The Contenders, Vol. 14: Upchuck, Just Mustard, Brandon Woody, more

Summary

All Songs Considered: "The Contenders, Vol. 14" Summary

Release Date: June 24, 2025
Hosts: Robin Hilton and Nate Chinen
Podcast: All Songs Considered by NPR

---

I. Reunion and Introduction

[00:19]
Robin Hilton opens this special episode with enthusiasm, welcoming back Nate Chinen, the editorial director at WR. Their reunion is marked by playful banter, reestablishing their strong rapport after a long hiatus.

Robin Hilton:
"It's All Songs Considered. I'm Robin Hilton. And this week on a very special edition of All Songs Considered, the prodigal son returns."

Nate Chinen:
"Yeah. I'm psyched to be back. Thank you."

Their friendly exchange underscores the deep camaraderie and shared passion for music that defines the show.

II. Exploring the Week’s Song Contenders

Robin and Nate delve into the week’s selection of songs, noting the complexity and thematic richness. Robin initially struggles to pinpoint a unifying theme but Nate suggests that "authority" might be a central thread.

Nate Chinen:
"Yeah, I'm not sure if I could find a through line other than just sheer authority."
[01:36]

III. Feature on Upchuck and Their Single "Plastic"

[01:55]
The discussion shifts to Upchuck, an Atlanta-based band known for their intense and authoritative sound. Robin introduces their latest single, "Plastic," which is described as a pulse-spiking track that commands attention.

Robin Hilton:
"This batch of tunes really tells you the people making them know exactly what they want and they know how to get it."
[01:45]

Nate draws comparisons to iconic bands like the Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers, highlighting Upchuck's roots in the skater punk scene and their DIY ethic.

Nate Chinen:
"This band took me by surprise. And then when I looked into their story, it's like, oh, yeah, of course, they're like skaters, right?"
[04:18]

The production by Ty Siegel and endorsements from Henry Rollins and Iggy Pop are noted as significant influences, especially in a year where hardcore music is resurging.

Robin Hilton:
"I really love Ty Siegel and his fingerprints are kind of all over this."
[05:07]

The song's bilingual lyrics in English and Spanish are identified as an intentional move to subtly address contemporary issues like immigration without being overt.

Robin Hilton:
"They're getting you thinking about things without saying very explicitly... a very intentional move on their part."
[06:01]

IV. The Westerlies and Their Track "Paradise"

[07:02]
Robin suggests featuring The Westerlies' "Paradise," a stark contrast to Upchuck's aggressive sound. Nate agrees, highlighting the song's themes of community, empathy, and healing.

Nate Chinen:
"This is all about community and softness and empathy and love. It's a very nurturing and healing track."
[07:40]

[11:06]
Nate provides an in-depth look at The Westerlies, a brass quartet rooted in jazz and classical training, influenced by American folk and sacred harp singing. He explains how their music fosters a vocal ideal and collective musical endeavors.

Nate Chinen:
"It is very directly inspired by the tradition of sacred harp singing or shape note music... a rural community, collective music making endeavor."
[11:06]

Robin reflects on the song's beauty intertwined with dissonance, pondering its deeper meanings about the balance between present well-being and future hopes.

Robin Hilton:
"It has something in her phrasing... it's like she doesn't flinch at all."
[12:22]

V. Spotlight on Just Mustard and "Pollyanna"

[15:50]
Robin introduces Just Mustard, an Irish shoegaze rock band with a grungy edge. Their new single "Pollyanna" is praised for its compelling sound and intricate pedal effects.

Robin Hilton:
"This sound is just glorious to me."
[20:37]

Nate discusses the song's drumbeat, initially mistaking it for a Radiohead sample, which leads to a comparison between Just Mustard and Radiohead's "Weird Fishes."

Nate Chinen:
"I think this is like Radiohead's 'Weird Fishes.' It makes me see some similarities between the two groups."
[21:00]

The duo appreciates Katie Ball's vulnerable yet determined vocal delivery, likening her presence to Deerhoof's approach of balancing clarity against tumultuous instrumentation.

