The Best Albums And Songs From October; New Prince Memoir

Plus, Halloween costumes at the Tiny Desk and our favorite pump-up songs. by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Loren Elliott/MLB Photos via Getty Images On Wednesday night, NPR Music’s hometown team the Washington Nationals beat the Houston Astros 6-2 in [Game 7 of the World Series](. It was a historic win; the last time a baseball team from Washington won the World Series was 1924, when they were called the Senators. Though your newsletter editors have different loyalties (Marissa’s from Boston, Lyndsey’s from Tampa Bay), it felt like a major win for our adopted city – and “[Baby Shark]( enthusiasts everywhere (doo doo, doo-doo doo). Which brings us to music: Between the World Series this past week and the NYC Marathon this weekend, music can be crucial when it comes to keeping your head in the game or getting pumped up, whether you’re a pro taking on your last nine innings of the season or an amateur conquering 26.2 miles (as Lyndsey will be this weekend). We asked our colleagues at NPR Music what music gets them ready for athletic achievement and we got a wide range of responses: Senior manager Otis Hart selected [Daft Punk]( “Harder Better Faster Stronger”; Cyrena Touros said Snoop Dogg’s 2015 “[Peaches N Cream.]( And from classical expert Tom Huizenga: “This frenzied final movement of [C.P.E. Bach's B minor symphony]( has so much thrust, power and drive, you can't help but grab an ‘air baton’ and lead the orchestra as it accelerates, swerves and slams on the brakes.” As for us: Lyndsey calculated how many times she could listen to [Japandroids]( Celebration Rock in her goal marathon time (the answer: quite a few). And if you want your pump up song with a little existential dread, Marissa recommends Mitski’s “[My Body’s Made Of Crushed Little Stars]( [Ready to run]( Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- New Music - As October came to a close, we rounded up our favorite music that was released during the month. Among our [favorite albums]( you'll find veterans of varying ages — including Angel Olsen and Wilco — making some of the best music of their careers and a promising R&B debut. And in our list of [favorite songs]( of the month, love reigns supreme. - On this week’s All Songs Considered [new music mix]( your newsletter editors joined Bob Boilen to play a distressing board game (courtesy of Canadian punk band PUP) and share great new songs by Julien Baker, Torres, Trupa Trupa and more. - This week, Dan Deacon announced his first album since 2015. And, in true Dan Deacon fashion, the gifted experimentalist paired the [first single]( with a creepy video starring a decomposing corpse. (Happy Halloween?) - Our friends at KUTX shared a video of Molly Sarlé performing “Human,” one of our favorite songs of [September]( live in the [studio](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Featuring - All Songs Considered’s exploration of music in the 2010s continued this week with two new installments: First, our panel talked about the [decade’s increase in visibility for queer pop artists]( and the complexities that come with mainstreaming. The team also got an assist from NPR’s Elise Hu for [a roundtable on the globalization of music]( in the 2010s, including a look at BTS and the BTS Army, plus Rosalía, Bad Bunny, J Balvin and more. - Rock criticism was still in its adolescence in 1969, which meant that working critics didn’t always catch what became some of the era’s most iconic music in its day. Revisit the [classic albums from 1969]( that were reviled then but are revered today. - [Can Dolly Parton heal America]( On All Things Considered, Ari Shapiro talked to WYNC’s Jad Abumrad about his new podcast which explores the life and legacy of the iconic songwriter and her ability to bridge divides in America. - Prince left behind an [unfinished memoir]( when he died in 2016. Dan Piepenbring, his co-writer, told Fresh Air’s Terry Gross about the moment he knew he could make The Beautiful Ones happen, even in Prince's absence. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tiny Desk When it comes to bands performing at the Tiny Desk, there's dressing up, and then there's dressing up. In honor of Halloween this week, we put together a [Tiny Desk playlist]( of artists whose stage wear crosses over from "outfits" to "costumes." --------------------------------------------------------------- One More Thing “Man Magically Transforms Into Music Historian While Talking to Women,” and other mostly-true [punk rock stories](. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprmusic@npr.org](mailto:nprmusic@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? 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