Why we can't stop talking about Beyoncé's 'Renaissance'

Plus, photos from Newport Jazz Festival

View this email online August 6, 2022 by Marissa Lorusso This week, we’re sharing more reflections on Beyoncé’s magnificent new album — plus, more of the best music we heard in July. Carlijn Jacobs/Via Parkwood Entertainment With so much great music coming out every week, it’s rare for one album to catch the ear of nearly our entire team at once. But if there’s one artist who can do it, it’s Beyoncé. Like most of my colleagues, I haven’t stopped listening to Renaissance, her seventh solo studio album, since it dropped last week. And there’s a lot to dig into with this album, so I was grateful to read the long, thoughtful conversation between three of my favorite critics — Ann Powers, Jason King and LaTesha Harris — about the album’s references to dance music past and present and the Black artists who've built the genre. (For even more Bey discussion, Pop Culture Happy Hour shared a conversation about the album that you can listen to.) Of course, Beyoncé wasn’t the only paradigm-shifting, boundary-breaking artist we were thinking about this week. Nate Chinen, director of editorial content at WBGO, spoke with Keith Jarrett ahead of the release of his album Bordeaux Concert, which was recorded live during the celebrated pianist’s final European tour in 2016. In 2020, Jarrett shared publicly that he had suffered two strokes in 2018 and would likely never perform again; in addition to discussing the forthcoming release, Nate spoke with him about his changed (and still-changing) relationship to the piano. Plus, we shared a review of Julius Eastman, Vol. 2: Joy Boy — the second album-length exploration of Eastman's music by the Los Angeles-based music collective Wild Up. As writer Harmony Holiday argues, Wild Up’s most impressive achievement in interpreting the great composer is in the collective’s “refusal to attempt impersonation,” and its ability to “make him their muse without fetishizing him.” Newsletter continues after sponsor message New Music Every month, my colleague Lars Gotrich gathers a group of NPR Music’s writers, editors and producers to talk about the best music they heard that month. In July, that included the sharp pop songwriting on Maggie Rogers’ Surrender, violinist Johnny Gandelsman's epic view of America, Bear1Boss' maximalist rap and Caterina Barbieri's ecstatic electronics. Plus, on this week’s episode of New Music Friday, hear our panel’s conversation about new releases from rapper Doechii, Colombian artist Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento and more. Take It Like A Man, the latest release from singer, songwriter and fiddler Amanda Shires, is her finest work yet, bolstered by her trademark fearlessness and vulnerability as a songwriter. But the record is also a reflection of an artist who’s focused intently on collaboration, equality and inclusivity, in her Nashville scene and beyond. Featuring This year’s Newport Jazz Festival was the fest’s first full edition in two years, and the first since the death of co-founder George Wein. It was a bittersweet but exuberant weekend filled with spirited performances — which you can see in a photo essay by photojournalist Ozier Muhammad, who attended the festival for the first time this year. For writer Isabelia Herrera, no music provides comfort in times of heartbreak like classic boleros. Lately, she’s been drawn to a new wave of artists who are reimagining the form, rising above its gendered tropes and sharpening its quietly feminist rebellion for the contemporary moment. The latest edition of our roséwave series takes you on a whirlwind weekend to Montréal — a city of franglais, terrasses, heatwaves and summer crushes — with a playlist for when love strikes like a sudden thunderstorm. Tiny Desk NPR Regina Spektor didn’t just show up at the Tiny Desk ready to play a set of old favorites and new standouts — including selections from what Bob Boilen calls her “most astonishing record to date” — she also composed a “Tiny Song” just for the occasion. Consider us charmed. Also this week: We shared a performance from singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham of songs from her forthcoming album, Revealer, that are alive with new sensations. One More Thing Don't bore us, get to the chorus. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music 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! 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