First Listen : NPR

First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, 'The Age Of Adz'

Sufjan Stevens. Marzuki Stevens hide caption

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Marzuki Stevens

First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, 'The Age Of Adz'

September 26, 2010 • Five years after releasing Illinois, Stevens is back with a new collection of songs called The Age Of Adz. While the prolific and sometimes reclusive artist has said he'll never finish his series of albums about states, his new record is just as ambitious, with a sound unlike anything Stevens has crafted up to now. Hear the album now.

John Clark

First Listen: The Corin Tucker Band, '1,000 Years'

September 26, 2010 • Hear the former (and future) Sleater-Kinney singer's fine new solo album, which sounds surprisingly muted compared to the raging wails of her past, but which nevertheless finds Tucker in a bold and exploratory place. The album will stream here in its entirety until its release on Oct. 5.

First Listen: Vittorio Grigolo's 'The Italian Tenor'

Vittorio Grigolo shared the stage with the legendary Pavarotti when he was only 13. Now, his career is blossoming. Alessandro Dobici hide caption

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Alessandro Dobici

First Listen: Vittorio Grigolo's 'The Italian Tenor'

September 26, 2010 • In an opera world continually searching for the next Pavarotti, the young Italian Vittorio Grigolo is a newfound treasure. Hear his new album in its entirety before it's released on Oct. 5.

First Listen: Mary Halvorson Quintet, 'Saturn Sings'

Mary Halvorson's Saturn Sings is an abstract jazz cliff-dive inspired by Thelonious Monk, Sam Cooke and Robert Wyatt. Amani Willett hide caption

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Amani Willett

First Listen: Mary Halvorson Quintet, 'Saturn Sings'

September 26, 2010 • With inspiration cast wide, from Thelonious Monk and Sam Cooke to Robert Wyatt, Saturn Sings is an abstract cliff-dive. But in the midst of Mary Halvorson's mind-bogglingly knotty guitar work, there's a backbone of smart jazz composition that reaches deeper. Hear the full album until its release on Oct. 5.

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Adam CK Vollick

First Listen: Neil Young, 'Le Noise'

September 22, 2010 • This is a unique album from Neil Young. As producer Daniel Lanois puts it, there is no band, no overdubs, just "a man on a stool and me doing a nice job on the recording." The result is a stunning sonic adventure, heard here in its entirety.

First Listen: Deerhunter, 'Halcyon Digest'

Deerhunter has found the perfect balance between noisy adventurism and pop immediacy on its latest album, Halcyon Digest. Matt Tuttle hide caption

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Matt Tuttle

First Listen: Deerhunter, 'Halcyon Digest'

September 19, 2010 • Most artists find their voice after many years of repetition and trial and error. With its gorgeously textured fourth album, Halcyon Digest, the band has made its most approachable record yet.

First Listen: Group Inerane, 'Guitars From Agadez, Vol. 3'

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First Listen: Group Inerane, 'Guitars From Agadez, Vol. 3'

September 19, 2010 • Led by 30-year-old guitarist Bibi Ahmed, the band from Niger plays raw riffs, as its dual guitarists lose themselves in psychedelic drones. This beautiful music, however, was born out of political rebellion -- a fact that has hit the band all too close to home; Group Inerane's second guitarist, Adi Mohammed, was shot and killed during the latest round of skirmishes. Hear Guitars From Agadez in its entirety until its Sept. 28 release.

First Listen: Victoire, Missy Mazzoli's 'Cathedral City'

Missy Mazzoli and four of her friends founded Victoire in 2007 to play her music. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

First Listen: Victoire, Missy Mazzoli's 'Cathedral City'

September 19, 2010 • Composer Missy Mazzoli founded the all-female ensemble Victoire to play her music. The resulting sound is hard to define, but easy to listen to. Hear the group's debut album in its entirety here until its release on Sept. 28.

Hear 'Cathedral City' In Its Entirety

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Aloe Blacc's Good Things is a laid-back collection of vintage soul and modern emotions. courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen: Aloe Blacc, 'Good Things'

September 19, 2010 • Some will know this soul singer from the opening credits for HBO's How to Make It in America, which features his piano-powered recession special, "I Need a Dollar." That same song kicks off Good Things, a laid-back collection of vintage sounds and modern emotions that's sure to rank among the best albums of 2010. Hear it in its entirety here until its Sept. 28 release.

