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World Cafe (World)

  • Now playing on WMPN-HD2 91.3
  • 1 hour 52 minutes left
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  • Host: David Dye
  • Since 1991, host David Dye has been exploring the frontiers of contemporary music for his listeners on a daily basis. Featuring live performance and interviews with established and emerging artists from across the musical spectrum, World Café is public radio's most popular program of popular music.
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  • Genres: World
  • Location: Philadelphia, PA
  • Language: English
  • Networks: NPR, WXPN
Last updated 118 days ago Update show info

Fanfarlo: Indie-Pop That Soars

Thu, Nov 19
Fanfarlo's spiky brand of rock feels both fresh and familiar. In addition to the usual lineup of drums, bass and guitars, the group employs an array of instruments ranging from keyboards and mandolin to horns. The result is a sound that's ambitious yet emotionally engaging.

Jack Penate: Dark But Danceable

Wed, Nov 18
On his sophomore album, Everything Is New, Penate exudes a refreshing sense of insight and experimentation. While the music has a gloomy undercurrent, each track is still fun and dance-floor-friendly, colorfully blending classic soul and pop with hints of Afrobeat.

OMG! The Cast Of 'Glee'!

Wed, Nov 18
Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn) and Amber Riley (Mercedes) from the cast of Glee join David Dye to chat about the runaway hit show and its music in this session from World Cafe.

John Forte: Free Body, Free Spirit

Tue, Nov 17
Since his release from prison following a presidential commutation last year, Forte has released a new EP and been actively engaged in humanitarian work. Hear his reggae-influenced hip-hop in this session from World Cafe.

Girls: Songs Of Sunny California

Mon, Nov 16
Born into the Children of God cult, Girls' Christopher Owens escaped a life of spiritual hardship only to end up on the streets. Upon meeting Chet "JR" White, the two created their widely hyped debut, Girls: Album. The record is an attempt by Owens to make peace with his past and pave a clean road ahead but the album isn't all serious. Lots of its songs are about hanging out with friends and, of course, girls.

Norah Jones: A Star Is Reborn

Fri, Nov 13
Combining pop, jazz, soul and country, Jones sold more than 20 million copies of her debut album, Come Away With Me, which won six Grammy Awards. Hear Jones play songs from her new album, The Fall, in a session from World Cafe.

BLK JKS: The Avant Garde In Africa

Thu, Nov 12
The buzz around BLK JKS started about two years ago, when the band released an eponymous EP; many called it avant-garde, in part because there's no other name for what BLK JKS does. Psychedelic rock, jazz, Afrobeat, blues, metal and reggae: The group crams all of these styles into an undeniably African rock sound.

Hear Music Where '7 Worlds Collide'

Wed, Nov 11
Working under the name 7 Worlds Collide, Crowded House's Neil Finn brought together a wide variety of popular artists to record The Sun Came Out, including Sharon and Liam Finn, KT Tunstall, Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche of Wilco, and Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway of Radiohead. The result is overflowing with energy.

Langhorne Slim: Cinematic Folk

Wed, Nov 11
Slim's recent success is due to his simple yet eccentric lyrics and subtle melodies. On his new record, Be Set Free he demonstrates the savvy of a true professional and the excitement and optimism of the most energetic of newcomers. Slim's music combines folk and country elements with a cinematic feel.

Erin McKeown: Joyful, Playful Pop

Tue, Nov 10
Hundreds of Lions, released last month, is a hopeful and inventive album that showcases McKeown's bright soprano vocals and inventive folk-pop arrangements. Hear her in this joyful session from World Cafe.

Doveman: Soft-Spoken But Upbeat

Mon, Nov 9
With the release of the 2005's The Acrobat, 2007's With My Left Hand I Raise the Dead and an album in which he covers the soundtrack to the '80s movie Footloose, Thomas Bartlett established Doveman as a true sleeper. His third album of original material with Doveman, The Conformist, is a testament to his soft-spoken style. This time around, though, he adds flourishes of upbeat synths, drums and catchy choruses.

White Rabbits: Adventurous Pop

Mon, Nov 9
After abandoning their Missouri roots to start anew in Brookyln, White Rabbits' members established themselves in the indie music scene, touring with the likes of Spoon and The Walkmen. Their sophomore album, It's Frightening, was produced by Spoon frontman Britt Daniel.

Phoenix: Jagged Pop For Francophiles

Fri, Nov 6
The four friends in Phoenix started out playing Hank Williams and Prince covers in area bars, but eventually landed a slot as a backing band for Air. Nearly a decade later, Phoenix has propelled itself into international renown. Its latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, blends catchy pop songwriting with a heavier rock sound.

Mayer Hawthorne: The New Old School

Thu, Nov 5
Hawthorne's work is heavily indebted to the '60s and '70s soul music of Memphis and particularly Detroit; it's hard not to think of the Detroit-born singer-producer's work as an overt homage to the Motown label. Hear Hawthorne perform in a session on World Cafe.

Hugh Cornwell: U.K. Punk, Yours For Free

Wed, Nov 4
A onetime frontman for The Stranglers and part of the first wave of British punk, Cornwell has long been known as a top songwriter and performer in the U.K. His seventh and latest album, Hoover Dam, is a garage-rock homage. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

Guy Clark: A Folk Icon Looks Forward

Tue, Nov 3
Throughout the '60s and early '70s, Clark lived as something of an itinerant musician and luthier. Eventually settling in Nashville in the '70s, he emerged as an refreshing new songwriter. Clark's songs are largely narrative, inspired by the storytelling poems of Robert Frost and Stephen Vincent Benet. Hear him perform a session from World Cafe.

Lissie Maurus: Songs For Solitude

Mon, Nov 2
Shifting from upbeat tunes to soft-spoken country, hints of '60s soul and subtle pop, Maurus' sweet and rustic voice ties each track together seamlessly. Hear two songs from her upcoming debut EP, Why You Runnin', on World Cafe: Next.

A Moby World Premiere: 'One Time We Lived'

Fri, Oct 30
As one of the most influential dance-music artists of the last 20 years, Moby brought electronic beats to mainstream audiences across America and the U.K. His combination of poppy disco beats, imaginative samples and occasional punk guitars earned him huge popularity. Hear Moby perform the never-before-heard song "One Time We Lived" in this session from World Cafe.

Miike Snow: The Illusion Of Simplicity

Thu, Oct 29
The production duo behind Britney Spears' "Toxic" has added a member to become the band Miike Snow. The Swedish group's cool electro-pop is instantly accessible. Hear the group in a session on World Cafe.

The Baseball Project At The Bat

Wed, Oct 28
What happens when a passionate love of rock 'n' roll meets a nostalgic obsession with America's pastime? The Baseball Project's Volume One: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails should give you a good idea. Hear the group in a session on World Cafe.

Sondre Lerche: A 'Heartbeat' Away

Tue, Oct 27
With jazzy chords, witty lyrics and hints of psychedelic folk, the Norwegian singer-songwriter's new album, Heartbeat Radio, is more adventurous than its predecessors. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

Freelance Whales: Busking To The Big Time

Mon, Oct 26
Freelance Whales' dreamy pop is getting a lot of attention, both on the streets and in the blogosphere. The group is often spotted playing on sidewalks, in train stations and at humble New York City venues. Lugging an atypical array of instruments including the harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel, guitars, bass, drums and the waterphone Freelance Whales' members make music that's undeniably quirky and fun.

Tori Amos: From 'Sin' To Holiday Joy

Fri, Oct 23
For the first time in her career, Amos plans to release a collection of holiday standards. Following the release of Abnormally Attracted to Sin, released this past May, Amos makes a surprising shift to holiday gaiety on her 11th album, Midwinter Graces. Hear her perform a session from World Cafe.

Patterson Hood: Driving Solo

Thu, Oct 22
Best known as a prominent player in Drive-By Truckers, Hood has reinvented himself as a solo singer-songwriter. His new album is full of dark and creepily stirring guitars and compelling story-songs. Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs) is far more intimate than his previous works. Hear him perform a session from World Cafe.

Joe Bonamassa's Blue Eyed Blues

Wed, Oct 21
A former child prodigy, Bonamassa began playing guitar at age 7, and soon caught the attention of B.B. King. At 12, Bonamassa was opening shows for the blues icon and would later support the likes of Buddy Guy and Gregg Allman. In the decades since, Bonamassa has gained a reputation as one of his generation's great blues players. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

David Mead: Tender And Timeless

Tue, Oct 20
Mead's warm high-register voice lends intimacy and warmth to Almost and Always, a quiet and soulful exploration of post-marital life. Performed with the backing of woodwinds and a string quartet, Mead experiments with richly ornamented melodies. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

Dawes: Introspection And Optimism

Mon, Oct 19
North Hills, the debut album from the L.A. band Dawes, is hardly the first record in recent years to draw comparisons to the work of Crosby, Stills and Nash. But though Dawes evokes a certain amount of nostalgia, that's not the limit of the group's appeal. Taylor Goldsmith's evocative lyrics and the band's elegant indie-folk harmonies both stand out.

Ziggy Marley: Mixing Music And Philanthropy

Mon, Oct 19
The son of the late reggae king Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley has filled his father's shoes in more ways than just musical success. Ziggy's humanitarian work, combined with his impressive musical career, have given the singer worldwide recognition.

Pete Yorn: Beyond The Silver Screen

Fri, Oct 16
Yorn may have moved to Los Angeles to start a career writing songs for movies, but he's since found success well beyond the studio walls. His latest album, not counting a duets record with Scarlett Johansson, is titled Back and Fourth. Hear him in a session on World Cafe.

David Bazan's Crisis Of Faith

Thu, Oct 15
Bazan's Curse Your Branches has already been compared to the work of Leonard Cohen. Amid melancholic arrangements, the disc finds Bazan detailing his struggle with faith in the Evangelical world. In this installment of World Cafe, Bazan gives a moving performance of songs from the new album.

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