All Songs Considered
Episode: The Contenders, Vol. 20: The Beths, Dustin O’Halloran, Nicholas Payton, more
Date: September 16, 2025
Host: Robin Hilton (NPR)
Guest: Kiana Faircloth
Episode Overview
This week’s episode of All Songs Considered is a “Contenders” installment, where Robin Hilton and Kiana Faircloth update their running list of 2025’s best songs—tracks that could make NPR’s year-end awards. The duo explores new releases spanning indie rock, jazz, ambient, R&B, and more, weaving through themes of nostalgia, joy, melancholy, and the search for authenticity in a modern, digital world.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Reunion of the Hosts & Setting the Stage
[00:17–01:44]
- Robin welcomes Kiana back after her busy period producing jazz concerts, festivals, and her podcast, Artemis C.
- Introduction of the “Contenders” concept: songs that have a genuine shot at being the best of the year.
2. The Beths – “No Joy”
[02:10–08:09]
Song Background
- [02:10] The Beths’ new album Straight Line Was a Lie gets high praise: “I think this is the best album that they’ve done so far.” – Robin Hilton [08:00]
Song & Video
-
The track “No Joy” addresses depression, but more so the absence of joy, even after managing depression.
- Memorable lyric: “No joy, no joy, no joy, no joy... only level lately and chronic on the daily, wanna feel but I am failing…”
-
The music video’s paradoxical tone: playful childhood imagery contrasting with heavy themes.
- “Those things that we enjoyed so much, the simple things as kids. Now as adults, we don’t find so much joy in them in the same way.” – Kiana Faircloth [06:13]
Themes & Reflections
- Elizabeth Stokes (The Beths’ frontwoman) describes how treatment “flattened her out a little bit”—better than before, but still searching for joy.
- “Progress is not a straight line, which is sort of where we get the album title Straight Line Was a Lie. She realized that life is really… it’s about maintenance.” – Robin Hilton [06:55]
- Kiana relates as a jazz fan, but vibes with The Beths’ emotional reach: “My playlist is really schizophrenic… I really do relate to the lyrics of this song, especially.” [07:36–07:48]
3. Nate Smith (feat. SAJE) – “Big Fish”
[08:09–15:22]
Album & Sound
- Nate Smith fuses jazz and alternative R&B, aiming to evoke the nostalgia of recording in his bedroom as a teen.
- “He wanted it to sound like he was recording to a cassette in his bedroom.” – Kiana Faircloth [08:09]
- Vocal group SAJE (Sarah Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, John A. Kendrick, Erin Bentlidge) delivers a “homogenous blend… floats over Nate’s beats like a dream sequence.” [13:32]
Vibe and Technique
- “It's both super chill and always moving.” – Robin Hilton [14:11]
- Nate Smith’s process is based on feel—“never counts anything out… It's all just feel.” [15:05]
- “The pocket is within him.” – Kiana Faircloth [15:15]
4. Dustin O’Halloran – “Gold”
[17:18–23:53]
Artist Background
- Robin introduces Dustin as “one of my all-time favorite pianists and ambient and instrumental composers.” [17:44]
- O’Halloran’s recent works include film scores (Eleanor the Great, Bridget Jones) and new solo singles.
The Song “Gold”
- The track was improvised live, recorded in one take, embodying authenticity and resisting artificiality.
- Kiana reacts: “I am. I’m feeling centered and haunted at the same time.” [22:28]
- Robin draws parallels with Nate Smith: “Part of Nate’s goal was that he just wanted something uniquely human and real… Dustin O’Halloran put out [‘1001’]… about what it means to be human when everything around you is increasingly artificial. So this song ‘Gold’ is his reply.” [22:34–23:36]
Overarching Theme
- Kiana notes a through line among the episode’s songs: “All of these artists are wanting to go back to a simpler time, hearken that nostalgic feeling that we have when things were just simpler.” [23:36]
5. Dara Star Tucker – “Pure Imagination”
[24:15–30:28]
Song & Artist Highlights
- Dara’s soulful cover of “Pure Imagination” (from Willy Wonka) channels nostalgia and simplicity.
- Robin: “One of my all-time favorite songs… I come to melody first, I’ve always loved the words to this song, but… the melody… one of the all-time greats.” [28:29]
- Dara is noted for her viral TikTok series “The Breakdown,” with over a million followers, but music is her first love.
