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Unknown Mortal Orchestra: NPR Front Row

"No Need for a Leader," from Unknown Mortal Orchestra's recent album II, is the song that really drew me into the band's recent concert at Washington, D.C.'s Rock and Roll Hotel, recorded live on Feb. 27. A cocktail of riff-rock and Black Sabbath-style psychedelia, it's a tremendous introduction to the trio, which began as a solo project for frontman Ruban Nielsen.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra has been touring all over the world, as it makes its way through Nielsen's home country of New Zealand, his adopted hometown of Portland, Ore., and many points in between. If the band comes your way, grab some earplugs and have a ball.

Credits

Producers: Bob Boilen, Denise DeBelius; Editor: Gabriella Garcia-Pardo; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Gabriella Garcia-Pardo; Special Thanks: Rock and Roll Hotel; Executive Producers: Anya Grundmann, Keith Jenkins

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.