Music

You always remember the first time you heard one of Regina Spektor's songs. She harnesses such a wide range of emotions expertly — and even more so in her live performances. Spektor is one of a kind, and "The Party" is a perfect example.

You can watch the entire performance over at KCRW.com.

I first saw this guitar and drums duo last month, in their home town of Asheville, N.C. during Moogfest. The festival is often thought of as just an electronic music festival and it does skew in that direction, but it primarily celebrates the creative souls in music and in doing so honors the spirit of electronic music pioneer Robert Moog. The sonic palette of guitarist Shane Perlowin and drummer Ryan Oslance certainly fits that description.

Sera Cahoone may have started her career as a drummer, but the Seattle musician has made a name for herself as a singer-songwriter. Her third album in the past five years, Deer Creek Canyon, often finds the Colorado native looking homeward (as the title track indicates) on a personal collection that also happens to be sweetly, soothingly tuneful. We recently joined Cahoone and her band during sound check before a performance at the Doug Fir in Portland.

Credits

Fusing vintage garage-rock and pop with modern punk, the San Francisco band The Fresh & Onlys has enjoyed a rapid rise, touring across Europe and North America and performing at its hometown Noise Pop festival.

Led by Tim Cohen and Shayde Sartin, the band recently released the accessibly psychedelic Long Slow Dance (Mexican Summer). Listen to two of its songs on this installment of World Cafe: Next, and don't miss the video for "Presence of Mind."

Got a question you'd like the All Songs gang to consider? Leave it in the comments below or drop us an email: allsongs@npr.org.

Is music part of your Thanksgiving holiday? Will you be battling dad for control of the family speakers? Or is it a war between the siblings?

Ben Gibbard has spent so much time at the head of various bands — Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, All-Time Quarterback — that it's easy to forget how well his sweetly brainy songs work in a solo acoustic setting. His melodies are sturdy enough to withstand skeletal arrangements, and though his persona is unassuming by nature, he remains a charismatic and charming live performer.