Robin Hilton:
"When that beat kicks in... I can't get it out of my head."
[21:35]

VI. Brandon Woody and "Beyond the Reach of Our Eyes"

[23:12]
Nate introduces Brandon Woody, a Baltimore-based trumpeter who has rapidly gained recognition, signing with Blue Note Records. His band Upendo's debut album and multiple festival appearances are highlighted as indicators of his meteoric rise.

Nate Chinen:
"There's rarely a glow up for an improvising musician quite like the one we've seen this year for Brandon Woody."
[23:12]

Robin praises Woody's song "Beyond the Reach of Our Eyes" for its catchy melody and compelling arrangement that stays with the listener long after the song ends.

Robin Hilton:
"I love the way it sort of lights back down to earth at the end of this song."
[31:37]

Nate explains the song's structure and emotional journey, emphasizing its battle cry-like intervals that convey triumph and perseverance.

Nate Chinen:
"This song is really a whole journey."
[32:03]

VII. Revisiting 2017’s Number One Songs

[33:30]
To celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary, Robin and guest Stephen Thompson look back at their favorite tracks from 2017. Kendrick Lamar’s "DNA" from the album Damn is a unanimous pick, celebrated for its profound impact and Pulitzer Prize win.

Robin Hilton:
"DNA from Kendrick Lamar, obviously from the album Damn... I listened to it and then I just started it all over again."
[34:14]

Stephen Thompson:
"DNA is a perfect jam. You could play that one or play loyalty. But I have a song that very few people know—'Afterthought' by Close Talker."
[37:17]

Robin admits unfamiliarity with Close Talker, prompting Stephen to passionately advocate for the song's brilliance and emotional depth.

Stephen Thompson:
"I have never gotten tired of it. It just slides under your skin."
[38:14]

Other notable mentions include Mount Eerie’s "A Crow Looked at Me," Feist’s "Pleasure," and Ke$ha’s "Praying," highlighting the diverse and impactful music landscape of 2017.

VIII. Conclusion

Robin and Nate wrap up the episode by reflecting on the joy of discovering and sharing music with friends, underscoring the enduring relevance of meaningful musical conversations.

Robin Hilton:
"Listening to music with a friend is fun. It really is."
[40:46]

As the episode concludes, listeners are left with a rich tapestry of musical insights, compelling tracks, and a celebration of both new and nostalgic sounds that define the vibrant world of music discovery.

---

This episode of All Songs Considered masterfully intertwines in-depth discussions of emerging artists with nostalgic retrospectives, offering listeners both fresh perspectives and cherished memories in the realm of music.

Transcript

[NPR Sponsor]

Support for npr. And the following message come from Indeed. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com NPR terms and conditions apply.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, It's All Songs Considered. I'm Robin Hilton. And this week on a very special edition of All Songs Considered, the prodigal son returns. Nate Shanin, editorial director at wr.

[Nate Chinen]

Is that who I am to you, Robin?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Are you a wild child?

[Nate Chinen]

You know, I'm trying to reign in my wilder impulses these days, but, you.

[Robin Hilton]

Know, it's been a minute, a very long minute since we did a show together.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah. I'm psyched to be back. Thank you.

[Robin Hilton]

I think maybe not since, you know, we were hanging out drinking vermouth and I told you that jazz is overrated and you basically, you've been ghosting me ever since.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I threw mine in your face.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, you tossed your drink in my face. Now I'm kidding. You are a jazz head, of course. But one of the things that I've always loved about you and the music you bring, Nate, is you're one of those big ear listeners. You love lots of different stuff, always a good hang because you're always turning me onto something I was missing. You know, we've been starting these contenders episodes out lately by flagging or highlighting whatever the big questions are that come up in the songs we're gonna play. And this week's batch of songs, it wasn't so clear for me. There's a lot going on in all of them. I think maybe subversion maybe seems to be at the heart of a lot of these songs, but I don't know.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah, I'm not sure if I could find a through line other than just sheer authority.

