Sylvan Esso, Phoebe Bridgers, feeble little horse, more

Summary

NPR Music Podcast Summary

Episode: Sylvan Esso, Phoebe Bridgers, feeble little horse, more

Original Air Date: July 21, 2026
Hosts: Bob Boilen, Dora Malecki
Episode Focus:
Each week, NPR’s All Songs Considered dives into the freshest music releases and hidden gems, this time spotlighting new tracks and albums from Sylvan Esso, Phoebe Bridgers, feeble little horse, Olivia Tremor Control, Snooper, and the cryptic group @ (Ampersat). Hosts Bob Boilen and Dora Malecki bring together passionate, insightful conversation about what makes each song and artist special, with an ear for sharp analysis and a sense of fun.

---

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the latest and most exciting releases in indie, pop, and alternative music circles, sharing not just song selections but deep dives on lyrics, sonic textures, and the cultural context behind each pick. It’s a guide for listeners curious about what’s innovative and moving in today’s music, spanning anticipated album releases, surprise drops, and long-awaited comebacks.

---

Episode Breakdown

1. Sylvan Esso – "Concrete Glen"

[02:12 – 05:48; Discussion to 08:04]

• Context: First single from Sylvan Esso’s upcoming album Ow, Infinity, their first in four years (album drops Sept. 11).
• Song Vibe: Bob describes it as “laid back … but there’s so much life in it. But it’s also a little dystopian” ([05:55]). The song projects party imagery shifting into subtle commentary on urban sprawl and environmental unease.
• Lyric Analysis:
  • Dora highlights, “Rather than she was falling in, she was engulfing someone else. It was like a song of overwhelming desire and wanting to, like, kind of capture someone into your embrace, which I really like” ([06:39]).
• Sound: Sparse instrumentation, broken backbeat, heavy focus on Amelia Meath’s evocative vocals.
• Sample usage: Song features a vocal sample from Sigur Rós ([07:28]).
• Quote:
  • Bob: “Couldn’t you live in the vibe of that song for the rest of your life?” ([05:48])
  • Dora: “…that’s one of the best Sylvan Esso songs I’ve ever heard.” ([05:51])

---

2. feeble little horse – “dmt”

[08:37 – 11:45; Discussion to 14:12]

• Context: Last track from recent surprise album Bit Not (released end of May). Pittsburgh-based indie rockers known for genre-bending, glitchy sound.
• Song Vibe: Sonic chaos, filled with glitchy, distorted textures.
• Thematic Focus:
  • Bob: “I’m always amazed when a band can take a sound that is so abrasive and still make you want to sit in it…” ([11:45])
  • Dora: "In the other moments where the lead singer, Lydia, is kind of… her voice is so sweet and apathetic that it contrasts the loudness so well" ([12:19])
• Meaning of "DMT": Not the psychedelic, but "Death Money Tech" – reflecting themes of capitalism, tech burnout, and Gen Z malaise ([13:39]).
• Lyrical Note: Opens with “I’m tuned to a key,” evoking the struggle of feeling like part of the machinery ([14:02]).

---

3. Phoebe Bridgers – “Lost Boys” (Acoustic)

[17:12 – 21:44; Discussion to 23:46]

• Context: Acoustic version of the first single from Bridgers’ imminent solo album Lost Weekend (August 14); her first solo set in 6 years.
• Musical Approach: Stripped back, letting Bridgers’ lyricism and vocal performance shine.
• Host Reactions:
  • Bob: “I find everything she does to be so magical” ([21:44]).
  • Dora: “I feel like she is at her best when she is her most quiet and when she is going as far as she can. Like in... ‘I Know the End,’ the last track on Punisher, where it just ends in that huge scream” ([23:14]).
• Thematic Contrast: Known for balancing “gloom and joy,” mixing “cruelty and kindness” ([22:12]).
• Memorable Moment: Both hosts adore the “1, 2, 3, woo” counting moment in the song.

---

4. Snooper – “Recess”

[24:37 – 28:00; Discussion to 28:27]

• Context: Surreal, playful single from the Nashville-based punky group, not yet attached to an album. Came with its own video game.
• Sound: Fast, repetitive “schoolyard taunt” feel with a synthetic, energetic edge ([26:39], [27:01]).
• Visuals & Game: Snooper is known for big puppets and dolls in their visuals; the video game involves collecting materials to create synthesizers and mixtapes for dolls ([27:31]).
• Comparison: Bob compares the track’s spirit to Muppets’ Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem – “It has that sort of Muppet playfulness, but kind of surreal” ([28:00]).

---

5. Olivia Tremor Control – “Garden of Light”

[30:39 – 34:23; Discussion to 35:18]

• Context: First new music from cult Elephant 6 collective band in nearly 30 years; The Same Place (album) finally completed by surviving members after both core songwriters’ deaths.
• Sound: Trippy, colorful, “paisley rainbows” – classic Olivia Tremor Control; “infinitely catchy” and textured ([34:23]).
• Production: Analog, live-take recording. Dora especially notes the “laser gun” sound effect ([34:53]).
• Legacy: Documented in A Future History of the Elephant 6 Recording Company.
• Quote:
  • Bob: “Everything they put out, those first couple of albums and they have a collection of singles–each of them are like a triple album. So much great music to get lost in” ([35:18]).

---

6. @ (Ampersat) – “Auto Smile”

[37:04 – episode end]

• Context: Single from the elusive band named @ (stylized as “ampersat” per the show’s playful debate), released a few weeks ago.
• Song Vibe: Cyclic, introspective. Explores the end of a relationship in a haunting, mysterious way.
• Unique element: Hosts discuss the confusion around the band’s name, ultimately leaning into the term “ampersat” ([36:56]).
• Dora’s Take: “I just keep coming back to this song” for its cyclical beauty ([37:04]).

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Bob on Sylvan Esso:

  “Couldn’t you live in the vibe of that song for the rest of your life?” [05:48]

• Dora on Phoebe Bridgers:

  “I feel like she is at her best when she is her most quiet and when she is going as far as she can.” [23:14]

• Bob introducing Olivia Tremor Control history:

  “The two main guys ... died very young ... But the surviving members of the band have finally gotten the album across the finish line ... first new album in almost 30 years.” [29:20–29:39]

• Bob on Snooper:

  “It’s like a playground taunt, but very much for this century ... It’s almost like there’s this synthetic AI almost kind of element to it.” [26:39]

• Dora on feeble little horse:

  “Her voice is so sweet and apathetic that it contrasts the loudness so well.” [12:19]

• Bob on Phoebe Bridgers’ lyrical skill:

  “I know you think this too, that there are just few artists who can mix gloom and joy better than Phoebe Bridgers.” [22:12]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Tiny Desk Contest Tour Recap: 00:16 – 01:36
• Sylvan Esso – “Concrete Glen”: 02:12 – 08:04
• feeble little horse – “dmt”: 08:37 – 14:12
• Phoebe Bridgers – “Lost Boys” (Acoustic): 17:12 – 23:59
• Snooper – “Recess”: 24:37 – 28:27
• Olivia Tremor Control – “Garden of Light”: 30:39 – 35:18
• @ (Ampersat) – “Auto Smile”: 37:04 – 44:08 (music to end)

---

Tone & Style

Conversational, deeply knowledgeable, enthusiastic, marked by friendly teasing and playfulness between the hosts. Emphasis on vivid lyrical interpretation, personal reactions, and the context that makes each song interesting. The episode is accessible whether or not listeners are already familiar with the artists.

---

In Summary

This is a not-to-miss episode for anyone seeking the pulse of adventurous and emotionally rich new music, with special insight into how artists like Sylvan Esso and Phoebe Bridgers keep evolving and how underground collectives like Elephant 6 still surprise. Co-hosts Bob and Dora’s warmth, passion, and curiosity make this a lively, insightful listen packed with song discovery and meaningful conversation.

Transcript

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer]

This message comes from Rosetta Stone. Offering an alternative approach to language learning without relying on traditional memorization, the platform guides users to intuitively think in a second language. More information@Rosetta Stone.com this episode of All

[Bob Boilen]

Songs Considered comes to you from NPR Music. And the NPR Music podcast is where we talk about the best new songs, best new albums, whatever else is happening in the music verse. We got new episodes of All Songs Considered every Tuesday, Alt Latino every Wednesday, and we close out every week with New music Friday. NPR Music also, where you will find the one and only Dora Levitt.

[Dora Malecki]

Hi, Robin. So happy to be here.

