Our Favorite Autumn Rock Reads

Plus, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy Shares Songs That Inspired 'Ode To Joy'

by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Angela Hsieh/NPR Autumn weather finally arrived earlier this week in Washington, D.C., which, to us, means sweater weather and reading season. After all, what’s better than curling up on the couch in an oversized sweatshirt with a great read (and maybe hot coffee or cocoa)?  This week, our friends at NPR Books shared two reviews for recent music memoirs that we’re adding to our library queue. Liz Phair's Horror Stories is an unconventional rock read that reviewer Michael Schaub says avoids the usual trappings of the genre, revealing dark moments with refreshing frankness. And in Wham! George Michael & Me, Andrew Ridgeley pays tribute to Michael's songwriting genius, so often overlooked and taken for granted.  But why stop at two? Some other recent reads from our team include Jeff Tweedy’s Let's Go (So We Can Get Back), Tegan and Sara’s High School and Patti Smith’s Year of the Monkey.  Read on,  Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna P.S. We want to hear your picks! Email us your favorite music memoir by following the link at the bottom of this week’s newsletter. Newsletter continues after sponsor message New Music This week – and every week – our New Music Friday installment of All Songs Considered rounds up the best albums out this week. We discussed Big Thief’s stunning second LP of 2019, Kim Gordon’s impressive debut solo album, the wildly fun and brutal release from kawaii metal band Babymetal and more. Caribou, the project of songwriter and producer Dan Snaith, has shared "Home," his first new music in more than five years. The track is built around vintage horns and a sample from R&B singer Gloria Barnes' track of the same name. Every week, Alt.Latino’s playlist stretches across styles, but this week’s is especially expansive, including everything from Latin jazz to classic Cuban boleros to urbano hits and even riot grrrl Chicana punk. Featuring Two years ago this month, 58 people were killed in a mass shooting at Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. Since then, musicians have had to balance mental health therapy with the constant pressure to stay on the road, make new music and deliver for fans. Can music map a personal history of a place? In music critic Ruth Saxelby’s latest All Ears column, she considers how music can bring together the layers of meaning that accumulate in a particular place.  Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy has been on a roll after publishing his memoir, releasing two solo albums in six months and now finally a new Wilco album. On this week's show, Bob Boilen asks Tweedy to play guest DJ and share his latest inspirations and selections from Wilco’s latest, Ode to Joy. Tiny Desk Bob Boilen/NPR Even though our cubicles are mere yards from Bob Boilen’s desk, your friendly newsletter editors don’t get to actually watch every Tiny Desk concert as it happens; sometimes meetings or travel or deadlines get in the way. Such was the case with Charly Bliss, a pop-rock band we’ve loved since its debut single in 2017. For its performance, Charly Bliss brought about 20 gold balloons, a lot of glitter and three of our favorite songs from its sophomore album, Young Enough. All that said, there is one person who never misses a concert: Our audio engineer, Josh Rogosin, is crucial to making sure every Tiny Desk concert has crystal-clear sound. We had him tell us, in his professional view, which performances sound the best, for our latest Tiny Desk playlist.  Incoming “Tiny Desk, big mood.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music! You received this message because you're subscribed to NPR Music emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy