Soundcheck

American Songster Dom Flemons Revives Musical Histories, In-Studio

There are many folk singer-songwriters out there, but not all concern themselves with folklore. Dom Flemons does. A modern-day troubadour, Flemons breathes new life into

Best of: Grace Cummings, Isaiah Collier

Grace Cummings is a contemporary Australian musician whose songs often have the big, technicolor sound of the 1960’s. But the featured sound is always her striking voice

Historical Cello-Rock Band Rasputina Rides Again, In-Studio

New York-based Rasputina, the steampunk cello-rock outfit led by Melora Creager, draws lyrical inspiration from history and the headlines. What began as an ad seeking wom

Argentine Folktronica Artist Juana Molina Constructs an Inimitable Sonic World, In-Studio

Juana Molina began her professional career not as a musician, but as an actress – and a fairly successful one at that. In her home country of Argentina, she gained popula

Best of Soundcheck: Gracie & Rachel, Alisa Weilerstein

We perceive loneliness as a human emotion. Dive into any decade and you’ll find countless songs written on the subject. But it’s not only humans who sing about being lone

Americana/Folk Songwriter Allison Russell Celebrates Her Unyielding Joy with The Rainbow Coalition, In-Studio

Montreal-born Americana/Folk singer Allison Russell is a multi-instrumentalist who spent nearly two decades performing with music groups like Po’ Girl and Birds of Chicag

Guitarist and Singer Ruthie Foster Shares Her Genuinely Soulful Brand of Folk Blues, In-Studio

Ruthie Foster was born into music, grew up with music, and it was only natural that music would follow her wherever she’d go. The now Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was

Best of Soundcheck: Everlast, Ghost Hounds

The artist known as Everlast was the lead rapper in the group House of Pain, whose single “Jump Around” remains one of hip hop’s most familiar songs. But in the 1990s he

Raw and Punchy Soul From Brooklyn-Based Eli Paperboy Reed, In-Studio

For the past 20 years or so, Eli Paperboy Reed has been making records that revel in the vintage sounds of Memphis and Chicago soul, with a healthy dose of R&B, early roc

Welsh Indie Rock Band The Royston Club Bare Their Emotions, In-Studio

It’s rare to come across a traditional origin story like The Royston Club’s nowadays: a group of small-town kids from Wrexham, Wales, coming together to form a band in hi

Best of Soundcheck: Helado Tropical, Martin Hayes With Kyle Sanna

Helado Tropical ("tropical ice cream") is a collaboration between Helado Negro, the experimental pop project of Ecuadorian-American singer/songwriter Roberto Carlos Lange

Mexico City Cumbia Punk Marimba Band Son Rompe Pera Brings the Sweaty Mayhem, In-Studio

They started as a street band in Mexico City, but Son Rompe Pera has attracted attention as far south as Chile. Formed in 2017, they’re a party band with a distinctive so

The Messthetics With Marc Ribot Leave Space For Play and Crunch, From the New York Guitar Festival 2026

From the 2026 New York Guitar Festival, recorded live at Bryant Park, hear a set from the instrumental trio called The Messthetics -who are Anthony Pirog (guitar), Joe La

Best of Soundcheck: Humbe, The Lone Bellow

Some vocal performances are so emotionally compelling that you can’t help but hang on every word while eagerly anticipating the next. Such spellbinding experiences are th

Mexican Alternative R&B/Pop Artist Girl Ultra Reinvents Her Musical History, In-Studio

Girl Ultra is the project of Mexico City-born Mariana de Miguel; a singer-songwriter whose creativity knows no bounds. Though she started her musical career as an undergr

Adventurous Harpist Lara Somogyi Weaves Time Patterns, In-Studio

California-based harpist Lara Somogyi may be classically trained, but there’s nothing classical about her approach to making music. She surrounds herself with several eff

Best of Soundcheck: Steve Earle, Anjimile

Hardships tend to take time to overcome, and some songwriters turn to music to process their emotions as they move from one battle to the next. Two of those songwriters a

Song-Maker Somi Refuses to Fit Inside Any Artistic Box, Plays In-Studio

During her two-decade career, the singer, actor, playwright and two-time NAACP Image Award winner Somi has blended the sounds of American and African music – jazz and R&B

Australian Singer-Songwriter Grace Cummings Brings a Visceral Twist to Pretty Melodies, In-Studio

Australian singer Grace Cummings is the kind of songwriter who believes in the spontaneity of the creative process. “I’m a loner. I talk to myself a lot,” she says, and a

Best of Soundcheck: Guitarricadelafuente, Donnie McCaslin

Blackstar was David Bowie’s last record, a musical farewell, and it featured the sax player Donny McCaslin. In fact, Bowie ended up using Donny McCaslin’s whole band for