The Contenders, Vol. 16: Jay Som, Jeff Tweedy, Kassa Overall, more

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered – "The Contenders, Vol. 16: Jay Som, Jeff Tweedy, Kassa Overall, more"

Release Date: July 22, 2025
Host: Robin Hilton
Producer: NPR Music

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of NPR's flagship music discovery program, All Songs Considered, host Robin Hilton and music editor Sheldon Pearce delve into a curated selection of new tracks that are contenders for their best-of-2025 lists. The episode, titled "The Contenders, Vol. 16: Jay Som, Jeff Tweedy, Kassa Overall, more," explores contemporary sounds, artist collaborations, and the intricate relationship between music and personal experiences.

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Discussion Highlights

Memory and Music in Cinema

The episode opens with a nostalgic conversation between Robin and Sheldon about the pivotal role music plays in enhancing cinematic moments. Robin references the song "I Lied to You" by Miles Caton, which Sheldon had previously featured on the show.

Robin Hilton [01:01]: "The song I lied to you. And I've been thinking of you and this song because I finally saw the movie Sinners."

Sheldon elaborates on how the song serves as a crescendo that propels the movie's plot forward without revealing spoilers.

Sheldon Pearce [01:28]: "It's just a special sort of crescendo to everything that's happened. And then it really just sets the whole plot in motion."

Robin draws parallels to iconic film moments, such as in Magnolia, highlighting the transformative power of music in storytelling.

New Releases and Collaborations

The conversation transitions to current music releases, with Sheldon introducing JSUM's return after six years with the new album "Belong." The lead single, "Float, Sam," features Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World.

Sheldon Pearce [03:07]: "After six years, JSUM is back. She's got a new album called Belong, and the album's lead single features Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World. It's called 'Float, Sam.'"

Robin shares his excitement about the blend of indie pop and pop-punk elements in the collaboration, noting the emotional depth of the track.

Robin Hilton [07:43]: "You know, they work so well together... it's the power pop guitars and the super hooky chorus."

The duo discusses JSUM's evolving sound and the successful fusion with Jimmy Eat World's influence, encapsulating themes of euphoria and melancholy.

Innovative Projects: Google Earth

Robin shifts the focus to John Vanderslice's project with his band, Google Earth, introducing their latest album "For Mac OS X 10.11."

Robin Hilton [08:20]: "They had a debut album out just last year called Street View. They're back with a follow-up album already. And the name of the album they've got coming out is also quite something. It's called For Mac OS X 10.11."

Sheldon praises the experimental nature of the single "Meow Me," highlighting its repetitive mantra-like lyrics and evolving musical landscape.

Sheldon Pearce [14:21]: "There's only one line of lyrics in this whole song that is repeated the whole time. 'I can't help you forget anything.'"

Robin appreciates the balance between experimental sounds and grounding elements like piano, making the track both intriguing and accessible.

Goon’s "Dream 3" Album

Sheldon introduces Goon's new album "Dream 3," emphasizing its busy and experimental nature. Robin and Sheldon dissect the song "Cutting the Grass," appreciating its sludgy, murky sound reminiscent of the '90s slacker vibe.

Robin Hilton [23:16]: "You don't hear quite as much at the end of this song, but overall, I love how sludgy it is. Yeah, very, very, very murky."

Sheldon explores the intricate layers and the album's chaotic production, which reflects personal turmoil.

Sheldon Pearce [24:14]: "The record is very chaotic."

The discussion touches on the therapeutic aspect of creativity, suggesting that making art can be a means to navigate personal crises.

Jeff Tweedy’s Triple Album "Twilight Override"

Robin introduces Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and his ambitious triple album "Twilight Override," set to release on September 26th. The opening track, "One Tiny Flower," is highlighted for its reflection on anxiety and resilience.

Robin Hilton [26:27]: "It's very much a response to our times... He’s pushing back with a kind of defiant joy."