[Bob Boilen]

You know, the last time you were on the show, I was like, okay, well, when can you come on again? You were like, I think maybe two months. And I thought two months. But you had. There was the contest tour, the Tiny Desk contest tour.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, I was on the road with the Tiny Desk contest tour. We were going across the country. We had 10 shows starting on the West Coast. We made our way all the way back to D.C. with our contest winners, Cure for Paranoia. The shows were so much fun. Robin, you came to.

[Bob Boilen]

Well, I came. So I was at the Boston show and the DC show and, yeah, the band, Cure for Paranoia. Awesome. And then we had local bands.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, we had two local bands who had submitted to the contest who were really great picked by our NPR member stations in the place that we were at. I am also so glad to be back.

[Bob Boilen]

Well, two months have actually passed since the last time you were on, so you were right. A grateful nation welcomes you back. Always happy to have you.

[Dora Malecki]

So glad to be back.

[Bob Boilen]

Re dock at the mothership. We're talking best new songs of the week on this episode. Is it all right if I kick us off with something? So this is something that just dropped. This is like breaking news.

[Guest Singer 1]

Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

So Sylvanesso, Silver Silva, Nesso, Amelia Meath, Nick Sanborn. They just announced that they've got a new album coming out. It's their first in four years. It's called Ow, Ow. Infinity, which I get it.

[Guest Singer 1]

Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

Ow, infinity, ow. And then the infinity ow and the infinity symbol. I pretty much spent my entire weekend listening to this first single that just dropped.

[Dora Malecki]

I haven't heard it.

[Bob Boilen]

I'm sorry. Yeah. From the album. I've had it on constant repeat. It's called Concrete Glen. Concrete Glen.

[Guest Singer 2]

At the party I fell down, down the stairs again over my party dress and into Concrete Glen the streetlights, the river, the honking the birds, the many, many people fishes Coming up for air who thought you would Come and take me away Couldn't start up sinking to it damn deeper in the cliff Could've tried to pull me back Reaching out for me when I'm smiling Through the ice it flows Light reflecting off my teeth Baby, look around it's your first or you like a smile it's your first time don't you Kiss you on the mouth Swallow you down concrete but never let you out Baby, look around it's your first time oh, you love the sound of your first time, don't you? Kiss you on the mouth Swallow you down concrete will never let you out.

[Guest Singer 3]

Hey out

[Guest Singer 2]

Never let you out I

[Guest Singer 1]

am,

[Guest Singer 2]

I am,

[Guest Singer 3]

I am

[Guest Singer 2]

Never let you at the party I'm talking and taking a step back Pulling a cigarette is sticking to my lip Surrounded by the laughter Surrounded by my friends but in my eyes reflected vision concrete Baby, look around it's your first time in or you like the sound it's your first time don't you? Kiss you on the mouth Swallow you down concrete never let you out Baby, look around it's your first time in

[Guest Singer 3]

it oh, you like the sound of

[Guest Singer 2]

your first time, don't you? Kiss you on the mouth Swallow you down concrete will never let you. Out

[Guest Singer 3]

never let you I am, I

[Guest Singer 4]

am,

[Guest Singer 3]

I,

[Bob Boilen]

I am never let you

[Guest Singer 2]

I am,

[Guest Singer 3]

I am. You.

[Bob Boilen]

Couldn't you live in the vibe of that song for the rest of your life?

[Dora Malecki]

Oh, my God. I feel like that's one of the best sylvanesso songs I've ever heard.

[Bob Boilen]

It's incredible. Yeah, it is so good. It's kind of laid back. It just has a super laid back vibe. But at the same time, there's just so much life in it. But it's also a little dystopian too, because she's kind of singing about being at a party and probably drinking and smoking too much, and she trips and falls into this concrete glen. A glen, in this case, being like a valley, but it's a concrete valley. So it's sort of invoking ideas and images around, like, glowing global warming in the end of the planet, and we've paved over everything and all our priorities are upside down.

[Dora Malecki]

The lyrics are so vivid. I love the Kiss you on the mouth swallow you down concrete glen.

[Bob Boilen]

Yeah.

[Dora Malecki]

Cause I so much got from this that rather than she was falling in, she was engulfing someone else. It was like a song of overwhelming desire and wanting to, like, kind of capture someone into your embrace, which I really like.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh, interesting. I think the thing that I love most about the song and so Much of Silva Nesso's work is the contrast in it. Emil Yami's voice is doing so much of the lifting in this song because the instruments are pretty spare. Just that sort of broken backbeat, which is so cool.

