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Soundcheck / April 21, 2008

Soundcheck

Monday, April 21, 2008
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  • Beards
    Singer Zac Holtzman of the band Dengue Fever

    Hair Today, Rock 'n' Roll Tomorrow

    Everywhere you look, beards are making a comeback. Today, we find out why hairy cheeks and whiskers are now appearing on American Idol contestants, rock stars, late-night talk-show hosts, and even politicians. Later: The occasionally bearded songwriter Peter Morén is one third of Peter Bjorn and John, the Swedish trio that broke through last year with the whistle-driven hit "Young Folks." He joins us to play songs from his new solo album, "The Last Tycoon."

Beards are Back!

From rock star Robert Plant to movie star Brad Pitt to New Mexico governor Bill Richardson to every other indie-rocker around, men are really into facial hair these days. Joining us to unveil the popularity of this trend are Carolyn Sayre of Time Magazine, Zac Holtzman, guitarist of the band Dengue Fever, and Rob Waller, lead vocalist and guitarist of the country band I See Hawks In LA.

Slideshow: Beards



Our blog: Find out if John Schaefer has ever had a beard ... and what he thinks of them.

Tell us Are beards too fashionable? What does one say about a musician?

Peter Morén

After its release in 2006, Peter Bjorn and John's catchy hit "Young Folks" seemed to be everywhere, including TV shows "Gossip Girl" and "Grey's Anatomy" and ads for Target and a Samsung mobile phone. Even though the group toured almost constantly for two years, member Peter Morén somehow managed to record a solo album called "The Last Tycoon." He talks about the album's F. Scott Fitzgerald-inspired theme, and he plays live in our studio.

Peter Morén performs at Mercury Lounge on Monday, April 21 at 10 p.m.

Peter Morén on Myspace

Introducing our Video Contest

Soundcheck

John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.

In Studio: Angel Deradoorian

Soundcheck

The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.

Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico

Soundcheck

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.

In Studio: Stephanie McKay

Soundcheck

The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.

The Decemberists

In Studio: The Decemberists

The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.

headphone

Sound Off

Soundcheck

Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.