had to do Nobody told me I was free to choose Would have been nice to know that back then in the afterlife maybe I could be free again.

[Tom Huizenga]

You hear how economical his storytelling is? It's just incredible. Just that opening line. Graduated, worked hard. 2 carat diamond on a credit card.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's right.

[Tom Huizenga]

You have an entire novel in that one little line.

[Stephen Thompson]

Right? It's. This is. It's funny you mentioned that, because I. I have here in my notes, like I have. Right, in big capital letters. So much economy here. I mean, this is a masterclass in Less is More. I mean, the song is only 2 minutes and 37 seconds long, but it packs a huge wallop of regret. Oh, my God, there is so much regret in the song. Where he says, would have been nice to know back then in the afterlife maybe I could be free again. And the song is so beautiful and wistful in its own way. And I love how he mixes the vocals. They're in unison, but one voice is just a smidge behind the other. So you hear both. It's almost like the protagonist in the song and the man he wants to be. And then the other thing that really is lovely about this little song is the melody refrain in the lead guitar. It's so subtle, but it plays this really big role as a kind of a counter to the vocal delivery. The melody of the vocals, which is almost fairly monotone. And then you have that beautiful refrain, that riff, and the lead guitar that really. It plays a role like a character in this song, really.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah. Almost a call and response.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it's just gorgeous.

[Tom Huizenga]

He has some religious imagery in it. You have that recurring part where he talks about the afterlife. But I actually think. I wonder if he's not talking about, like the next chapter of your life. Like maybe post divorce or something. You know, maybe he will find what he's looking for after he recovers from whatever relationship trauma he's been through or upheaval in his life. Like, maybe not literally the afterlife he passed away. But maybe means it more figuratively. I don't know. Well, it's always a gift to get new music from Chris Staples. We just have this one song right now as a single. The full album is not out until August 5th. Again, it is called Don't Worry.

[Robin Hilton]

This message comes from Charles Schwab. When it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices like full service, wealth management and advice when you need it. You can also invest on your own and trade on. Think or swim. Visit schwab.com to learn more. This message comes from Capital One. Your business requires commercial banking solutions that prioritize your long term success with Capital One. Get a full suite of financial products and services tailored to meet your needs today and goals for tomorrow. Learn [e-mail] Commercial Member FDIC support for NPR and the following message come from LinkedIn Ads One of the hardest parts about B2B marketing is reaching the right audience. When you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads. LinkedIn has grown to a network of over 1 billion professionals. Target buyers by job title, industry, company role, seniority skills, company revenue, all the professionals you need to reach in one place. Get a $100 credit on your next campaign. Just go to LinkedIn.com allsongs terms and conditions apply only on LinkedIn ads.

[Tom Huizenga]

All right, well, coming up, NPR's Stephen Thompson and I will look back at All Songs Considered's number one songs from 2012. It's the show's 25th anniversary and we are celebrating by looking back at a different year each week. We're up to 2012. That's coming up later on the show along with, as always, your weekly reset. So keep listening for that. Also, if you enjoy the show, tell a friend about it. Leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. All right, Tom, what else did you bring in?

[Stephen Thompson]

Do you feel like falling asleep in a time machine?

[Tom Huizenga]

That's so specific, Tom. Yes, I feel like falling asleep in a time machine.

[Stephen Thompson]

Barbara Hannigan is a classical soprano who mainly sings like 21st century music. Katia and Marielle Lebeck, the Lebecque sisters, have been around for a long time playing all kinds of classical music. And then there's electronics wizards, David Shama. They got together and did this crazy record that unfolds like some kind of fevered dream and inspired by very old music of Hildegard von Bingen, who is this 12th century abbess and composer and scientist. And there's a couple of her tracks on this record. It's called Electric Fields. But there are other composers, women composers too, from long ago, a couple of baroque women composers. And in this track that we should listen to, which is called Que to Fatio, it starts out with this electronic fanfare and then kind of a disorienting tossed salad of Barbara Hannigan's voice overdubbed a lot. And then there are actual passages from the song Que to Fatio. And then something really weird happens and we'll just let it ride.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah, that's a good way to put it. Something very weird happens.

