Luke Bryan

Crash My Party

Capitol Nashville

Country

The party rages on throughout the big, bright fourth album by Luke Bryan.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Washed Out

Paracosm

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

The group's second album is a fully colored-in, completely laid-back, soft-rock-meets-shoegaze gem that'll warm you up from the inside out.

— Tim Sendra

Glen Campbell

See You There

The Record Company / Surfdog Records

Country, Pop/Rock

New versions of old Glen Campbell hits recorded during the Ghost on the Canvas sessions.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

White Lies

Big TV

Harvest / Polydor

Pop/Rock

Imagine an '80s post-punk band fronted by Scott Walker and produced by Giorgio Moroder and you're pretty close to the sound of Big TV.

— Matt Collar

Jagwar Ma

Howlin'

Mom + Pop Music

Pop/Rock

Australian duo's debut is a magical trip back into '90s dance-rock that brings back only good things, then turns them into modern pop gold.

— Tim Sendra

Ras G

Back on the Planet

Brainfeeder

Rap, Electronic

The beatmaker takes an amazing journey from the outer limits to street level with jazz man Sun Ra as his guide.

— David Jeffries

Valerie June

Pushin' Against a Stone

Concord

Pop/Rock, Folk

On her Concord debut, this songwriter uses Southern blues, soul, gospel, folk, and pop, to create a compelling modern sound.

— Thom Jurek

Sam Phillips

Push Any Button

Littlebox Recordings

Pop/Rock

As expected from Phillips, another tiny gem of intelligent, well-crafted singer/songwriter pop that sits happily out in left field.

— Tim Sendra

Chastity Belt

No Regerts

Help Yourself

Pop/Rock

On its stormy debut, the Seattle area quartet draws influence from the more introspective branch of the '90s riot grrrl scene.

— Fred Thomas

K. Michelle

Rebellious Soul

Atlantic

R&B

Years after an impressive run of singles, the forthright Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta star finally issues a solid, lyrically diverse debut.

— Andy Kellman

The Wild Feathers

The Wild Feathers

Warner Bros.

Pop/Rock

A modern, classic rock gem from this Austin-raised, Nashville-based, Bad Company-meets-Big Star quintet.

— James Christopher Monger

Parachute

Overnight

Mercury

Pop/Rock

More slick, radio-ready H&M jams from Charlottesville, Virginia's answer to OneRepublic.

— James Christopher Monger

Brian Auger / Jeff Golub

Train Keeps a Rolling

Entertainment One / eOne

Jazz

The guitarist returns to recording with a spirited, sophisticated album that almost wasn't, and collaborates with one of his heroes to boot.

— Thom Jurek

Barrence Whitfield / Barrence Whitfield & the Savages

Dig Thy Savage Soul

Bloodshot

Pop/Rock

This Boston combo's Bloodshot debut, is their wildest, woolliest set ever!

— Thom Jurek

Brooklyn Rider / Béla Fleck / Giancarlo Guerrero / Nashville Symphony

The Impostor

Island / Mercury

Classical

Two recorded premieres by the artist: the first a concerto for banjo and orchestra, the second a chamber piece for banjo and string quartet.

Coheed and Cambria

The Afterman [Limited 3-Disc Deluxe Set: Live Edition]

Everything Evil / Hundred Handed

Pop/Rock

Coheed and Cambria's two-part science fiction epic is compiled into one set on The Afterman.

— Gregory Heaney

Dinosaur Bones

Shaky Dream

Dine Alone

Pop/Rock

Dinosaur Bones deliver an expansive and laid-back performance on their second full-length effort.

— Gregory Heaney

The Moondoggies

Adiós I'm a Ghost

Hardly Art

Pop/Rock

Third album from these Seattle-based folk-rockers featuring three-part harmonies and sturdy melodies.

— Steve Leggett

David Carbonara

Mad Men: On the Rocks [Music from the Television Series]

Silva / Silva America / Silva Screen

Stage & Screen, Jazz

Collecting highlights of David Carbonara's score for Mad Men's fourth and fifth seasons, this set is alternately breezy and somber.

