What a real radio station does

We're blessed here in Philadelphia to have WXPN in our own backyard. While not perfect, XPN certainly bests anything available on commercial OTA radio for variety, ingenuity, respect and support. From their free concerts and music festivals to their up-and-coming artist support and genre programs, they can not be beat.

Here's two examples of how they excel as commercial radio fades away into oblivion:

Stream some songs to I'm Not There

Today for New Release Tuesday one of the albums we're featuring is the new double disc album of Bob Dylan covers that is the soundtrack to the new Todd Haynes movie, I'm Not There. There are lots of XPN faves on this album including Iron & Wine, Calexico, The Hold Steady, Jeff Tweedy, Jack Johnson, Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Cat Power. If you want to stream a few songs from the album, click here.

Featured Album of the Week


Bruce Springsteen - "Magic" (Columbia)

Ya wanna know what "magic" is? It's what happens to his fans every time Bruce Springsteen releases a new album. From the initial response to this new album - Magic - from these aforementioned fans (yeah, I'm one, too...), it sounds like everybody's satisfied.

It's only Springsteen's second album in the last 15 years with his beloved E Street Band - 2002's The Rising was the other - and this time the music, and indeed the whole scope of the album, is much more passionate. Magic isn't going to make anyone forget Born To Run (or even Born In The USA, for that matter), but - at 58 years old - Springsteen still has it... he's still a true believer in the power and possibilities of rock and roll. Still a master storyteller, songs like "Girls In Their Summer Clothes", the "10th Avenue Freeze Out"-esque "Livin' In The Future", and the political "Last To Die" all paint a vivid picture in your mind. The album's lead track "Radio Nowhere" rocks pretty righteously with Max Weinberg's drums mixed way up.

Producer Brendan O'Brien did a fine job in capturing the emotions, and Springsteen's voice really sounds great. If this guy's your musical hero, you could certainly do much worse...

Written by Dan Reed

update: I almost forgot: Today is Zappaween. Most Clear Channel stations would probably fire any jock that tried to program a day of Frank Zappa!

Listen here: XPN.org