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Soundcheck

Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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  • Ry Cooder
    (LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP/Getty Images)

    Ry Observations

    Ry Cooder is best known for his work on the platinum-selling Buena Vista Social Club. On today's show, the virtuoso guitarist talks about his latest album, the third part of a trilogy about California, accompanied by a 95-page novella. Also: How classical and world music are changing the sound of video games.

Ry Cooder

Ry Cooder is best-known for his eclectic guitar-driven albums and his collaboration with Cuban musicians in the Buena Vista Social Club project. His latest release, a CD-and-novella combo called I, Flathead, completes his "California Trilogy" of albums. It follows the fictional musician Kash Buk, his alien friend Shakey, and their obsession with racing cars fashioned from military surplus parts and flathead engines. He joins us to explain what it's about.

Ry Cooder's Biography on Allmusic.com

A Symphony for Space Invaders

The sounds of classical and world music are infiltrating the world of video games. “Battlefield: Bad Company” features brazen orchestral tracks and lush string quintets played by a roster of top New York new-music players. Another recent game features the choir Mysteries of the Bulgarian Voices. We talk about the trend with Olivier Deriviere , composer of the score to the game “Alone in the Dark” and Mikael Karlsson, composer of the score to the game “Battlefield: Bad Company”

Olivier Deriviere's Web Site
Mikael Karlsson's Web Site

Irma Thomas

Irma Thomas

Soundcheck

August 22, 2008
New Orleans singer Irma Thomas has survived 50 years in the music business - and at least two hurricanes. She joins us to talk about her record, Simply Grand.

Bon Iver

Soundcheck

July 30, 2008
Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon spent a winter holed up in his father's hunting cabin in remote Wisconsin, recording songs about solitude that would be released under the name Bon Iver. He joins us to play some of them live.

Billboard Chart

Who's On Top and Who Should Be?

Soundcheck

August 14, 2008
Soundcheck looks at the artists who are reigning atop the Billboard albums chart -- and what their rankings tell us about the state of pop music.

Janelle Monae

The Next Big Things

Soundcheck

Paste magazine editor-in-chief Josh Jackson joins us to talk about Johnny Flynn, Janelle Monae, Bon Iver, Amy MacDonald and other must-hear artists who made Paste’s list of "The Best of What’s Next: 26 Emerging Artists You Should Know."

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