Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'anthems'

At 72, Veteran Musician Scores in a New Scene

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:07:00 EDT

Best known for his sly, sexy party anthems, 72-year-old Andre Williams toiled in the music industry trenches for decades, battling homelessness and addiction along the way. Now he's been rediscovered by young white rockers.

The Low Anthem: Makeshift Americana

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:38:00 EST

Three albums in, The Low Anthem again proves itself a quintessential purveyor of rootsy rock. Oh My God, Charlie Darwin celebrates the band's influences — Tom Waits, Neil Young, Bob Dylan — and captures The Low Anthem in a makeshift studio.

A Depression-Era Anthem For Our Times

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:26:00 EST

"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" depicts the way the American Dream can dissolve into bread lines and bankruptcy. Commentator Rob Kapilow and Susan Stamberg reveal the secret to the Depression-era anthem's success — and discuss its resonance today.

Steve Lillywhite On Big Country's 'The Crossing'

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:24:00 EST

In 1983, Big Country wrote anthemic rock songs, but featured an unlikely lead instrument — the bagpipes. The unexpected sound of "In a Big Country" became a Top 20 single, but their debut album, The Crossing, offered so much more beyond its novelty.

North Carolina's Annuals: 'Such Fun'

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:22:00 EST

Intricate, melodic and vivid: The sound of North Carolina's Annuals is the epitome of sunny indie-pop. The band's thoughtful harmonies, anthemic orchestration and percussion, and bright electronics are given an excellent showcase on Annuals' new album, Such Fun.

The Gaslight Anthem: Revisiting Sounds Of '59

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:44:00 EDT

The Gaslight Anthem's new album, The '59 Sound, is filled with narratives that recall and refer directly to Bruce Springsteen's early works. Music reviewer Tom Moon says that it's one of the year's great surprises.

Last Word: Musician Hears His Work In Beijing

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:11:37 EDT

The source of the American national anthem being played at the Beijing Olympics during medal ceremonies is in question. Peter Breiner wasn't watching the Games until his friends starting calling to say, "That sounds like your arrangement." It does. Especially the "Rockets Red Glare" section — an unusually soft string rendition that brought some controversy when it was used in Athens in 2004.He got paid for that rendition in 2004. Now Mr. Breiner says he's "100-percent positive" that the Chinese borrowed it from his work. In an email to The Washington Post, the Chinese insist they came up with the arrangement themselves.

Jeff Hanson: 'Nothing Would Matter At All'

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:41:00 EDT

Singer-songwriter Jeff Hanson has one of the most incredible and unique voices you will ever hear. That is, from a guy. Upon hearing Hanson's third full-length record, Madam Owl, the first thing anyone will notice is the singer's impossibly high voice that sounds more like that of a highly skilled female vocalist (or maybe a eunuch) than a 30 year old man. But if you listen closer, there is far more to Hanson's music than his beautiful singing. The warm strings and acoustic guitars that back his sparkling falsetto are equally as dramatic, and the sound he has created is huge and anthemic in spite of his modest solo artist ouevre.

'Bird's Nest' Ballads: Olympic National Anthems

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:23:00 EDT

As medal-winners step up to the podium in this year's Summer Olympics, commentator Miles Hoffman says, we're bound to hear quite a few national anthems, some of which come equipped with bad poetry and stilted music.

Willy Mason At The Newport Folk Festival

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:35:00 EDT

At 24, Willy Mason already sounds like a withered man. Accompanied by a musical saw player and members of his family on stage, his anti-anthems began Sunday's Newport Folk Festival in a somber mood. But a sweet moment came when Mason invited his parents — local to the area — on stage and lightened up the set just before noon.

The Uglysuit: 'Chicago'

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:02:00 EDT

The debut, self-titled album from Oklahoma City-based band The Uglysuit is refreshingly bright and cheery, replete with huge spirit-raising piano and guitar anthems. With a blend of spacey dream pop and a few alt-country flavors (lead singer Israel Hindman's voice mimicks Jeff Tweedy one minute, Conor Oberst the next), the group's sound draws comparisons to the Flaming Lips and the Shins, but the grandiosity of the music is that of space rock proportions.

Blues Legend Calls Chicago his Sweet Home

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:57:00 EDT

Chicago is widely considered "the birthplace of the blues." Legendary blues guitarist Lonnie Brooks has carried on the windy city tradition. Hear a moment from Brooks' 1980 performance of his popular blues anthem, "Sweet Home Chicago."

