It’s a busy season for album releases, and every band celebrates the big day in their own way. A live show, a bunch of interviews … or sometimes something different. Last Friday, the release day for Freedom Highway, Rhiannon Giddens scheduled a gig in New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Read about her performance, her work with inmates, and the new album in this fantastic piece from the New York Times.
The Old 97s also released an album last Friday, and they celebrated with a video for one of Graveyard Whistling’s (killer) songs, “Good with God.” Trouble is, drummer Philip Peeples couldn’t make it on filming day. Luckily, Fred Armisen was available to fill in, and you can just bet that turned funny. [Pitchfork]
NPR announced the winner of its Tiny Desk Contest, and “tiny” doesn’t describe the sound or the spirit on view from Tank and the Bangas. Check out their winning video. [NPR]
I hate the snooty headline on this music quiz from Esquire, but the quiz itself is a fun exercise. And it’s also a good challenge for those who might not be as well-rounded in their listening as they would like. You can see the categories that stump you, and get to work on more listening there, if you wish. [Esquire]
If you’re up for an important history lesson, check out this new video, below, from Eliza Gilkyson. It shows powerful photos from our country’s long history of protest set to Gilkyson’s song “The Great Correction.” (Eliza knows a thing or two about this — she wrote a great essay on politics and songwriting as a form of protest for our Speak Up! print edition last fall.)