Even in a crowded field, Sharon Van Etten stands out as one of the most beguiling songer-songwriters around. Allison Kaye hide caption

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Allison Kaye

First Listen: Sharon Van Etten, 'Epic'

September 15, 2010 • The world isn't exactly suffering from a shortage of earnest singer-songwriters. There are enough gently strummed folk songs and ballads about broken hearts to last anyone a lifetime. But in a crowded field, Sharon Van Etten stands out as one of the most beguiling artists around.

First Listen: John Legend And The Roots, 'Wake Up!'

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First Listen: John Legend And The Roots, 'Wake Up!'

September 12, 2010 • Soul king John Legend isn't happy with the direction America is taking, so he got together with the greatest band in hip-hop to cover soul songs from the 1960s and '70s -- songs that still speak to the problems facing us in 2010. Hear the entire album here until its release on Sept. 21.

First Listen: Hilary Hahn Violin Concertos, Old And New

September 12, 2010 • The young violinist's new record contains an unusual pairing of two concertos -- one warhorse and one freshly minted. They may seem like unlikely bedfellows, but the works have more in common than one might think. Hear the album in its entirety until Sept. 23.

First Listen: Robert Plant, 'Band Of Joy'

Robert Plant's album is full of old-school rock, folk and blues, but it sounds fresh and expertly played. Gregg Delman hide caption

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Gregg Delman

First Listen: Robert Plant, 'Band Of Joy'

September 5, 2010 • His collaboration with Alison Krauss a few years ago produced a brilliant and timeless record. Now, Robert Plant has teamed up with Nashville songwriter, musician and friend Buddy Miller to make a new album called Band of Joy. The band includes some of the players from the Krauss tour, including Miller on guitar, as well as Darrell Scott and Patty Griffin.

First Listen: Of Montreal, 'False Priest'

The touring band for Of Montreal, L-R: Dottie Alexander, Bryan Poole, Nicholas Dobbratz, Kevin Barnes (center), Davey Pierce, Clayton Rychlik, Thayer Sarrano. Patrick Heagney hide caption

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Patrick Heagney

First Listen: Of Montreal, 'False Priest'

September 5, 2010 • The new record from Of Montreal can be summed up in a word: bonkers. False Priest, the 10th album from imaginative and exuberant frontman Kevin Barnes, is a gloriously unpredictable sonic joyride. Shape-shifting songs swirl together bits of Motown funk and dirty guitar noise with disco, '80s new wave, techno beats and neo-psychedelic soundscapes. Hear the album in its entirety the week before its release on Sept. 14.

First Listen: Mavis Staples, 'You Are Not Alone'

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First Listen: Mavis Staples, 'You Are Not Alone'

September 5, 2010 • A family gospel and soul band with major hits in the 1970s, The Staple Singers touched the hearts of a lot of musicians. Some of them went on to write the songs Mavis Staples covers on You Are Not Alone, produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. Hear the album in its entirety until its release on Sept. 14.

First Listen

Sunday September 26, 2010

First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, 'The Age Of Adz'

First Listen: The Corin Tucker Band, '1,000 Years'

First Listen: Vittorio Grigolo's 'The Italian Tenor'

First Listen: Mary Halvorson Quintet, 'Saturn Sings'

Wednesday September 22, 2010

First Listen: Neil Young, 'Le Noise'

Sunday September 19, 2010

First Listen: Deerhunter, 'Halcyon Digest'

First Listen: Group Inerane, 'Guitars From Agadez, Vol. 3'

Review

First Listen: Victoire, Missy Mazzoli's 'Cathedral City'

Hear 'Cathedral City' In Its Entirety

First Listen: Aloe Blacc, 'Good Things'

Wednesday September 15, 2010

First Listen: Sharon Van Etten, 'Epic'

Sunday September 12, 2010

First Listen: John Legend And The Roots, 'Wake Up!'

First Listen: Hilary Hahn Violin Concertos, Old And New

Sunday September 5, 2010

First Listen: Robert Plant, 'Band Of Joy'

First Listen: Of Montreal, 'False Priest'

First Listen: Mavis Staples, 'You Are Not Alone'