[Eric Satie]

Ram. It's.

[Stephen Thompson]

It.

[Tom Huizenga]

K?

[Eric Satie]

Sa.

[Stephen Thompson]

Wake up, Robin. You were in a time machine.

[Tom Huizenga]

Maybe the most unexpected ending or coda, whatever, to any song I think I've heard this year. Like, absolutely. The last place I thought that song.

[Stephen Thompson]

Was going, it is kind of like, oh, I'm waking up from some bizarre dream, like the fever has broken. And I'm like, okay, wow. Okay, where. Where am I? Okay, this. Yeah. It's like it helps you back down to some, you know, knowable place in your mind.

[Tom Huizenga]

That's it. I know. Like, okay, now my feet are on the ground.

[Stephen Thompson]

Right.

[Tom Huizenga]

You know how there are people who think, well, I mean, this is one of the urban myths about Pink Floyd's Dark side of the Moon. If you cue it up to the wizard of Oz, it syncs up. I found if, if you play that song that we just heard along with the wormhole scene from 2001, A Space Odyssey, if you pull up, just look for it works. 2001. Yeah. Space Odyssey, wormhole scene. If you hit this song at the beginning of that clip of him entering the wormhole and all the lights and, oh, it works perfectly, this song.

[Stephen Thompson]

It was Que to Fatio. Fragments of Francesca Caccini, a baroque composer, the first woman known to have composed an opera, by the way. And so snippets of that song, all in a Fever Dreamed Mishmash by soprano Barbara Hannigan and the pianists Katya Marielle Lebeck and the electronics composer David Shelman from a record called Electronic Fields. And not everything on the album sounds like that. That's like the most crazy thing. But there are, there's a lot of lovely electronics and treatments on music from Hildegard von Bingen, the 12th century Abbess, just beautiful modern arrangements. So taking very old music and through a distinctly 21st century lens.

[Tom Huizenga]

Well, I've got another album and artist I want to talk about that I know you you also love. In fact, everyone I've talked with on the NPR Music team about this record is madly in love with it. It's called Cancionera, and it's from the Mexican singer Natalia La Fricate.

[Stephen Thompson]

This is definitely going to be on many best of lists for our music team, for sure.

[Tom Huizenga]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. You know, a good bit of Natalia La Fricade's work in the past has been has kind of leaned more towards pop, even though it's always been rooted in, you know, a lot of traditional music from Mexico. But this new album is sort of all in On Tradition, it really kind of a love letter, I think, to her roots, you know, along with some original work on it. She in fact, reimagines some traditional folk songs from Mexico on this record. And it's all just breathtaking, literally. Any song on this album would be great to share. Zero skips but the. But the one I want to play is called Cocos on the Playa, which means coconuts on the beach. Me.

[Natalia La Fricade]

So las.

[Tom Huizenga]

Sa.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sam.

[Tom Huizenga]

We did this show last week all about the perfect Sunday morning albums. And this is a great. Would be a perfect one to put in that kind of rotation. Just so beautiful and transporting and joyful. And you are there with them on the beach.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, totally incredible moment. It just slurps you up into that world and. And the vocal delivery is really great. It's like a little bit Celia Cruz, a little bit Carmen Miranda. And it's just a really intoxicating song about, you know, just getting away and being. Being on a beach and chilling out. And this song is especially poignant for me because up until Covid, my mom took the family to this old mom and pop hotel right on the beach in the old part of Puerto Vallarta every year in February. And so that's all we did. We were on the beach and eating, like, freshly grilled fish and drinking margaritas and swimming and reading books. And this is a lot of what this song is really about, you know, along with the really intoxicating beat, which, you know, she sings a line in the song about singing a cumbia, and I thought, this doesn't feel like a cumbia rhythm to me. So what do you do when you don't know a Latin beat?

