[RADIOLAB INTRO]

JAD ABUMRAD: Hey, everyone, I'm Jad Abumrad. This is Radiolab, the podcast. Every so often on Radiolab, we set aside the science and we set aside the big ideas and we just play some music. Or I should say, every so often on the podcast, we have that opportunity. So I wanted to do that again today. Also to invite you guys who like Radiolab to check out this other series that I am hosting, a couple of different shows we're putting together on the Wordless Music Concert Series, which is a really, really innovative concert series here in New York. It's curated by a guy named Ronan Gavoni. Basically, what he does, it's very simple. He takes classical musicians, puts them on the same bill as rock musicians, because it is his opinion—and I agree with this—that the musics do have something to say to each other.

JAD: So I'll be hosting a couple of those shows. I hope you can listen. But here is an excerpt of one of my favorite, favorite, all-time favorite bands that performed as part of the series. Stars of the Lid is probably the inventor of a certain kind of—well, I don't know if they're the inventor, maybe Brian Eno is the inventor, but they perfected a certain kind of pop ambient, serene, dreamy, kind of narcoleptic thing that is particularly their own. And they performed recently at the Good Shepherd Faith Church as part of the Wordless Music Concert Series. They played two selections from their latest release And Their Refinement of the Decline. So I want to play those for you now.

JAD: The people you're gonna hear are Brian McBride and Adam Brianbaum. They are the founding members of Stars of the Lid, and they're going to be joined by Ella Barouche on viola, Kate O'Brien on violin and Julia Kent on cello. Here they are, Stars of the Lid at the Good Shepherd Faith Church in Manhattan.

STARS OF THE LID: This next piece is called "Requiem for Dying Mothers."

[music]

JAD: Two pieces by the band Stars of the Lid that was recorded recently at the Good Shepherd Faith Church in Manhattan as part of the Wordless Music Concert Series. The performers you heard were the founding members, Brian McBride and Adam Brianbaum, along with Ella Barouche on viola, Kate O'Brien on violin and Julia Kent on cello. There was also, by the way, a visual artist, Luke Savisky, showing tape loops, sort of like Super 8 tape film loops, that he'd layer one on top of the other to create these sort of like textural visual scapes to match the music. You can sort of vaguely conjure that in your mind. In any case, you can hear the complete Wordless Music concert at WNYC.org. You can also visit our website for anything you've ever heard. And Radiolab. That's Radiolab.org. I'm Jad Abumrad. Thanks for listening.

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