World Cafe

Since beginning his "open-source" musical project in the 1990s, Lorin Ashton and his Bassnectar alias have become nearly superhuman. Bassnectar is associated with a community of devoted Bass Heads, several non-profit and charity organizations and shows of such epic proportions, they're called Bass Centers. Ashton describes his music as "the motion of [his] cells bouncing back at the world," and tens of thousands of people connect with it as a deeply human pursuit, as well. Last year, he sold out a New Year's Eve show attended by 10,000 fans.

Loudon Wainwright III has the makings of a great legacy many times over. His children — including Rufus and Martha — are successful musicians in their own right, and Wainwright's body of work has obviously influenced them.

Beck has been an influential creative force for two decades, popular for his sharp, intelligent and often humorous lyrics. Slickly genre-hopping from punk to folk, alternative and electro, he's put out albums both acoustic and electric, but always innovative. Today's installment of World Cafe revisits three of his interviews from the past decade or so.

When The Ting Tings exploded onto the pop scene in 2007, their grunge-chic style and sound were destined for success. Now, five years after the debut of their hit single "That's Not My Name/Great DJ" and four years after their first full length, We Started Nothing, The Ting Tings are back. Grungier than ever, the duo's new album, Sounds from Nowheresville, is accompanied by dark, violent music videos and a tour that involves front woman Katie White haphazardly throwing every piece of musical equipment that she can find. If this is your idea of fun, Sounds from Nowheresville may be the soundtrack to your summer.

Despite the slow, twisting, synth-looping style of Polica, the group's album came together in only a few recording sessions. Recovering from the breakup of her folk rock band Roma di Luna and the breakup of her marriage to one of her bandmates, Channy Leaneagh turned to friend and collaborator Ryan Olson, founder of Gayngs. The two worked together on Gayngs' album Relayted in 2010 and they were interested in working together again. Leaneagh had written a collection of songs during her breakups and Olson had R&B-esque electronic tracks that he wanted to use.

Allo Darlin' crafts quirky, personal rock, driven by lap steel, ukulele and charming four-part harmonies. The band formed in 2009 under the guidance of singer-songwriter Elizabeth Morris, whose voice meshes beautifully with those of Paul Rains, Bill Botting and Mikey Collins. Together, they spent two years touring in support of their gorgeous 2010 debut.

Named as a World Cafe: Next artist just this past March, the charming sister duo First Aid Kit returns with a full-length World Cafe session. Swedish siblings Johanna and Klara Söderberg are barely into their twenties, but they already have an international reputation for their rich harmonies and simple, rousing folk songs. After posting some videos online in 2008, including a much-lauded cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Peasant Mountain Song" with some woodsy acoustics, the young duo found itself thrust onto the world stage.

Bonnie Raitt is a blues-rock legend with nine Grammys and five platinum albums under her belt. Her rootsy and passionate take on everything blues — combined with her intimate understanding of composition, deft slide-guitar skills and soulful vocals — helped Raitt become an icon.

It's been 40 years since Raitt started releasing albums, and she's still in remarkably fine form. In fact, her new 16th studio release ranks among her best yet. Slipstream comes seven years after her last release, and it's a daring and introspective album with reggae, soul, rock and blues influences.

Here, Raitt plays live and talks to WXPN's Michaela Majoun about the making of Slipstream.