FRESH AIR
On Sept. 21, the AMC series Mad Men became the first basic cable program to win an Emmy Award for outstanding drama. Executive producer Matthew Weiner and actors Jon Hamm and John Slattery discuss the madness of Madison Avenue circa 1960. Weiner is a former writer and producer for HBO’s The Sopranos.
RADIO TIMES
Last week’s events on Wall Street forced the candidates to focus on the the issues, their proposals for tacking complex problems and and how their approaches might differ. Today on Radio Times we talk about presidential election politics with MATTHEW CONTINETTI who writes for the Weekly Standard and MATTHEW YGLSESIAS of the Center for American Progress. Listen to this show via Real Audio | mp3
SOUND OPINIONS
Show 147: Buried Treasures and Brian Wilson and Kid Rock Reviews
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One musician who always seems to be buried, followed by an unearthing, is Brian Wilson. The former Beach Boy has had so many comebacks, Jim and Greg aren’t even sure where he’s coming back from. Is Brian back again with this new record, That Lucky Old Sun. Greg explains that some people are saying this album is on par with Wilson’s two masterpieces, Pet Sounds and Smile. But this critic thinks that’s an insult to his previous efforts. He finds this album nostalgic, but takes too long to become emotionally resonant. And, the songs are weighed down by cornball lyrics courtesy of Van Dyke Parks. Jim completely agrees and wonders if the troubled artist actually made this record. If he did, he’s merely cashing in. If he didn’t, it’s quite a con. Either way That Lucky Old Sun gets a double Trash It. Airs at 10 pm on WHYY
THE WORLD CAFE
British pop icon Paul Weller has described his new double-disc album, 22 Dreams, as “a year in my life.” It tracks Weller’s course 
through the changing seasons, even including the sounds of a rainstorm through the open door at his Black Barn studio. Maintaining remarkable cohesion amidst a kaleidoscope of influences from rock and soul to classical, Weller can always be counted on for a refreshingly ambitious and edgy effort. In a session with host David Dye, the former Jam frontman performs material from 22 Dreams. Decades after the dissolution of his bands The Jam and Style Council, Weller remains one of the most influential Britpop acts of the past 30 years. He got his start as the frontman for the late-’70s new-wave punk band The Jam, which came from modest beginnings to become a force atop the British charts. The Jam helped established Weller as one of the most visible and imitated rock artists of all time, but he further experimented with his sound upon the creation of The Style Council, which melded pop, jazz, soul and more. Since the end of The Style Council in 1989, Weller has cranked out a wide variety of albums on his own.
THE JAM: That’s Entertainment