The Contenders, Vol. 17: Keaton Henson, Arvo Pärt, Julia Hamos, more

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered - "The Contenders, Vol. 17: Keaton Henson, Arvo Pärt, Julia Hamos, more"

Release Date: August 5, 2025
Host: Robin Hilton
Guest: Tom Huisinger

---

Introduction to the Contenders Episode

Robin Hilton welcomes Tom Huisinger to the latest installment of All Songs Considered, highlighting the episode as part of the "Contenders" series. This series features a curated list of the year's best songs, selected as potential candidates for NPR's end-of-year best-of lists.

Notable Quote:

• Robin Hilton [00:54]: "These are the songs that we love so much. They're in the running for a spot... contenders for a spot on our best of 2025 lists."

---

Julia Homosch and "Ellis Island"

The episode kicks off with a deep dive into Julia Homosch's debut solo album, Ellis Island. Homosch, an American pianist with Hungarian roots, presents a collection that intertwines personal family narratives with a diverse range of composers, including Bartok, Kurtag, Charles Mingus, and Meredith Monk.

Key Points:

• Album Theme: Ellis Island serves as a homage to Homosch's family heritage and explores themes of immigration from an intimate perspective.
• Musical Style: Homosch's performance is described as "crystalline," with each note carrying significant weight and displaying rhythmic precision without stiffness.

Notable Quotes:

• Tom Huisinger [01:38]: "This record is really feels like an homage to them, an homage to family."
• Robin Hilton [02:32]: "Every note sparkles, each with its own importance..."

Robin compares Homosch's rendition of the title track to Meredith Monk's original, noting Homosch's version as warmer and more empathetic.

Notable Quote:

• Robin Hilton [06:37]: "I actually thought this version was a lot warmer sounding and a little more rounded than the Meredith Monk."

---

The Antlers and "Carnage"

Transitioning to indie music, Robin and Tom discuss The Antlers' latest album, Blight, marking their first release in four years. The opening track, "Carnage," tackles environmental themes by highlighting subtle, often unnoticed damages inflicted upon nature.

Key Points:

• Song Analysis: "Carnage" employs a blend of apocalyptic-sounding instrumentals with introspective lyrics, reflecting societal numbness towards ongoing environmental and social issues.
• Musical Composition: The latter part of the song features a "long, brilliant instrumental wall of sound" with churning guitars and high-pitched synths, creating a sense of both chaos and beauty.

Notable Quotes:

• Tom Huisinger [09:08]: "It's so beautifully dark. It's just wonderful."
• Robin Hilton [15:20]: "It feels very apocalyptic, but just good and crunch."

The discussion emphasizes the emotional depth and the intricate layering of sounds that characterize The Antlers' work.

Notable Quote:

• Robin Hilton [16:53]: "It's the best work since Hospice."

---

Gabriel Ortiz and Classical Music Segment

Shifting to the classical genre, the hosts spotlight Mexican composer Gabriel Ortiz's work with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Ortiz's latest orchestral album features the cello concerto Zonat, inspired by Mayan underground caves and the endangered jaguar.

Key Points:

• Composer's Achievement: Ortiz, recently honored with three Grammys, showcases his prowess in blending traditional and contemporary classical elements.
• Performance Highlights: Elisa Wylerstein’s cello performance employs unique techniques like col legno, adding a percussive dimension to the composition.

Notable Quotes:

• Tom Huisinger [20:40]: "It's exhausting in the best kind of way."
• Robin Hilton [28:09]: "Just the level of musicianship... incredible."

The segment celebrates Ortiz's contributions to classical music and his recent accolades, underscoring his significance in the modern classical landscape.

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Keaton Henson's "Lazy Magician" with Julia Steiner

The conversation then moves to Keaton Henson's track "Lazy Magician," featuring Julia Steiner of Rat Boys. This collaboration marks a slight departure from Henson's typically subdued style, presenting a blend of humor and melancholy.