[Dora Malecki]

So cool.

[Bob Boilen]

There's just a bass that kind of goes. Just kind of slides up and down and then. And it's her voice, but, you know, heavier beats and sounds set against the beauty of her voice. I don't know. Did you recognize that vocal sample in it?

[Dora Malecki]

I did, but.

[Bob Boilen]

Did you place it? Do you know what it's from?

[Dora Malecki]

Well, I cheated and I looked it up. Cause I was like, oh my God, what is that? What is that? And it's Sigur Ross.

[Bob Boilen]

Yeah, it's Sega Ross. Yeah, for sure. It's from, I think, maybe their second album. One of the songs I can't pronounce, but. Yeah, that little boo boo.

[Guest Singer 3]

Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

Works so perfectly in here.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, it's so beautiful.

[Bob Boilen]

Well, I have not heard the whole album, but I'm very excited.

[Dora Malecki]

Me too.

[Bob Boilen]

To hear it. Hearing this song. They've got one other single that they dropped before this, but. Ow. Infinity just announced the album is out on September 11th from Sylvanesso.

[Dora Malecki]

Okay. So like you said, I haven't been on the show in a while and I cheated. And some of my songs are not from this week. So much so it's not working out. Yeah, I'll go.

[Bob Boilen]

Why don't you go ahead and sign your time card when you leave.

[Dora Malecki]

Okay. Yeah, I'll move away. Well, anyways, this song is from one of my favorite albums that I've heard in a while. And it actually came out at the end of May, so not too far away. The last few days of May from the indie pop indie rock band Feeble Little Horse.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh, I saw that. You know, I never ended up listening to it and I saw they dropped this song, so. Okay, I'm excited to hear it.

[Dora Malecki]

Well, thank God I didn't leave the studio just now. Well, anyways, this is the last track on that album called Bit Not. And the song is called dmt.

[Guest Singer 2]

333 to a key there are frequencies I hear underneath While I can't see

[Bob Boilen]

the engine running Hit hit, hit the little. Wind and o o o forever my name's on st. And I'm so lucky

[Guest Singer 5]

cause it's all for me And I'm

[Bob Boilen]

so lucky cause it's all for me

[Guest Singer 5]

And I'm so lucky cause it's all for me.

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer]

That's my.

[Guest Singer 4]

Right there.

[Bob Boilen]

Wow. That is a take no Prisoners just.

[Dora Malecki]

And you know, I feel like I've slightly misled you because the whole album is not like that. And it is a little bit more refined. And the heaviness, which I feel like Feeble Little Horse so often uses in songs like this Is Real, which was their single from last year.

[Bob Boilen]

We said that on their show.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, yeah. Which is just really loud and unpredictable. They've kind of swapped out for a glitchier type of heaviness that's crunchy and less guitar rock loud. Which is why I love their music so much, which is why I was probably drawn to this song, which is just a complete explosion. Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

I think a lot of their music, particularly like that song this Is Real, I. You use the word unpredictable. I think that's a word that I would have always used to describe them. This one kind of stays in the same sort of lane throughout. It does get a little bit bigger as it goes along and a little heavier, but I like this glitched out direction. I'm always amazed when a band can take a sound that is so abrasive and still make you want to sit in it, you know, Like, I don't necessarily want to be yelled at when I'm listening to a song, you know, I'm not always reaching for punk or whatever, you know, but like, they make this somehow infectious.

[Dora Malecki]

I was thinking a lot about that when I was listening to this song. And I think the reason why that loudness works so well is because in the other moments where the lead singer, Lydia, is kind of. I feel like she's always like spinning a nursery rhyme to me. And she's. Her voice is so sweet and apathetic that it contrasts the loudness so well. And you hear her like sweet, very almost monotoned voice across all of their music. And then. So when it gets loud, you want to lean in more.

[Bob Boilen]

So for people who don't know Feeble Little Horse, they're from Pittsburgh.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, they're from Pittsburgh. And they're slightly enigmatic to me. I feel like. I mean, this album came out as a surprise at the end of May. There was no teasing with singles or anything. They canceled their last tour for their album Girl With Fish, which was a really incredible album. And it's a trio. And I feel like a lot of their music really speaks to the young adult Gen Z experience, of which I feel like a lot of indie artists are writing about now. Of the frustrations with late stage capitalism and feeling burnt out by technology. And the song DMT is Death Money Tech oh, okay.

