On today's show:
My Kingdom for a hit!
(Starts at :45)
Now that "Game of Thrones" is over (and many viewers are over it), HBO and other networks are looking for The Next Big Thing. Steven Zeitchik of The Washington Post fills John in on what's in the works. (Hint: HBO is developing a "GoT" prequel.)
His 'Finest Work Yet.' Really.
(Starts at 7:35)
Since his first record in 1996, Andrew Bird has developed a signature sound — blending folk, jazz and rock. The prolific violinist, singer-songwriter and whistler now marks 15 full-length albums with his most recent release, “My Finest Work Yet.” The songs' veiled political commentary is mixed with obscure historical references. But as Bird tells John Horn, he didn’t consciously set out to make a political statement. Together, they discuss his songwriting process, The Spanish Civil War, and the times he used to play at Renaissance fairs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-KOZl5CLbU
Little Simz, In Between the Black-And-White
(Starts at 18:35)
The prolific 25-year-old rapper found that making her latest record required her to sit through deep discomfort and creative tension with a producer she’s know since she was a kid growing up in London. That patience and trust yielded an intimate and intricate record that she feels is the best record of her career, titled "Grey Area."