The World Cafe

Bahamas is the indie-folk project of Canadian singer-songwriter Afie Jurvanen. His 2009 debut Pink Strat was nominated for a Juno Award and the Polaris Music Prize, and was well-reviewed for its honest, no-frills, airy love songs.

Both in their early 20s, First Aid Kit's Johanna and Klara Söderberg are already winning over listeners worldwide with their intricate, woodsy harmonizing. The Swedish duo's second album, The Lion's Roar, has already charted in Australia, Denmark, the U.K., Norway and Sweden.

The Philadelphia pop-rock band Dr. Dog has continued to get better since forming in the early 2000s. The group's seven albums of layered psychedelia are deeply influenced by the best of '60s pop, adding up to a sound that's both timeless and classic.

Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin and Anton Fier of The Golden Palominos combine the twangy side of their respective rock bands for an album aptly titled A Good Country Mile. Through the '80s rock scene, Kinney and Fier became friends and collaborators, and the trend continues more than 20 years later.

The Soul Rebels could not be more aptly named. Formed in the '90s, the band originated within the New Orleans brass-band scene. Lumar LeBlanc and Derrick Moss gathered jazz musicians from around New Orleans to create a sound based in soul and specific performance styles, but with the capacity to evolve. The result rebels against the rules of soul while paying homage to the genre.

Laura Gibson's new album, La Grande, is built around a surprising musical contrast: Her hushed voice remains as quiet as ever, but her songs are louder and more complex. Although simplicity and lack of volume characterize Gibson's earlier work, her music today feels bigger without sacrificing intimacy: It meditates on mortality, carrying a weight of seriousness without being heavy. It's dark, but dispensed with a light touch.

Harriet blends Americana and electronic music to create a sound that embodies the L.A. rock scene: Its debut EP, Tell the Right Story, sounds like a chillwave re-imagination of Kings of Leon or The National. The group combines hoarse vocals, dramatic riffs and electronic flourishes on its debut — available for free on Harriet's website, though probably not for long.

This episode of World Cafe honors the alternative rock movement of the 1990s, with six artists who rose to mainstream success: Kristin Hersh, Belly, Liz Phair, Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield, and Matt

On Nada Surf's new album, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, the long-running band alternates between infectious optimism and sweet sadness. In spite of countless label changes, the group has remained remarkably consistent in its 20 years together: Blending good-natured affirmations with catchy pop-rock hooks, Nada Surf sounds like a bunch of fresh-faced kids, albeit unusually wise ones.

Formed by four Peruvian high-school friends in 2001, Novalima has been making traditional music sound sultry and modern ever since. In the past decade, the group has grown to a nine-piece band that's helping change the way the world thinks about world music.

After first coming together as a trio at Cardiff University in 2006, Los Campesinos! has blossomed into a septet with a reputation for lively indie-rock, in the spirit of everyone from Modest Mouse to Broken Social Scene to Belle and Sebastian. The generous joy in the Los Campesinos!

Born in Northern California in the 1970s, Cass McCombs grew to adopt a wanderer's lifestyle.

Before the eyes of her YouTube subscribers, Julia Nunes went from being a teen covering her favorite artists to a young woman playing live shows with them.

Throughout the month of October, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of World Cafe by revisiting some of the best and most memorable interviews of the past 20 years.

Produced by Hot Chip's Dan Carey, Chairlift's new album Something blends upbeat, synth-heavy pop with eerie lyrics that depart from the purely effervescent sound of the 2008 hit "Bruises." On Something, singer Caroline Polachek takes risks — manipulating her vocals with AutoTune and even programming synth parts to mimic the sou

Originally from Ridgewood, N.J., the Brooklyn transplants in Real Estate have built a reputation for cheerful yet sentimental beach-pop. The band's self-titled album broke through on the strength of the lead single "Beach Comber," and that record's 2011 follow-up (Days) achieved widespread critical acclaim and popularity in its own right.

Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards is enjoying a huge career boost with her new fourth album, Voyageur. Produced in part by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Voyageur sounds deeply personal and genuine: Edwards sings of failed marriages, life in the spotlight and the delicate happiness that comes with new beginnings.

With its fresh, upbeat sound, Bright Moments' debut album Natives will likely sound familiar when it's released later this month.

Throughout the month of October, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of World Cafe by revisiting some of the best and most memorable interviews of the past 20 years.