[Bob Boilen]

I wondered if there's some psychedelic. Okay, that's dmt. And I wondered if this was just about some bad trip or something like that. But no, that tracks too. Just a feeling of unreality or disassociation, blurring the lines between what is real and what isn't and not really understanding what is and what isn't.

[Guest Singer 2]

Yeah.

[Dora Malecki]

Even here the song starts out with Lydia saying, I'm tuned to a key. It feels like she is the thing that she is fighting against, that she's turned into the technology.

[Bob Boilen]

Yeah. So feeble little horse. And the song DMT from the album Bit not that, just surprised. Released at the end of May.

[Guest Singer 2]

Yeah.

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer]

This message comes from Rosetta Stone offering an alternative approach to language learning without relying on traditional memorization. The platform guides users to intuitively think in a second language. More information@Rosetta Stone.com support for this NPR

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer 2]

podcast and the following message come from Carvana Selling your car Carvana has offers so good they're almost inexplicable. Sell your car 100% online in minutes. Visit Carvana.com today.

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer]

This message comes from BetterHelp. People talk about mental health more openly now, but asking for help can still feel hard. BetterHelp's 2026 State of Stigma report surveyed 2,000Americans and found that 85% believe getting support is wise, yet 74% say society discourages people from doing so. Don't let stigma stand in the way of support. Start therapy with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com NPR support for this podcast and the following message come from Strawberry Me. Be honest. Are you happy with your job? Are you stuck in a job you've outgrown or never wanted in the first place? Are your reasons for staying really just excuses for not leaving? Let a career coach from Strawberry Me help you get unstuck. Discover the benefits of having a dedicated career coach in your Corner and get 50% off your first coaching session at Strawberry Me.

[Bob Boilen]

Well, Dora, I'm sure if you're like me and apparently many, many, many, many millions of other people on the planet, you are on full on Phoebe Bridger's watch. Yes, Right. So you know, a few weeks ago at the end of June, she announced her highly anticipated and long awaited new album. It's finally coming out. It's called Lost Weekend. It's been like six years since her previous solo album, which I can't, I can't believe it's been that long.

[Dora Malecki]

I can't believe it either. Right at the beginning of COVID is when it came out.

[Bob Boilen]

Yeah, it was, like, called Punisher. Came out in 2020. She's been doing a bunch of other stuff in the meantime. You know, she's got the boy Genius project. She's been touring a bunch. But her first solo album in six years, it's not coming out till mid August, I can tell you that. I have actually heard the album. I got it, and I feel very confident saying that it is the best album she's ever done.

[Dora Malecki]

Oh, my God, I'm so excited.

[Bob Boilen]

It is incredible. I cannot wait for people to hear it. And the one and only single we've gotten from Lost Weekend so far. It's been out for a few weeks now, is Lost Boys. But she just released an acoustic version of that song, and I thought we'd give it a listen.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, I haven't heard the acoustic version.

[Guest Singer 2]

Oh, yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh, it's beautiful. Again, it's called Lost Boys.

[Guest Singer 5]

On a motorbike doing 90 and a 55 to another life where they make you cut your hair Impatient with a rifle and your papers wait but not scared this machine is killing me I pretended it was make believe Lost boys never grow up, never go home home Lost boys never spend their lunch money, yeah Lost boys never grow up, never get old Lost boys

[Guest Singer 3]

find me

[Guest Singer 1]

that

[Guest Singer 5]

one time in East Berlin when you threw a dance room with a 57

[Guest Singer 1]

and broke a rib?

[Guest Singer 5]

You told me you wish you were dead But I don't believe that I still wonder how you're sleeping I don't feel bad but I'm sorry this machine is killing me I pretended it was make believe Lost boys never grow up, never go home oh. Lost boys never spend their lunch money, yeah Lost boys never grow up, never get old Lost boys

[Guest Singer 3]

find me.

[Guest Singer 5]

And a twin bed where all will be forgiven in an instant Hands in each other's hair we are born again so who cares where we're going in the morning? You are not there Lost boys never grow up, never go home Lost boys never spend their lunch money, yeah Lost voice Never give up, never get all lost Bo com me yeah,

[Guest Singer 3]

yeah, yeah,

[Guest Singer 5]

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Sam.

