Music

The fact that Matt Pond has dropped the vestigial "PA" from the end of his moniker has more to do with geography than sound. On this episode of World Cafe, we learn why the singer-songwriter (and former Philadelphian) has moved around so much — it's all for love.

Pond does tell host David Dye what hasn't changed: his always likable voice and an ability to write heartfelt songs with melodies that stick.

It's always nice to see a world-renowned musician return to his roots, especially when he brings pizza for the entire KUTX staff in the process.

A little reinvention never hurt anyone. Nashville singers Jordan Meredith and Louis Johnson met in St. Augustine, Fla., and quickly discovered how well their voices blended together, so they moved to New York City and formed Augustine.

The duo, which now resides in Nashville, has since become The Saint Johns, and recently released its gorgeous new songs on a free downloadable EP. Listen to two songs from The Live Sessions here.

Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter Richie Havens — who died April 22 at age 72 — appeared on Mountain Stage on Jan. 29, 1995. His unmistakably percussive guitar style and intense vocals helped set him apart from other songwriters, while his ability to make traditional and cover songs his own made him a primal force in the world of solo acoustic performers. Havens had long since secured his place in history by opening the fabled Woodstock festival with a three-hour set that kept thousands of listeners spellbound.

If your idea of fun is having a leathery, shirtless, 66-year-old man sweat on you, then you needed to be near the stage at (Le) Poisson Rouge for Iggy Pop's afternoon public-radio showcase on April 28 with his band The Stooges.

And if that's not your idea of fun, then you really, really need to see Iggy Pop perform live, and soon.

As worked into the opening line of the brilliant "Song for Zula" by Phosphorescent's Matthew Houck, the famous words "Love is a burning thing" set the scene for one of the best songs Houck has ever written.

My dreams are never like Chris Kittrell's "Sea Of Dreams," but I wish they were. Watching this animation will be as close as I get. Chris Kittrell is a founding member of the band Baby Alpaca, the director of the video for the band's song, "Sea of Dreams," and the source of the video's concept — or at least his unconscious mind was.

"I got the idea from a dream I had," Chris Kittrell writes. "The whole scene was very Dada-rock. Stage set out to sea. Time and objects drifting by. Guitar riffing in the air. I love how nonsense and intuition can lead to invention."

David Beck and Paul Cauthen were both playing music around San Marcos, Texas, when they recognized that it might be a good move to combine their talents and became Sons of Fathers. Actually, they originally went by the name Beck and Cauthen until another, more famous Beck took notice.