Sam Amidon’s self-titled album is out digitally and on CD today, with the vinyl due January 22. "A fine showcase for Amidon’s studio experimentation," says Rolling Stone; "incorporates elements of spacious, echoing ambient electronic music to complement Amidon’s warm vocals, reminiscent of Nick Drake and Arthur Russell." No Depression says "this LP, full of delicate noise and artful sophistication, deserves a pause in a harried time." A video of the album track "Cuckoo," recorded live in concert at Kings Place in London earlier this month, can be seen here.

David Byrne has partnered with HeadCount—the non-partisan organization using the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy—to curate a playlist for Spotify. In honor of Spike Lee's new film of David Byrne's American Utopia on HBO Max, the playlist aims to inspire listeners in the United States to exercise their right to vote in the 2020 election. You can hear it here.

The Staves have released a live video for "Good Woman," the title track to their upcoming album, due February 5 on Nonesuch in the US. The video was made in London's Sunbeam Studios, directed by Olivia Eames. The Staves say: "We’d like to thank our amazing band, Glyn, Marcus, Chris and Rob, and all the crew involved for making this shoot possible whilst observing social distancing rules and keeping all of us super safe."

Sam Amidon is the guest on the latest episode of WNYC / New Sounds' Soundcheck, hosted by John Schaefer, to discuss his new, self-titled album, out tomorrow. Amidon is joined by multi-instrumentalist Chris Vatalaro, who is also on the album, to perform three songs from his new, self-titled album: "Cuckoo," "Hallelujah," and "Pretty Polly." You can hear the session here.

Sam Gendel's new album, DRM, is due on vinyl on April 16, 2021. This Thursday at 12pm EDT, Gendel will be commenting and answering questions as a one-time, single supercut of all fourteen videos for the album—one for each track, all directed by Marcella Cytrynowicz—premieres on the Nonesuch Records YouTube channel.

Spike Lee's film of David Byrne's American Utopia on Broadway, now streaming on HBO Max, is the subject of today's NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, which you can hear here. “Spoiler alert: we all love this thing," says Glen Weldon. "This thing is a balm for my withered soul. I think it's the balm for humanity's soul." Soraya Nadia McDonald concurs: "Part of what Spike gets at really well is just the joy that is so absolutely present in this show and that makes it so addictive. Certainly that was the thing after I saw it, I kept listening to the Broadway cast recording on repeat afterward."

The Staves release their first new album in six years, Good Woman, February 5, 2021, on Nonesuch Records in the US. Good Woman was written and recorded in a time of tremendous turmoil and change for the band, between the ending of relationships, the death of their beloved mother, and the birth of Emily’s first child. Produced by John Congleton, the album is a testament to the Stavely-Taylors’ strength and that of other women; to sisters, mothers, and daughters; to love, loss, and change; and to trying to be a good woman.

Sam Amidon performed as part of Kansas Smitty's Virtual Jazz Bar in London. He joined clarinetist Giacomo Smith and band to perform a few songs from Amidon's new self-titled album, out this Friday. You can watch the session here. Amidon will celebrate the release of the new album with a livestream concert on Bandcamp this Thursday at 4pm EDT.

John Adams, the 2021 Music Director and conductor for the Ojai Music Festival, has announced featured artists for the 75th festival, June 10–13, 2021, including composer/pianist Timo Andres, who returns to Ojai to give the first live public performance of I Still Play, and Attacca Quartet, which makes its Ojai debut performing works by Caroline Shaw and others. Adams will conduct two concerts with works by Steve Reich, among others; his own work will be on programs by the LA Phil New Music Group and pianist Víkingur Ólafsson.

Kronos Quartet filmed a socially distanced performance of "Lux Aeterna," from composer Clint Mansell's score to Darren Arronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, to mark the film's 20th anniversary, at Stanford's Bing Concert Hall. You can watch it here. Nonesuch Records will reissue the soundtrack on vinyl December 4.

Rhiannon Giddens is the guest on the inaugural episode of NPR Music's Amplify with Lara Downes, a new bi-weekly series of intimate video conversations "with visionary Black musicians who are shaping the present and future of the art form," says NPR. "Rhiannon is my friend and soul sister, my fellow traveler on the path that leads to the deep center of American music," says Downes. "In this year of staying home and standing still, we reflect together on the long miles we've traveled so far and what we've found on our journeys, envisioning the wide open road ahead." You can watch it here.

The Spike Lee–directed film of David Byrne’s American Utopia debuts on HBO and HBO Max this Saturday, October 17, at 8pm ET/PT. The film gives audiences access to Byrne’s critically-acclaimed Broadway show that played to sold-out, record-breaking audiences at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre in NYC. Make the special event even more so by hosting a Ballot Party for you and your family and friends to make your plan to vote; for further inspiration, we've put together a Ballot Party playlist of songs from and inspired by the American Utopia original cast album you can hear here.