Sheldon quotes Jeff Tweedy’s bio, illustrating the album’s intent to use music as a release from existential despair.

Sheldon Pearce [33:01]: "Here are the songs and sounds and voices and guitars and words that are an effort to let go of some of the heaviness and up the wattage of my own light."

The conversation underscores the album's duality of external chaos and internal comfort, emphasizing family collaboration in the musical process.

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Feature Segment: Kassa Overall’s "Cream"

Towards the episode's conclusion, Sheldon introduces Kassa Overall’s new album "Cream," which reimagines classic rap songs through a jazz lens.

Sheldon Pearce [35:49]: "It's almost a boomerang response to everything he's done before because it's got no edits, no overdubs, no samples or drum machines."

Robin marvels at the seamless fusion of jazz and rap, noting the transformative nature of Kassa’s interpretations.

Robin Hilton [37:10]: "You don’t know the context of what he's doing on this record—it sounds like it’s just straight up jazz."

The featured track, a jazz rendition of Digable Planets' "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)," exemplifies Kassa’s innovative approach to genre-blending.

Sheldon Pearce [37:06]: "There's this very fascinating transmutation process that is happening here."

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Reflection: The Role of Creativity in Adversity

The episode weaves a recurring theme: creativity as a sanctuary and a tool for overcoming personal and societal challenges. From JSUM’s emotional collaborations to Jeff Tweedy’s expansive project and Kassa Overall’s genre-defying experiments, the featured artists exemplify how music can navigate and reflect tumultuous times.

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Conclusion

Robin Hilton and Sheldon Pearce conclude the episode by teasing upcoming segments, including Stephen Thompson’s insights on 2021’s top songs and a weekly reset. The conversation leaves listeners with a profound appreciation for the resilience and innovation within the music landscape, encouraging continued exploration and discovery.

Robin Hilton [48:21]: "And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's All Songs Considered."

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Notable Quotes

• Robin Hilton [07:43]: "You hear it with your own eyes. Right. They work so well together."

• Sheldon Pearce [14:46]: "Any guitar you could describe as scuzzy. I'm there for that right away."

• Sheldon Pearce [33:01]: "Here are the songs and sounds and voices and guitars and words that are an effort to let go of some of the heaviness and up the wattage of my own light."

• Robin Hilton [37:10]: "If you don't know the context of what he's doing on this record it sounds like it's just straight up jazz."

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This episode of All Songs Considered offers a rich tapestry of contemporary music, thoughtful discussions, and an exploration of how artists navigate and reflect the complexities of modern life through their craft. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the show, this installment provides valuable insights into the evolving music scene of 2025.

Transcript

[Sponsor]

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[Robin Hilton]

Let's listen to some music. Music, music. Music's pretty good. It's All Songs Considered. Robin. I'm Robin Hilton. NPR music editor Sheldon Pearce here. Hey, Sheldon.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Hey, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

Can I start with a callback?

[Sheldon Pearce]

You can indeed.

[Robin Hilton]

I thought we'd start with a callback because I've actually been thinking of you. I'm touched. I'm touched. I've been thinking of you because. Do you remember when you played this song on the show? I think it was back around the end of April or so.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Indeed I do. Something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time. It might hurt you. Hope you don't lose your mind.

[Robin Hilton]

Miles Caton I just got goosebumps hearing this again. Genuinely. The song I lied to you. And I've been thinking of you and this song because I finally saw the movie Sinners. It's come to streaming. So.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah, you didn't have to worry about taking the kids to the theater. Right.

[Robin Hilton]

They would not have watched that movie. But the thing is, you know, when you played this song on the show, you said it comes at this pivotal moment in the movie.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

But you didn't tell me what it was because you didn't want to spoil it for me. I'm so glad you didn't because it really is.

[Sheldon Pearce]

It's just a special sort of crescendo to everything that's happened. And then it really just sets the whole plot in motion.

