NPR Series: Exclusive First Listen http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98679384&ft=1&f=98679384 Enjoy previews of select, upcoming albums, in their entirety. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:10:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Exclusive First Listen http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98679384&ft=1&f=98679384 Exclusive First Listen: Fever Ray, 'Live At Lulea' Taking time out from the icy synth-pop duo The Knife to perform as Fever Ray, Karin Dreijer-Andersson makes electronic pop music imbued with haunted fragility. Hear a revealing example of Fever Ray's mysterious aesthetic, <em>Live at Lulea</em>, in its entirety until Nov. 24. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:10:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120453312&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120453312&ft=1&f=98679384 Taking time out from the icy synth-pop duo The Knife to perform as Fever Ray, Karin Dreijer-Andersson makes electronic pop music imbued with haunted fragility. Hear a revealing example of Fever Ray's mysterious aesthetic, Live at Lulea, in its entirety until Nov. 24.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: Norah Jones Jones' new album, <em>The Fall</em>, maintains her jazzy, sultry sound while pushing into more contemporary pop territory. It's a different direction for the singer, but suitable for old fans and newcomers alike. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:44:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120013389&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120013389&ft=1&f=98679384 Jones' new album, The Fall, maintains her jazzy, sultry sound while pushing into more contemporary pop territory. It's a different direction for the singer, but suitable for old fans and newcomers alike.

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]]> First Listen: R.E.M. Live At The Olympia Rather than create a live album spanning its greatest hits, the legendary Athens, Ga., band picked out an unlikely assortment of 39 songs known mostly to R.E.M. diehards. Hear <em>Live at the Olympia</em> in its entirety for the week leading up to the collection's Oct. 27 release. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113995872&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113995872&ft=1&f=98679384 Rather than create a live album spanning its greatest hits, the legendary Athens, Ga., band picked out an unlikely assortment of 39 songs known mostly to R.E.M. diehards. Hear Live at the Olympia in its entirety for the week leading up to the collection's Oct. 27 release.

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]]> Gibbard And Farrar Set Kerouac's 'Big Sur' To Music The lead singers of Death Cab for Cutie and Son Volt had never met until they discovered their mutual admiration for writer Jack Kerouac. Now, they've released an album based on Kerouac's 1962 novel <em>Big Sur</em>. Hear <em>One Fast Move or I'm Gone</em> in its entirety before its Oct. 20 release. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113748932&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113748932&ft=1&f=98679384 The lead singers of Death Cab for Cutie and Son Volt had never met until they discovered their mutual admiration for writer Jack Kerouac. Now, they've released an album based on Kerouac's 1962 novel Big Sur. Hear One Fast Move or I'm Gone in its entirety before its Oct. 20 release.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: Miguel Zenon, 'Esta Plena' Last year, the prodigious saxophonist took home the prestigious Guggenheim and MacArthur fellowships. He's used the opportunities to investigate his Puerto Rican musical roots; his new album is a methodical but natural-feeling synthesis of folkloric <em>plena</em> and mainland modern jazz. Hear <em>Esta Plena</em> in its entirety for the week preceding its Oct. 20 physical release. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113735696&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113735696&ft=1&f=98679384 Last year, the prodigious saxophonist took home the prestigious Guggenheim and MacArthur fellowships. He's used the opportunities to investigate his Puerto Rican musical roots; his new album is a methodical but natural-feeling synthesis of folkloric plena and mainland modern jazz. Hear Esta Plena in its entirety for the week preceding its Oct. 20 physical release.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: The Swell Season Recording as The Swell Season, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova recorded a lush, lovely, heartfelt gem in the new <em>Strict Joy</em>, on which they examine a tumultuous relationship over a mostly calm bed of acoustic guitars, pianos and strings. You can hear <em>Strict Joy</em> in its entirety here for the two weeks leading up to its Oct. 27 release. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113630469&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113630469&ft=1&f=98679384 Recording as The Swell Season, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova recorded a lush, lovely, heartfelt gem in the new Strict Joy, on which they examine a tumultuous relationship over a mostly calm bed of acoustic guitars, pianos and strings. You can hear Strict Joy in its entirety here for the two weeks leading up to its Oct. 27 release.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: Nellie McKay Her new record is free of cynicism, full of heart and more elegant than a mere nostalgia trip. <em>Normal as Blueberry Pie</em> revisits the past while offering a fresh take on American classics by George and Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Burt Bacharach and Les Brown. She also sings an original. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:24:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113511663&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113511663&ft=1&f=98679384 Her new record is free of cynicism, full of heart and more elegant than a mere nostalgia trip. Normal as Blueberry Pie revisits the past while offering a fresh take on American classics by George and Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Burt Bacharach and Les Brown. She also sings an original.

