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2012 Winter Music Preview : All Songs Considered We look at some of the music coming out in the first few months of 2012 and play a dozen new songs from musicians including Sleigh Bells, Craig Finn, Shearwater and Sharon Van Etten.

All Songs Considered

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All Songs Considered

2012 Winter Music Preview

2012 Winter Music Preview

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Language Advisory: This program contains song lyrics that some listeners may find offensive.

Clockwise from top left: Sleigh Bells, Stew, Sharon Van Etten, Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

On last week's All Songs Considered, we rang out 2011 with a show of holiday music that featured the sounds of sleigh bells. This week, we ring in the new year with Sleigh Bells of a different sort: Bob Boilen, Ann Powers, Stephen Thompson and Jacob Ganz flip the release-date calendar forward to look at a dozen new songs from albums that come out in the early months of 2012.

That crop includes the first blasts of sound from Reign of Terror, the sophomore album from Sleigh Bells, which puts a studio sheen on the duo's machine-gun beats and flame-thrower guitars. A few more favorites offer new twists on familiar sounds: Clear Heart Full Eyes, the first solo album from The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn, sounds thoughtful and almost depressed. Tramp, the third album from Sharon Van Etten, shows off the songwriter's rough side. La Grande surrounds Laura Gibson's haunted voice with muscular drumming.

In the first few months of 2012, we'll also greet the long-awaited return of the veteran indie-pop band Imperial Teen, while the guitar-drums-and-violin trio Dirty Three will break a seven-year hiatus to release the typically stormy Toward the Low Sun.

Also on the program: releases from Adam Arcuragi and Shearwater (both set to build on the longtime support of Bob and Stephen, respectively), burly roots-rock from The White Buffalo, gospel-inspired jazz from Charlie Haden and the late Hank Jones, and more.

2012 Preview

Cover for Reign of Terror

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403360" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sleigh Bells

  • Song: Born to Lose
  • from Reign of Terror

Learn more about this release at Sleigh Bells' website.

Cover for Animal Joy

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403361" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Shearwater

  • Song: Animal Life
  • from Animal Joy

Learn more about this release at Sub Pop Records.

Cover for Making It

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144429987" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Stew & The Negro Problem

  • Song: Love Is A Cult
  • from Making It
Cover for Like a Fire That Consumes All Before It...

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403396" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Adam Arcuragi

  • Song: The Well
  • from Like a Fire That Consumes All Before It...
Cover for Clear Heart Full Eyes

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403433" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Craig Finn

  • Song: Rented Room
  • from Clear Heart Full Eyes
Cover for Toward The Low Sun

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403438" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Dirty Three

  • Song: That Was Was
  • from Toward The Low Sun

Learn more about this release at Drag City Records.

Cover for Feel the Sound

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403514" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Imperial Teen

  • Song: Out From Inside
  • from Feel the Sound
Cover for Come Sunday

Going Home

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403516" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Charlie Haden/Hank Jones

  • Song: Going Home
  • from Come Sunday
Cover for Tramp

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144430009" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sharon Van Etten

  • Song: Serpents
  • from Tramp
Cover for La Grande

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403647" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Laura Gibson

  • Song: La Grande
  • from La Grande
The White Buffalo

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144761571" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

The White Buffalo

  • Song: BB Guns and Dirtbikes
  • from Once Upon a Time in the West

Learn more about this release at The White Buffalo's website.

Cover for Something

2012 Winter Music Preview

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/144267273/144403649" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Chairlift

  • Song: Met Before
  • from Something

All Songs Considered

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