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07:08

'American Idol': A Retrospective

Rock critic Ken Tucker looks back on American Idol's most recent season, when Adam Lambert and Kris Allen vied for the top spot. He says the wrong aspiring idol won.

Commentary
07:08

Prince's New Triple-Play

Pop legend Prince has a new triple-album release called Lotusflow3r. It features two solo albums by Prince and a debut album by Bria Valente, co-written and co-produced by Prince. Rock critic Ken Tucker has a review.

Review
42:30

John Mellencamp, The Modern Mortal

Long a standout purveyor of rootsy, direct "heartland" rock, Mellencamp is in the midst of a folksy, pessimistic streak on his new album. He speaks to host Terry Gross about the spare sound and dark themes of Life, Death, Love and Freedom.

Interview
07:39

'Beware': Lovely, Lonely Cowboy Songs

Will Oldham's new album Beware, released under his country music name, Bonnie Prince Billy, offers lovely music with a tinge of "lonesome-cowboy pokiness." Ken Tucker has a review.

Review
44:02

Antony Hegarty's Otherworldly Sound

Antony Hegarty, lead singer for Antony and the Johnsons, has a striking sound — "between male and female ... at once ethereal and earthy," one critic writes. The group's new CD is The Crying Light.

Interview
07:24

The Sounds Of Memphis: Ardent Pop

Rock historian Ed Ward considers pop music produced at Ardent Studios in Memphis in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Much of the music wasn't heard any farther than the city limits.

Commentary
06:19

One Critic, Three New Pop Singles

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews a trio of new pop singles: Pink's "So What," Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," and "Crush," from onetime American Idol sensation David Archuleta.

Review
08:26

Motown Year By Year: Hip-O Select Surveys '66

In Volume 6 of its Complete Motown Singles series, the Hip-O Select label surveys the Motown magicians making noise in 1966: the Isley Brothers, the Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and others. Fresh Air's rock historian has a review.

Review
07:32

Sinatra, The Singing Veteran Of 'Brooklyn'

In the 1947 film, It Happened In Brooklyn, Frank Sinatra plays a soldier who returns after four years at war and decides to pursue a singing career. Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the recently-released DVD version of the film.

Review
19:47

Legendary Hitmaker Jerry Wexler

Record producer Jerry Wexler died on August 15. He was 91. Wexler created the careers of some of the greatest musicians of the time, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Led Zeppelin.

Obituary
36:28

A Deeper Sort Of 'Soul'

A new "best of" collection, The Soul Years, showcases the soulful vocals and composing skills of soul and R&B singer and composer Bobby Womack — and has become a favorite of many critics.

Interview
06:51

Revisting Carole King's 'Tapestry'

When Carole King's album Tapestry came out in 1971, it became one of the best-selling albums of all time and marked her as one of pop's most talented songwriters. King's masterpiece has been reissued as a 2-disc Legacy Edition by Sony. Music historian Milo Miles takes a look at the landmark work.

Review

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