[Robin Hilton]

That's a good one.

[Nate Chinen]

You know, this is a batch of tunes that really tell you the people making them know exactly what they want and they know how to get it.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I mean, that's certainly true of this first band that we're going to hear. It's a band called Upchuck. Upchuck. They're from Atlanta and they just put out this single that I think will probably spike anybody's pulse. It is called Plastic.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sharpshooter Me.

[Unknown]

You never miss a big one.

Slick jump.

Always the.

Dead Enough.

I might just accept that grow folk always want to act like they know.

[Robin Hilton]

Some dumb look never get a hip.

[Unknown]

Sleep upstuck.

Get together.

[Robin Hilton]

I don't know if it's because they keep saying, so what you want? But I keep thinking of the Beastie Boys. Oh, right. And I keep thinking this is like punk Beastie Boys and like a little bit of Red Hot Chili Peppers or maybe even like, I don't know, Arrested Development or something.

[Nate Chinen]

Well, you know, that's such a. You know, the Beasties came up out of hardcore, right? So like. So that sort of sneering, like, absolute mayhem and the coiled intensity, like, yeah, that all feels true to the reference. Because I'm not. I don't have my ear to the ground of, like, the hardcore scene. Like, this band took me by surprise. And then when I looked into their story, it's like, oh, yeah, of course, they're like skaters, right? They came out of, like a real DIY skater punk kind of scene in Atlanta, but then I guess have gotten an enthusiastic co sign from the likes of Henry Rollins and Iggy Pop. And then Ty Siegel produced that track. And I don't know, I mean, with the, like, absolute triumph of Turnstile this year, it kind of feels like the, you know, the hardcore and hardcore adjacent scene is really having a moment. Is that how you see it?

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, I have to be honest, I don't listen to a lot of hardcore, and maybe it's because Ty Siegel produced it. And I really love Ty Siegel and his fingerprints are kind of all over this, so. But it may be no more complicated. You know, the whole idea of hardcore having a moment, it may be no more complicated than it very much reflecting the times. I mean, just like how punk came up, you know, in the 70s. It was sort of inevitable for the times.

[Nate Chinen]

And then this track also has lyrics in both English and Spanish. Right, right. So what are your thoughts about that in this particular moment in time?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I certainly feel comfortable saying it's very intentional, that it was a very intentional move on their part.

[Nate Chinen]

Right.

[Robin Hilton]

And I guess that's maybe another reason why the song works so well, is because it's not so on the nose. Right. I mean, they're getting you thinking about things without saying very explicitly, oh, this is a song about the horrors that are happening around Immigration right now. Right. So Upchuck. And first of all, A on the name. That's just. That is.

[Nate Chinen]

I feel like it should be, you know, I feel like it should be one of those things like, remember, remember the band Chick, Chick, Chick, which was three exclamation points. And it's like, you don't. You don't say it the way that it's rendered. I feel like upchuck should maybe have, like, a pronouncer. And the pronouncer is like. Like, that's the actual. That's the actual name of the band.

[Robin Hilton]

But Upchuck, they've put out a couple albums, two back to back, in 2022 and 2023. Right now we just got this new single, but they just signed with Domino Records, so I would say a new album is probably imminent. All right, Nate, where do you want to go next? I was thinking maybe this Westerlies cut that you've got.

[Nate Chinen]

So was I, because we have started the show with very sort of aggressive, go for the jugular kind of track. And this is the polar opposite of that. This is all about community and softness and empathy and love, you know, it's a very nurturing and healing track. It's called paradise by the Westerlies with Sam Amidon.

[Unknown]

I know that my redeemer lives I have a home in glory what comfort this sweet sentence gives I have a home in glory Come on, my partners in distress we have a home in glory My comrades through the wilderness we have a home in glory I know that my redeemer lives I have a home in glory W comfort this sweet each sentence gives I have a home.

