The Contenders, Vol. 23: Brandi Carlile, Blood Orange, Magdalena Bay, more

It’s a week of surprises as we update our running list of the year’s best music, with a mix of songs that refuse to be any one thing. Plus, singer Brandi Carlile drops a stunning, stadium-sized rock anthem. NPR Music editor Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton. Featured artists and songs: 1. Brandi Carlile: “Church & State,” from ‘Returning to Myself’ 2. Hannah Frances: “The Space Between (feat. Daniel Rossen),” from ‘Nested in Tangles’ 3. Kelly Moran: “Don’t Trust Mirrors,” from ‘Don’t Trust Mirrors’ 4. Blood Orange: “The Last of England,” from ‘Essex Honey’ 5. Magdalena Bay: “Second Sleep” (single) Weekly reset: A family of bears rummage through a forest on an autumn afternoon. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy