Featured New Releases for
October 15, 2013

Album cover for Lightning Bolt by Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam

Lightning Bolt

Monkeywrench / Republic / Virgin/EMI
Pop/Rock
Pearl Jam graciously accept their middle age on their tenth album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Static by CultsEditors' Choice
Cults

Static

Columbia / Columbia Records
Pop/Rock
Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion's breakup led to some of their most engaging and emotional music as Cults.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Beautiful Rewind by Four TetEditors' Choice
Four Tet

Beautiful Rewind

Text
Electronic
Heavily inspired by the fringes of U.K. club music, Kieran Hebden crams many ideas into a seemingly unfocused but thoroughly enjoyable set.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for No Poison No Paradise by Black MilkEditors' Choice
Black Milk

No Poison No Paradise

Fat Beats
Rap
More funky and dark than his previous effort, the rapper and producer is still in fine form as he searches for serenity.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Fanfare by Jonathan WilsonEditors' Choice
Jonathan Wilson

Fanfare

Downtown / Downtown Records
Pop/Rock
The singer/songwriter's sophomore effort delivers an artful collection of lushly produced songs deeply inspired by the 1970s.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for 20 by TLC
TLC

20

Epic
R&B
Released to coincide with a VH1 biopic, this features all nine of the group's Top Ten pop hits, as well as one new song.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for See You Tonight by Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery

See You Tonight

Interscope
Country
The American Idol winner refashions himself into a country-pop singer in the vein of Luke Bryan and Jake Owen.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Sooner or Later by Neo BoysEditors' Choice
Neo Boys

Sooner or Later

K Records
Pop/Rock
This thorough retrospective collects vital live and studio recordings from one of Portland's pioneering all-female punk acts.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Ilp by Kwes.Editors' Choice
Kwes.

Ilp

Pop/Rock, R&B
On his full-length debut, this London-based indie electronic producer drifts between lucid pop and abstract, dream-like textures.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Forever Becoming by Pelican
Pelican

Forever Becoming

Southern Lord Records
Pop/Rock
Pelican bounce back from a lineup change with a newfound sense of momentum on their fifth full-length effort.

— Gregory Heaney

Album cover for Big Wheel and Others by Cass McCombs
Cass McCombs

Big Wheel and Others

Domino / Domino Recording Co. Ltd.
Pop/Rock
Sprawling 22-track album from this poetic indie rock troubadour offers as many highlights as it does moments of confusing filler.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Prominence by Heavenly Beat
Heavenly Beat

Prominence

Captured Tracks
Pop/Rock
No second album slump for the bedroom dream pop project; this is almost exactly as good as their excellent debut.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Arborescence by Aaron ParksEditors' Choice
Aaron Parks

Arborescence

ECM
Jazz
The pianist chooses a quiet, mysterious, disciplined, and fascinating solo date for his headline debut on ECM.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Never Give In by Will Hoge
Will Hoge

Never Give In

Cumberland
Pop/Rock
Displays all of the singer/songwriter's strengths as he expertly melds roots rock, Americana, country, and great storytelling.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Secret Songs by NobunnyEditors' Choice
Nobunny

Secret Songs

Goner Records
Pop/Rock
The mask-wearing wildman's fourth album is his best yet; unstoppably catchy and full of rock & roll fun.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for High Times by Young Dro
Young Dro

High Times

Grand Hustle
Rap
After a slew of mixtapes, the Grand Hustle rapper is back with a street-minded release, including the club track "FDB."

— David Jeffries

Album cover for It's Alive by La Luz
La Luz

It's Alive

Hardly Art
Pop/Rock
Debut from Seattle quartet with a noisy surf pop sound that has sand in its trunks and more hooks than a bucket of lobsters.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Wildewoman by Lucius
Lucius

Wildewoman

Mom + Pop Music
Pop/Rock
Evocative mix of urban twang and Spector-esque electro-pop from this stylish Brooklyn outfit.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Good Mood Fool by Luke TempleEditors' Choice
Luke Temple

Good Mood Fool

Secretly Canadian
Pop/Rock
Fourth album from Here We Go Magic frontman moves from indie folk toward full-on soft rock-soul crooning. Think Steely Dan meets Billy Ocean.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for A Mary Christmas by Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige

A Mary Christmas

Verve
Holiday
Co-produced by David Foster and Jochem van der Saag, Blige's first holiday release is appealing but contains few surprises.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Bloc Party Tapes by Bloc Party / Kele
Bloc Party / Kele

