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

First Listen

Hear upcoming albums in their entirety

Sunday December 18, 2011

First Listen: Guided By Voices, 'Let's Go Eat The Factory'

Guided By Voices' "classic" lineup from 1993-96 re-formed in 2010. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Guided By Voices, 'Let's Go Eat The Factory'

December 18, 2011 • Of all the bands that have re-formed in recent years, Guided by Voices' return in 2010 felt inevitable. Let's Go Eat the Factory fits right in with the band's vast repertoire.

Sunday December 11, 2011

First Listen: John Zorn, 'A Dreamer's Christmas'

John Zorn's newest album is titled A Dreamer's Christmas. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: John Zorn, 'A Dreamer's Christmas'

December 11, 2011 • This is one of those Christmas records that truly inspires peace on earth and good will toward men.

Sunday December 4, 2011

First Listen: Anthony Hamilton, 'Back To Love'

Anthony Hamilton's new album, Back to Love, comes out Dec. 13. Adrian Sidney hide caption

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Adrian Sidney

First Listen: Anthony Hamilton, 'Back To Love'

December 4, 2011 • The soulful singer's sixth record is his catchiest, and becomes more addictive with every play.

Tuesday November 29, 2011

The Roots' undun comes out Dec. 6. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: The Roots, 'undun'

November 29, 2011 • On their 13th album, Philadelphia's rap maestros reach new narrative and compositional heights.

Sunday November 27, 2011

Jacaszek. Kasper Glanz hide caption

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Kasper Glanz

Review: Jacaszek, 'Glimmer'

November 27, 2011 • The Polish musician's unique soundscapes are a surprising blend of electronic and classical music.

Cormorant. Tommy Ferguson hide caption

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Tommy Ferguson

First Listen: Cormorant, 'Dwellings'

November 27, 2011 • Dwellings is an emotionally and musically complex metal album about the pursuit of immortality.

Monday November 21, 2011

First Listen: 'Follies (New Broadway Cast Recording)'

Where everybody lives to love: In Act 2 of Follies, what's been a relatively dark story explodes into a riot of color in what's known as the Loveland sequence — an homage to the spectacular Broadway follies staged between the World Wars. Joan Marcus hide caption

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Joan Marcus

First Listen: 'Follies (New Broadway Cast Recording)'

November 21, 2011 • Listen to the landmark 1971 musical, which frenzies Stephen Sondheim fans each time it's revived, presented here in its full splendor.

Sunday November 20, 2011

First Listen: Sweet Exorcist, 'RetroActivity'

Richard H. Kirk and Richard Barrett of Sweet Exorcist. Courtesy of Warp Records. hide caption

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Courtesy of Warp Records.

First Listen: Sweet Exorcist, 'RetroActivity'

November 20, 2011 • The British duo of Richard H. Kirk and DJ Parrot created what may be the quintessential riff in electronic-music history. Listen to a reissue of Sweet Exorcist's complete discography.

Friday November 18, 2011

Olivier Samson Arcand

First Listen: Michael Jackson, 'Immortal'

November 18, 2011 • A new Cirque du Soleil production puts songs from throughout Jackson's career against a backdrop designed to match the show's candy-coated acid-trip style.

Sunday November 13, 2011

First Listen: Kate Bush, '50 Words For Snow'

Bush describes 50 Words for Snow as seven songs "set against a backdrop of falling snow." Courtesy of the artist. hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist.

First Listen: Kate Bush, '50 Words For Snow'

November 13, 2011 • England's elusive empress of art rock melds extravagant tales to unconventional song structures and spirits the listener away into her distinctive hyperreality.

Sunday November 6, 2011

First Listen: R.E.M., 'Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982–2011'

R.E.M.'s final release, Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011 (out Nov. 15), is a career-spanning greatest-hits compilation. Ed Colver hide caption

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Ed Colver

First Listen: R.E.M., 'Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982–2011'

November 6, 2011 • The band says goodbye with a career-spanning retrospective, which features three new songs.

First Listen: Los Campesinos!, 'Hello Sadness'

Hello Sadness, the new album from the U.K. band Los Campesinos!, comes out Nov. 15. Jon Bergman hide caption

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Jon Bergman

First Listen: Los Campesinos!, 'Hello Sadness'

November 6, 2011 • The U.K. band makes an ornery and quotable ruckus of the kind that could only come from seven talented brats clamoring to be heard over the din they create collectively.

Camp, Donald Glover's first official release under his hip-hop alias Childish Gambino, comes out Nov. 15. Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images hide caption

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Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images