- “She’s even a brilliant songwriter... helped write the Grammy-winning title track from Oklahoma by Kepmo.” – Kiana Faircloth [28:41]
Cover Interpretation
- Robin: “My favorite will probably always be Gene Wilder’s version… it just has such a hint of strange to it... This version is one of the brightest I’ve ever heard. It's like all joy, all innocence.” [29:25]
- Kiana: “It evokes that soulful and intimate feel… more of an adult take... put that sort of adult touch on it, while also… hearkening back to those soundtracks that we love.” [29:58]
6. Grumpy – “Crush”
[31:28–36:18]
Why Listen?
- Robin picks Grumpy entirely by band name: “Perfect band name—definitely captures the sentiment of the moment for me.” [31:46]
- The track “Crush” from the upcoming EP Piebald is energetic, playful, and saturated in 90s nostalgia.
Song Vibes & Imagery
- “It took you back to the 90s or something like that.” – Robin [35:00]
- “Just as this does.” – Kiana Faircloth [35:05]
- “Heaven Schmidt’s voice is angelic on this one. It really is. And the lyrics just bring you back to when you had that crush, you know, as a teenager… that theme of nostalgia.” [35:12]
- The video features Heaven Schmidt as a sea creature on a beach of sunbathers with fish heads—a “very weird,” endearingly quirky fit for the song’s innocence and humor. [35:44–36:18]
7. Nicholas Payton feat. Esperanza Spalding & Karriem Riggins – “Let It Ride”
[36:18–37:42]
Reunion Context
- “A reunion for them”—this trio last played together in 2010 but reassembled to record Triune when schedules aligned. [37:01]
- The track’s “hint of the strange” is praised: “He does that very well… It really feels like they've picked up where they've left off on this one.” – Kiana Faircloth [37:01]
Musical Moment
- Lyrics convey a sense of peace, optimism, and spiritual searching:
- “Fill my heart and mind with peace and love. Never shed a tear in the name of fear. All happiness is near.” [38:07]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On living with depression:
- “It really helped… but she didn’t find joy in the same things that she did before or in the same ways. It kind of flattened her out a little bit.” – Robin Hilton on Elizabeth Stokes, The Beths [06:34]
-
The paradox of nostalgia:
- “Those things that we enjoyed so much, the simple things as kids. Now as adults, we don’t find so much joy in them in the same way.” – Kiana Faircloth [06:13]
-
On musical feel vs. counting:
- “He never counts anything out. He’s never counting any rhythms. It’s all just feel.” – Robin Hilton on Nate Smith [15:05]
- “The pocket is within him.” – Kiana Faircloth [15:15]
-
On the power of melody:
- “I’ve always loved the words to this song, but I think the melody in this song in particular, one of the all-time greats.” – Robin Hilton on “Pure Imagination” [28:29]
Important Timestamps
| Time | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:17 | Welcome, Robin & Kiana catch up | | 02:10 | The Beths – “No Joy” & conversation | | 08:09 | Nate Smith & SAJE – “Big Fish”; Kiana’s jazz pick | | 13:32 | Robin & Kiana discuss SAJE’s vocals and Nate’s late-night album | | 17:18 | Dustin O’Halloran – “Gold”; ambient and authentic | | 22:28 | Reflection on O’Halloran’s music and common themes | | 24:15 | Dara Star Tucker – “Pure Imagination”; cover and career insights | | 31:28 | Grumpy – “Crush”; nostalgia and the power of band names | | 35:12 | On the 90s vibe and Heaven Schmidt's performance | | 36:39 | Nicholas Payton feat. Spalding & Riggins – “Let It Ride” | | 38:07 | “Let It Ride” lyric excerpt closes the musical selections |
Themes & Episode Takeaways
- Nostalgia and Simplicity: Many tracks and reflections this episode circle around the desire to return to, or at least evoke, a more innocent and less complicated time—through sonic texture, lyrics, and even cover choices.
- Joy, Loss, and Maintenance: The search for joy after depression, the maintenance of everyday living, and the realities behind self-care feature heavily, especially in The Beths’ discussion.
- Humanity vs. Artificiality: Both O’Halloran and Smith embrace analog, live, and improvised production to carve out something “uniquely human” in the digital age.
- Childhood Revisited: Songs like “Pure Imagination” and “Crush” dig into childhood wonder and first loves, but often with an adult’s sense of wistfulness or humor.
This episode is a rich tapestry connecting diverse musical voices from across the globe, with Robin and Kiana’s insights helping listeners bridge genres and themes through personal and universal experiences.