Dec 3rd, 2008 · Masik Collegiate Fragrances of Harrisburg, Pa., has been creating perfumes and colognes specific to given colleges. Katie Masik had the idea 11/2 years ago and started the business with her family. She says the odors are both literal interpretations of campus smells and the mental image of the school.
Oct 31st, 2008 · The hyper-literate indie quartet The Decemberists has been touring college campuses to help get out the vote next week. Lead singer Colin Meloy spoke to Fresh Air in 2007.
Oct 29th, 2008 · Spurred by a string of bad news in his personal life, novelist Mikel Jollett turned to writing songs instead of prose for relief. Within months, The Airborne Toxic Event was born. The L.A. band shakes up standard rock with a viola and trumpet in this session from WXPN.
Nov 20th, 2007 · With the release of Boys and Girls in America, The Hold Steady solidified its place among the best rock bands in the U.S. With classic riffs and literate storytelling, it's been dubbed the thinking man's bar band. Hear The Hold Steady, webcast live in concert on NPR.org tonight (Nov. 20).
Sep 30th, 2007 · Propelled by the cryptic songwriting of frontman Will Sheff, Okkervil River makes dark, literate rock that's as explosive as it is intimate. Now on tour with one of the year's best albums, The Stage Names, Okkervil River visits Washington, D.C. tonight (Sept. 30) for a full concert, webcast live on NPR.org.
Jun 26th, 2007 · With a sound that recalls classic pop songwriters like Francoise Hardy, chanteuse and multi-instrumentalist Keren Ann combines literate, worldly pop with delicate vocals and subtly catchy melodies. Hear an interview and in-studio performance.
May 10th, 2007 · As frontman for the Seattle rock band Death Cab for Cutie, and part of the electro-pop duo Postal Service, Ben Gibbard has won over legions of fans for his literate, bittersweet songwriting. Now Gibbard is embarking on a month-long solo tour. Hear him live on NPR.org in a full concert tonight.
Apr 13th, 2007 · As the primary musical vehicle for Omaha wunderkind Conor Oberst, Bright Eyes has experienced a meteoric rise in the past few years, as fans and critics have embraced the literate, emotional songs of a singer often tagged "The New Bob Dylan."