[Bob Boilen]

I just find everything she does to be so magical.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah. Especially this acoustic version. I feel like I hear the subtleties of her songwriting so much deeper when it's stripped back like this. I felt like when I heard the original version, I kind of. I didn't feel like it was anything new for Phoebe Bridgers. It was like another beautiful, classic Phoebe Bridgers song. What is it called? How does it compare to the rest of the album?

[Bob Boilen]

Well, yeah. Sort of like what you were saying about Feeble Little Horse. Like that one song doesn't necessarily reflect how the rest of the album sounds. This is maybe the most conventional, I'll say song on the record. The rest of it gets pretty epic. I mean, it's really incredible. Of course, it's also hard to hear, you know, a lot of musical adventure in an acoustic version like this. But this song, really just her voice, her lyricism, her gift for melody are all in there. There's always such a great arc to her songs too. There's like a build and a release. There's a story always sort of unfolding in ways that I really love and honestly, and I know you think this too, that there are just few artists who can mix gloom and joy better than Phoebe Bridgers. Like the light and the dark, like cruelty and kindness. You know, there are often references to violence in her songs, even as beautiful as they are. I mean, if you find a way to get those two things to dance together as well as she does, I am always gonna be all in.

[Dora Malecki]

I was thinking something very similar of. I feel like she is at her best when she is her most quiet and when she is going as far as she can. Like in. I know the end, the last track on Punisher, where it just ends in that huge scream, which is something that I feel like we don't get from her that much, which I'm excited to hear that. There's maybe more of that in this album, but in this song, when she does the counting, when she goes like 1, 2, 3, woo. That moment is my favorite moment of the song. It draws you in.

[Bob Boilen]

So this version of Lost Boys, the acoustic version, isn't on the album, it's just a one off. But the album Lost Weekend is coming out on August 14th, so you don't have to wait too much longer to hear the whole thing is so good.

[Dora Malecki]

I feel like the next song that I have, which just came out last week, is the complete opposite of what we just listened to. But it is just as enchanting as I feel like Phoebe Bridgers often is. You'll just. You'll hear it, but it is a very scrappy, repetitive schoolyard song. It just came out last week by the band Snooper and this song is called Recess.

[Guest Singer 4]

Awake Obsessed. My shoes come with strings put break Recess I never play for things Awake obsessed My shoes come with strings put break Recess I never play for things I never plan for things Div. I split down right to the core I nod and I remember yeah I felt it before I'm stuck all standing I had to pay for things awake Obsess Awake obsess I never plan for things. I never plan for things Awake obsessed My shit shoes come with strings Quick break, recess I never plan for things Awake obsessed My shoes come with string Quick break recess I never plan for things I never plan for things Awake obsessed My shoes come with strings Quick recess I never plan for things if I slid down right to the core but nodded out Remember yeah felt I never planned for things Awake obsessed My shoes come with strings Quick break, recess I never plan for things About a lot can't get it to stop I see I see what's on your mind it's sitting on top Headline something yeah, I've read it before but remember when we read it Sitting down on your floor Remember when we read it Sitting down on your floor Remember when we read it Sitting down on your poor Remember when we read it Sitting down on your floor. Awake obsessed My shoes come with strings Quick break recess I never plan for things Awake obsessed My shoes come with strings Quick break recess I never play for things. I never play for things Things I never play for things

[Bob Boilen]

that's incredible, right? It's. It's. It's like a playground taunt, but very much for this century, you know? Like, it's not the kind of thing you would have heard when I was on the playground, you know, as a kid, but it's just like. It's almost like there's this synthetic AI almost kind of element to it. I don't know if that makes sense.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, it totally does. It's also like this song is not what other Snooper songs sound like. It's normally very punky and the vocals are kind of always that high speed, playful chasing kind of sound, but under a punk instrumental. It's also funny. This song I learned last night isn't part of an album yet, but it came with a video game.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh, that makes total sense. Have you played it or seen it?

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, I stayed up really late playing it.

[Bob Boilen]

So what's the object of the game? Or what do you do?

[Dora Malecki]

So, Snooper, the band is known for their really big puppets and dolls. They're part of all of their visuals. And the game is that you're helping one of the dolls write the song.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh, okay.