[Robin Hilton]

It's one of those moments in a movie. I was trying to think of some other example, but you know when a film takes this really big, wild, weird swing and goes in some completely unexpected direction?

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, like I was thinking like, maybe in the movie Magnolia, I don't know if you've seen Magnolia, but, you know, there's this moment when it starts to rain frogs in the city. And everyone, all the different characters in the film are in different locations and different points in their life, but they all start breaking into song and singing the same song and could be so dumb, but for some reason it works and becomes brilliant. That's sort of like this moment is so wild in this movie and I only want to tell everybody about it, but I can't spoil it for everyone either.

[Sheldon Pearce]

But yeah, all you need to know Is that up until that point, you think you're watching a certain kind of movie, and then this happens and you are watching a completely different movie.

[Robin Hilton]

But we're actually here to talk about some newer stuff that's out. This is a contenders episode. We keep a list all year of our favorite songs. And on these contenders episodes, we update that running list with the latest tracks that we love so much that they could end up on our best of 2025 lists. When we get to that point. Sheldon, what's poppin for you this week?

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah. After six years, JSON is back. She's got a new album called belong, and the album's lead single features Jim Atkins of Jimmy eat world. It's called Float, Sam.

[Unknown]

Chance to run let's pretend I'm not scared. Faded Pulling on the rope I'm slipping Going nowhere without you without you without you without you without you Shameless Digging yourself into oh, you feel nothing When I'm with you When I'm with you When I'm with you When I'm with you don't, don't fight don't fight don't, don't fight don't, don't fight Pouring out what's left of me without you without you I'm always you without you I'm always you I'm not the same I'm not the same I'm not the same I know.

[Robin Hilton]

Man. Just for a minute there, it's like the early 2000s again, and I was at some stadium show with, you know, like, death cab or something like that. And can that just be, like the mantra for the world right now? Can we all just float and not fight?

[Sheldon Pearce]

It would be nice, wouldn't it? Yeah. I mean, if you think about her music before, it's more in the indie pop, maybe even like dream popish range sometimes. But you see a song with Jim Adkins on it, you kind of get a sense of where it's going. Right. The full thrush of this is like very much pop punk catharsis. Like, it's got that big release of the hook even. There's this lovely moment towards the end, A little moment of quiet before the final chorus. The eruption of it. It's just so satisfying.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. I don't know how many times I'd have to spin the dial before I'd come up with the right.

[Sheldon Pearce]

This is not a pairing you would have imagined before. You see it with your own eyes. Right.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, they work so well together. And I hadn't really clocked the similarities between jsum And Jimmy World. But you. I mean, you hear it. It's just that it. The power pop guitars and the super hooky chorus. Also, I think, you know, they both share a very foundational sound and idea in that, you know, where euphoria and melancholy kind of collide.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah, yeah. There's a. There's a bittersweetness to this song.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, this album belong. It is out October 10th and that song float. Are you a John Vanderslice fan at all? Have you followed him?

[Sheldon Pearce]

I'm familiar with a lot of his work. I haven't listened to a lot of his solo stuff.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, well, he's a hall of famer for me.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Right, right.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, he is. You know, he's got a fairly vast catalog as a solo artist now because he's been doing this for a good 25 years or more. But he's got this relatively recent project that he's been doing. And the name of their band is really quite something. The name of the band is Google Earth. Google Earth.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Perfect.

[Robin Hilton]

And they had a debut album out just last year called Street View. They're back with a follow up album already. And the name of the album they've got coming out is also quite something. It's called For Mac OS X 10.11. Google Earth is the band. The album for Mac OS X 10.11. And the first single that we're getting from it is called Meow Me.

[Unknown]

I can help you forget anything.

I.

Can help you I can help you forget anything I can help you.

[Robin Hilton]

Sa.

[Unknown]

Can forget anything the same. I can help you about the same thing Sam. I can help you forget anything I can help you we all want. You said anything I can help you, Sam.

