Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite Get up

WXPN Radio

The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe ®

Listen Xpo

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.

Singer Songwriter Radio

Featuring classics from heritage troubadours to new musicians and bands in the singer-songwriter tradition.

Folk Radio

Folk music radio streaming on the web; Americana, Roots Music, recordings, and stories from folk's best.
Listen Live

Alejandro Escovedo - Big Station - Fantasy/Concord

An enduring rock n roller since the mid-70s Alejandro Escovedo may not be a household name to many, but the continued reverence for his music is no surprise. Big Station, his latest album, is another prime example of artistic vision and the relentless pursuit of challenging one’s own musical aspirations. For Escovedo, at this point in his career, making the same album over and over is a trap that some of his contemporaries have fallen into, but for Alejandro it’s a path that he won’t concede to take. Big Station is the proof of that.


Al also proves that getting older is really just a state of mind, because Big Station provides vibrancy and fun that you only really expect from wide-eyed, up-and-comers. Many have already paralleled the songs of Big Station and its overall vibe to Escovedo’s early punk-rock roots. And, that’s fair to say. From the freewheeling guitar riffs of the lead-off rocker “Man of the World” and feel good, jangly “Party People” Big Station is as spirited as we’ve heard Escovedo is years. Where his last album, Street Songs of Love, was admittedly more of a personal collection of songs, Big Station is a bit more adventurous and quite simply rocks a little more!

Once again on Big Station, Escovedo is working with a lot of the same folks. Friend and fellow songwriter Chuck Prophet is a big part of the creative process on Big Station. And producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie) has filled out the hat-trick working with Escovedo for the third straight record. And while the people in the room may be the same, the results are a solid step forward. Perhaps a great testament to the relationship they have with one another, and the wonderful vision Escovedo see’s for his own music.

Another Way To Support WXPN

Pick up Big Station. Your purchase that starts here supports WXPN Public Radio.

Non-COMM recap: Photos, audio, and setlist from the Mississippi Blues Project concert with Super Chikan and the Fighing...

Award winning Blues guitarist and singer Super Chikan and the Fighting Cocks made the trip from his home in Clarksdale, Mississippi to...Read More

Non-COMM recap: Photos, audio, and setlist from the Mississippi Blues Project concert with Homemade Jamz Blues...

Last Thursday during XPN’s Non-COMMvention, the Tupelo, Mississippi brothers and sister trio, the Homemade Jamz Blues Band,...Read More

RIP Ray Manzarek of The Doors (listen to songs from their Live at The Spectrum show in 1970)

Raymond Daniel Manczarek, Jr., known to most as Ray Manzarek, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, has passed...Read More

Listen to Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee and Allison Crutchfield of Swearin’ cover Grimes via Rookie...

This is a pretty awesome track from the fun and talented Crutchfield sisters. For Rookie Mag’s “Theme Song” series,...Read More

Non-COMM Recap: Pete Yorn and J.D. King brought The Olms to World Cafe Live

Photo by Joe Del Tufo | JoeDelTufo.com Pete Yorn and J.D. King developed their new project The Olms out of a shared love of 60s psych...Read More