[Dora Malecki]

And so you have to get. It's kind of like Minecraft in the way where you have to collect materials in order to build different machines to help make synthesizers to create mixtapes for the doll.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh, I love it. It's funny that I didn't know that about puppets and then because I kept thinking of the Muppets while I was listening to the song. It's like this is like if Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem were making music today and they had to completely rethink, you know, what kind of sound would doctor Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, it'd be this song, I think. Cause it has that sort of Muppet playfulness, sort of, but kind of surreal.

[Guest Singer 2]

Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

Well, the song Recess just a one off single now.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

Snooper.

[Dora Malecki]

As of now.

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer 2]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Carvana. Carvana makes car buying easy. 100% online prices down to the penny, delivered to your door. Why make car buying hard when it could be easy? Visit Carvana.com today. Terms may apply. This message comes from WISE. The Smart Way to manage your money around the world. With WISE, you can send, spend and receive money in over 40 currencies at the mid market rate. Learn more at wise.com Ts and Cs apply.

[Bob Boilen]

Dora, you're hip. You're, you're, you're. You're pretty cool.

[Dora Malecki]

That's what they tell me.

[Bob Boilen]

So you, you probably know all about the Elephant Six Collective. Yeah.

[Dora Malecki]

No.

[Bob Boilen]

Oh my God, Dora. Oh, this is amazing.

[Dora Malecki]

All right, well, I told you I wasn't cool.

[Bob Boilen]

You also listen, you know, you know Neutral Milk Hotel for sure. Right, okay. Apples and Stereo. Yeah, that band of Montreal. Yes, you certainly know. All right, yes, all these bands are part of the Elephant 6 Collective.

[Guest Singer 1]

Wow.

[Bob Boilen]

Elephant 6 Collective started in Louisiana, then kind of migrated to Athens, Georgia and Denver in the Shout Out. Athens, Athens, Georgia in the early 90s. My all time favorite band from that collective is a band called Olivia Trimmer Control. Do you know Olivia Tremor? I do know Olivia Tremor Control, Lars Gottrich. And I geek out about the collective and that band all the time. Well, anyway, the two main guys in Olivia Trimmer Control, Will Colonhart and Bill Doss, they sadly died very young. Bill Doss was only 43. He died in 2012. And Will Colonhart, he was only 53. He died in 2023. Just a few years ago, before Bill Doss died in 2012, they were on the verge of releasing their third album, a new album. Of course he passed away. It never happened. Then Will died. But the surviving members of the band have finally gotten the album across the finish line. They just announced it. It's called the Same Place. This is the band's first new album in almost 30 years. 27 years since the last album.

[Guest Singer 1]

Wow.

[Bob Boilen]

The song I want to play from it is called Garden of Light.

[Guest Singer 1]

Waiting on Ava. Embrace your life Hating the day. Every lie told Children's words. Around every corner the world sits and waits I tell you he can wait all day he's got a swallow radiance. As I sift through these dreams Us once again putting random bits in place Round every corner the W sits and waits Brother, he can wait all day he's got a smile that radiates. Sam. Around every corner he sits and waits Brother, he can wait all day he's got a smile that radiates. But I found a gun alive.

[Bob Boilen]

So if you. If you don't know Olivia Trimmer Control this. This is very much their sound. Paisley Rainbows, you know, Technicolor Fields of Flowers. Super trippy. And, you know, infinitely catchy too. Like I said, first album in nearly 30 years. We actually covered the release of a new song that they had back in 2011, and at that time said they've got a new album coming out next year. And then the whole thing just completely fell apart. But you know, Olivia, truly.

[Dora Malecki]

Yeah, I do. And I feel like when it's a long awaited release, I feel like it. The first time you hear it, it can often feel disappointing or tired, but that is not happening here at all. And I love how textured this song is. I love that little, like it sounded like a laser gun in the distance towards the end. Over the garden of light. Repetition.

[Guest Singer 1]

Yeah.

[Bob Boilen]

I mean, when they recorded these songs, it was usually in one take. Everyone in a room together kind of stumbling over each other to trigger tapes and hit things in real time. All very analog. There's this great documentary called A Future History of the elephant 6. Recording company came out a couple few years ago that if you want to know more about the Elephant 6 collective and how they recorded all their stuff together and a lot about Olivia Trimmer Control. You should totally watch that. You know, this is only their third album, but everything they put out those first couple of albums and they have a collection of singles. Each of them are like a triple album, like 30 tracks or something. It's like so much great music to get lost in. Anyway, Olivia Tremor Control, the album the Same Place, out October 23rd. But Dory, you've got one more that you want to play?