[Robin Hilton]

So many cool little sounds to get lost in. That's John Vanderslice singing on lead vocals. You know, he's old, leaned into, you know, maybe more experimental directions with his music. But I. I love this because I think it kind of pushes it all just a little more in those curious directions that I liked. A little, little more warped. And then the little things like the piano that you hear at the end kind of keeps it all just grounded.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah. I mean, this project is clearly a love child of like, longtime studio guys.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, definitely.

[Sheldon Pearce]

They're very clearly bouncing a lot of ideas off of each other. I'm just really fascinated by the shifts and turns that this song takes. It's almost an important lesson in sort of like both repetition and progression. Because there's only one line of lyrics in this whole song that is repeated the whole time. I can't help you forget anything.

[Robin Hilton]

But how deep can you go on that one little line though? I mean, that's the thing.

[Sheldon Pearce]

So it's every time you hit, it becomes like its own little mantra. The more it plays, they keep pulling at it. And as you sort of dive deeper and deeper with this lyric, everything around it is changing, it's growing, it's shifting.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. So some people may be asking, how is it that they can name themselves Google Earth and name their album for Mac os x 10.11? I think the answer is they cann. And I think that they're just sort of waiting to see what happens. You know, like, is anybody really going to, you know, is Google really going to go after these, these two guys? I was trying to think of some other examples. I remember Dan Deacon had a Twitter account called ebay. Netflix was the name of his Twitter handle. I tried finding other bands that did something similar. I found a whole bunch of things like bands named after cars, REO, Speedwagon, DeLorean. So this new album from Google Earth, again, it's called For Mac OS X 10.1 and it is due out August 29th. August 29th is when that's coming out.

[Unknown]

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[Robin Hilton]

The show, Stephen Thompson will be back to talk about our number one songs from 2021. Going all the way back to 2021 for that one. This is something we've been doing at the end of every show, or nearly every show this spring and summer as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of all Songs Considered. That's coming up, plus your weekly reset. So keep listening for all of that. But, Sheldon, what else you got for this week?

[Sheldon Pearce]

Well, you know, they say don't judge a book by its cover, but I say maybe the same doesn't entirely hold for music, because there have been a lot of times where I press play on something strictly based on the COVID and sort of was profoundly rewarded.

[Robin Hilton]

I'm really trying to figure out where you're going here with this, but go ahead.

[Sheldon Pearce]

And that was the case with the band Goon and its new album, Dream 3, which was painted by the frontman Kenny Becker. It's very busy. A rainbow splashed across a cloudy blue sky With a green body of water below like sort of scattered with sparkly objects. Pleasantly, the album was as busy as the COVID And my favorite song on this record is the Dreamiest.

[Unknown]

It's called For Cutting the Grass, Sam. In half light with a weekend some throwing some more swinging yeah, Unlike the ruddy crown New nightmares coming down the grass in that final day Standing, reaching the ribbon Seem to say coming in sieging I'm not sure I heard sound of screeching we still look your snare Cause we were sleeping.

[Robin Hilton]

You don't hear quite as much at the end of this song, but overall, I love how sludgy it is. Yeah, very, very, very murky.

[Sheldon Pearce]

That's what drew me to it.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. I mean, it's a sound that I want to say is very 90s. It's got a bit of a slacker thing going on that I'm always gonna go for a bit. I think there's a lot more going on in it than that.

[Sheldon Pearce]

The slackerness drew me in. The sludge. Any. Any guitar you could describe as scuzzy. I'm there for that right away. But there's also just so much sort of like, subtle motion in it. The reason I brought up the album artwork is because Becker said that he wanted the art to embody the same approach that they took with recording. And so the still lifes are, like, cut out and arranged as if they are stickers. On a larger canvas. I think of this song being almost collage. Like in the same way those guitars don't really erupt until like two minutes into the song.

[Robin Hilton]

Keep shifting around.

[Sheldon Pearce]

You can't really, really get a sense for them. And then the last minute of the song is just no lyrics, just totally free flowing.