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]]> First Listen: The Flaming Lips, 'Embryonic' For guys who seem to have done everything, sometimes all at once, The Flaming Lips' members haven't stopped innovating. Their latest album, <em>Embryonic</em>, finds the ever-evolving band shape-shifting once again. Listen to the new record in its entirety, a week before it hits stores on Oct. 13. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:17:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113403123&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113403123&ft=1&f=98679384 For guys who seem to have done everything, sometimes all at once, The Flaming Lips' members haven't stopped innovating. Their latest album, Embryonic, finds the ever-evolving band shape-shifting once again. Listen to the new record in its entirety, a week before it hits stores on Oct. 13.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: Vijay Iyer, 'Historicity' Iyer's new album is the work of a piano trio playing mostly covers &mdash; a common sight in jazz. To anyone paying attention to these sounds, which draw from visionaries as diverse as Andrew Hill and M.I.A., it's readily evident that his is an uncommon, even daring approach. Hear the record, <em>Historicity</em>, in its entirety for the week preceding its Oct. 13 U.S. release. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113472412&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113472412&ft=1&f=98679384 Iyer's new album is the work of a piano trio playing mostly covers — a common sight in jazz. To anyone paying attention to these sounds, which draw from visionaries as diverse as Andrew Hill and M.I.A., it's readily evident that his is an uncommon, even daring approach. Hear the record, Historicity, in its entirety for the week preceding its Oct. 13 U.S. release.

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]]> First Listen: Cecilia Bartoli, 'Sacrificium' Inspired by the emotionally charged and virtuosic music of the Baroque era, the adventurous mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli's new CD is devoted to the dazzling music associated with the age of the castrati. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:56:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113840375&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113840375&ft=1&f=98679384 Inspired by the emotionally charged and virtuosic music of the Baroque era, the adventurous mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli's new CD is devoted to the dazzling music associated with the age of the castrati.

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]]> First Listen: Brahms In Berlin, The Symphonies The four symphonies by Brahms are like four distinct personalities, ranging from the dark and dramatic to the sunny and lyrical. The great Berlin Philharmonic has this music in its blood. Hear the entire new three-disc set, with conductor Simon Rattle, for the week leading up to its Oct. 6 release. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112559735&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112559735&ft=1&f=98679384 The four symphonies by Brahms are like four distinct personalities, ranging from the dark and dramatic to the sunny and lyrical. The great Berlin Philharmonic has this music in its blood. Hear the entire new three-disc set, with conductor Simon Rattle, for the week leading up to its Oct. 6 release.

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]]> First Listen: Noah And The Whale Noah and the Whale's <em>The First Days of Spring</em> is the breakup album of the year, maybe even <em>the</em> album of the year, and it comes out Oct. 6. Which means that, as of this writing, you have exactly seven days to torpedo a personal relationship in such a way that these songs can nurse your psychic wounds. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113211969&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113211969&ft=1&f=98679384 Noah and the Whale's The First Days of Spring is the breakup album of the year, maybe even the album of the year, and it comes out Oct. 6. Which means that, as of this writing, you have exactly seven days to torpedo a personal relationship in such a way that these songs can nurse your psychic wounds.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: Rosanne Cash Sings Her Father's 'List' Back in 1973, Cash told her father that she wanted to play country music for a living. Johnny Cash was, to put it mildly, an authority on the subject, so he made her a list of 100 essential songs she needed to hear as she embarked on her career. <em>The List</em>, heard here in its entirety for the week leading up to its Oct. 6 release, finds the younger Cash performing 12 of those songs. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113172047&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113172047&ft=1&f=98679384 Back in 1973, Cash told her father that she wanted to play country music for a living. Johnny Cash was, to put it mildly, an authority on the subject, so he made her a list of 100 essential songs she needed to hear as she embarked on her career. The List, heard here in its entirety for the week leading up to its Oct. 6 release, finds the younger Cash performing 12 of those songs.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: Lou Barlow Hear the new solo album from former Dinosaur Jr. bassist and Sebadoh frontman Lou Barlow in its entirety. <em>Goodnight Unknown</em> covers a lot of emotional territory, examining fractured lives with a restrained but potent mix of alternately crunchy and plaintive guitars and simple rhythms. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113039797&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113039797&ft=1&f=98679384 Hear the new solo album from former Dinosaur Jr. bassist and Sebadoh frontman Lou Barlow in its entirety. Goodnight Unknown covers a lot of emotional territory, examining fractured lives with a restrained but potent mix of alternately crunchy and plaintive guitars and simple rhythms.

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]]> Exclusive First Listen: The Avett Brothers With their roots in punk and bluegrass, Seth and Scott Avett know how and when to careen wildly, almost recklessly. But in their albums as The Avett Brothers, they're just as likely to ruminate softly on devotion, desire and regret, in austere, sweet-natured songs that exude a sort of hard-won decency. Hear the band's much-anticipated major-label debut, <em>I and Love and You</em>, in its entirety here for the week leading up to its release on Sept. 29. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:14:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112973444&ft=1&f=98679384 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112973444&ft=1&f=98679384 With their roots in punk and bluegrass, Seth and Scott Avett know how and when to careen wildly, almost recklessly. But in their albums as The Avett Brothers, they're just as likely to ruminate softly on devotion, desire and regret, in austere, sweet-natured songs that exude a sort of hard-won decency. Hear the band's much-anticipated major-label debut, I and Love and You, in its entirety here for the week leading up to its release on Sept. 29.

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