Key Points:

• Song Dynamics: "Lazy Magician" combines light-hearted lyrics with wistful melodies, creating a poignant yet accessible piece.
• Artistic Evolution: Henson is noted for his versatility, expanding his musical expression while maintaining his signature emotional depth.

Notable Quotes:

• Robin Hilton [30:02]: "It's a little funny and a little sad and just really, really beautiful."
• Tom Huisinger [34:41]: "I love those harmonies on the second verse..."

The duet between Henson and Steiner is praised for its effective harmonization and the seamless integration of their distinct vocal styles.

---

Arvo Pärt's "Nunc Dimittis" Tribute

In a particularly moving segment, Robin and Tom pay tribute to the esteemed Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. As Pärt approaches his 90th birthday, a new recording of his sacred piece "Nunc Dimittis" is featured, showcasing the profound emotional and spiritual resonance of his work.

Key Points:

• Personal Anecdote: Tom recounts his personal encounter with Pärt, highlighting the composer's serene and composed nature.
• Musical Impact: Robin describes his emotional experience while listening to "Nunc Dimittis," emphasizing the piece's ability to transcend distractions and evoke deep introspection.

Notable Quotes:

• Robin Hilton [39:18]: "It had the power to erase everything around me and tears were streaming down my face."
• Tom Huisinger [37:08]: "It's a staggering accomplishment... incredible."

This tribute underscores Pärt's enduring legacy and the timeless quality of his sacred compositions.

---

25th Anniversary Segment: Number One Songs of 2023

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of All Songs Considered, Robin and guest Stephen Thompson reflect on standout songs from 2023. Unlike traditional rankings, these selections are based on personal significance and the songs' alignment with the show's identity.

Key Highlights:

• Chapel Roan's "Supernova": Recognized for its blend of artistry and pop appeal, Chapel Roan's rise is attributed to strategic releases and impactful performances, including her Tiny Desk Concert.

  Notable Quote:

  • Stephen Thompson [46:51]: "A pop star who wasn't afraid to lean into some of the artier sides."

• Ben Folds' "Christine": A deeply emotional track that resonates with themes of isolation and human connection, prompting strong personal reactions from Robin.

  Notable Quote:

  • Robin Hilton [52:57]: "Tears were streaming down my face. It uncorked something in me that needed to be released."

Discussion Points:

• The contrast between Chapel Roan's upbeat "Supernova" and the melancholic "Christine" by Ben Folds highlights the diverse emotional landscape of 2023's music.
• The songs chosen reflect personal connections and broader societal themes, aligning with the show's focus on music's impact beyond chart success.

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Conclusion

Robin Hilton wraps up the episode by acknowledging the emotional and artistic depth explored throughout the discussions. The emphasis remains on celebrating music's ability to connect, inspire, and reflect personal and global narratives.

Final Thoughts:

• Robin Hilton [54:37]: "It's all songs considered."

The episode successfully blends in-depth musical analysis with personal reflections, offering listeners a rich and engaging exploration of contemporary music's pivotal moments.

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Notable Exclusions:
All advertisements, sponsorship messages, and non-content sections have been intentionally omitted to maintain focus on the substantive discussions and musical insights shared during the episode.

Transcript

[Sponsor]

Support for this podcast comes from Dignity Memorial. For many families, remembering loved ones means honoring the details that made them unique. Dignity Memorial is dedicated to professionalism and compassion in every detail of a life celebration. Find a provider near [e-mail] how have you been, Tom?

[Robin Hilton]

Have you been surviving the heat?

[Tom Huisinger]

It has been scorching, hasn't it?

[Robin Hilton]

So bad. It is so bad. I had a debate with a friend about whether or not it's any worse now, and I feel like it. It always gets awful in dc. Yeah, it's swampy, but it, I don't know, this last week just felt heavy, almost hard to breathe.

[Tom Huisinger]

Life is heavy.

[Robin Hilton]

Life is heavy.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yes.