Rhett Miller, 'Serial Ladykiller' And Lovelorn Crooner

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:24:00 EDT

The best little bar-band in Texas is back with more ballads of heart ache and anthems for getting over it. The Old 97's have just released Blame It On Gravity. Font-man Rhett Miller joins Fresh Air to talk about the recording and to perform some new songs.

Bon Jovi's New Anthems Have A Twang

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:54:00 EDT

Twenty-five years after its first album, the New Jersey band is still selling out Madison Square Garden and putting out chart-topping singles. But these days, its sound is a little more country, and it's recording in Nashville. That may be because pop and rock songs have left behind the working-class, everyday guy, while country music sings straight to him.

Anthem Rendition Has Listeners, Bloggers Talking

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Reaction to Denver jazz artist Rene Marie's rendition of the national anthem is spilling over to the Tell Me More Blog. Hear perspectives from the program's audience on patriotism as well as bullying and the decline of black community radio.

Contest Marks Baseball Anthem's 100th Year

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:15:00 EDT

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the classic "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Steve Inskeep reports Major League Baseball is celebrating with a singing contest.

Singer Undeterred by National Anthem Fallout

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Jazz singer Rene Marie's decision to sing, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," the so-called Black national anthem at a Denver civic event was met with overwhelming scorn. The songstress was invited to the event to sing the mainstream national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner." Marie explains the fallout and why she doesn't regret her decision.

In Cadeo: 'The Archer'

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:12:00 EDT

Jared Scott and Pete Sustarsic recorded In Cadeo's five-song self-titled EP as a studio project with help from friends before the band ever had a proper lineup. Given the grunge-pop sound of "The Archer," the anthemic piano-driven rock of "This Side The Grave" and the slow build-up and cathartic climax of "Communist Lecture," the band proves commanding despite its fledgling nature.

Lights Out for 'Hockey Night'...

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EDT

A dispute over the rights to the theme song for one of Canada's most popular television shows has sparked outrage north of the border. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. is threatening to stop using the theme to "Hockey Night in Canada" if it can't resolve a dispute over payments to composer Dolores Claman. Claman's theme has been in place for 40 years and it's hugely popular. It's often called the second Canadian anthem.

British Sea Power: For Those Who Like to Rock

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:44:00 EDT

The title of British Sea Power's new album (Do You Like Rock Music?) feels like an invitation rather than a question: Judging from the album's contents, the answer had better not be no. "Lights Out for Darker Skies" dispenses anthemic power chords without skimping on the complexities.

General Wants Academy's Anthem to Reflect Times

Sat, 31 May 2008 16:59:00 EDT

West Point's anthem, written in 1911, has a line that says "Guide us, thy sons, aright." As the choir sang it during the funeral for a female cadet killed in Iraq, Commandant Lt. Gen. James Hagenbeck decided the language should be changed.

Thai Man Charged with Insulting King

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:00:00 EDT

A 27-year-old Thai man who refused to stand when the royal anthem was played in a movie theater has been charged with offending the dignity of Thailand's king. The man insists there is nothing in the Thai constitution that requires him to stand. The crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The case is an example of younger people in Thailand challenging the status quo.

Nine Inch Nails: 'Ghosts' of Songs

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:50:00 EDT

Nine Inch Nails leader Trent Reznor spent most of the 1990s belting out misanthropic anthems for young people decked out in dark eyeliner and combat boots. On Ghosts I-IV, Reznor drops the singing and puts his thick soundscapes in the center ring. It's a whole new world.

Singers Try Out for Minor-League Glory

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:12:00 EDT

Across the country, minor-league baseball fans are auditioning to perform the national anthem at games. The Potomac Nationals of Woodbridge, Va., recently held tryouts, where more than 40 people competed for a future spot in the stadium spotlight.

Orchestra Director Sees 'Tiny Step' in North Korea

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:18:00 EST

The New York Philharmonic's music director, Lorin Maazel, says he believes the concert his orchestra performed Tuesday in Pyongyang, North Korea, could help bring the peoples of the United States and North Korea a "tiny step closer." In an unusual move, North Korea's state-run television and radio broadcast the concert live. It began with the playing of both countries' national anthems. The stage included both the North Korean and American flags.