[Dora Malecki]

I've got one more. Was that your last one?

[Bob Boilen]

That is my.

[Dora Malecki]

That was my last one. Oh my gosh. We're growing out of it.

[Bob Boilen]

It goes so fast.

[Dora Malecki]

It goes so fast. It's by A band that is quite literally hard to describe as their name is the at Sign. What's the legal name for that term for that symbol?

[Bob Boilen]

It's not Ampersand.

[Dora Malecki]

I thought it was Ampersand.

[Bob Boilen]

No, because Ampersand's the crisscrossing thing. It's not the at symbol.

[Dora Malecki]

I feel like there's a legal, scientific term for that.

[Bob Boilen]

Legal, scientific term. Let's just see what's. I'm gonna use your words. What's the legal scientific. Logogram.

[Dora Malecki]

A logogram.

[Bob Boilen]

It is officially classified as a logogram. In scientific contexts, it is sometimes referred to as the ampersat. Oh, ampersat.

[Dora Malecki]

Well, this is the band logogram. This is the band Ampersat.

[Bob Boilen]

Which do we like for them? Kind of like ampersat.

[Dora Malecki]

I like ampersat as well.

[Bob Boilen]

Yeah.

[Guest Singer 1]

All right.

[Dora Malecki]

Well, anyways, this is the band Ampersat. Said no one ever about this band, probably. They have a single that just came out a few weeks ago called Auto Smile, and the song is very cyclical, and it kind of reflects on a end of a relationship in a way that is just so haunting and beautiful and mysterious that I just keep coming back to this song.

[Bob Boilen]

All right, well, we'll go out on this. Dora, always a great hang. It's so great to have you back.

[Dora Malecki]

So glad to be back. Always the best hang.

[Bob Boilen]

And you're listening to All Songs Considered from NPR Music.

[Guest Singer 5]

I know

[Guest Singer 3]

nothing wrong with my bed

[Guest Singer 5]

Too bad,

[Guest Singer 3]

yeah I said what I said I don't know how I belong to you But I do somehow

[Guest Singer 2]

I

[Guest Singer 3]

don't know how I came to stand up to you But I have no doubt

[Guest Singer 5]

I know

[Guest Singer 3]

nothing wrong with my bed Too bad, yeah I said what I said I don't know how I belong to you But I do somehow I don't know how I came to stand up to you But I have no doubt

[Guest Singer 5]

I know

[Guest Singer 3]

nothing wrong with my bed to yeah I said what I said I don't know how I belong to you But I do somehow I don't know how I came to stand up to you But I have no doubt.

[Bob Boilen]

Your head out

[Guest Singer 3]

If I wished we never met I wouldn't know the way I got here and I'm in a lovely place I can't believe my love my face within this world I am so blessed I'm saying thank you. There is a siren out my window tapping every morning I keep waking up for more. I said I don't know how I belong to you But I do somehow I don't know how I came to stand up to you But I have

[Guest Singer 2]

no doubt

[Guest Singer 3]

don't be a coward Come on, look at me and tell me that you'll even give me beauty Beauty give me grace Demonology could save me educate me bring me close to God But I'll miss you on his face thanks to beauty thanks to grace. I don't know how I came to stand up to you But I have no doubt.

[Guest Singer 5]

Sam.

[Guest Singer 3]

Open my bed to me I said I said I don't know how I belong to you but I do somehow I don't know how I came to stand up to you But I have no doubt I don't know know how I came to belong to you But I do somehow I don't know how I came to stand out to you But I have no doubt.

[Sponsor/Ad Announcer]

This message comes from Jerry noticing your car insurance rate creep up even without tickets or claims you're not alone. That's why there's Jerry. Jerry handles the legwork by comparing quotes side by side from over 50 top insurers so you can confidently hit buy. No spam calls, no hidden fees. Jerry even tracks rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. Drivers who save with Jeri could save over $1,300 a year. Don't overpay, download the Jerry app or visit Jerry AI, NPR Today, this message comes from Instacart. Instacart knows not all bananas are created equal. Some want them green, some ripe, some want them ready Right now. With Instacart's Preference Picker, available at most retailers, you can choose preferences like avocado ripeness or deli thickness before your shopper starts. So instead of hoping for the best, you get groceries picked the way you would pick them. Download the app and get bananas just how you like. With Instacart,