Here at Soundcheck, we don’t jump on every trending Twitter bandwagon. Our fire truck doesn’t stop at every blogosphere inferno. But if you’ve been killing time on the Internet this week, you’ve probably heard about this …

Brad Paisley released "Accidental Racist" this week on his new album Wheelhouse -- and it's a song so provocative, for so many different reasons, that we just have to talk about it. With not just one person, but three. Joining us are: 

With tracks like "Southern Comfort Zone" and "Accidental Racist," the superstar's new album performs a balancing act of cultural examinations. But there are still enough twangy guitar solos and all-purpose love songs to engage country-music tradition.

On her major-label debut, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter explores themes steeped in tradition, yet views them through the lens of youth culture.

Rhye is the duo of songwriter-producers Michael Milosh and Robin Hannibal. Their new album, Woman, combines lush string arrangements with electronics and a remarkably androgynous voice.

Will Hermes, a senior critic for Rolling Stone, contributor to "All Things Considered" and author of Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever, tells the story of New York and its music scene in the 1970s, from folk and hip-hop to salsa, jazz and classical.

Listen to our NYC 1973-1977 Mix! Staff picks and listener suggestions. Want to add a track? Suggest it to us on twitter @brianlehrer with the tag #lovegoes

Two cities duke it out on the baseball diamond – and in our studio. In this Soundcheck Smackdown, we pit the music of New York against the music of Detroit. On Motown's team is music journalist, author and Detroit resident Gary Graff; playing for the home team is Rolling Stone senior critic and author Will Hermes.

Western music has demonstrated its global reach in countless ways, and in recent years this has been particularly pronounced in the sounds of Africa. Groups like Amadou & Mariam, from Mali, and Buraka Som Sistema, from Angola, blend electro-pop and urban dance forms. Music journalist Will Hermes joins us to ...