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Emerging out of the sound of spring peepers, Neko Case stepped onto the 9:30 Club stage set in something out of a nature cartoon. Behind them videos of cyclones and airplanes were projected on a screen. But the attention was clearly on Case, her stunning voice, as well as her solid backing band. Okkervil River's Will Sheff opened.

Singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis has a hauntingly soulful voice. Her latest CD, Rabbit Fur Coat is inspired by her lifelong love for folk, country and Southern gospel, with beautifully crafted story songs. Hear Lewis in a full concert recorded live from Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club.

Benevento strips "You Know I'm No Good" of its memorable trappings (brassy voice, bold horns) and gives it a jazz piano treatment. At the outset, Benevento keeps the listener waiting, pumping the piano with a vamp that says, "Something is going to happen... but not yet." Then, out of the blue, comes the familiar Winehouse-ian melody line.

The writer-producer-arranger had a voice that was clear and powerful, and his piano-playing is remarkable in its own right. Although Hathaway is perhaps best known for his duets with singer Roberta Flack, the body of work he left behind when he died 30 years ago is part of the bedrock of American soul music.

The most immediately striking thing about London-based pop quintet Absentee is singer Dan Michaelson's deep and gravelly voice. A little bit Leonard Cohen, a little bit Johnny Cash, Michaelson immediately takes hold of listeners on Victory Shorts, the band's sophomore album which navigates the flurry of emotions following failed relationships.

Writer A. Van Jordan's latest poems imagine the life of MacNolia Cox, the first black finalist in the National Spelling Bee. In his book M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A, Jordan uses a variety of forms and voices to depict Cox's life in 1936. Hear NPR's Susan Stamberg and Jordan.

Gorka passes along musical traditions while also showcasing his own modern voice. In his songs, he tells real stories about real people — you, me, your family and friends. Gorka pays tribute to Pete Seeger's 90th birthday with "Water Is Wide" in a session from Folk Alley.

Known only by his first name, Honduran singer Aurelio has been making music for a decade. Yet, Aurelio is not only known for his raspy voice and catchy cumbia melodies, but for his tireless work promoting the rights of his own people — the Garifuna. Now, the former parliament member is out with his latest album Landini.

Listening to Davis' propulsive funk, it's apparent that her image was just as important to her albums as a guitar or a keyboard or her voice. In 1975, she seemed to represent her era, but she probably pushed boundaries too far for mainstream music. Here, Meredith Ochs reviews a recent reissue of Davis' groundbreaking album Nasty Gal.

The group gets pared down to a trio for this casual acoustic session from KEXP. Craig Finn stood at the mic as Tad Kubler and Franz Nicolay handled an acoustic guitar, banjo and accordion. The set-up lets Finn's voice resonate, which means his great lyrics stand out even more than usual.

For at least 40 years, shortwave listeners have been stumbling across the eerie sound of unidentified stations transmitting only voices chanting numbers. Speculation on their purpose has ranged from UFO landing coordinates to international espionage. We explore the mystery of the shortwave numbers stations through the recordings compiled by hardcore numbers monitors.

Montreal-based singer-songwriter Patrick Watson has a stunning, romantic voice that soars above precise piano work and clattering percussion played on marimbas and household pots turned upside-down. Watson and his brilliant band recently performed songs from their new album Wooden Arms at the studios of WNYC in New York.

Seahorse and the Storyteller is a true concept album, which tells the story of "two mythical creatures who meet, fall in love and begin piecing together the mysteries of each other's past." One of its key songs is "The Story of Echo Lake," sung in the voice of the Seahorse character as he embarks on a search of his family's origins.

Rock stars have been known to try crazy things with a guitar. Kaki King doesn't light hers on fire, but she does pick the string of the guitar with both hands, while slapping the body in time. On her new CD, Dreaming of Revenge, she displays a new melodic sensibility with her own voice.

As Case tours the country, driving her own van and showcasing that powerhouse voice, she appears strong and fearless. But on her new album, Middle Cyclone, her heart is cracked open. Her songs tremble with the stunning reality that love is the one thing we need the most, and the one thing that we can never control.

Singer/songwriter Stew seamlessly blends gospel and funk with sophisticated lyrics, sweet melodies, and an even sweeter voice. His eighth album, titled Something Deeper Than These Changes, takes the listener on intimate journeys into Stew's past, and offers vivid portraits of the people he is closest to in the present. NPR's Neda Ulaby profiles the musician.

Rachael Yamagata's deep and sultry voice tells stories of lost love and pain. Her songs have been heard on countless films and TV shows, like 'Grey's Anatomy' and '30 Rock.' Now Yamagata is out with her latest album, 'Chesapeake.' Host Michel Martin speaks with the singer-songwriter about her approach to music.

After an editor asked him to tone down his racial politics, the first-time author walked away from his book deal, moved to a smaller press and eventually published two books to critical acclaim. He hopes his story helps make the case for why publishers should welcome different voices to the table.

Scientists say a great earthquake could hit the San Francisco area in the next 30 years. But many residents prefer to live in denial. Commentator Louise Rafkin talked to her friends and neighbors for an understanding of how people balance everyday danger with everyday life.

Noah talks to William Haglund (HAY-glund), a forensic anthropologist who is part of a team working to uncover the remains of people in a mass grave in the Srebrenica (SREB-ruh-NEET-suh) area. He says that the bodies are in civilian clothing, but it will be a long time before they are identified.