First Listen : NPR

First Listen: Bright Eyes, 'The People's Key'

Bright Eyes. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Bright Eyes, 'The People's Key'

January 30, 2011 • After devoting a few years to more conventional folk- and country-flavored songs, Bright Eyes returns with an adventurous, career-defining work in The People's Key. Hear the album in its entirety before its Feb. 15 release date.

First Listen: Telekinesis, '12 Desperate Straight Lines'

Michael Benjamin Lerner of Telekinesis. Kyle Johnson/Courtesy of Merge Records hide caption

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Kyle Johnson/Courtesy of Merge Records

First Listen: Telekinesis, '12 Desperate Straight Lines'

January 30, 2011 • The band Telekinesis uses a backdrop of buzzing guitars, bouncing beats and ambient effects in its catchy songs about unrequited love. Telekinesis' new album, 12 Desperate Straight Lines, will stream here in its entirety until Feb. 15.

Earth, 'Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1'

Earth. Clyde Petersen/Courtesy of Southern Lord hide caption

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Clyde Petersen/Courtesy of Southern Lord

Earth, 'Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1'

January 30, 2011 • As Earth developed its heavy instrumental vision, subtle deviation has been key to the band's renewal. Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 is the latest in that trajectory, adding a cello, desert blues and British folk-rock motifs to Earth's slow-moving Americana.

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First Listen: Demdike Stare, 'Tryptych'

January 23, 2011 • The English duo of Miles Whittaker and Sean Canty makes eerie, ambient music that you can't help but lose yourself in. Listen to Demdike Stare's new three-disc box set in its entirety until its release on Feb. 1.

Gang of Four's new album is titled Content. Tom Sheehan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Tom Sheehan/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Gang Of Four, 'Content'

January 16, 2011 • After more than 15 years, the provocative dance-rock band returns with a new album called Content. Members Jon King and Andy Gill still have a tough and loud sound, marked by biting bursts of funk and dub. The album will stream here in its entirety until Jan. 25.

First Listen: Wanda Jackson, 'The Party Ain't Over'

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Autumn de Wilde/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Wanda Jackson, 'The Party Ain't Over'

January 16, 2011 • Jackson is a rare and special icon of rock 'n' roll: Known as the Queen of Rockabilly, she's been a pioneer in carving out a place for women in rock. Her long-awaited new album, produced by The White Stripes' Jack White, is titled The Party Ain't Over. Hear it here until its release on Jan. 25.

First Listen: Joyce DiDonato, 'Diva, Divo'

The two DiDonatos: one in pants, the other in pearls. Courtesy of Virgin Classics hide caption

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Courtesy of Virgin Classics

Review

First Listen: Joyce DiDonato, 'Diva, Divo'

January 16, 2011 • The amazing mezzo-soprano sings roles for male and female characters by composers from Mozart to Massenet on her gender-bending new album. Hear the recital in its entirety until its release on Jan. 25, and download an exclusive track not found on the album.

First Listen: Gregg Allman, 'Low Country Blues'

Gregg Allman performs at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Rick Diamond/Getty Images hide caption

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Rick Diamond/Getty Images

First Listen: Gregg Allman, 'Low Country Blues'

January 9, 2011 • The leader of the Allman Brothers Band travels back to his bluesy roots on his new solo album, Low Country Blues. This stripped-down collection of covers (and a few Allman originals) was produced by T-Bone Burnett. Hear the new record here until Jan. 18.

First Listen: Smith Westerns, 'Dye It Blonde'

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Jaein Lee/Courtesy of the Artist

First Listen: Smith Westerns, 'Dye It Blonde'

January 9, 2011 • When the Chicago rock band Smith Westerns released its gritty and addictive debut in 2009, some fans wondered whether the group had enough staying power to release a worthy followup. Dye It Blonde shows that the young band has plenty of depth and a lot more to say. Hear the album in its entirety.

