Rhiannon Giddens was on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross to talk about her new album, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers, and perform a few tunes live. "There's times I'm playing the banjo and I feel the ancestors," Giddens says. "I feel the spirits come through." She tells NPR's All Things Considered: "I think it's time for big emotions. That's the thing about folk music—it's always there for our big emotions. And I'm feeling that kind of more than ever these days." NPR's All Songs Considered host Stephen Thompson says of the new album: "I couldn't get enough of it ... What a gift.”
Rhiannon Giddens was on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross to talk about her new album, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers, and perform a few tunes live, including Elizabeth Cotton's "Freight Train," which can also be heard on the album. "There's times I'm playing the banjo and I feel the ancestors," Giddens says. "I feel the spirits come through." You can hear the episode here:
Giddens was a guest on NPR's All Things Considered on Friday. "She has won just about every honor you can win in music," says host Scott Detrow. "For her latest project, called Hope Is The Thing With Feathers, Giddens went with big emotions," to which she replies: "Well, I think it's time for big emotions, don't you?" After Detrow concurs, Giddens adds: "That's the thing about folk music, you know? It's always there for our big emotions. And I'm feeling that kind of more than ever these days." You can hear their conversation here:
Giddens and her new album are featured on the latest episode of NPR's All Songs Considered, "New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 18." “She manages to dip her toe into 50 different pools and sound like a genius," says host Stephen Thompson. "I couldn't get enough of it ... What a gift.” “She's just one of the greatest," says contributor Brian Burns. "This record really does feel like a celebration ... it’s a really joyful record.” You can hear that episode here, with Rhiannon's segment about thirty minutes in:
Hope Is the Thing with Feathers was inspired by the beauty of people coming together and drawing strength from each other. It was intentionally recorded live with no frills and few overdubs, just pure and essential music that captures the feeling of community, clarity, as well as the joy and power of creating together. From exploring the lineages that make American music to the community-oriented spirit in which it was conceived and recorded, in many ways the album tells the story of the past 20 years of Giddens’ life. You can get the album and hear it here.
Rhiannon Giddens begins a tour of Europe this week. For details and tickets, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.
- Log in to post comments