— Heather Phares

Scott and Charlene's Wedding

Any Port in a Storm [Bonus Tracks]

Fire Records

Pop/Rock

Craig Dermody offers a slightly less shambling version of his '90s-inspired indie rock that reflects the ups and downs of living in New York.

— Heather Phares

Yellowcard

Ocean Avenue Acoustic

Hopeless Records

Pop/Rock

Yellowcard celebrate their most successful album's tenth birthday with an acoustic reimagining of their major-label debut.

— Gregory Heaney

Dog Party

Lost Control

Asian Man Records

Pop/Rock

Third album by the teenage punk duo from Sacramento has some grown-up punch and lots of catchy tunes.

— Tim Sendra

Drowner

You're Beautiful, I Forgive You

Saint Marie

Pop/Rock

A debut of languid dream pop built on a shoegaze foundation more in line with the melody of Lush or Ride than MBV's tender noise.

— Fred Thomas

Eros and the Eschaton

Home Address for Civil War

Bar/None Records

Pop/Rock

Debut album from North Carolina-based dream pop duo buries vocals in layers of gentle guitar noise and bold percussion.

— Fred Thomas

Faber Drive

Lost in Paradise

604 Records

Pop/Rock

Third album from these Canadian pop/rockers moves from their mall punk roots to a more dance-friendly sound.

— Fred Thomas

Matt Hires

This World Won't Last Forever, But Tonight We Can Pretend

Atlantic / F-Stop Records

Pop/Rock

The Florida native's sophomore collection of hooky, melodic, singer/songwriter pop.

— Matt Collar

Original Soundtrack

Kick-Ass 2

Sony Classical / Sony Classics

Pop/Rock, Stage & Screen

The soundtrack to Kick-Ass' sequel delivers more high-energy, surprisingly eclectic hits.

— Heather Phares

Tom Rush

Celebrates 50 Years of Music

Appleseed Recordings / Appleseed Records

Pop/Rock, Blues, Folk

Veteran folk singer shows he's still a solid performer a half century into his career.

— Steve Leggett

Various Artists

South Side of Soul Street: The Minaret Soul Singles 1967-1976

Omnivore

R&B

Two discs of strong but little-known '60s Southern soul singles from the Florida label Minaret.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Leonard Slatkin / Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Copland: Rodeo; Dance Panels; El Salón México; Danzón Cubano

Naxos

Classical

This effort from Slatkin and the DSO is well worth the time even of those wondering whether they need yet more Copland.

— James Manheim

Tõnu Kaljuste / Kirchheimer Vokal-Consort

Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

Carus

Classical

Some may like a slightly larger group, but this is an entirely feasible and attractive contribution to the chain of interpretations.

— James Manheim

Massimo Giordano

Amore e Tormento: Italian Arias

BMG

Classical

Giordano's program is strikingly homogeneous. All of the pieces are in medium tempo, covering, as promised, amore e tormento.

— James Manheim

Tabea Zimmermann / Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra / Hans Graf

Hindemith: Complete Viola Works, Vol. 1 - Viola & Orchestra

Myrios Classics

Classical

Zimmermann does well with these more explicit pieces, and the album as a whole can be recommended to Hindemith buffs.

— James Manheim

Allegri Quartet

Beethoven: Quartets, Op. 18, Vol. 1

Vivat

Classical

The Allegri takes quite a different tack on these oft-recorded pieces: its readings are balanced, homogeneous, and startlingly quiet.

— James Manheim

Iestyn Davies / Susan Gritton / Thomas Hobbs / Stephen Layton / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / Trinity College Choir, Cambridge

Handel: Chandos Anthems - I will magnify Thee, As pants the hart, O come let us sing unto the Lord

Hyperion

Classical

This is a very satisfying Handel performance that meshes beautifully with some of the more poetic passages in the Anglican liturgy.

— James Manheim

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