First Listen : NPR

F***** Up's Rock Opera 'David Comes To Life' In Four Acts

F***** Up's new album, David Comes To Life, comes out June 7. Daniel Boud hide caption

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Daniel Boud

Review

F***** Up's Rock Opera 'David Comes To Life' In Four Acts

May 30, 2011 • The sonically hard-to-pin-down hardcore band's rock opera shines a defiantly bright light in a bleak world.

Givers debut album, In Light, comes out June 7. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Givers, 'In Light'

May 30, 2011 • Givers' five members, three of whom sing and two of whom wield percussion at any given moment, are known for swapping roles with ease. Due out June 7, In Light reflects that knockabout, anything-goes vibe, just in time for the season that suits it best.

Tombs new album, Path of Totality, comes out June 7. Jason Hellmann hide caption

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Jason Hellmann

First Listen: Tombs, 'Path Of Totality'

May 30, 2011 • The Brooklyn metal trio streamlines its expansive attack using thick, controlled brushstrokes.

First Listen: Eddie Vedder, 'Ukulele Songs'

Eddie Vedder. Danny Clinch hide caption

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Danny Clinch

First Listen: Eddie Vedder, 'Ukulele Songs'

May 25, 2011 • For his second full-length solo album, Pearl Jam's singer has taken up one of the most useful creative tools available: limitation. It's embodied in a little finger-strummed thing that Vedder picked up during a beer run in Hawaii nearly 15 years ago.

First Listen: Death Cab For Cutie, 'Codes And Keys'

Death Cab for Cutie's new album, Codes and Keys, comes out May 31. Danny Clinch hide caption

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Danny Clinch

First Listen: Death Cab For Cutie, 'Codes And Keys'

May 22, 2011 • Codes and Keys, out May 31, is a true grower by a maturing band: Not only does it gain richness and depth with each exposure, but it also gets better as it rolls along.

First Listen: My Morning Jacket, 'Circuital'

My Morning Jacket's new album, Circuital, comes out May 31. Danny Clinch hide caption

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Danny Clinch

First Listen: My Morning Jacket, 'Circuital'

May 22, 2011 • Without losing the playfulness of its predecessors, the band focuses on room-filling rock majesty. These 11 songs were made to cut through humid summer air at maximum volume.

Cults' debut album is due out on June 7. Martin Sanmiguel/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Martin Sanmiguel/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Cults, 'Cults'

May 22, 2011 • The Brooklyn band's self-titled debut, due June 7, isn't just a concoction of simple sugars. True to the group's name, Cults' members plant something dark beneath their sunny pop songs.

First Listen: Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends

Los Tigres del Norte with Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends

May 19, 2011 • There's no other band like Los Tigres del Norte, in any language. The list of high-profile guests on this unplugged album attests to the respect the group commands in the music business.

First Listen: Thurston Moore, 'Demolished Thoughts'

Thurston Moore's introspective new album Demolished Thoughts comes out May 24. Ari Marcopoulos hide caption

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Ari Marcopoulos

First Listen: Thurston Moore, 'Demolished Thoughts'

May 15, 2011 • With his introspective, Beck-produced Demolished Thoughts, the Sonic Youth singer-guitarist has made one of his most personal and lyrically earnest works yet.

First Listen: King Creosote And Jon Hopkins, 'Diamond Mine'

Jon Hopkins (left) and King Creosote collaborate on the new album Diamond Mine, out May 24. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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First Listen: King Creosote And Jon Hopkins, 'Diamond Mine'

May 15, 2011 • A Scottish singer-songwriter and an English dance-music maven join forces on a spare, engrossing new album. Hear it in its entirety.

Boris' wide-ranging Attention Please comes out May 24. Miki Matsushima/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Miki Matsushima/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Boris, 'Attention Please'

May 15, 2011 • The heavy Japanese band's wide-ranging new album features shoegaze for skate-punks, as well as glam rompers anchored by lead guitarist Wata's alluring croon.

First Listen: Joseph Arthur, 'The Graduation Ceremony'

Joseph Arthur's new album, The Graduation Ceremony, comes out May 24. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Joseph Arthur, 'The Graduation Ceremony'

WFUV

May 15, 2011 • Though he's released several EPs and actively explored side projects, the Ohio singer-songwriter hasn't put out a proper solo album since 2006. Hear Arthur's new one in full until its release.

Heavy Rocks, out May 24, embraces glam with Boris' blistering approach to sonic excess. Miki Matsushima/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Miki Matsushima/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Boris, 'Heavy Rocks'

May 15, 2011 • Heavy Rocks embraces glam with the heavy Japanese band's blistering approach to sonic excess.

First Listen: Kate Bush, 'Director's Cut'

British singer Kate Bush acts out the title to her new album, Director's Cut. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Kate Bush, 'Director's Cut'

May 12, 2011 • The reclusive British star is one of pop's great perfectionists. On her first album in six years, Bush revisits — and re-records — some of her material from the late '80s and early '90s. Listen to Director's Cut in its entirety until its U.S. release.

First Listen: Danger Mouse And Daniele Luppi, 'Rome'

Left to right: Jack White, Norah Jones, Danger Mouse (a.k.a. Brian Burton), Daniele Luppi. Rome comes out May 17. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Danger Mouse And Daniele Luppi, 'Rome'

May 9, 2011 • A pop producer and a film composer write beautiful music together, with the help of guest vocalists Jack White and Norah Jones. Hear the fruits of their labor in full.

First Listen

Monday May 30, 2011

Review

F***** Up's Rock Opera 'David Comes To Life' In Four Acts

First Listen: Givers, 'In Light'

First Listen: Tombs, 'Path Of Totality'

Wednesday May 25, 2011

First Listen: Eddie Vedder, 'Ukulele Songs'

Sunday May 22, 2011

First Listen: Death Cab For Cutie, 'Codes And Keys'

First Listen: My Morning Jacket, 'Circuital'

First Listen: Cults, 'Cults'

Thursday May 19, 2011

First Listen: Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends

Sunday May 15, 2011

First Listen: Thurston Moore, 'Demolished Thoughts'

First Listen: King Creosote And Jon Hopkins, 'Diamond Mine'

First Listen: Boris, 'Attention Please'

First Listen: Joseph Arthur, 'The Graduation Ceremony'

WFUV

First Listen: Boris, 'Heavy Rocks'

Thursday May 12, 2011

First Listen: Kate Bush, 'Director's Cut'

Monday May 9, 2011

First Listen: Danger Mouse And Daniele Luppi, 'Rome'