[Robin Hilton]

We're gonna make it all better.

[Tom Huisinger]

We are.

[Robin Hilton]

For everyone here, welcome to All Songs Considered, the world's greatest podcast. Whenever you're on, Tom Huisinger, welcome.

[Tom Huisinger]

Oh, thank you, Robin. It's always great to be here.

[Robin Hilton]

This is one of our contenders episodes. We do one every other week or so. We keep this running list of the year's best songs and we add to it throughout the year. These are the songs that we love so much. They're in the running for a spot. They're contenders for a spot on our best of 2025 lists. When we get to that point at the end of the year. You know, when I started to dig more into the songs that we're playing this week, Tom, my first thought was that, wow, these really get into some pretty big global, you know, world problems like immigration and the environment and religion. But the more I listened to them and sat with everything, I started to think that, you know, it's really all from a very intimate and very personal point of view.

[Tom Huisinger]

Well, you mentioned immigration and there is kind of a connection to the first piece we're going to hear. It's performed by Julia Homo. She's a young American pianist who grew up speaking Hungarian in her household. And her debut solo album is called Ellis island after the Meredith Monk track of the same name. So that's what we'll hear in a moment. I think it's really smartly programmed and in its own way it really tells the story of Julie Hos and her family, her, the Hungarian side of her family, through a wide variety of composers. Some that you would normally think would be on an album like this, like Bartok and Kurtag, but some non obvious composers too, like Charles Mingus.

[Robin Hilton]

Right.

[Tom Huisinger]

And Meredith Monk.

[Robin Hilton]

So this is the title track from the album Ellis Island. And these are all solo piano pieces.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yeah, they are. And what we should be listening for here is this crystalline quality that Hommos brings to the table. Every note sparkles, each with its own importance, especially when the other musical voices fold in. You know, it's rhythmically taut, but not really uptight. And some pianists tend to just toss off pieces like this, minimalist kind of pieces like this, but not homos. Her devotion really shows, and it's a terrific performance.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sa sa.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, what you name a piece of music, particularly when it's an instrumental piece of music, can really shape how you hear it. Right? And I suppose you could have named this song, like Shopping at the Megamart or something like that, but it just. Ellis Island. It just conjured all these images of people bustling around and a sense of hope and a lightness to it all.

[Tom Huisinger]

Well, and that music might sound simple, but it's not. And it's not easy to pull off with that much nuance and flare. You really have to be like a diamond cutter with this piece because all. All of the notes really shine there.

[Robin Hilton]

So I wasn't familiar with this piece before you shared it, and I went back and I listened to the original Meredith Monk version, and you know how you said this Julia Hommos version is sort of crystalline and very clearly articulated? I actually thought this version was a lot warmer sounding and a little more rounded than the Meredith Monk. I thought the Meredith Monk version had a little more bite to it, and it might just be the space that it was recorded in. I mean, it's all very clearly articulated in this Homosch performance, but. And it's very subtle, but it created a little more warmth, almost a feeling of empathy or something that I was hearing in this music. Whereas the Meredith Monk version is maybe a little more. I don't know, a little more celebratory or something.

[Tom Huisinger]

It could be that she's feeling her roots and feeling her. This record is a lot about family. She writes in the liner notes that three of her grandparents and her father passed away within a year's time recently. And I think this record is really feels like an homage to them, an homage to family. And so maybe that's where some of that warmth comes in. And she says that Ellis island is the pivot point of the record. And she says it's not necessarily about coming from Europe to America, but she says it could be the other way around, which is what she says she's done with her own life. She was born in New York, but she went to Europe to study with some Hungarians and then also in England as well.

[Robin Hilton]

So, again, that's the title track from the Julia Homosch album Ellis Island. And Homosh is spelled H A M O S pronounced Homosh. That album is out now. Came out at the top of June. Did you say it's her debut?

[Tom Huisinger]

It's her debut solo record.