[Robin Hilton]

So I read that this wasn't the record that Kenny Becker set out to make.

[Sheldon Pearce]

This is. In the middle of this process, his life took a pretty dramatic turn and his marriage ended. And so suddenly he's sitting in the worst feeling he's ever felt and having to finish this record, I think.

[Robin Hilton]

Did he scrap everything that he was doing and start over?

[Sheldon Pearce]

No, he just continued on with the process. The record is very chaotic.

[Robin Hilton]

So this album, Dream 3 from Goon, that's out now. That's already. Yeah. And that was the song for Cutting the Grass. You know, we sometimes lead off the show with the big questions or recurring themes that come up in these songs. We didn't flag them this time. But one big one I think is the idea that making art and being creative, that that can save you.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

Just how being a creative, curious person can help you and others kind of find a way out of a funk or a crisis or find clarity. Maybe just be a really great distraction. And I think that that is a thread that is running through a lot of the stuff we're playing this week, but particularly in this new Jeff Tweedy album that was just announced. Jeff Tweedy, of course, of the band Wilco. He's got this new solo album coming out. It's a triple album. A triple album? Nearly two hours of music. Yeah, it's massive. It's called Twilight Override. He released four songs right away, right when he announced the record. And the one that I want to play is the one that opens this whole project. It's a song called One Tiny Flower.

[Unknown]

The grass is growing all over town on the cracks in the sidewalks where the shops shut down One tiny flower I'm jumping over one tiny flower I'm jumping over one tiny flower I'm jumping over one tiny flower I'm jumping over a wheel Rolling to a stop.

[Robin Hilton]

Looking.

[Unknown]

Out the sun from where I lay I know I'm the only one long time jumping jumping over one time flower I'm jumping over one tiny flower I'm.

Jumping over one tiny flower Jump.

All over town from the cracks in the sidewalk where all the shops shut down.

One time a flower jump one time a flower jump one time a flower one time I'm jumping.

One Tiny flower One tiny flower One tiny flower.

One tiny flower.

Skeleton.

Under my skin Sa.

[Robin Hilton]

We don't need any more music this year. No more. No more music needed. I think it's all covered in this one song. You know, this song and really the whole album from Jeff Tweedy, it's very much a response to our times. The feeling that he and a lot of people have, just anxiety and anger and fatigue, just feeling spent and, you know, the world has been upended and doesn't make sense anymore. And it's him pushing back with a kind of defiant joy. It's him trying to manifest it. You really hear it at the end of this song, you know, where everything. It's getting more and more chaotic, and he's like, I'm trying so hard. I'm just gonna. I'm just gonna skip over this one little tiny flower growing out of the crack in the sidewalk, and everything's gonna be okay.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah. There's a line from the bio that really stuck out to me that he wrote where he said, here are the songs and sounds and voices and guitars and words that are an effort to let go of some of the heaviness and up the wattage of my own light, my effort to engulf this encroaching nighttime nightmare of my soul. And I'm just like. The idea of. Of playing your way out of existential crisis is fascinating. And then you listen to a song like this, and you're like, okay. He's holding it together pretty well.

[Robin Hilton]

Pretty well. But he's got all these wonderful hints of how broken the world is. And it sounds like it's a very simple little image. He's kind of taking a walk through his town and jumping over a little flower. But all the stores are closed, right? He mentioned shops that are closed. You can tell that things aren't right.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Right. Yeah. There's. The outside world is mangled and destroyed. But I think what I really appreciate about this is the world inside is bringing him comfort. I think that's the whole idea behind this project. His sons Spencer and Sam, playing across this record, including on this song, and it just feels like jams amongst family and friends. Like we're holding it together as a unit. Like, everything out there might not be great, but in here, we can be there for each other.

[Robin Hilton]

So this triple album from Jeff Tuiti again is called Twilight Override, and it is out in September. September 26th.

