Morning Edition is your perfect morning companion: gentle, but straightforward, explaining the vagaries of international diplomacy, reporting weather and even recommending the best film in town.

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer talks about how to protect the city from future disasters similar to Superstorm Sandy. Plus: Steven Dennis from Roll Call on the latest from Washington; They Might Be Giants on their 30-year music career; and a review of who won big at the Academy Awards.

Fresh Air is one of the most popular programs on public radio, breaking the "talk show" mold, and Gross is known for her fearless and insightful interviews with prominent figures in American arts, politics, and popular culture.

Reporters scour the globe for the most direct and compelling information, from the spread of AIDS in India to the inexplicable fluctuations of the Brazilian economy.

Reporters scour the globe for the most direct and compelling information, from the spread of AIDS in India to the inexplicable fluctuations of the Brazilian economy.

In This Episode: English troubadour and former leader of The Soft Boys Robyn Hitchcock plays songs from his upcoming album, Love From London.

Plus: We talk with New York Times bestselling authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman about competition in the music world -- and the science behind why some musicians deal with it better than others.

And: We learn about YouTube’s new role in calculating Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart. 

For this New Sounds, we’ll hear composed works for duos and small ensembles that veer toward the ambient.  We’ll hear from the amplified, processed and looped duo itsnotyouitsme, who are violinist Caleb Burhans and guitarist Grey McMurray, and a piece called “The Ghosts Among Us.”  There’s also trio music (keyboards, accordion, sometimes vibes, and a clarinet) by keyboardist and composer Phillip Schroeder whose music might be best described as ambient.