It's shockingly been ten years since the release of The Postal Services's influential album Give Up. To commemorate the anniversary, the duo, comprised of Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello, are reuniting for some upcoming shows and a deluxe reissue.

From its opening notes, Trixie Whitley’s debut record Fourth Corner is a triumph thanks to the singer's powerful, emotional delivery that goes right for the gut. The record is a confident statement of an artist on the verge. Hear the album in its entirety until its release on Jan. 29.

In seven or so albums as Mice Parade, Adam Pierce has traversed shoegaze, twee-strumentals, low-fi electronica and post-rock, and more recently incorporated Brazilian Tropicalia and West African influences. On Candela, Pierce continues to add some more pages to his musical passport while drawing further on his indie-pop past, with surprising, appealing results. Hear the album in its entirety until its release on Jan. 29.

The 30-piece group was one of the many surprises at this year's globalFEST.

The late advice columnist's humor and tart tongue endeared her to musicians as well as advice-seekers.

Author Adam Mansbach's innovative new novel, Rage Is Back, submerges readers into the world of graffiti and couples the book with an intriguing companion piece: a hip hop mixtape.

Hear "Dropla," a stirring new song from Youth Lagoon's upcoming sophomore record Wondrous Bughouse. 

Nightlands crafts songs that feel intimate and deeply personal, even as it sprawls into otherworldly realms. Hear Oak Islands, the new album from Nightlands until its release on Jan. 22. 

Red Baraat makes a high-octane sound drawing from Punjabi rhythms, New Orleans brass and New York hip hop. Hear the upcoming album from the "Brooklyn Bhangra" band until release on Jan 22nd. 

Have you ever heard music that your significant other loved but you hated? Or that they couldn't stand, but meant something to you? Tell us your musical "red flags" that may send up a big flashing warning sign about that person.

Sean Lennon teams up with Deehoof's Greg Saunier for a new experimental-psych project called Mystical Weapons.

David Bowie unveils a birthday surprise for his fans, a new song and his first album in nearly ten years, The Next Step.

This week our Check Ahead is something you can read! Get a glimpse into the new book from Jonathan Cott, called Dinner With Lenny: The Last Long Interview With Leonard Bernstein. It's a frank, passionate, and at times salty conversation with the late composer, conductor and educator.

We ask the Aussie pop star five questions about our hometown, from her favorite park to favorite interaction with a New Yorker. 

The Philadelphia-based retro-rock band Free Energy returns on Jan. 15, with its sophomore album, Love Sign. Listen to our premiere of the hooky song, "Girls Want Rock."

In an article on Salon.com last week titled “Did the American songbook kill jazz?,” arts reporter Scott Timberg explores the genre’s reliance on standards -- and the idea that constant (and often mediocre) recycling of old familiars like “Autumn Leaves” and “Stardust” has perhaps been the poison slowly sapping the energy out of jazz and its audience for the past forty years.

Soundcheck's technical director shares her favorite music and moments of the year.

The Magnetic Fields songwriter delivers and eerie and playful version of "Old Shanghai" from Beck's Song Reader project.

Soundcheck Executive Producer Joel Meyer gives us his favorite music of the year.