First Listen Enjoy select, upcoming albums, in their entirety.

First Listen

Hear upcoming albums in their entirety

Thursday January 25, 2018

Sunwatchers' II comes out Feb. 2. Peter Kerlin/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Peter Kerlin/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Sunwatchers, 'II'

January 25, 2018 • The psychedelic ensemble's new album is a potent brew of free jazz, droning Thai melodies, minimalism and mutant funk.

Review: Kyle Craft, 'Full Circle Nightmare'

Kyle Craft's Full Circle Nightmare comes out Feb. 2. Sarah Cass/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Sarah Cass/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Kyle Craft, 'Full Circle Nightmare'

January 25, 2018 • Kyle Craft's second album is full of unabashed odes to courtship, confusion and the timeless power of storytelling in song.

Julian Lage's Modern Lore comes out Feb. 2. Nathan West/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Nathan West/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Julian Lage, 'Modern Lore'

WBGO

January 25, 2018 • Modern Lore fully captures the guitarist's trademark melding of fleet precision, open-road possibility and radiant self-assurance.

Monday January 22, 2018

Nils Frahm's All Melody comes out Jan. 26. Alexander Schneider/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alexander Schneider/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Nils Frahm, 'All Melody'

January 22, 2018 • The composer's new album is a feast for the ears that is companionable, symphonically expansive, danceable and (as its title suggests) ripe with melodies.

Thursday January 18, 2018

Review: Calexico, 'The Thread That Keeps Us'

Calexico's The Thread That Keeps Us comes out Jan. 26. Zavala Ruiz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Zavala Ruiz/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Calexico, 'The Thread That Keeps Us'

January 18, 2018 • The American Southwest continues to inform Calexico's sprawling, cross-cultural indie rock, but here it's a more self-contained, even lonesome affair.

Ty Segall's new album, Freedom's Goblin, is out Jan. 26. Denée Segall/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Denée Segall/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Ty Segall, 'Freedom's Goblin'

January 18, 2018 • Ty Segall is a scholar of rock, and Freedom's Goblin might as well be his PhD thesis.

Review: Steep Canyon Rangers, 'Out In The Open'

Steep Canyon Rangers' Out In The Open comes out Jan. 26. Michael Wilson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Michael Wilson/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Steep Canyon Rangers, 'Out In The Open'

January 18, 2018 • The bluegrass band's songs illustrate how the passage of time, accumulation of experience and changing of perspective can alter a person's relationship to the familiar.

Dream Wife's self-titled debut album comes out Jan. 26. Hollie Fernando/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Hollie Fernando/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Dream Wife, 'Dream Wife'

January 18, 2018 • On its debut album, the London-based punk band combines sticky pop flourishes and bruising sounds with brazen self-assurance.

Monday January 15, 2018

Jen Rosenstein/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: MILCK, 'This Is Not The End'

January 15, 2018 • The LA-based artist whose song, "Quiet," went viral after the Women's March on Washington, offers a set of anthemic pop songs that plead for freedom.

Thursday January 11, 2018

Review: They Might Be Giants, 'I Like Fun'

They Might Be Giants' I Like Fun comes out Jan. 19. Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: They Might Be Giants, 'I Like Fun'

January 11, 2018 • The sparkly collection — songs about death, dismemberment and other unfortunate events dressed up for a Friday night joy ride — sees the long-running duo attempting genuinely new ideas.

The Bad Plus' Never Stop II comes out Jan. 19. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

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Review: The Bad Plus, 'Never Stop II'

WBGO

January 11, 2018 • Each album by The Bad Plus can be understood as a planted flag, a marker of group identity. Hear the jazz trio's first record with new pianist Orrin Evans.

The Go! Team's Semicircle comes out Jan. 19. Annick Wolfers/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Annick Wolfers/Courtesy of the artist

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Review: The Go! Team, 'Semicircle'

January 11, 2018 • On its fifth album, the English band crafts a rich and playful swirl of Technicolor overdrive, suitable for rowdy keggers, children's birthday parties and just about any celebration in between.

Shopping's The Official Body comes out Jan. 19. CJ Monk/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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CJ Monk/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Shopping, 'The Official Body'

January 11, 2018 • The London post-punk band fortifies its buoyant, life-affirming jams with one of the most revolutionary forces of all: fun.

Friday January 5, 2018

Anderson East's Encore comes out Jan. 12. Joshua Black Wilkins/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Joshua Black Wilkins/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Anderson East, 'Encore'

January 5, 2018 • With sophisticated song arrangements and dashing interpretations, the Nashville singer recognizes the importance of artfulness even to raw, Southern soul expression.

Thursday January 4, 2018

Typhoon's Offerings comes out Jan. 12. Jeremy Hernandez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jeremy Hernandez/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Typhoon, 'Offerings'

January 4, 2018 • The band's fourth album, its most ominous and sonically dramatic, is also a work of brilliant storytelling about a man losing his memory.