World Cafe

In 1989, Soul II Soul released Club Classics Volume One—an album that made an impact on BOTH sides of the Atlantic. World Cafe correspondent John Morrison talks about the British collective brought Jamaican soundsystem culture to England and ended up with a hit in America on a new Culture Corner. Next time on the World Cafe.

When you hear the power and intensity with which Grace Cummings sings, you can’t help but stop and listen. Earlier this month she released Ramona, the follow up to 2022’s Storm Queen. On the next World Cafe, we celebrate the new album by taking a listen back to her first visit to the show. Hear her talk about writing Storm Queen and some one of a kind live recordings.

For Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield, songwriting is an art form, but it can also be like solving a math problem. On the next World Cafe, Crutchfield talks about finding the perfect lines of poetry to craft her new album, Tiger’s Blood, and why she doesn’t believe in the “tortured artist” trope. Plus, Waxahatchee performs live in our studio. Join us.

Some albums see themselves as short stories. Others as movies. Nashville singer-songwriter Lizzie No sees her new record, Halfsies, as a video game, following the adventures of Miss Freedomland, a character who goes on an epic quest to find freedom, and themselves. Lizzie No joins us to talk about the album, as well as how Beyonce’s Lemonade inspired her to ignore genres and follow her own path. We’ll also hear a live performance featuring songs from Halfsies. It’s Lizzie No on the next World Cafe.

St. Vincent says that the early 70’s in New York City, after the hippies and before disco, inspired the sound of her album, Daddy’s Home. The lyrics on the record make references to Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, Candy Darling, and St. Vincent’s visits to see her father when he was in prison. St. Vincent is our guest on the next World Cafe. Join us.

Maggie Rogers’ new album, Don’t Forget Me, is a perfect summer road trip album, and the feeling of fun and freedom came from her putting the pedal to the metal in the studio. Rogers and producer Ian Fitchuk wrote two songs a day and recorded the new album over the span of five days. It’s Maggie Rogers on the next World Cafe.