[Tom Huizenga]

You ask Felix Contreras at NPR Music, host of Alt Latino.

[Stephen Thompson]

I did indeed break glass to take Felix out of his case because I said to him, I don't think this sounds like cucumbian. He said, no, it's not. He says, I would describe it as a 1950s styled slow mambo. He says the bongo part is playing the martillo rhythm used in mambo, and the timbales are mixed way back and the sticks are used on the side of the drums playing this mambo pattern. But it's very laid back and relaxed.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Kind of like Felix.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah. Also an accomplished percussionist, so he very much knows what he's talking about. Yeah, well, the imagery in this song is just so lovely, you know, chatting with the moon, dancing with the palm trees, taking a walk on the beach. I mean, I'm not even a beach person, but I want to be there.

[Stephen Thompson]

Totally. And then there's this repeating line that we can't exactly translate it because this is a family show. But the idea is like, oh well, if, if everything comes tumbling down, I could always sell coconuts on the beach. And then there's a little repeating line that says, I'm so screwed with selling these coconuts on the beach.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah, yeah. It's funny, she told All Things Considered she did an interview with the show and and said that she had been so this is one of the original songs that she wrote for even though it sounds very classic, it's a new song. And she told All Things Considered that she was at the end of her last tour and was just sort of reflecting on where she was in her career and thought, well, if this all goes south, I can always just sell coconuts, I guess. Exactly, yeah. Oh, so beautiful again. Natalia La Fricade and the song Cocos on La Playa from Cancionera.

[Robin Hilton]

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Lagunitas Brewing Company. Since 1993, Laganitas has been challenging the status quo, brewing innovative beer and crafting stories along the way, featuring a wide range of craft brews, cult classics and non alcoholic options. There's a seat at the bar for everyone. Bring the dog to Lagunitas Brewing Co. Because every great song deserves a great beer. It's good to have friends. Learn [e-mail] this message comes from Grammarly. From emails to reports and project proposals, it's hard to meet the demands of today's competing priorities without some help. Grammarly is the essential AI communication assistant that boosts your productivity at work so you can get more of what you need done faster. Just a few clicks can tailor your tone and writing so you come across exactly as you intend. Get time back to focus on your high impact work. Download Grammarly for [e-mail] podcast that's Grammarly.com.

[Tom Huizenga]

Podcast all right, Stephen Thompson and I are going to have that look back at the number one songs from All Songs Considered from 2012. We've also got your weekly reset coming up, but Tom, I know you've got one more that you want to play.

[Stephen Thompson]

I do have another one, Robin, and it's another band celebrating their 20th anniversary.

[Tom Huizenga]

Oh, okay.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's Brooklyn Rider, the string quartet, and they're releasing a record in a few weeks and it ends with a very beautiful performance of this piece called Tenebrae by Osvaldo Golioff, the Argentine composer and Tenebrae. If you don't know what the word is. It relates to the Holy Week just before Easter and refers to liturgy in the Catholic Church associated with that week. And there's one service where there are 15 candles, and then one by one they are extinguished. And what follows is sung in Tenebris in darkness. So that's where they get the word from. And throughout history, there have been composers from, you know, Palestrina and to Couperin to Stravinsky of all composed pieces either about this Tenebrae or. Or called Tenebrae or versions of that word. But this one from Osvaldo Goliahov for string quartet is especially beautiful. It's a 13 minute piece and we're gonna pick it up about five minutes in at a beautiful viola solo. But I. I would say that, you know, it's a work filled with pain, but it's also very beautiful. So if you're, let's say, a fan of Max Richter's on the Nature of Daylight, you will love this music.

[Eric Satie]

Sa Sat. Sa Sat.

[Tom Huizenga]

What a wonderful, glorious journey this song is. I mean, you know, it. It's mournful and then there's this, like a sense of struggle in it and. And then it kind of settles down with that pulsing part. But then. But then it's suspenseful.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's some turmoil.