[Robin Hilton]

I see. Okay. Yeah.

[Tom Huisinger]

And it's a. She's a pianist to keep an ear on, for sure.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, let's do another cut that I think is very personal but also very much informed by bigger global issues and questions. It's from the band the Antlers. Were you ever into the Antlers?

[Tom Huisinger]

I was, yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

So, you know, they had that incredible album back in 2009 called Hospice, which really sort of.

[Tom Huisinger]

Right.

[Robin Hilton]

Put them on the map. They really took off after they released that album. One of my all time favorite records of any year. They've got a new one now called Blight. It's their first album in four years and I think it's the best thing they've done since Hospice. The first song that they've shared from this new album is called Carnage, which. It really sounds terrible, doesn't it? The album's Blight and the song is Carnage.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yeah, party music.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, party time. But you know, honestly, I don't think when you listen to it, I don't think it's as dystopian or, I don't know, as heavy handed as you might think based on those names. We can talk more about it after we hear it.

[Tom Huisinger]

I might have to push back on that.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, we'll listen and see broadly. I should say that this song is about the environment and the damage that we do to it. Not in any kind of grand like global warming scale sort of way, but in smaller ways that we don't even notice.

[Tom Huisinger]

But before we hear it, I should just say that you can think about the words, but for me, what I love is the last third of the song, which is this long, brilliant instrumental wall of sound with these concussive churning guitars. And then this bright little piping tune high up in the synth. It feels very apocalyptic, but just good and crunch.

[Julia Steiner]

Branches trimmed in grasses mow There is a snake with his head disposed Toed up saddle and bright and underneath my spinning tire There we remain Casually made incidental Carnage Collateral pain Birds mix into the glass Shaking even heavy gasps Settling down she heaves her lies Phone gets caught in my f Tries to clear but slams a gas with every leap.

[Stephen Thompson]

Of blood in my eyes.

[Julia Steiner]

Accident.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sa.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, okay, for sure there's a huge build, but I think with a name like Carnage and Blight. You could go way darker and grittier than that. They still kind of shimmers to me.

[Tom Huisinger]

Oh, yeah, It's. It's so beautifully dark. It's just wonderful.

[Robin Hilton]

It's very on brand for the antlers, too. That's sort of what has always been their trademark sound. They usually will start from a place of sadness or grief or beauty, and then there's a build. And then everything is awash in this vast sea of reverb.

[Tom Huisinger]

And even how the song starts with this. And it's like an alarm clock. It's like, hello, wake up. Something's happening here. And I think it's like. I don't think it's necessarily talking about the environment, about animals. I think it's also reflective of us. And I think it speaks to a certain amount of numbness that a lot of people are feeling right now. You know, another horrific incident happens, a mass shooting, whatever it is, rolls off our backs now because nothing about the environment at all.

[Robin Hilton]

Just general.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yeah. And it's frightening what we've become.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. That's Peter Silberman singing and playing guitar there at the end. So he recorded this in upstate New York. And he would go for these long walks through these fields, these empty fields, and he said that it felt like he was on this abandoned planet and that that got him reflecting on the planet, on the state of the planet, and thinking of the small ways, you know, or at least seemingly or relatively small ways that we affect the environment. Like an animal getting stuck in our fence or you run over a snake in the road or whatever it is, and that we don't even notice anymore. So I guess that.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yes, or we don't care anymore.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm so glad to have them back. Like I said, this is the first album in four years and what I've heard of it is incredible. I think their best work since hospice. Again, the album is called Blight. It is not out until the fall. It's scheduled for October 10th.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, a reminder, if you want to support the show, just tell a friend about it. Share this show with a friend and leave us a review on Apple Music or Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Also coming up, Stephen Thompson will be here to talk about our number one songs of 2023. We're going all the way back to 2023. Can you take a walk down memory lane with us? This is something we've been doing at the end of every episode this spring and summer, talking about our favorite songs from each of the past 25 years. This is for the 25th anniversary celebration of All Songs Considered. We're 25 this year. We're almost done. Just two more years to go.