Bloc Party Tapes

!K7
Pop/Rock
Bloc Party's contribution to !K7's mix series shows off Kele Okereke's eclectic musical taste and skills at tension and release.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for My 1st Chemistry Set by Boldy James
Boldy James

My 1st Chemistry Set

Decon
Rap
Cold as Mobb Deep, the Detroit rapper makes his official debut with the help of producer and Mobb affiliate Alchemist.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for History of the Future by Aki Omori / Bailey / Tim Bran / Nick Burton / Jimmy Cauty / Chester Far I / Brian John Cole / DJ Lewis / Andy Falconer / Thomas Fehlmann / Paul Ferguson / Fil Le Gonidec / Robert Fripp / Miquette Giraudy / Tom Green / Steve Hillage / Andy Hughes / Kakatsiti / Jake Le Mesurier / Mad Professor / Eddie Maiden / Stuart McMillan / Orde Meikle / Kris Needs / The Orb / Dr. Alex Paterson / Martin Paterson / Simon Philips / Guy Pratt / Michael Randall / John Roome / Pamela Ross / Sherman / Eric Von Skywalker / Sun Electric / Hugh Vickers / Eric Walker / Nina Walsh / Kris Weston / Jah Wobble / Keith York / Youth
Aki Omori / Bailey / Tim Bran / Nick Burton / Jimmy Cauty / Chester Far I / Brian John Cole / DJ Lewis / Andy Falconer / Thomas Fehlmann / Paul Ferguson / Fil Le Gonidec / Robert Fripp / Miquette Giraudy / Tom Green / Steve Hillage / Andy Hughes / Kakatsiti / Jake Le Mesurier / Mad Professor / Eddie Maiden / Stuart McMillan / Orde Meikle / Kris Needs / The Orb / Dr. Alex Paterson / Martin Paterson / Simon Philips / Guy Pratt / Michael Randall / John Roome / Pamela Ross / Sherman / Eric Von Skywalker / Sun Electric / Hugh Vickers / Eric Walker / Nina Walsh / Kris Weston / Jah Wobble / Keith York / Youth

History of the Future

Island
Electronic
A hits-and-remixes anthology covering the Orb's Island years while functioning as a silver jubilee celebration.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Threace by CaveEditors' Choice
Cave

Threace

Drag City
Pop/Rock
A hybrid of transcendent jamming and focused editing make this one of the more colorful and exciting releases from this funky psych act.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Moment of Truth by Glenn Lewis
Glenn Lewis

Moment of Truth

Ruffhouse
R&B
Released over a decade since his Top Five debut, this is another set of heartfelt and understated R&B from the Toronto singer and songwriter.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Pain Management by Bubba Sparxxx
Bubba Sparxxx

Pain Management

Average Joe's / Back Road Records
Rap, Country
Even if the proto-hick-hop rapper got there first, this 2013 effort finds Bubba coming at it from a bittersweet angle.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Christs, Redeemers by The BodyEditors' Choice
The Body

Christs, Redeemers

Thrill Jockey
Pop/Rock
Experiments with noise, strings, and an accompanying choir make this one of the more interesting, ambitious sludge metal records of its type.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Somewhere Beautiful by The Chills
The Chills

Somewhere Beautiful

Fire Records
Pop/Rock
An epic live recording captured at a New Year's Eve party in 2011 shows no signs of age or faltering from this classic '80s kiwi pop act.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Virgins by Tim HeckerEditors' Choice
Tim Hecker

Virgins

Kranky
Avant-Garde
On his provocative seventh full-length, the electronic composer uses musicans in live settings to expand his sonic reach.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Vengeance Falls by Trivium
Trivium

Vengeance Falls

Roadrunner Records
Pop/Rock
Trivium worked with Disturbed's David Draiman on their sixth album, perhaps the band's tightest and most refined outing to date.

— Gregory Heaney

Album cover for Annie Mac Presents 2013 by Various Artists
Various Artists

Annie Mac Presents 2013

Virgin EMI
Electronic
The BBC Radio 1 DJ’s yearly overview of dance music reaches a high point on this varied set.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Healing by Weird Owl
Weird Owl

Healing

A / A.
Pop/Rock
Taking a lighter, more expansive approach, Weird Owl's fourth album reveals a more interesting and versatile band.

— Heather Phares

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