All Songs Considered – New Music Friday: The Best Albums Out Feb. 20

Date: February 20, 2026
Host: Stephen Thompson (NPR)
Guest: Evan Miller (WYSO, Ohio)

Episode Overview

This week, Stephen Thompson and guest Evan Miller break down some of the most exciting and eclectic new albums released on February 20th, spanning genres from boundary-pushing pop and folk-classical hybrids to Turkish psych-rock and experimental art-pop. The conversation highlights left-field music, inventive cross-genre collaborations, and thoughtful tributes to tradition. While big pop and rap releases like Willow and Baby Keem get shout-outs, the focus is on discovering gems that push music in new directions.

Key Albums & Discussions

Willow – Petal Rock Black

[00:41 – 03:03]

• Willow's surprise album “Petal Rock Black” fuses accessible pop with left-field sounds, featuring guests Tune-Yards, George Clinton (P-Funk), and Kamasi Washington.
• Includes a Prince cover ("I Would Die 4 U") and many fragmented tracks that creatively mix genres within just 26 minutes.

"Willow is extraordinarily inventive and never makes the same record twice. And that really comes through here...you have songs that play out almost as fragments and you know, it's where ideas are ping ponging around." — Stephen Thompson [01:54] "It was quite a pleasant surprise...arrangements are fantastic, a lot of really funky rhythms and grooves." — Evan Miller [01:31]

Baby Keem – Casino

[03:03]

• Not yet reviewed due to no early previews, but noted as a major release, given his reputation and connection to Kendrick Lamar.

Pekka Kuusisto – Willow

[04:26 – 09:12]

• Finnish violinist expands beyond traditional classical roots, collaborating with artists like Sam Amidon (folk) and composers Caroline Shaw and Ellen Reid. It’s a mix of classical, folk, and boundary-pushing contemporary music.

"You get these gorgeous, sweeping classical pieces, and then around halfway through, it takes this sharp left turn...melding folk music and classical." — Stephen Thompson [07:30] "Picking Sam Amidon and Nico Muhly for the arrangements for these folk songs is...a very clear choice on success." — Evan Miller [08:28]

Notable Tracks/Segments:

• “Desiderium” by Ellen Reid: Extended techniques, dedicated to Kuusisto’s late brother [05:49]
• Caroline Shaw's “Plan and Elevation”: Revisiting modern classical [06:20]
• Sam Amidon collaborations: Fuses folk/traditions with classical arrangements.

Manu Delago & Max ZT – Deuce

[09:12 – 13:35]

• Duo of handpan (Delago) and hammered dulcimer (Max ZT) recorded in a 13th-century Austrian monastery — results in radiant, tranquil soundscapes.

"Listening to this record, I get it. That's not wrong. Both, you know, these kind of virtuoso musicians..." — Stephen Thompson [10:28] "There's...almost a dizzying quality to it...but it still has a certain softness to it." — Stephen Thompson [13:35]

• Highlighted as perfect background music (for “dishes” or staring into the distance), showing percussion’s melodic, gentle side.

The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis – Deface the Currency

[18:08 – 22:19]

• Post-Fugazi instrumentalists and a jazz saxophonist churn out a genuine punk/free-jazz fusion.

"It's wild how much this record feels like jazz and how much it feels like punk. It's really one of the truest genre fusions I've heard in a while." — Stephen Thompson [19:27] "There's always fire kind of lurking underneath...just explodes." — Evan Miller [21:45]

• Tracks bounce between blistering improvisations and head-nodding punk grooves.

Hen Ogledd – Discombobulated

[23:33 – 28:12]

• Named after “the Old North” (Celtic Britain), this UK band blends ancient and modern: art-pop, folk, psychedelia, and experimental spoken word.

"One of the most appropriate album titles...discombobulated is 100% right on it. I feel like I'm stepping into another universe." — Evan Miller [24:50] "They're weirdos with a lot to say about the state of the world." — Stephen Thompson [25:12]

• Lyrics tackle human rights and systems in collapse (notably, the track “Scales Will Fall”). Songs combine childlike eeriness and social commentary.

Altın Gün – Garip

[29:52 – 35:24]

• Dutch-Turkish band known for psychedelic takes on Turkish folk. This record is a tribute to Turkish folk artist Neşet Ertaş—evocative, smoky, and deeply emotional.

"It feels like the band is moving towards a more organic place after getting a lot into the electronics zone...that feels really appropriate for this record." — Evan Miller [31:50] "When you listen to that track, you can practically see smoke wafting from the speakers." — Stephen Thompson [32:16]

• Song “Nerdesin Sen” praised for its driving, psychedelic energy. The band’s leader grew up on Ertaş’s cassettes, making this a personal project.

Lightning Round: Other Highlight Releases

[35:24 – 39:51]

• Megan Moroney – Cloud 9: Country-pop, heartache anthems, guests Ed Sheeran & Kacey Musgraves. "Future hits." [35:24]
• Chris Forsyth’s What Is Now – Both And: Trio with bass/drums from jazz trio Bark Culture. “Shaggy jams” between rock, jazz, and improvisation.
• Choker – Heaven Ain’t Sold: Psychedelic R&B comeback after a seven-year hiatus.
• MX Lonely – All Monsters: Grunge-inflected shoegaze, part of the genre’s modern revival.
• Mumford and Sons – Prize Fighter: Big roots pop comeback, guests include Chris Stapleton, Hozier, and Gracie Abrams.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Willow’s eclecticism:
  “You have songs that play out almost as fragments and you know, it's where ideas are just ping ponging around and you get through so, so many different sounds in those 26 minutes.”
  — Stephen Thompson [01:54]
• On Pekka Kuusisto’s blending of classical and folk:
  “You get these gorgeous, sweeping classical pieces, and then around halfway through, it takes this sharp left turn...”
  — Stephen Thompson [07:30]
• On Altın Gün’s atmosphere:
  “When you listen to that track, you can practically see smoke wafting from the speakers as it plays.”
  — Stephen Thompson [32:16]
• On Hen Ogledd’s strangeness:
  “One of the most appropriate album titles I've come across in recent memory, discombobulated is 100% right on it.”
  — Evan Miller [24:50]
• On Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis fusion:
  “It's really one of the truest genre fusions that I've heard in a while because it absolutely is both.”
  — Stephen Thompson [19:27]

Quick Reference: Timestamps for Major Albums

• Willow – Petal Rock Black: [00:41 – 03:03]
• Pekka Kuusisto – Willow: [04:26 – 09:12]
• Manu Delago & Max ZT – Deuce: [09:12 – 13:35]
• Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis – Deface the Currency: [18:08 – 22:19]
• Hen Ogledd – Discombobulated: [23:33 – 28:12]
• Altın Gün – Garip: [29:52 – 35:24]
• Lightning round: [35:24 – 39:51]

Tone & Language

Conversational, warm, and enthusiastic, the hosts approach music discovery with openness and joy. Technical details get balanced with colorful, accessible descriptions, making the discussion lively and approachable for both casual listeners and music nerds.

Summary

This episode's spirit is about genre fluidity, the joy of discovery, and music’s capacity to carry both tradition and wild invention. The hosts seamlessly jump across continents and genres, spotlighting records that surprise and delight. Whether it’s a Turkish psych band channeling ancestral roots or jazz-punk that truly sounds like both genres at once, NPR’s music team shows why All Songs Considered has been a flagship for music exploration more than two decades running.

For more:
Visit npr.org/allsongs for playlists, past episodes, and featured artists.