Free Association with Brian Carpenter

An essay on urban loneliness, featuring music from the funny and poignant new song cycle Room 29 from singer Jarvis Cocker and pianist Chilly Gonzales, plus music from David Shire, Bill Conti, John Cale, Nick Cave, Bill Callahan, and more.

New music from Colin Stetson, Sxip Shirey, and Glenn Jones & Matthew Azavedo, plus tracks from Henry Threadgill’s Very Very Circus, Moondog, and two tracks from John Cale’s second album The Academy In Peril. Original air date: March 24, 2017

A tribute to Robert Fisher, the songwriter behind Willard Grant Conspiracy, who passed away last month. Long-time WGC member David Michael Curry visits WZBC to talk about the history and play some selected cuts of the discography, plus a premiere of the forthcoming record Untethered.

Guitarist Glenn Jones visits Free Association to talk about his new record Fleeting and premiere tracks from forthcoming releases Waterworks, a remarkable live recording with Matthew Azevedo, and An Idea In Everything, a collaboration with drummer Chris Corsano and visual and performing artist David Greenberger. Glenn also expounds on the American Primitive style and the influence of John Fahey and Jack Rose in his life.

New music from the National Geographic series MARS by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Dirty Projectors, Cuddle Magic, the XX, Radiohead, and Case/Lang/Veirs.

The career path of singer and composer Scott Walker is one of the more mind-boggling in the history of music. A look at some of his music from 1960s pop star to avant-garde composer of the 21st century, plus guest appearances and turns as producer.

Russ Gershon, leader of the Either/Orchestra, brings in his forthcoming record from the Ethiopiques series, plus some never-released Ethiopian radio recordings of the source material. The Either/Orchestra, founded over 30 years ago, has become one of the greatest exponents of Ethiopian big band music, making two trips to Ethiopia plus concerts around the globe. In this episode, Russ gives an oral history of the Ethiopian Armenians and the composer Nerses Nalbandian, whose music set the stage for modern Ethiopian music.

A set of noir-tinged music from Big Lazy, David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, Sparklehorse & Danger Mouse, plus new music from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

New tracks from Brooklyn’s Cuddle Magic and the English band the xx, preceded by two songs from Of Montreal’s magnum opus Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? And a few oddities from Moondog, Albert Marcouer, and Nino Rota.

Annual recap of the year’s best and most frequently played albums on Free Association, including releases from local artists E, Glenn Jones, Jaggery, Marissa Nadler, Thalia Zedek Band, and Tredicci Bacci.

Annual recap of the year’s best and most frequently played albums on Free Association, including releases from local artists E, Glenn Jones, Jaggery, Marissa Nadler, Thalia Zedek Band, and Tredicci Bacci.

Celebrating the 88th birthday of Ennio Morricone comes a wild and evocative set of music from and inspired by the American Old West, including new music from Tredici Bacci, Denver outfits Slim Cessna's Auto Club and Wovenhand, plus Tucson productions of Neko Case, Calexico, and Giant Sand. Augmented and newly restored from original WZBC broadcast on April 30, 2016.

Gavin McCarthy and Thalia Zedek of E stop by Free Association to talk about their new record released this month on Thrill Jockey, writing, touring, and making music in Boston.

Brian Carpenter joins Adam Glasseye (Gun Mother, Reverend Glasseye) to journey through the tower of song by Leonard Cohen, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, who passed away last week at the age of 82.

A set of dark election-themed music leading up to Tuesday, including new music from E (Thalia Zedek, Gavin McCarthy, and Jason Sanford), Franz Ferdinand, Horse Lords, Iggy Pop, and Mission of Burma.

More blood-curdling music plus your requests for Halloween week, including Suicide’s horrifying “Frankie Teardrop”, “Revolution 9? from The Beatles’ White Album, Petra Haden’s virtuosic vocal treatment of Bernard Hermann’s theme for Psycho, Mike Patton singing Experiment in Terror, and more.

A cauldron of frightening songs and spooky instrumentals for your Halloween week, plus new music from Leonard Cohen and Marissa Nadler.

Strange and beautiful music, including new albums from Thalia Zedek Band and Nick Cave, plus a mixed bag of historical left fielders such as Van Dyke Parks, Albert Marcoeur, The Lounge Lizards, John Zorn, Moondog, and Sun Ra.

In advance of next year's season of Twin Peaks, we open with Julee Cruise’s collaboration with Angelo Badamelenti in “Falling”, plus some piano features, including live solo John Cale in Brussels, Allan Macmillan (Lou Reed’s “Berlin”), Mike Garson (David Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane”), and sound artist Christian Marclay’s cut-up Chopin preludes.

Marissa Nadler joins Free Association to talk about the making of her new record Strangers, the voice, and her career in music and art. Plus Marissa brings in a few surprises, including her beautiful lo-fi companion record Bury Your Name and a few influences, including an incredible cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” by the great Nina Simone.