Top Picks: PBS's documentary 'Freedom Summer,' First Aid Kit's new album 'Stay Gold,' and more
Swedish gold
Still sounding like home-grown Americana folk singers, with soaring harmonies and a gentle twang, Swedish duo is back wowing international audiences with their third album, Stay Gold. Evoking iconic innovators from Stevie Nicks to Lana Del Rey, sisters Klara and Johanna S枚derberg have created a simple yet high-achieving album with elements of country and alternative genres. Their dynamic style blossoms in their psychedelic videos for signature songs 鈥淢y Silver Lining鈥� and 鈥淪tay Gold.鈥�
World鈥檚 largest choir聽
In To Breathe As One, Robert Geary, director of California-based Piedmont East Bay Children鈥檚 Choir, takes 36 choristers to tiny Estonia. For two days, the singers blend their voices with 30,000 others before an audience of 100,000. Led by only one conductor, the singers say they will never forget the experience. Neither will viewers of the documentary, produced by Maureen and James Tusty. Powerful and emotionally moving, it airs on June 27. Check local listings. It鈥檚 out on DVD, too.
The battle to vote
Freedom Summer brings back the Mississippi summer of 1964, which changed the course of US history. 鈥檚 鈥淎merican Experience鈥� fills in an important chapter in the desegregation of the South with this documentary directed by Stanley Nelson (鈥淔reedom Riders,鈥� 鈥淭he Murder of Emmett Till鈥�). It鈥檚 the story of dedicated workers who persevered in the face of bombings, murder, and intimidation to register as many African-Americans as possible to vote, which led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It premi猫res on PBS June 24. Check local listings.聽
No longer pretending
has always been a master of the pop hook. In her first solo effort, Stockholm, she veers slightly from the Pretenders formula to let techno grooves seep in. Meanwhile, Neil Young鈥檚 guitar in 鈥淒own the Wrong Way鈥� keeps her rooted. 鈥淒ark Sunglasses鈥� opens and closes on a cowbell with piercing guitar notes reverberating off the rhythm. Her trademark rasp curls around lyrics, with only slightly less snarl. Hynde remains an authentic rocker, still reaching for the stars.
Opulent opera
Puccini鈥檚 classic opera La Boh猫me is well known to operaphiles as one of the most performed operas in the world. Based on previous performances, the famously opulent production by Franco Zeffirelli, which reproduces the Latin Quarter of Paris in colorful detail on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, will no doubt impress newcomers and aficionados alike on 鈥檚 鈥淕reat Performances at the Met.鈥� It stars Vittorio Grigolo (Rodolfo), Kristine Opolais (Mim矛), and Susanna Phillips (Musetta). It airs June 27 at 9 p.m.
Border-free Music
The title of 鈥檚 Gathering Light perfectly captures the Israeli-born jazz clarinetist/composer鈥檚 concept of harvesting musical ideas from the globe and whipping up tasty souffl茅s of melody, rhythm, and joy. After a world tour that included Israel, Africa, and the Far East, Etkin gathered world music virtuosos such as African guitarist Lionel Loueke, bassist Ben Allison, and drummer Nasheet Waits to record this luminous collection.聽
