ALL SONGS CONSIDERED
This week, All Songs Considered hands the reins to acclaimed experimental musician Noah Lennox, a.k.a. Panda Bear. Lennox made the trip down to NPR’s Washington, D.C. headquarters while on a visit to his hometown of Baltimore. He sat down with host Bob Boilen to talk about his upcoming album Tomboy (out April 12). Lennox began by naming some of the albums that grabbed his attention in his youth, Nirvana‘s Nevermind being a particular touchstone. But he quickly moved on to contemporary picks by musicians from his extended artistic circle, including Mississippi songwriter Dent May, reclusive electronic maestro Zomby and his own Animal Collective bandmate Avey Tare. He also chose a few cuts from Tomboy, as well as one by Spectrum, a sunny project helmed by the album’s mix engineer Peter Kember. MORE
FRESH AIR
Before the Fukushima disaster, nuclear power was being rebranded as a green form of energy. But in the wake of the devastating nuclear 
accident that is still unfolding in Japan, many Americans are now re-evaluating the potential costs and benefits of nuclear power. On today’s Fresh Air, New York Times energy reporter Matthew Wald joins Terry Gross for a wide-ranging conversation about the history — and future — of nuclear energy in the United States. Though storage and safety mechanisms are in place, he says, many unknown variables exist that are nearly impossible for regulators to forecast. “Essentially, when you reach the Fukushima Dai-ichi stage, the question is, ‘Are you prepared for things you haven’t predicted?’ And the answer is, ‘How can you tell?’ ” he says. “We’re certainly prepared for some things we haven’t predicted, but [we’re not sure] what it is we’re preparing for.” MORE