In glory O glory O glory there's.

Room enough in paradise to have a home in glory Come on, my partners in distress we have a home in glory My comrades through the wilderness we have a home in glory O glory.

O glory.

There'S room enough in paradise to have a home in glory O glory Home, glory There's room enough in paradise to above.

[Robin Hilton]

I have so many thoughts about the back third or so of this song, but maybe you should just start by telling us a little bit more about who the Westerlies are and what this cut even is.

[Nate Chinen]

Sure. So to start, the Westerlys are a brass quartet, two trumpets, two trombones, and they come out of jazz and classical training. But the music that they make is informed by all kinds of American folk music. There's really, like a vocal ideal that I think they strive for, and that's why this particular record, which is called paradise, is such a. Such a slam dunk for them. It is very, very directly inspired by the tradition of sacred harp singing or shape note music, which is this tradition that goes back to the 19th century. It has very strong roots in New England, but it's also traveled down to the South. You know, it's a rural community, collective music making endeavor. And a lot of it comes a cappella, isn't it? I mean, yeah, it's all vocal usually. So sacred harp is a term that refers to the voice.

[Robin Hilton]

Right.

[Nate Chinen]

And on this track that we just heard, the title track, which, of course, is a, you know, a song from the, you know, 19th or even 18th centuries. I think it's just so deeply beautiful.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. It's really arresting and unexpected for me. I mean, when I think traditional folk or spirituals or sacred heart music, I don't normally think brass quartet. I will say, as beautiful as it is and as calming as it is, my favorite moment is when there's this sort of. I think it's maybe it kind of sounds like a little effect they're doing maybe on the trumpet where it's a little overblown, this sort of breathy. Well. And when it hits Sam Ahmadn, it's like he doesn't flinch at all. Right, right. It's this dissonance in the middle of all the beauty. Everything else stays really sweet and beautiful. And I don't know, for me, that's. That's kind of all I needed for the narrative to unravel a little bit. Plus that really. It has a really dramatic build at the end. It made me think that. But maybe they don't really believe entirely what they're singing about, which I think is, everything's fine because even if the world is terrible, our just reward lies in the beyond. Right, Right. But it seems like maybe what they're saying is, in the meantime, it'd be nice if everyone was better off in the here and now.

[Nate Chinen]

Do you feel that? I think that's spot on. Yeah. It's introducing the shadow of doubt.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, exactly.

[Nate Chinen]

And I think that that is definitely intentional and very thoughtful, you know, and it's about the expressive effects and about what they can do with sound in a space. One of the founders of the group, trombonist Andy Clausen, he recently made a solo trombone record in a grain silo.

[Robin Hilton]

Wow.

[Nate Chinen]

And some of the lessons that he got from working in a space like.

[Robin Hilton]

That is don't work in a grain silo.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah. Make sure you have an exit strategy when you are working in a grain silo. But, you know, he brought, like, that understanding of what reverberant sound in a natural space can do. I think they brought that in. But to your point about what happens in the arrangement, I mean, they're really acutely aware of how something that seems like just a little wrinkle can actually have enormous impact on a listener.

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Sonos, one of the world's leading sound experience companies. Sonos pioneered the smart whole home sound system, making it effortless to play anything in any room or every room. Today, millions of listeners around the world trust Sonos for beautifully designed speakers and headphones that deliver exceptional sound both at home and beyond. Get incredible clarity on every note, from crystal clear highs to powerful bass ready for better listening experience. Visit sonos.com to learn more.

[Unknown]

This message comes from Schwab At Schwab how you invest is your choice, not theirs. That's why when it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices. You can invest and trade on your own. Plus get advice and more comprehensive wealth solutions to help meet your unique needs. With award winning service, low costs and transparent advice, you can manage your wealth your way at Schwab. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

[NPR Sponsor]

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.

[Robin Hilton]

I'm going to blow it all up here with another recent discovery for me, and I am not making the band name up here. They're called Just Mustard. Just Mustard.

