WFUV's Take Five Podcast

For your summer reading list -- From its British roots to its American contemporaries, the ballad song form has been around for centuries. "The Rose and The Briar: Death, Love, and Liberty in the American Ballad" is a 2004 compilation of essays on the topic, and co-editor Greil Marcus recently spoke with WFUV's Julianne Welby about the book.

Best of 2007: Jose Gonzalez earned a lot of buzz last year with the U.S. release of his debut album "Veneer," and this year the Swede was ready to share some brand new material from his latest record, "In Our Nature." His gentle, rhythmic songs move a big step forward lyrically, and Claudia Marshall finds out why as Jose performs live at WFUV.

Aimee Mann's songs aren't often associated with merriment and cheer, but things changed last year. "One More Drifter in the Snow" is her first collection of Christmas music, and in-between live performances with her band, Aimee talked with WFUV's Rita Houston about her own holiday traditions.

Best of 2007: Proto-punk icon Nick Lowe is back with "At My Age" -- his first album in 6 years -- and told a few songwriting stories to host Darren DeVivo during a concert for 'FUV members.

Author Jonathan Gould tells WFUV's Dennis Elsas about writing "Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America," and answers the question, "Why another book about The Beatles?"

Singer-songwriter Todd Snider happily falls among the Nashville outsiders, and thanks to steady touring and writing has a faithful following that appreciates every word, lyric, and on-stage commentary. The EP "Live with The Devil You Know" is one of the latest projects to fill the time between studio albums, and Todd brought his solo, acoustic show to WFUV for an interview with host Darren DeVivo.

Best of 2007: After projects with Mary Gauthier, Loudon Wainwright III, and Bettye LaVette (among others), Joe Henry returns to solo work on the new album "Civilians." The balance between producing and writing was one topic of conversation during his recent stop at WFUV, but Joe also told host Claudia Marshall about an unexpected writing influence from childhood.

After almost a decade wait Marc Cohn returned with the new album this year called "Join The Parade," and he reflected on the pace of his process during an interview with WFUV's Claudia Marshall.

"Lady's Bridge" is the latest album from Richard Hawley and also a landmark in his hometown of Sheffield, England. So after a history lesson, Richard filled WFUV's Rita Houston in on the basics of his vintage sound and songwriting.

Twenty years after "Tom's Diner" painted a picture of New York City's Upper West Side, Suzanne Vega creates an album worth of portraits on "Beauty and Crime" -- her first release in 6 years. Today she talks with WFUV's Rita Houston about the city's influence on her life and work.

Loved in and out of jam band circles, ALO (a.k.a. Animal Liberation Orchestra) keeps the free-form vibe flowing, but made tight songwriting a priority on its new album "Roses & Clover." Find out how that worked and sounded as ALO visits with WFUV's Claudia Marshall.

The Jackson 5 and Woody Guthrie are all fair game as "punk-soul-folk singer" Billy Bragg shares a few songs and stories during a 2006 show for WFUV listeners.

Nerissa and Katryna Nields made their name being in a band, but folk songs inspired their life in music. Now the sisters revisit -- and recycle -- those roots on the new album "Sister Holler," and during a conversation with WFUV's John Platt.

From 2006, Neil Young and Jonathan Demme talk with WFUV's Claudia Marshall about "Neil Young: Heart of Gold," Demme's concert film featuring Young and friends, filmed at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Josh Ritter was voted the #1 "New Essential Artist" by WFUV listeners, so today we look back at a 2006 preview of songs from his standout fourth album "The Animal Years," when Josh stopped by for a solo visit with host Rita Houston.

Being called "America's Best Songwriter" by Time Magazine remains a weight on Lucinda Williams' shoulders, but she carries it and the trials of her life to date by writing songs. That catalog earned her a spot on the WFUV "Essential Artists" list, and so today we listen in on Lucinda's "West"-era interview with host Claudia Marshall.

Last year, WFUV "Essential Artist" Ani DiFranco took some time off, because along with "singer-songwriter" and "activist," she added "mom" to her long list of titles. Before taking a break though, she talked with WFUV's Rita Houston about the changes in her life, and the title track of her album, "Reprieve."

Tom Waits made the list in the WFUV "Essential Artists" poll, so today we head deep into the archives to 1976 when the album "Small Change" was new, and Tom joined host Vin Scelsa for a one on one conversation and performance.

After projects with Mary Gauthier, Loudon Wainwright III, and Bettye LaVette (among others), Joe Henry returns to solo work on the new album "Civilians." The balance between producing and writing was one topic of conversation during his recent stop at WFUV, but Joe also told host Claudia Marshall about an unexpected writing influence from childhood.

After seven years together, Canadian band Stars shows its veteran status with the carefully constructed "In Our Bedroom After the War." Giving voice to the pining, dramatic, indie pop are Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell, and they also spoke for the band when Stars visited with WFUV's Russ Borris.

After two double-discs, New York City's Nellie McKay returns with the 9-song "Obligatory Villagers." The CD is released on Nellie's own indie label, Hungry Mouse, and the eclectic songwriter recently spoke with WFUV's Claudia Marshall about balancing the music and business sides of her career.

In the hands of Jadmix, pairings of Frank Sinatra and Gnarls Barkley, Rick James and Peter Bjorn & John somehow work, and WFUV's Rita Houston recently learned more about the method behind the mash-ups.

Working with Norah Jones and Madeleine Peyroux earned New York City's Jesse Harris a lot of recognition, but that sound is only part of what he does. Today he talks with WFUV's Claudia Marshall about the evolution of his own music, and the new album "Feel."

Elvis Presley's "Hillbilly Cat" days inspired the rockabilly heart of a young Robert Gordon, but for most of his career he's avoided recording the King's tunes. The new album "It's Now Or Never" changes that as Gordon and guitarist Chris Spedding lend their well-suited talents to a collection of Elvis songs, and host Dennis Elsas got more of the background when the duo visited WFUV.

It's happy 40th birthday to Gillian Welch today, and so we look back to her June 2007 visit with WFUV's Rita Houston at Bonnaroo, where topics of conversation ranged from Barry Manilow to Bright Eyes.

Since writing poetry as a teenager and making his first foray into songs on 1970's "Small Talk at 125th & Lenox," Gil Scott-Heron's merging of message and music has influenced a range of activists and artists. In a recent interview, the "Godfather of Rap" spoke with WFUV's Claudia Marshall about his views on the current music scene, and one famous event from the past.

Whether it's country music, R&B classics, or anywhere in between, Joan Osborne likes learning from the greats and adding her own sound to the mix. Her new album "Breakfast in Bed" is all about soul, and she recently told WFUV's Rita Houston about the roots and inspirations behind the songs.

Former Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker travels in new musical directions thanks to the flexibility of a solo career, but those rockabilly roots still remain at the core. Today, hear tunes from his latest album "Black Cat Bone" as Lee and his band visit with WFUV's Don McGee.

The new novel "By, George" finds Wesley Stace returning to his author gig with a ventriloquist dummy in tow, but in a recent stop at WFUV, he also updated host Vin Scelsa on his latest work as songwriter John Wesley Harding.

Roots rock gets a strong dose of soul on Patti Scialfa's new solo album "Play It As It Lays," and host Dennis Elsas heard a few firsthand details on Patti's music making process when she brought her whole band to WFUV.