Latin Music Before And After “Despacito”; Bob Boilen’s Favorite Concert This Week

Plus, Leslie Odom Jr.'s Tiny Desk concert and the rise and fall of EDM.

by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Mint Images/Getty Images We here at NPR Music occasionally fancy ourselves to be amateur meteorologists. When there's an especially wild storm visible from our office windows, we’ve been known to congregate, in spite of tornado warnings. And with daylight saving time a distant memory and the sun setting earlier each night, Bob Boilen will occasionally alert all of NPR HQ to a particularly beautiful sunset over our building-wide intercom system. This week, like much of the rest of the country, those of us in D.C. weathered our first serious cold snap of the season. So we dusted off our favorite seasonal playlist, roséwave, with an update for pumpkin spice season. "These are the songs that greet falling leaves with open arms, that capture the sweet romance we have with the world when it feels fresh to us all over again," writes our editorial intern Zoë Jones in her ode to autumnal roséwave. "Change is difficult, so let music be our comfort and guide toward the promise of a new season." Sip pink and stay warm, Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Newsletter continues after sponsor message Featuring The culture of electronic dance music has long been seen as a safe space for the marginalized – but over the past decade, it took a sharp turn toward the mainstream. Then, what once threatened to overtake the music business died at the height of its powers. A year ago, doctors told Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Joe Henry that he had less than a year to live. His new album, The Gospel According To Water, is another second chance in a career full of them. Joan Shelley's new album, Like The River Loves The Sea, is a serene experience. It's music with a deep connection to British folk music from the 1960s and '70s, as well as the Appalachian guitar music from closer to her home in Louisville, Kentucky. In an All Songs Considered guest DJ session, Shelley talks about the album and shares songs by some of the artists who've inspired her over the years. This week, All Songs Considered continued its review of the decade in music with a crossover episode collaboration with Alt.Latino. "Despacito" was more than an inescapable No. 1 hit; it was the culmination of a decade-long rise of sociological and musical forces that cemented the Latin Urban style. New Music Our New Music Friday sprint through the best new albums out on November 15 includes a posthumous release from rapper Lil Peep, gorgeous reflections from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, singer Mary Lambert’s latest and more. For NPR Music's Live Sessions, our friends at The Bridge in Kansas City, Mo., shared a 30-minute video special of Josh Ritter performing live in its studio. The session included three songs from his 2015 album, Sermon On The Rocks. This week's World Cafe playlist includes new tracks from Lucy Dacus, Sudan Archives, Jessie Ware and more. Tiny Desk Mhari Shaw/NPR KOKOKO!, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a group of sonic warriors. In one of the loudest Tiny Desks of late, the band seized control of NPR Music's office, shouting its arrival through a megaphone as electronic sirens began to blare. Also out this week: a Tiny Desk concert from the Tony- and Grammy-winning singer, actor, author and Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. He performs three songs from Mr, his genre-bending new solo album. Bob Boilen's Rainbows This week, we asked Bob Boilen: What’s the best concert you’ve seen lately? Here’s his answer. Big Thief is making the music I love most in 2019. The band's concert at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. last Sunday evening left me feeling blissful with moments that were both sublime ("Paul") and cathartic ("Not"). The lyrics and the way Adrianne Lenker sings are at the center of my passion for this band – like in "Not," when she sings: "It's not the room / Not beginning / Not the crowd / Not winning / Not the planet / Not spinning / Not a ruse / Not heat / Not the fire lapping up the creek / Not food / Not to eat." Big Thief is a mighty band, and it's the group's capacity to be both fierce and intimate that wins my heart. There's no big light show, backing tracks or gimmicks – just four profoundly great prolific players. Not only did the band release two new albums this year, which it played extensively from, but Big Thief also surprised us with even newer, never-heard songs. Wow! You can follow Bob’s concert adventures at @tinydesk on Instagram. Bob Boilen/NPR Incoming Next Monday on World Cafe, hear an interview with The Who's Pete Townshend, in which he discusses his new novel, The Age of Anxiety, and the band’s first album in 13 years, which is due out next month.  One More Thing Rock on, Nandi! 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