Pop

World music critic Milo Miles reviews Senegalese Youssou N’Dour’s new CD, “Joko.” (Nonesuch Records)

Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman of the band, Le Tigre (lay-TEE-gruh). Hanna was the lead singer of the 90s band Bikini Kill. Bikini Kill was part of the music/cultural/feminist movement know as “Riot Grrl,” which focused on the concept of ‘girl power” and young women’s empowerment. The movement was based primarily in Washington, DC and Olympia, WA, and its members formed bands, wrote fanzines, and held meetings, protests and festivals. HANNA was a leader and spokesperson for the movement. Her first solo project after Bikini Kill was called Julie Ruin. She then formed Le Tigre.

Rock critic Ken Tucker considers what pop music Al Gore and vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman might use tonight at the conclusion of their convention.

Music critic Milo MIiles reviews new albums by two Latin artists: “Make Up for Lost Time” (High tone) by Little Willie G. and “Nava” (Ryko latin label) the debut album by Nava.

Singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne. We will listen to her songs and talk to Lynne in studio. Her new CD, “I Am Shelby Lynne” (Universal/Island) is part country and part soul. This is the 6th album for this Alabama-born singer, but it is the first album in which Lynne writes most of the songs. Her other albums were products of the Nashville country music scene. With this new album, Lynne has won over critics and fans alike. Lynne is currently touring the US.

Husband and wife song writing team, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, the duo responsible for such songs as “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling,” “On Broadway,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” “Here You Come Again,” “Don’t Know Much,” and more. The two met when they were both working in the famous songwriting landmark, the Brill Building— Mann as a composer and Weil as a lyricist. The two have been writing ever since. In edition to their many pop hits, Mann and Weil have also written songs for films.

An in-studio concert and interview with guitarist Bill Frisell. His latest recording is “Ghost Town” (Nonesuch).

Editor Tom Kuntz and reporter Phil Kuntz. Their new book “The Sinatra Files: The Life of an American Icon Under Government Surveillance” (Three Rivers Press) excerpts and analyzes portions of the FBI’s massive file on Frank Sinatra. The file is 1,275 pages long and was begun in the mid 1940s and lasted until 1972. Tom Kuntz is the editor of “Word for Word,” a column in The New York Times Week in Review section. Phil Kuntz is a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Britney Spears “Oops! Did It Again” and Hanson’s “Third Time Around.”

Ex-co-leader of the septet Squirrel Nut Zippers, Tom Maxwell. His new recording as a solo artist is “Samsara” (Samsara Ltd.) On the album he continues the work he started with the Zippers, harkening the sound of hot jazz, but also blues and gospel, Country and Western, and even Chinese opera.

Singer/Songwriter Aimee Mann. She’s best known for her work on the soundtrack for the film “Magnolia.” Her song “Save Me” from the film was nominated for an Oscar. Her new release is “Bachelor No. 2.” Previously the album was available over her website (Aimeemann.com) and at her concert performances. Now it is available in stores. Mann and her manager had bought the master tapes from her record label in an effort to retain creative and marketing control. It’s the first recording to be released on Mann’s Superego Records.

Singer/guitarist Alex Chilton has been playing music for decades. As a teenager he was a member of the Memphis Band Box Tops. He was 16 years old when they recorded their hit, the R&B song “The Letter.” Later with the band “Big Star” he became a underground hero. After dropping out of sight to kick an alcohol addiction, Chilton returned to performing. By then many younger bands, REM and The Bangles, considered him a legend. Chilton’s new release (as a part of a trio) “Set” (bar-none) was recorded on the spur of the moment, and without overdubbing.

Contributing editor for Vanity Fair David Margolick. In his new book “Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday, Café Society, and an Early Cry for Civil Rights” (Running Press), Margolick traces the history and impact of the song “Strange Fruit,” a ballad about lynchings which became Billie Holiday’s signature song. It was written by a Jewish school teacher who was inspired to write the song after seeing a newspaper photograph of a lynching.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Two Against Nature" the new release by Steely Dan.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker reviews the new cross over album by country music performer Shelby Lynne. The CD is called "I am Shelby Lynne" (Mercury Records).

Songwriter, producer, and Instrumentalist of the alternative band Magnetic Fields, Stephin Merritt. The group has produced 6 albums. Their newest Is the three-CD "69 Love Songs," (Merge) which Is a genre blending collection of love songs like"Underwear" and "If You don't Cry." This album topped our rock critic Ken Tucker's list of the best CDS of 1999.

Historian Jon Wiener spent 14 years fighting to gain access to the FBI’s secret files on former Beatle John Lennon. Wiener’s Freedom of Information case went all the way to the Supreme Court before the FBI decided to settle. His new book “Gimme Some Truth” (University of California Press) outlines and reproduces the most important pages of the file, revealing that the Nixon administration plotted to deport Lennon in 1972 and silence him as a voice of the anti-war movement.

Native American musician and songwriter Keith Secola. The music of Secola and his group, the Wild Band of Indians, is a hybrid of Rock, Folk and Tribal musics. Secola became a cult hero after the release of the contemporary Native anthem, ”Indian Cars.” Keith Secola and the Wild Band of Indians have a new CD called Fingermonkey

Singer/Songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. He will talk about and sing songs from his new CD, “No. 447.” Crenshaw has been writing, recording and performing his songs for some 20 years. “No. 447” is his 10 th album. Singer/Songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. He will talk about and sing songs from his new CD, “No. 447.” Crenshaw has been writing, recording and performing his songs for some 20 years. “No. 447” is his 10 th album.

Fresh Air rock critic Ken Tucker gives us HIS ten best list for the year 1999, and then picks the recordings from the century he'd take with him If he were stranded on a desert Island.