[Tom Huisinger]

I can't even remember 2024, much less.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, you joke, but it hasn't gotten any easier for Stephen and I to remember the music that we were listening to. That's coming up. Plus your weekly reset. That's the little found sounds or ambient sounds you hear at the end of these episodes. If you've ever wondered what those are, love those. That is your weekly reset. All of that is coming up. But Tom, what else you got cooking this week?

[Tom Huisinger]

Well, you know, last year, Robin, there was an album of works by Mexican composer Gabriel Ortiz with the Los Angeles Philharmonica and Gustavo Dudamel conducting. That was my favorite classical record of 2024. I can remember that.

[Robin Hilton]

Remember that one? Yeah.

[Tom Huisinger]

And it ended up winning three Grammys for Ortiz. And now the same forces are back with another album of orchestral music of Gabriella Ortiz. And the standout work on the album is this new cello concerto called Zonat. And it was written for the performer that we'll hear in a moment, Elisa Wylerstein, who just plays it with, I must say, ferocious commitment. And the movement we're going to hear is called Eye of the Jaguar. And just listen to her cello. It snarls. It acts as, like a jazzy plucked bass. It acts as a percussion instrument via this technique called col Lego, where the wood of the bow bounces on the strings rather than the than the hair of the bow.

[Robin Hilton]

Say the name of the concerto again. Is it Zanot? How did you pronounce it?

[Tom Huisinger]

The name of the concerto is Dzonat, and I'll spell it for you. It's D, Z O, N O, T. And it's a Mayan word that describes these amazing underground caves and cisterns that populate the Yucatan region of Mexico. This movement of the concerto is called Eye of the Jaguar, which is an endangered animal in the Yucatan region.

[Robin Hilton]

And this piece is a little bit longer, but it's worth the journey.

[Stephen Thompson]

It. It sa Sam. It Sam.

[Tom Huisinger]

I dare say, Robin, those are some classical grooves.

[Robin Hilton]

I dare say. It rocks, doesn't it? Yeah. I, I, I had to say, the first couple of times I listened to this piece, I found it to be kind of stressful. There's so much tension in it. I like where it settled. Kind of lands there at the end in that last minute or so. But this time, listening through it, I don't know if I'm in a head. Different head space, but it's not stressful. It just kind of rocks.

[Tom Huisinger]

I love the grooves that it gets into. And it's exhausting in the best kind of way. But can you imagine playing it?

[Robin Hilton]

Well, that's the thing. I can't hear a piece of music like this without thinking of all the little dots on the paper that everyone's. Someone had to write all that out. And it's just a staggering accomplishment. Just the level of musicianship, just the breathtaking degree of inspiration required to get this down on paper and structure it and guide everyone through it. Incredible.

[Tom Huisinger]

And that's just one quarter. That's one movement of a four movement.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, so, you know, as percussive as this piece is, I actually thought the woods were doing a lot of lifting in this piece. There's some really incredible stuff with that, too.

[Tom Huisinger]

Oh, and you mentioned percussion. There are 30 different percussion instruments in this score, from sleigh bells to bongos to claves, cowbells, crotales, Chinese wooden box and Tibetan bells, just to name a few.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Tom Huisinger]

I just have to say that I love that Gabrielle Ortiz is finally getting her much deserved recognition. She's 60, she's paid some dues, and now she is collecting three Grammys. She's got Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic, you know, a list people championing her music. She just finished her post as a resident composer at Carnegie Hall. She's doing the same at the concert CA in Amsterdam this upcoming season.

[Robin Hilton]

Wow.

[Tom Huisinger]

She has arrived and I could not be happier.

[Robin Hilton]

So the album this is from is called Yenga Yonga.