[Nate Chinen]

Mustard with a righteous cause.

[Robin Hilton]

This is the. This Mustard is just. This is a band from Ireland, I guess you'd call them maybe shoegaze rock, but a little grungy. They've got a new single out now that I'm really loving called Pollyanna.

[Unknown]

Sam We Can Breathe Sa I Dream Sam Ram Sam Seeing Not Dreaming I'm seeing Not dreaming now Seeing Happy Sam.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, whenever we have a guitar band in for a tiny desk, there are all these music nerds on the NPR music team who will kind of mill around and look behind the desk and look at the effects, change the pedals and stuff like that. I would bring Just Mustard in just so I could see the chain of pedals that they used to come up with that sound because it is just glorious to me.

[Nate Chinen]

Before we talk about guitars, I have to talk about this drumbeat because at the very beginning of the track after like the sort of ambient fuzz tone intro, when that beat kicks in. At first I thought it was a sample from Radiohead's. Was it Arpeggi? Weird Fishes. Do you remember that track from In Rainbows?

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, interesting.

[Nate Chinen]

It is the same beat. The same.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nate Chinen]

And I was like, oh, are they sampling Radiohead? But no, it's just the same. You know, he's just playing the same beat.

[Robin Hilton]

I think I hadn't made that Radiohead connection at all, but now. Now I can't get it out of my head. And it's making me see some similarities between the two groups. And, I mean, maybe one of the reasons why I love this so much, because I do love Radiohead so much. Yeah. Is this, like. Do you dig this sound? Is this, like.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah, yeah. Very much. Very much. I mean, I think I'm generally a sucker for well executed shoegaze or anything in that kind of. That sort of wash, like distortion, wash zone. And then this has that other element, which is Katie Ball, the lead singer, has this really beautiful and kind of vulnerable voice. And the way that she sings this song, you know, it reminds me, like, in the early part of the track, I thought of the affect of Deerhoof, which is a band I love, right. Where you have this kind of, like, clear, small voice against all this kind of tumult. But however pretty this voice is, it is also very determined. There's something in her phrasing, the way that she presents these lyrics that is, you know, she's standing athwart the storm, you know, like, she's not ceding any ground.

[Robin Hilton]

So Just Mustard. They've got two albums out so far, and then they dropped this cup. Pollyanna. When they dropped it, they said, stay tuned for more to come. So hopefully we'll get more from them soon. Yeah. All right. We still have that look back at our number one songs from 2017 that's coming up, plus your weekly reset. But, Nate, you've got one more. I know you want to play.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah. There's rarely a glow up for an improvising musician quite like the one we've seen this year for Brandon Woody, who is a trumpeter from Baltimore. He has been signed to Blue Note Records, and his band Upendo released their debut album. And I gotta tell you, Robin, I have seen Brandon Woody at three or four festivals already.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, wow.

[Nate Chinen]

And the summer is just beginning.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, I think I'm more impressed that you've gone to three festivals so far this year.

[Nate Chinen]

I'm trying to make the rounds, trying to keep up. But, yeah, I mean, he was at the Roots Picnic, he was at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. I saw him at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival in Cape May, New Jersey. He also recently played the Blue Note Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. And I had to pick this song because it's weird picking a song from a jazz album sometimes because, you know, it's not always melody first that you think about. Sometimes it's more about a vibe or a harmonic progression or whatever, but in this case, Brandon Woody wrote a piece of music that legitimately has been stuck in my head for weeks and weeks. It is beyond the Reach of Our Eyes. It.

[Robin Hilton]

I love the way it sort of lights back down to earth at the end of this song after all of that. But I have to ask you, what part of the melody gets stuck in your head? Because if you can contain all of that and have that kind of looping in your head, that is very impressive. It's not like lollipop, lollipop or something like that.

[Nate Chinen]

It's that da da da da da da da da. You know, it is catchy. I mean, I think it's probably easier to hear in your head than it is to actually sing.