[Unknown]

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[Unknown]

We're here.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, we've still got our number one songs from 2021 coming up. Stephen Thompson will be back for that along with your weekly reset. But Sheldon, you've got one more cut you want to play.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah, it's sort of funny that you talked about Sinners and the Miles Caton song, because the last song I want to play sort of gives me a similar feel to essentially what that song is trying to say in that movie. Ideas about like, connection across time, like old sounds and culture sort of extending into the present, and those two things being connected in a way that is sort of inextricable. Kahasa overall, you know, the jazz drummer and bandleader who has spent sort of rapper, occasional rapper as well, has spent his entire career sort of straddling the worlds of jazz and hip hop. His new album is called Cream, and it takes rap songs from the notorious Big Wu Tang clan, Dr. Dre, a tribe Called Quest and others, and sort of arranges them as jazz, he said. The album is almost a boomerang response to everything he's done before because it's got no edits, no overdubs, no samples or drum machines. And the song I want to play is his take on Rebirth of slick cool like that by Digable Planets, the jazz rap group that sampled Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

[Robin Hilton]

Stretching so many tender tentacles in there.

[Sheldon Pearce]

You'Ve got a bunch of sort of coiling, interrelated songs. Jazz turned into rap turned back into jazz. There's this like very fascinating transmutation process that is happening here.

[Robin Hilton]

When I listen to this, if you don't know the context of what he's doing on this record it sounds like it's just straight up jazz. I mean, are there no vocals on this record at all? I haven't heard the rest of it.

[Sheldon Pearce]

Yeah, I know. It's literally jazz interpretations of rap songs. And once you're keyed into that distinction, you can hear him sort of mapping out his version across their version of a classic.

[Robin Hilton]

So the song Rebirth of Slick cool like that is from the album Cream from Casa Overall, and that is coming out on September 12th. So we'll go out on this, but keep listening. After the song, Stephen Thompson will be back to talk about our number one songs from 2021. That's part the of our ongoing celebration of the show's 25th anniversary. That's coming up after the cut, along with your weekly reset. So keep listening. And Sheldon Pierce, thanks for hanging out and bringing the good stuff.

[Sheldon Pearce]

It's always a great time.

[Unknown]

It.

It.

[Robin Hilton]

All right. We've been ending every episode this spring and summer by looking back at our number one songs from across the years. We started with the year 2000, and we're all the way up to 2021 now. And Stephen Thompson back as always. Hey, Stephen.

[Stephen Thompson]

Hello, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

So we're in the home stretch here all the way up to 2021. We're only going to 2024, doing the first 25 years of All Songs Considered, starting with 2000 and then going up to 2024 through 2024, 2025 TBD. But let's look at 2021. What do you think of with music in the year 2021? Should be a lot easier now.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, do I pick my favorite song of 2021?

[Robin Hilton]

I bet I know what that is.

[Stephen Thompson]

Or do I pick the song that most embodies 2021? Because, you know, 2021 still deep pandemic. Yeah, still, you know.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, we're starting to get all the stuff that everyone made during 2020. That was. Right.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. You're starting to get pandemic culture. You're starting to get, like, culture that is not only something that we. That we enjoyed and processed during the pandemic, but works that are about the pandemic. So what do you want? Do you want my favorite song or the song that most embodies 2020 21?

[Robin Hilton]

Let's go with your favorite song because I bet I know what it's going to be.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, I'm not sure you do.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Okay. It's not what I thought it was going to be. I'm not gonna get this.

[Stephen Thompson]

This is Jasmine Sullivan from her album Hotels. The song Is called the Other side. And it's just a fantasy about making it big, but through another person. And it's a really hauntingly beautiful song. Her phrasing is just brilliant. It's one of the best R and B records of the 21st century. And a song that I just kept coming back to again and again.

[Robin Hilton]

So were you. Isn't that the year Hard Drive by Cassandra Jenkins came out in 2020? 2021?

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it absolutely is. And maybe. And maybe that's my favorite song of 2021. Well.