[Tom Huisinger]

The album is called Yanga. And the title of the concerto that we just heard is called Zonat. And the movement was called the Eye of the Jaguar.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, I wanted to play something more in the rock vein here, maybe just to kind of mix things up a bit. Now I kind of feel like that took care of that for us. I don't know. There's some stuff I was thinking, you know, I could go with maybe there's some stuff from the Beths out now that I'm really loving. I'll save that for another episode. Honestly, I have found that I just keep leaning more toward music that's more introspective, a little quieter. Like there's noise, but it's not like ugly noise. I think that's what you get with this new cut from Keaton Henson that I want to play. If you know Keaton Hinson's work, he's someone who's usually very, very quiet. Were you here for his Tiny Desk concert?

[Tom Huisinger]

Did you? No, I missed that one, unfortunately.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, so quiet. Everyone was totally silent trying to hear him. And even in the room you could barely hear him singing on this new song. I think he's opening up a little bit more. It's about as big as I've ever heard him get. That's not really saying much, but it's a track called Lazy Magician. Lazy Magician. And I think, like so much of his music, what I love about it is it's a little funny and a little sad and just really, really beautiful.

[Julia Steiner]

I'm a lazy amateur magician I can't even make myself disappear I'm amazed I.

[Stephen Thompson]

Can hold my head up I have.

[Julia Steiner]

Tried why not you raise them dead.

[Stephen Thompson]

Isn't anyone going sa maybe I'll try I'm a 14 I fly an acrobat I can hardly get myself out of bed the nowhere to take Sam Saint.

[Julia Steiner]

But I can see future where I.

[Stephen Thompson]

Find.

[Robin Hilton]

So that's Julia Steiner of the band Rat Boys singing with Keaton Henson on the song Lazy Magician.

[Tom Huisinger]

I like that.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Tom Huisinger]

What you think well, it's so different from his last album, Somnambulet Cycles, which is almost, really, almost an ambient record. Like film scores, subtleties and.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, and that was very different from everything he'd done before that. I mean, he really is sort of a polymath. I know that term gets thrown around a lot. But I mean, he is a poet, an illustrator. You know, he wrote and put out a graphic novel. Multi instrumentalist, great singer. His voice is just gorgeous.

[Tom Huisinger]

I think what I like about this song is, you know, he's quite a generous duet singer when he wants to be. I mean, I love those harmonies on the second verse when, you know, Henson sings high and Steiner sings low. That's a really effective way to do duets.

[Robin Hilton]

I think it's a really funny song. I mean, it's admittedly a dark comedy, but I mean, you know, just that he's a magician who can't make anything disappear. He's an acrobat who's afraid of heights. What was the other one that he says at the end? Oh, he's. He's like a fortune teller.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yeah, but I can see a future where I'm fine. So that's where the song takes right at the end. It takes this flip like, you know, yeah, that's true.

[Robin Hilton]

Maybe everything's going to be okay for me.

[Tom Huisinger]

Right?

[Robin Hilton]

Again, Keaton hints in the song Lazy Magician.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, we've got your weekly reset coming up. We close every show with those. Plus Stephen Thompson back to talk about our number one songs from 2023. But Tom, you have got one more cut that you want to play.

[Tom Huisinger]

I do. And it's a new recording of music by Arvo Parrot, the great Estonian composer who turns 90 on September 11th. Incredible. He's slowing down, though. Not really. I've been told he's not really composing anymore. And this album will be released the week before on September 5th. And the record is really just this breathtaking tribute to one of the most performed and beloved living composers.

[Robin Hilton]

He's one of my all time favorite composers. His work always is so deeply moving to me. So beautiful. You got to actually meet him once. Didn't you meet him or I did.

[Tom Huisinger]

I did. It's one of the high points of my career. Career. He came over in 2014 for a very rare visit to the States because there was a festival of his music here in Washington and in New York and bragging rights here. I was the only journalist that he gave a face to face interview with. And I went to his hotel in Georgetown. It was just a producer and myself, his wife was there, someone from the Estonian embassy. And before we even got going, I took this little bell because he likes bells. And I rang this little bell and he says, oh good, I love bells. And his composing style really is. It's called this Tintin Abuli and the translation of that word is little bells.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, interesting.