First Listen: Simone Dinnerstein, 'Bach: A Strange Beauty'

Simone Dinnerstein earned international acclaim with her 2007 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. Her second album comes out next week. Lisa-Marie Mazzucco hide caption

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Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

First Listen: Simone Dinnerstein, 'Bach: A Strange Beauty'

January 9, 2011 • Dinnerstein was widely praised for her recording of the Goldberg Variations in 2007. Now, she's released another all-Bach CD, Bach: A Strange Beauty, and it makes once-familiar music sound exotic and new. Hear it here until its release on Jan. 18.

The Decemberists' new album, The King is Dead, comes out Jan. 18. Autumn de Wilde/EMI Music hide caption

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Autumn de Wilde/EMI Music

First Listen: The Decemberists

WFUV

January 2, 2011 • After 2009's ambitious The Hazards of Love, Colin Meloy's band is back with a rustic, stripped-down record featuring Gillian Welch and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck. Listen to The King Is Dead in its entirety here.

Wire is releasing its 12th studio album, Red Barked Tree, on Jan. 11. Adam Scott/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Adam Scott/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Wire, 'Red Barked Tree'

January 2, 2011 • Wire had a profound impact on late-1970s rock music, especially with the release of 1977's Pink Flag. Still vital, the group is about to release its 12th studio album: Red Barked Tree, available for streaming here until Jan. 11.

First Listen: Joe Lovano Us Five, 'Bird Songs'

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Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of EMI

First Listen: Joe Lovano Us Five, 'Bird Songs'

January 2, 2011 • The celebrated saxophonist and his percussion-heavy band have made a new album of Charlie Parker songs. But it isn't just that Lovano wants to play 1947 music with a 2011 lexicon; he also presents alternate, occasionally radical visions of those works.

First Listen: Abigail Washburn, 'City Of Refuge'

Singer-songwriter Abigail Washburn brought in producer Tucker Martine to help craft her latest solo record, City Of Refuge. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Abigail Washburn, 'City Of Refuge'

Folk Alley

December 26, 2010 • Washburn's music career is defined by folk, whether she's playing with a band or going solo. But she embraces a different kind of sound on her new album, City of Refuge.

First Listen: Ghostly International, 'We'll Never Stop Living This Way'

Matthew Dear (left) and The Sight Below are two of the artists on Ghostly International. Matthew Dear, courtesy of Ghostly; The Sight Below, Bob Hansen/Ghostly hide caption

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Matthew Dear, courtesy of Ghostly; The Sight Below, Bob Hansen/Ghostly

First Listen: Ghostly International, 'We'll Never Stop Living This Way'

December 13, 2010 • We'll Never Stop Living This Way is a compilation from the independent label Ghostly International. The album's 30 songs demonstrate the label's long history of blending rock and electronic music.

First Listen

Sunday January 30, 2011

First Listen: Bright Eyes, 'The People's Key'

First Listen: Telekinesis, '12 Desperate Straight Lines'

Earth, 'Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1'

Sunday January 23, 2011

First Listen: Demdike Stare, 'Tryptych'

Sunday January 16, 2011

First Listen: Gang Of Four, 'Content'

First Listen: Wanda Jackson, 'The Party Ain't Over'

Review

First Listen: Joyce DiDonato, 'Diva, Divo'

Sunday January 9, 2011

First Listen: Gregg Allman, 'Low Country Blues'

First Listen: Smith Westerns, 'Dye It Blonde'

First Listen: Simone Dinnerstein, 'Bach: A Strange Beauty'

Sunday January 2, 2011

First Listen: The Decemberists

WFUV

First Listen: Wire, 'Red Barked Tree'

First Listen: Joe Lovano Us Five, 'Bird Songs'

Sunday December 26, 2010

First Listen: Abigail Washburn, 'City Of Refuge'

Folk Alley

Monday December 13, 2010

First Listen: Ghostly International, 'We'll Never Stop Living This Way'