[Robin Hilton]

And it's always pushing.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah. It's this series of intervals that feels, I don't know, like a battle cry or some kind of like we are triumphant, you know, like we are climbing the hill. This song is really a whole journey.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, Brandon Woody, the album for the Love of It all, that's the album. The songs from beyond the Reach of Our Eyes, that's out now in Blue Note.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah, that it is.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, Nate Chinin, editorial director at wrti, thanks so much for doing this. Let's not let so much time pass before we do it again.

[Nate Chinen]

Yeah, let's definitely do it again. Thanks, Robin.

[NPR Sponsor]

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. This message comes from stamps.com Work takes up a lot of your day, but you should still have flexibility to decide how to invest your time. If your day is consumed by tedious mailing and shipping tasks, stamps.com gives you the flexibility to focus on what only you can do. Go to stamps.com and sign up with code NPR for a special offer.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, let's get to our number one songs from 2017. This is something we've been closing out every episode with on All Songs Considered. It's for our 25th anniversary. Stephen Thompson back here. As always, welcome, Stephen Hello, Robin. So we're up to 2017, and we've been trying to sort of play a little bit of Stump the Chump playing something for each other. Like, here's my pick. Do you even dig through the cobwebs of your mind?

[Stephen Thompson]

They're gonna get less cobwebby as we get closer and closer to the present. At least I hope so.

[Robin Hilton]

Do you remember this one? This deep cut? I think for 2017, we're 100% in agreement certainly on the album, if not the song we would pick. And we'll just go with. With this one.

[Unknown]

I got, I got, I got, I.

Got loyalty got royalty inside my DNA Cocaine quarter piece Got war and peace inside my DNA I got power, poison pain and joy inside my DNA I got hustle though ambition flow inside my DNA I was born like this it's one like this Immaculate conception Not transform like this Perform like this Was yu a new weapon? I don't contemplate. I meditate then off your fucking.

[Robin Hilton]

DNA from Kendrick Lamar, obviously from the album Damn. I remember when this record first came out. I listened to it and then I just started it all over again right then in this. In the same sit. In the same sitting. Listened to it all over again second time, and I literally put a Do not disturb sign up and I listened to this four times all the way through without.

[Stephen Thompson]

Before you even took a break?

[Robin Hilton]

Before I took a break from it walked away and it just blew my mind apart.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. I mean, DNA is a. DNA is a perfect jam. You could play that one. You could play loyalty. You could play so many songs for me, One of the ones that I have just kept going back to over and over again is love.

[Nate Chinen]

I wanna be with, I wanna be.

[Unknown]

With you Hey, I wanna be with.

[Robin Hilton]

You I said this about lemonade for 2016, and I remember thinking it again when Damn came out Once in a Generation album. I'm like, boom, boom.

[Stephen Thompson]

I mean, the fact of the matter is many years have Once in a generation albums.

[Robin Hilton]

I don't know, man. I don't stuff that stands up to Damn and Lemonade.

[Stephen Thompson]

I mean, yeah, that's a really good pair of years for music for. For sure. But I mean, I mean, it was also like such an undeniable record that it was like it won a Pulitzer Prize.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I was. I was gonna say.

[Stephen Thompson]

Pulitzer Prize, and everybody was like, oh, yeah, that checks out.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. No, that was good. Yeah. This year it's a pretty good album. Well, since I know that you were gonna pick Kendrick Lamar as well, what was sort of your backup for what's your. What. What would be your number two pick?

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, 2017 was a great year for music. Kendrick Lamar definitely looms, you know, kind of largest over that year. There are a number of directions I could go. I mean, I certainly could go with that. SZA record Control came out that year. And it's so funny. Cause Kendrick and SZA now they're touring together. They've been so. So, you know, they had Luther, which is, you know, the biggest song of this year so far. You know, they. They've become sort of inextricably tied to each other. And so I want to go in a different direction completely. I'm gonna pick a song from 2017 that I have listened to hundreds of times. I think very, very, very few people, even people who listen to this show are gonna know this song. One or two people will know this band. I've certainly talked about them on this show before. But a song that I cannot believe. More people are not as obsessed with as I am.