[Tom Huizenga]

There's some turmoil or something before you then sort of step into this. You've emerged into this meadow and the sun is rising and everything's going to be okay.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's a beautiful look back to the baroque from composer Oswaldo Golihoff, inspired by Francois Couperin, the French composer's piece called Tenebrae. And the piece that we just heard is also called Tenebrae. Golihan said that he was inspired by that Couperin piece, but also by the violence that he witnessed when he was visiting Israel in the year 2000. Then he said that he. Right after that, he took his son to the planetarium in New York City and was very moved by an image of the Earth as like this tiny blue dot in space. And then he said about composing this piece, the compositional challenge was to have the music sound like an orbiting spaceship that never touches ground.

[Tom Huizenga]

Well, I hadn't thought of something quite so celestial with this because the name of the album is the Four Elements, right?

[Stephen Thompson]

Correct.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah. And so I think this piece appears in the water section, is that right?

[Stephen Thompson]

It does, but it could also appear in the air section. But yes, it is. I mean, there are these undulating long line melismatic phrases that kind of interleave with each other and gives you this pulsating sense of your journeying somewhere.

[Tom Huizenga]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's a really moving, beautiful piece for String Quartet performed there by Brooklyn Rider from their forthcoming record called the Four Elements, out in a few weeks.

[Tom Huizenga]

Well, Tom, thanks so much as always for just hanging out and sharing all these great tunes.

[Stephen Thompson]

Always great spinning tunes with you, Robin. Thank you.

[Tom Huizenga]

All right. And Stephen Thompson back here to talk about our favorite songs from 2012. Hey, Stephen.

[Hazel Sills]

It is so good to be here. Robin.

[Tom Huizenga]

We're up to 2012. You know, when we were talking about 2011, the last time we were doing this, you mentioned about what an incredible year 2012 is. So what's one of the first things that you think of with 2012?

[Hazel Sills]

This is one of the hardest years to nail down because the pop radio served us up three inescapable songs, one of which we talked about when we talked about 2011, somebody that I Used to Know by Gautier featuring Kimbrough. One of them was Call Me maybe by Carly Rae Jackson, which I remember having a vigorous debate with you and Bob Boylan about, because I loved it and you guys were wrong. And we are Young by.

[Tom Huizenga]

I want to come back to that song, though, because I stand corrected. And I've come.

[Hazel Sills]

You've come around.

[Tom Huizenga]

I've covered that song.

[Hazel Sills]

Yes, you are now correct. You have now joined the ranks of the correct. And We Are Young by Fun were kind of the three songs that were absolutely inescapable that year, but there were also so many other phenomenal songs and phenomenal records that have really, really stood the test of time. And I think this. It's hard to name the best one, but I'm gonna go with this.

[Frank Ocean]

A tornado flew around my room before you came Excuse the mess it made.

[Tom Huizenga]

It usually doesn't rain well, Frank Ocean. Thinking. Thinking about you or. Yeah.

[Frank Ocean]

When I'm thinking about you oh, no, no, no. I've been thinking about you, you no, no, no. I've been thinking about you do you think about me still? Do you? Do you or do you not?

[Tom Huizenga]

Cause I've been thinking about forever. This is timeless, and it's a classic, and it's one I should listen to more. But I honestly, I don't think that I have put this on in all the years since.

[Hazel Sills]

Robin.

[Tom Huizenga]

I know. It's so good to hear it again.

[Hazel Sills]

Also, I'm gonna do something we don't usually do on this show. I'm gonna skip ahead.

[Frank Ocean]

Yes, of course. I remember. How could I forget how you feel? How you feel you know you were my first time. A new feel it won't ever get old not in my soul, not in my spirit Keep it alive we'll go down this road till it turns from color to black and white.

[Tom Huizenga]

I mean, Robin, I know you talk about songs that pack it just full of emotion and they hit you in the heart like that.

