NPR Music

A hymn is a faith song, and Joe Pug knows about faith. It was a leap of faith which moved him to quit school in pursuit of songwriting in the first place. So it's no surprise that his stirring new song "Hymn #76" balances on faith. "To love me is to set up on a mountain," he sings. "Every step is harder than the last."

A New York pop-rock trio with a spunky and theatrical side, fun. began when singer Nate Ruess was coming off the breakup of his long-running band The Format.

Being a mariachi is a specialized gig. You might be able to fool people who don't know the music by wearing those tight pants and little jackets and playing with lots of vibrato. But hardcore mariachi fans will call you out in a minute if you try to fake it.