[Tom Huisinger]

But you asked what he was like and I don't think I've ever met a person who just exuded so much inner peace and calm.

[Robin Hilton]

You just described his music, full of this sort of inner peace we've been going on here. We should maybe hear a little bit. What do you want to do here? Do you want to just play this piece? The album's called and I heard a voice.

[Tom Huisinger]

Yeah. I should just tell you a little bit of what we're going to hear. It's this. All the music on the record is sacred music. And what we're going to hear is a piece called Nunc Dimittis, which is part of the Christian liturgy. And it's based on this, a Bible passage from the book of Luke where this old devout dude named Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he couldn't die until he saw the Christ child. Then Joseph and Mary bring Jesus to into the church and. And Simeon is there and holds the baby and he says, now let thy servant depart in peace, which is the opening line of this piece. And so it's this very specific and amazing moment where this dude knows that he can now die because he's seen Christ. And the music helps create this kind of supernatural portal between this world and the next and how Arvo Perrott depicts it is with the utmost wonder and reverence.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, let me tell you, when I listened to this piece for the first time, or I should say attempted to listen to this for the first time, I was supremely distracted. I was trying to do three or four other things, you know, checking email and checking my phone, texting and answering questions. The worst way to listen to music. And I will say, maybe about a minute or so into this, everything around me started to disappear and all of the noise in my life started to fade until this piece of music was the only thing that existed. It had the power to erase everything around me and tears were streaming down my face. It uncorked something in me that needed to be released.

[Tom Huisinger]

His music does that.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, we're going to go out on this, but again, keep listening after the song for our 25th anniversary segment on the music of 2023, also your weekly reset. But, Tom, thanks as always for just coming to hang out and share all this incredible music.

[Tom Huisinger]

Always great to be here with you, Rob.

[Stephen Thompson]

SA Jesus, Sam, Ram ra Ram.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, as I mentioned, we've been celebrating our 25th anniversary this year by looking back at our number one songs from across the years. We've been closing out the show with a different segment, a different year on each episode, the spring and summer. Stephen Thompson back now. Hey, Stephen.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's good to be here, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

So we are almost done. We just got a couple more years that we're going to talk about, starting with the year 2023 now. And, you know, as we're getting into the the final stretch here, I'll just remind people, these are not The Billboard Hot 100 Hits, the number one songs like that. These are just the songs that meant the most to us from that year or take us back to that time or really, you know, sort of speak to the identity of all songs considered. Since we are celebrating the show's 25th.

[Stephen Thompson]

Anniversary, since we are here celebrating ourselves.

[Robin Hilton]

Celebrating, it's all about us. What do you think of when you think of music in 2023? I've got a handful of things here, but I'll let you go first.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, when I think of 2023, I think of an album that had a little bit of a slow burn and really blew up in 2024. I'm gonna go with this.

She was a playboy, Brigitte Bardot, she showed me things I didn't know. She, she did it right there out on the deck. Put her K9 teeth in the side of my neck.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, it's Chapel Roan, but it's not the song I thought you were going to.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's not. It's not necessarily the biggest hit single.

Guess I didn't quite think it through Fell in love with the thought of you Now I'm choked up Face down Burnt out Baby, why don't you come over Red one Super falling into me.

This is Red Wine Supernova from Chapel Roan and her album, the Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. This album kind of came along at a point where a lot of the discussions around pop stars and pop music were that like, streaming had made it so it would be impossible for us to get any new stars because streaming algorithms feed people the music they've already played. It's gotten harder and harder for new artists to bring through, but Chapel Roan ended up having that giant pop star rise. This album came out in like September of 2023, kind of perfectly timed right at the beginning of the window of Grammy eligibility, which was a very smart move because she had about a six month rise to mega stardom. And I'm so pleased and proud of the fact that a part of her rise was her performance at the. The Tiny Desk, you know, which. Which helped kind of introduce her to the world as somebody who was not just somebody who had a bunch of bubblegum pop songs, but somebody who had visuals, somebody who had thought out her person, like her Persona in a kind of a 360 degree way and had these intense and immense vocal chops. And so for me, this was kind of my favorite story of music in 2023 and 2024. A pop star who wasn't afraid to lean into some of the artier sides.

[Robin Hilton]

Of a pop music Persona and still blow up.

[Stephen Thompson]

And still blow up.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. It's actually gotten to the point where that's such a special thing. Now, it didn't always used to be that way, but it's such a special thing that I've noticed some people on the music team sort of using her name as a shorthand for any time they want an artist to have a spirit, successful art.

[Stephen Thompson]

Like I want them to be Chapel.

[Robin Hilton]

Can they just. Can we Chapel, Ron Roan them? Yeah. So, you know, again, I. I feel like every time you play something like that, I end up having the complete opposite song to play. But when I think of 2023, here's.

[Stephen Thompson]

A song about grief.

[Robin Hilton]

I just can't give you anything that I think is better for me personally from that year than this.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, this is. Is It Ben Folds.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, Ben Fold.

[Stephen Thompson]

This is a great song. And I know you. I do know you love this song. You've played this song for me before.

[Julia Steiner]

Are you the same Christine I knew from seventh grade? Now it's definitely you, just with a new last name. Someone who laughed a lot is what I remember the most. But the face in your profile suggests maybe not so much anymore. I got the emails these last two years every day, and I just don't reply because I'm not really sure what to say. Christine from the seventh grade.

[Stephen Thompson]

So listeners at home, they can't see us. This is not a video podcast, thank God. But Robin, that entire song, the entire excerpt of the song that we played, Robin's head was buried in his hands. And I thought to myself, there is a 30 to 50% chance that Robin is currently weeping.

[Robin Hilton]

Much higher than that. I thought you were gonna say 30 to 50% chance. He's not gonna get through this. Because this song does crush me. Like, it's so. Such an incredible song. The story that he on schools. You really need to listen to the whole thing. But it's just. I think it's so affecting to me because it speaks so much to. Why are we even here if we're not going to connect with each other? Why are we even here if we're not going to find joy in small ways? What are we even doing if we're not going to connect with our neighbors and our friends and share in this human experience together? And what. What happens to us when we don't do that and we withdraw and we become more and more isolated?

[Stephen Thompson]

I think it's a was here saying that song spoke to you in 2023.

[Robin Hilton]

It continues to speak to me. You know, it's. Yes, it's definitely a song for the times. I think it's a song that would resonate at any time, but maybe especially now, because it also does talk about how when we withdraw and become isolated, the way it can kind of break our minds in a way and turn us against one another. And the refrain that he keeps repeating through the song is, you know, the world is really actually a pretty beautiful place.

[Julia Steiner]

There's a break in the rain.

[Stephen Thompson]

A.

[Julia Steiner]

Perfect time for a walk. The smell of wet leaves, the warm smiles and hungry hellos. These things exist in the real world, you know. Oh, what a shame, Christine. This disease that makes strangers of friends. But if these days it's really us's and thems, maybe you should just take me off both of those lists. Cause it's such a short, sad and beautiful life. Do you ever see it that way?

[Stephen Thompson]

I think the fact that that song really, that you really relate to that song, you know, speaks to the fact that that's very much your world view. And I think that's why it's just never done it for me.

[Robin Hilton]

You're fine with the isolation. I know you're kidding.

[Stephen Thompson]

Beautiful song.

[Robin Hilton]

But we'll go out on this and until next time, Stephen, and it will be the last year that we're doing in this series. Thanks as always.

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you, Robin.

[Robin Hilton]

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

[Stephen Thompson]

Sam sa sam it.

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