First Listen : NPR

First Listen: David Byrne And Fatboy Slim, 'Here Lies Love'

On Here Lies Love, David Byrne teams up with Fatboy Slim to tell the story of Imelda Marcos. Clayton Cubitt hide caption

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Clayton Cubitt

First Listen: David Byrne And Fatboy Slim, 'Here Lies Love'

March 29, 2010 • Here Lies Love, a musical collaboration between David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, depicts the parallel stories of Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos and her servant, Estella Cumpas. The story is told in 22 songs with 22 singers, who include Sharon Jones, Tori Amos, St. Vincent and Steve Earle. Hear the album in its entirety until its release on April 6.

Lilja Birgisdóttir

First Listen: Jonsi, 'Go'

March 28, 2010 • Jonsi is the nickname of Jon Thor Birgisson, the enigmatic Sigur Ros singer. In Sigur Ros, his music is ethereal, sprawling and mysterious — it's even sung in a language of his own devising. But on the new Go, Jonsi writes songs that can be upbeat, even celebratory, and often sung in English. Hear Go in its entirety until its release on April 6.

First Listen: Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. Laura Hanifin hide caption

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Laura Hanifin

First Listen: Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings

March 28, 2010 • As a studio artist, Sharon Jones tends to let white-knuckle showmanship give way to slick, polished proficiency. Jones and her Dap-Kings spend their new album, I Learned the Hard Way, presiding over a string of confident and universally appealing soul ballads. Hear the record in its entirety here until its release on April 6.

First Listen: Dr. Dog, 'Shame, Shame'

WXPN

March 28, 2010 • The Philadelphia band Dr. Dog makes the sound of tomorrow's classic rock today. The group's latest album evokes the past while still sounding new, and features crafty guitar lines alongside Dr. Dog's signature piano sound. Hear Shame, Shame in its entirety a week prior to its release on April 6.

The Portland, Ore.-based band Black Prairie was founded by two members of The Decemberists. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Black Prairie

Folk Alley

March 28, 2010 • Listening to the Oregon band's debut is like walking onto the set of an HBO show about fear, longing, betrayal and loneliness. Black Prairie was founded by two members of The Decemberists, and its songs evoke images of barren Midwestern landscapes. Hear Feast of the Hunter's Moon in its entirety a week prior to its release on April 6.

MGMT's sophomore release is adventurous and bold, featuring nine psychedelic, space-inspired tracks. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: MGMT's 'Congratulations'

March 22, 2010 • Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser have dubbed Congratulations a "no singles" album. The duo's sophomore release is adventurous and bold, featuring nine psychedelic, space-inspired tracks. Hear the album in its entirety until its official release April 13.

First Listen: Kronos Quartet's Central Asian 'Rainbow'

The Kronos Quartet's latest cross-cultural exploration finds the band collaborating with master musicians from Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. Jay Blakesberg. hide caption

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Jay Blakesberg.

First Listen: Kronos Quartet's Central Asian 'Rainbow'

March 22, 2010 • The Kronos Quartet's latest cross-cultural exploration finds the band collaborating with master musicians from Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. Hear a myriad of fascinating Central Asian sounds on Rainbow, in its entirety, a week prior to its release.

She and Him's Volume Two is the audio equivalent of a spring breeze that wafts in at a perfect time. Taea Thale hide caption

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Taea Thale

First Listen: She And Him, 'Volume Two'

March 14, 2010 • M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel's second collaboration as She and Him is more confection than confessional, but it's a kind-natured one. Hear the timelessly sunny pop of Volume Two in its entirety, a week prior to its release.

First Listen: Archie Bronson Outfit, 'Coconut'

The Archie Bronson Outfit recorded 50 minidiscs' worth of tunes in an old farmhouse basement and picked the best to include on its third album, Coconut. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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courtesy of the artist