[Hazel Sills]

That song does so much in 3 minutes and 21 seconds. But what the guitar is doing in that bridge just sends me. I'm not sure, other than occasionally encountering it on the radio, I'm not sure I have ever heard that song. Only once consecutively. Because every time I hear it, I immediately need to hear it again in part, so I can relive that bridge.

[Tom Huizenga]

Well, I'm gonna do a completely different mood shift again.

[Hazel Sills]

Great. I mean, there's so much. 2012 is such a good year for us.

[Tom Huizenga]

You know what the first note is that I wrote for 2012 when I was Throw a rock. Yeah, I really. I just wrote throw Rock. I don't know. Because it could be any number of things. For our 2016, for our Sweet 16 anniversary show, we picked tessellate by Alt J. Oh, my God. Which is an incredible song, but I'm gonna go with this one.

[Hazel Sills]

You just picked a song from 2012 by Fun that is not We Are Young.

[Tom Huizenga]

Because you just mentioned it and that you were rattling off everything I had we are Young down. And then I thought, okay, I've got to pick this song.

[Hazel Sills]

Oh, I've already stepped. I stepped on your line is what you're saying.

[Tom Huizenga]

No. Because now I get to do this one instead. Carry on.

[Natalia La Fricade]

Well, I woke up to the sound to silence the cause we're cutting like knives in a fist fight And I found you with a bottle of wine your head and the curtains and heart like the fourth of July you swore and said we are not, we are not shining stars this I know. I never said we are though. I never been through hell like that. I've closed enough windows. No, you can never look back.

[Tom Huizenga]

If.

[Natalia La Fricade]

You'Re lost in a loan or you're sinking like a stone Carry on May your past be the sound of your feet upon on the ground Carry on.

[Chris Staples]

Carry on Carry on.

[Hazel Sills]

The curtain pulls back, you realize you've been in a stadium the whole time.

[Tom Huizenga]

I will say I'm glad that you said we are young when you were listening to all the amazing songs, because I think this is maybe best than We Are Young.

[Hazel Sills]

I think you might be right. And We Are Young is great.

[Tom Huizenga]

And it is this whole Album Some nights by Fun though is just full of this. It is just like, if you want to feel good about everything, put this song on. Oh my God.

[Hazel Sills]

But who's to say that I do?

[Tom Huizenga]

Robin, you mentioned Euphoria on more than one occasion with some of your picks and. Well, actually you did your divorce, what would you call it?

[Hazel Sills]

No, that's what I call divorce, volumes one and two.

[Tom Huizenga]

And didn't you have songs from 2012 on that?

[Hazel Sills]

No, no, that was 2010 and 2011. 2012 is when I really was like, yes, I'm driving a beige minivan, but I can still hang. That was my vibe. You know what my favorite album of 2012 was that we haven't even talked about yet is Japan Droids.

[Tom Huizenga]

Oh, wow. Yeah, I had band that just split.

[Hazel Sills]

Band that just split. But they put, they put out one more records. Very good. But Japan Androids in 2012, the song fires Highway. That whole record was like. I remember I drove into work and I ran into Jacob Ganz, our dear colleague, and Jacob says, God, it's just like a little while later and Jacob comes in. He's like, God, it's so funny. I gotta tell you guys this story. I was walking to work and this car kind of pulls up at a light near me and it's just blazing the Japan droids just like so loud. And I look over and it's like a minivan. And I was like, jacob, that was absolutely me. Was this, Was this on. Was this on, you know, Georgia Avenue or whatever? And he's like, yes, it was.

[Tom Huizenga]

Also, we mentioned Kishibashi and Bright Whites on an earlier episode. His album 150 came out that year.

[Hazel Sills]

Best coast, the only place came out in 2012, could have easily just picked that.

[Tom Huizenga]

Well, I want to just take us out on this song by Fun Carry on from some nights until next time. Thanks, Stephen.

[Hazel Sills]

Thank you, Robin.

[Tom Huizenga]

And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's All Songs Considered.

[Eric Satie]

Ra Sam it. It's.

[Katia and Marielle Lebeck]

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