[Unknown]

Read my heart and say you'll make it all right if you fall along head enough throw it away oh wow. Keeping it all we said that we won't show it off to some dismay Battle wounds in the heat of the night Feeling soft, I hate to say Shake it off and it'll be all right Come on, baby, won't you stay? I've said it like a hundred times I feel my life Keep it in a tight bouquet so nobody can recognize about the way I hope that I'm more than was advertised.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, the only thing I can come up with is Silvanesso. Cuz it sounds a little like. But it's not. I'm drawing a blank.

[Stephen Thompson]

So the song is called Afterthought by the band Close Talker.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, no, I don't know Close Talker.

[Stephen Thompson]

And they're terrific. And they've got, you know, they've got a bunch of great songs. That song, to me, kind of towers over everything because it is, to me, perfect. It gives me goosebumps. I'm sitting here with goosebumps. There is something so sly that just like slides under your skin. Listening to this record, I just cannot get enough of this song. And I feel like. Doesn't everybody love this song?

[Robin Hilton]

I don't think anybody else knows this song the way that you know this song. I mean, it's new to me. I like this a lot. Do you. Do you hear what I'm saying, though? The similarities to Silvanessa, certainly in the.

[Stephen Thompson]

Voice, the voice in some of the chord progressions. It definitely feels of a piece. And maybe that was just a VA. That really worked for me in 2017. But I gotta say, in the years since, I've gone back and revisited that song again and again and again, and I have never gotten tired of it.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I wrote down quite a few things for 2017. A crow looked at me by Mount Erie. Yeah. Mount Erie.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, my God.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Also wrote down Pleasure by Feist.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

And also this one that I was gonna do, but I figured you'd just know what it was immediately.

[Unknown]

I do my makeup in.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, Lord. Oh, this song is so good.

[Unknown]

We ordered different drinks at the same bars. I know about what you did and I wanna scream the truth. She thinks you love the beat. You're such a damn liar. Oh, those great whites they have big teeth. Oh, they bite you Thought you said that you would always be in love but you're not in love no more did it frighten you how we kiss when we danced on the light of floor? But I hear sounds in my mind Brand new sounds in my mind Bored.

[Stephen Thompson]

Back with new music this I know.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, Stevie, you just want to hang out, listen to music. Listening to music with a friend is fun.

[Stephen Thompson]

Music's so good.

[Robin Hilton]

It really is. What else you got for 2017, though? What a great year.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, man. I mean, 2017 was the year of the Ke$ha comeback.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

All of a sudden, Ke$ha had that song Praying. Phoebe Bridgers dropped her first record in 2017. That was a huge, huge, huge record for us. I mean, I think when we get to her next record, we'll certainly be talking about.

[Robin Hilton]

About.

[Nate Chinen]

About that.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Well, we'll go out on this, though. And as always, thanks, Stephen.

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's all songs considered.

[Unknown]

Those rumors they have big te Hope they bite you Thought you said that you would always be in love but you're not in love no more did it fight in you how we can't when we dance on the light up floor on the light up floor.

[Nate Chinen]

But.

[Unknown]

I hear sounds in my mind Brand new sounds in my mind but honey, I'll be seeing you Ever I go but honey I'll be seeing you down every road.

[NPR Sponsor]

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Lagunitas Brewing Company. Challenging the status quo and crafting stories along the way. Featuring a wide range of innovative craft brews and non alcoholic options. It's good to have friends.

[Unknown]

Learn [e-mail] this message comes from NPR sponsor Shopify the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all E commerce in the US get started with your own design studio. Sign up for your $1 per month [e-mail] NPR this message comes from NPR. Sponsor 1Password Secure access to your online world, from emails to banking, so you can protect what matters most with 1Password. For a free two week trial, go to 1Password.com NPR.