First Listen : NPR

First Listen: Ryan Adams, 'Ashes And Fire'

Ryan Adams' new album, Ashes & Fire, comes out Oct. 11. David Black hide caption

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David Black

First Listen: Ryan Adams, 'Ashes And Fire'

WFUV

September 25, 2011 • In the wake of a high-profile marriage, a trying bout with ear disease, and a two-year break from music, Adams returns with his sparest, mellowest record to date.

First Listen: DJ Shadow, 'The Less You Know, The Better'

DJ Shadow's new album, The Less You Know, The Better, comes out Oct. 4. Dirk Lindner/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Dirk Lindner/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: DJ Shadow, 'The Less You Know, The Better'

KCRW

September 25, 2011 • The latest album from the left-field hip-hop shaman features more gritty, mystic tales of the everyday, plus collaborations with members of Little Dragon and De La Soul.

Zola Jesus' new album, Conatus, comes out Oct. 4. Angel Ceballos hide caption

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Angel Ceballos

First Listen: Zola Jesus, 'Conatus'

KEXP

September 25, 2011 • The adventurous young songwriter adds live strings and expansive production to her arsenal, though her unmistakable vocals remain front and center.

Hear 'Conatus' In Its Entirety

40:11

Wilco's new album, The Whole Love, comes out Sept. 27. Austin Nelson hide caption

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Austin Nelson

First Listen: Wilco, 'The Whole Love'

September 19, 2011 • The band's latest album strikes a balance between the weird structural wizardry of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the down-home songwriting of Wilco's early work.

First Listen: Apparat, 'The Devil's Walk'

Apparat's new album, The Devil's Walk, comes out Sept. 27. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Apparat, 'The Devil's Walk'

KEXP

September 18, 2011 • The German electronic producer finds a unique realm of somber, majestic music on his fourth album.

First Listen: Harold Budd, 'In The Mist'

Harold Budd's long-awaited new album, In The Mist, comes out Sept. 27. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

First Listen: Harold Budd, 'In The Mist'

September 18, 2011 • Years after telling fans he'd said all he wanted to say with music, the veteran avant-garde composer returns with a work of minimalist beauty.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga perform "The Lady Is a Tramp" together on Bennett's new album, Duets II, out Sept. 20. Courtesy of the artist. hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist.

First Listen: Tony Bennett, 'Duets II'

September 14, 2011 • The lineup of guests on Duets II is the musical equivalent of the world's most dominant fantasy sports team: It's a veritable murderer's row of statistical monsters. It also features a touching highlight in "Body and Soul," Amy Winehouse's final performance.

First Listen: Tori Amos, 'Night Of Hunters'

Tori Amos' new album, Night of Hunters, comes out Sept. 20. Vincent de Mello/Girlie Action hide caption

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Vincent de Mello/Girlie Action

First Listen: Tori Amos, 'Night Of Hunters'

September 11, 2011 • Amos has been rolling out concept-heavy song cycles full of complex characters for nearly two decades. Her latest album is based on familiar pieces by some of the great composers who inspired her during her classical upbringing.

First Listen: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 'Hysterical'

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's new album, Hysterical, comes out Sept. 20. Pieter M. van Hattem hide caption

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Pieter M. van Hattem

First Listen: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 'Hysterical'

September 11, 2011 • After emerging from nowhere in 2005, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was nearly snuffed out by its own DIY success. Now, it returns with an album that recaptures the exuberance of its debut.

First Listen: Miles Davis, 'Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1'

Miles Davis performs at the 1967 Newport Jazz Festival. New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images hide caption

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New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images

First Listen: Miles Davis, 'Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1'

September 11, 2011 • After three years of playing together, Davis' "second great quintet" had evolved into a tight, athletic and adventurous crew. When the band toured Europe in 1967, it made some music for the ages — and luckily, much of that trip was recorded.

First Listen: Meg Baird, 'Seasons On Earth'

Meg Baird's new album, Seasons on Earth, comes out Sept. 20. Jeff Elstone hide caption

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Jeff Elstone

First Listen: Meg Baird, 'Seasons On Earth'

WNYC

September 11, 2011 • On her second album, the singer-songwriter finds new ways to employ the hallmarks of traditional American folk. The result is authentically felt and expressed, authentically new, and authentically part of an ancient tradition.

Opeth's Heritage is an unending swirl of riffs and swinging, aerobic percussion. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Review

Review: Opeth, 'Heritage'

September 11, 2011 • Opeth abandons death-metal growls and riffage for '70s hard rock and clean vocals on its 10th LP.

First Listen: St. Vincent, 'Strange Mercy'

St. Vincent's Annie Clark returns with her best and most immediate work, Strange Mercy, out Sept. 13. Tina Tyrell hide caption

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Tina Tyrell

First Listen: St. Vincent, 'Strange Mercy'

September 4, 2011 • From the first lip-curling guitar buzz, Annie Clark demonstrates a mastery of her instrument — not to mention her songwriting, which serves as the backbone of her third and best album so far.

courtesy of Nonesuch Records

First Listen: Steve Reich, 'WTC 9/11'

September 4, 2011 • In a recent work, the New York composer crystallizes the chaos, pain and anxiety that have overshadowed the past decade.

A.A. Bondy's new album, Believers, comes out Sept. 13. Ted Newsome hide caption

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Ted Newsome

First Listen: A.A. Bondy, 'Believers'

September 4, 2011 • On his third solo album, the former Verbena frontman's stark folk builds and blooms into something rich and languid. The music that surrounds Bondy chimes subtly and warmly — even majestically.

First Listen

Sunday September 25, 2011

First Listen: Ryan Adams, 'Ashes And Fire'

WFUV

First Listen: DJ Shadow, 'The Less You Know, The Better'

KCRW

First Listen: Zola Jesus, 'Conatus'

KEXP

Hear 'Conatus' In Its Entirety

Monday September 19, 2011

First Listen: Wilco, 'The Whole Love'

Sunday September 18, 2011

First Listen: Apparat, 'The Devil's Walk'

KEXP

First Listen: Harold Budd, 'In The Mist'

Wednesday September 14, 2011

First Listen: Tony Bennett, 'Duets II'

Sunday September 11, 2011

First Listen: Tori Amos, 'Night Of Hunters'

First Listen: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 'Hysterical'

First Listen: Miles Davis, 'Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1'

First Listen: Meg Baird, 'Seasons On Earth'

WNYC

Review

Review: Opeth, 'Heritage'

Sunday September 4, 2011

First Listen: St. Vincent, 'Strange Mercy'

First Listen: Steve Reich, 'WTC 9/11'

First Listen: A.A. Bondy, 'Believers'