Customer Reviews

All Songs Considered from NPR

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My name is Bob Boilen; I am director of NPR's All Things Considered. If you know the program, you may have found yourself curious about the little music snippets you've heard between news stories. I pick much of that music. After many years and many thousands of requests, there is this CD. It contains some of those great "buttons" that have been a signature of our daily news program.

This CD is filled with mostly unknown independent artists. There is a great piano tango, remarkable guitar music, a Norwegian fiddle tune, Hungarian Cymbalom music played with 8 "bowhammers", Spanish accordion, American jazz, a rock dirge and other music that is better heard than described.

I compiled this cd so I'm biased, but the musicians on this record are remarkable, and I hear a lot of music. Each song is a wonderful journey. I tried to put together a collection that on the one hand is eclectic but on the other is very accessable. The cd also benefits National Public Radio. Enjoy !

Bob Boilen Director All Things Considered, Host of NPR's online music program, All Songs Considered

I agree with an earlier review. I, too, am an avid listener, and enjoy the buttons and witty songs used on the shows. I think the best buttons are the ones chosen specifically for the theme of the story and used only once. So they aren't on this CD. Nevertheless, this is an eclectic collection, even if they don't jar my memory the same way that a "This American Life" collection would. I recommend that you listen to the samples of these buttons prior to the purchase of this CD to see if any are recognizable to you. Whether you purchase it or not, you should visit the npr website which has listings and downloads of the songs and buttons used on all things considered and all songs considered.

Ever listen to NPR and be caught by the "bumper music" they play while changing programs? That's what this is. I got it because I suspected there was much more to the brief melodic phrases they play on the radio, and I was right.

Ideal to put on in the background for many occasions, such as working.

If you enjoy the in-depth, intelligent news coverage you hear on NPR's "All Things Considered", then I suspect you'll enjoy All Songs Considered as much as I did when I heard it for the first time recently. Despite what the listner from Allentown, PA says below, the cuts on this CD are in fact long versions of "music buttons" that have been playd on "All Things Considered". All Songs Considered is also a web-only program which is featured on the NPR Web site, .... There, you'll find much more of the wonderful music that you only hear snippets of everyday on the air. Happy listening, Maria Thomas, VP, NPR Online.

I own a lot of CDs and this is one of my favorites. The collection is thoughtfully put together and I have since bought many of the individual artists CDs. It's a great combination of folk, country and international music...just what you would expect from NPR..well done!

I have listened to NPR for 11 years and love the "buttons" that are played between news segments on ATC, Morning Edition, as well as many other programs. I've been waiting for a good list of the songs or an album like this for years. There is, however, one slight problem with this album. Only two of songs on the CD sound vaguely familar to me, a long-time listener. And they are not even very good. This collection, in my opinion, is by no means the better material or that which you would hear most often on NPR. It's not bad. But it sounds like the second or third rate stuff compared to what is played on a daily or weekly basis. My guess is that NPR could not obtain licensing agreements for the better stuff. Save your money.... Each program's music is listed in detail. Now there is some really good music. I've noticed that ATC and Morning Addition have borrowed some of their buttons recently. They could have done better. Sorry.

I own the box set of All Songs Considered and this is the one that I keep playing over and over. The cuts are a joy to listen to and I just never seem to tire of them. Indeed, the more I listen to it, the more I want keep listening. The pieces are quite different from each other and yet compatible together. I play it in my office and my colleagues often remark on it. The only drawback I found is that it caused my music budget to take a hit as I purchased CDs of several of the individual artists.

First off, I started listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED on NPR but over the computer. After a couple of listens I thought, gee, I wish I could just listen to the songs and skip all this other stuff. So I explored the website a little further and found that there was a separate show called ALL SONGS CONSIDERED. I could download each show onto itunes via podcasts plus it also had Live concerts for me to obtain via podcast. When I discovered there existed 4 CDs of music from the show, this being the first, I got them right away. This one and the other 3 CDs are some of the best music you can add to your collection. I guess the show never issued any other CDs since you could get every show and every live concert free on the internet or as a free podcast download to itunes. My absolute favorite musical group is THE WHITE STRIPES and I discovered them on NPR. I now own every single recording of Jack White's.

I don't believe the music on the 4 CDs for sale is available for download or podcast so this is the only way I personally know of getting those. You cannot go wrong with ANYTHING from ALL SONGS CONSIDERED on NPR. Go to the website and be amazed. Get the 4 CDs and get started.

I am a listener of "All Things Considered" and my girlfriend bought me this CD last Christmas. All songs are full versions. Parts of these songs are used by the show to cut into a story or out to another one. Therefore this is music heard on All Things Considered. I am glad the compilation has been put together and most of the full length songs are beautiful, easy listening and like many other reviewers I'll agree, this CD is great for background usage whilst working, cooking, cleaning or having company over.

The most notable songs were 'A Solas', 'Waltz Of The Titans' and 'Silent Hills' by Laterna.

I do recommend this album for all fans of NPR. Well worth the purchase price and add to the music library.