Matt Nathanson

Last of the Great Pretenders

Vanguard

Pop/Rock

A passionate love letter to his home base of San Francisco and how it shaped his life and early career.

— Matt Collar

Maria Bamford

Ask Me About My New God!

Comedy Central Records

Comedy/Spoken

Quirky, anxiety-injected, and with plenty of impressions of people you never heard of, Bamford offers a hilarious and weird experience here.

— David Jeffries

Cody Simpson

Surfer's Paradise

Atlantic

Pop/Rock

Teen pop star refashions himself as a bubblegum Jack Johnson.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Mayer Hawthorne

Where Does This Door Go

Universal Republic

R&B

The retro R&B singer borrows from the '70s (Steely Dan) and the '80s (Hall & Oates) on this breezy, slick effort.

— David Jeffries

Robert Randolph / Robert Randolph & the Family Band

Lickety Split

Blue Note / Decca

Pop/Rock

On its Blue Note debut, this band comes very close to re-creating its wild, joyous, raw live sound in a studio.

— Thom Jurek

David Lynch

The Big Dream

Sacred Bones

Pop/Rock

The director's second solo album pushes the blues' boundaries while honoring its lust for life and a lonely heart.

— Heather Phares

Pet Shop Boys

Electric

X2

Pop/Rock

Filled with club tracks and wit, the synth-pop duo surprise with a well-built and infectious bundle of taut electro-disco.

— David Jeffries

Ace Hood

Trials & Tribulations

Cash Money / Republic

Rap

The rapper remains a more street-level and sensible alternative to Rick Ross on his ambitious and diverse 2013 release.

— David Jeffries

Phil Anselmo / Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals

Walk Through Exits Only

Housecore

Pop/Rock

Walk Through Exits Only finds a groove metal icon expanding out into more chaotic territory.

— Gregory Heaney

Sara Bareilles

The Blessed Unrest

Epic

Pop/Rock

Sara Bareilles delivers a beautiful, moody collection of melancholy pop.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Ronald Isley

This Song Is for You

eOne

R&B

The soul legend's first album since 2010, produced predominantly by Troy Taylor, is a ballad-heavy release with many references to past glories.

— Andy Kellman

Patricia Hall / Ian Hicks / Soft Metals

Lenses

Captured Tracks

Pop/Rock

The duo's second full-length reveals a beat-driven sound that offers more glamour and purpose.

— Heather Phares

Court Yard Hounds

Amelita

Columbia / Sony Music

Country, Pop/Rock

Court Yard Hounds come into their own on their gorgeous and lively second album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

San Cisco

San Cisco

RCA

Pop/Rock

Super-cheerful and energetic indie pop from a band of giddy Australians who even make heartbreak sound fun.

— Tim Sendra

Various Artists

Teen Beach Movie [Original TV Movie Soundtrack]

Walt Disney

Stage & Screen, Pop/Rock

Early-'60s pop-inspired soundtrack to a Disney TV movie about two teens trapped in an old beach party flick.

— Tim Sendra

Dub Club / Dub Club Allstars

Foundation Come Again

Stones Throw

Reggae

Offering a chance to experience the great L.A.-based reggae club night at home, this excellent set features new tracks from some old greats.

— David Jeffries

Adam Franklin / Adam Franklin & Bolts of Melody

Black Horses

Goodnight Records

Pop/Rock

This soundtrack music-inspired outing is one of the most interesting and emotionally powerful albums in Franklin's long career.

— Tim Sendra

George Duke

Dreamweaver [Bonus Tracks]

Heads Up International

Jazz

Despite being inspired by personal losses, this crossover musician's first offering in three years is a warm, smooth, celebration of life.

— Thom Jurek

Ashley Eriksson

Colours

K Records

Pop/Rock

LAKE member crafts intricate and intimate indie pop gems on her debut for K Records.

— Tim Sendra

Gauntlet Hair

Stills

Dead Oceans

Pop/Rock

For its sophomore album, the indie duo waves away the chillwave and fully embraces dark, retro goth and alternative rock.

— Jason Lymangrover

Chance

In Search

Paradise of Bachelors

Country

Released privately in 1981, there is no equivalent for this brilliant, mind-melting orgy of psychedelic and garage rock, outlaw country, and funk.

— Thom Jurek

Earth Dies Burning

Songs from the Valley of the Bored Teenager (1981-84)

Captured Tracks

Pop/Rock

An archival collection of almost all available recordings from this short-lived early-'80s synth punk band made up of precocious teens.

— Fred Thomas

Ezra Furman

The Year of No Returning

Bar/None Records

Pop/Rock

The frontperson of the indie rock group Ezra Furman & the Harpoons records a bittersweet solo debut.

— Jason Lymangrover

Bitchin Bajas

Bitchitronics

Drag City

Pop/Rock, Electronic

Chicago drone unit offers up its best work yet, melding Fripp & Eno's wild ambience and Alice Coltrane's diligent repetition.

— Fred Thomas

Psychic Temple / Chris Schlarb

Psychic Temple II

Asthmatic Kitty

Pop/Rock, Jazz

Following a 2010 predecessor, this group collaboration leans more toward pop than the long-form tunes of the first volume.

— Fred Thomas

Cherry Poppin' Daddies

White Teeth Black Thoughts

Space Age Bachelor Pad Records

Pop/Rock

The Daddies' first album of all swing-oriented material since 1997's Zoot Suit Riot.

— Matt Collar

Chiaroscuro Quartet

Beethoven, Mozart

Aparte

Classical

The Beethoven is far enough outside the norm that some will think it's brilliant, some will hate it. Either way, it's well thought out.

— James Manheim

Cecilia Bartoli / Sumi Jo / Giovanni Antonini / John Osborn

Bellini: Norma

Decca

Classical

Cecilia Bartoli re-creates the historical bel canto role of Bellini's Norma in an exciting performance based on the autograph score.

— Blair Sanderson

Julia Lezhneva / Il Giardino Armonico / Giovanni Antonini

Alleluia

Decca

Classical

Lezhneva gives a fresh performance. Her voice is unusual, with an oboe-like texture that's quite agile when the going gets rough.

— James Manheim

Sarah Siskind

Covered

Chigliak / Jagjaguwar

Folk

Still an impressive and coherent debut, with songs that fit together like patches in a patchwork quilt.

— Steve Leggett

Sick Puppies

Connect

Capitol

Pop/Rock

Sick Puppies are determined to act their age on their fourth album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Christine Busch / France Springuel / Jan Vermeulen

Schubert: Complete Works for Fortepiano Trio

EtCetera Records

Classical

There is a lot here to interest those exploring the uses of historically authentic instruments in music of the early 19th century.

— James Manheim

Miki Aoki / Andrey Baranov / Alexey Zhilin

Belyayev Project

Profil / Profil - Edition Günter Hänssler

Classical

Even as a look at one aspect of Rimsky-Korsakov and his students, this is an enjoyable offbeat hour of chamber and piano music.

— James Manheim

Aleksandar Madzar / Anthony Marwood

Schumann: Violin Sonatas

Wigmore Hall Live

Classical

Violinist Anthony Marwood and pianist Aleksándar Madzar do well in this live performance from London's Wigmore Hall.

— James Manheim

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