[Robin Hilton]

Or I thought maybe maybe that's the song that you think maybe spoke to the times more than the others. And then my other other option for you would have been Amy Shark's Amy Shark.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's a great song. That is a terrific song. We also didn't me mention Silk Chiffon by Muna. I could. Oh, man, I could have gone in so, so many directions.

[Robin Hilton]

So what's the song that you think spoke to the times the most?

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, that would be this.

[Unknown]

Stunning 8k res revolution meditation app.

[Robin Hilton]

Is this Bo Burnham?

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes.

[Unknown]

In honor of the revolution. It's half off at the Gap. Deadpool. Self awareness, loving parents, harmless fun. The backlash to the backlash to the thing that's just begun.

[Robin Hilton]

I don't know the song, though.

[Unknown]

There it is again that funny feeling. That funny feeling. There it is again that funny feeling.

[Robin Hilton]

Is it called that Funny Feeling?

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, that's that Funny Feeling by Bo Burnham from his. His Netflix comedy special Inside, which was a comedy special he recorded entirely inside his house, as he's sort of coming unglued by the isolation and the anxiety around the pandemic. And it's really, to me, the towering example of kind of the best of pandemic isolation entertainment, like works that were created of and for that moment in history. And that song in particular is really kind of summing up that sense of overwhelm.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I have one that speaks to all of those things and themes that you just mentioned.

[Stephen Thompson]

Is it Butter by bts?

[Robin Hilton]

It's not Butter by bts.

[Stephen Thompson]

I love that song.

[Robin Hilton]

This is a song that I remember when I heard it, I like, just bawled my eyes out because it was so beautiful. And I remember thinking, song of the year. I'd be very curious to see if you get this.

[Unknown]

When did it happen? I still can't recall it. Life wasn't enough until after I typed it. Tell me a secret I still won't believe it Till after you shot it. Till you make it public.

[Stephen Thompson]

Is this Elizabeth in the catapult?

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. I mean, she just said her name.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, she said her name is Elizabeth. And I'm like, like she does. This does sound like Elizabeth in the catapult.

[Unknown]

I am just phoning it in, quite literally. I lost the poetry texting without feeling the song without meaning. A dog without a bone. I'm talking without speaking Together, alone.

[Robin Hilton]

Together.

[Stephen Thompson]

I don't know if I was still following everything they were putting out in 2020.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, that's the thing. Like at this point, she'd been putting out music for 20 years. You know, some really great stuff. Great stuff. And then she drops this album called Sincerely E and it has this song called Together Alone.

[Unknown]

My brain is connected to my head, it's connected to my phone. One more photo of a wedding or a picture perfect home.

Lying in bed.

Late in the evening. You're never alone even when you are sleeping. My brain is connected to My hand is connected to my phone.

[Robin Hilton]

So much of it is just her and her piano. But like the lyrics in this song are just all about My brain is connected to My hand is connected to my phone. One more photo of a wedding or a picture perfect tone. It's just so, it's heartbreaking. It is just so crushing, so beautiful. I just think she so perfectly captures just that whole era of being alone, doom scrolling on your phone, wanting some sort of of connection with the outside world and unable to reach it. She called this, this whole album, sincerely E. She called it a love letter to everyone who's been stuck at home and who was stuck at home and struggling during that time. And yeah, probably my favorite song of the year.

[Unknown]

Do you ever think that you're too young to be complaining about your memory?

[Robin Hilton]

So much we could talk about. But we'll go out on this. And until next time, thanks, Stephen.

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

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

[Unknown]

Does your potential make you feel bitter? Throw your computer in the Hudson river Oh, my vein is connected to my head and it's connected to my phone Cuz no it stops anymore. Always waiting for that next big thing don't want to rest anymore.

We'Re always.

Searching for that new beginning so worried about what could be missing that we miss out on the life we're living and the kiss you're about to give me now and the kiss you're about to give me.

It.

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