Featured New Releases for
February 18, 2014

Album cover for Voices by Phantogram
Phantogram

Voices

Island / Republic
Pop/Rock
The duo's second album is an emotionally charged modern pop album that successfully draws inspiration from R&B, hip-hop, and trip-hop.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Past Life by Lost in the TreesEditors' Choice
Lost in the Trees

Past Life

Anti-
Pop/Rock
The Chapel Hill orchestral pop outfit dials back the bombastic melancholia in favor of a more monastic approach.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Guilt Mirrors by Shocking PinksEditors' Choice
Shocking Pinks

Guilt Mirrors

Stars & Letters Records
Pop/Rock
Shocking Pinks' long-awaited triple album is a murky and mercurial reflection of life after a disaster.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Full Frequency by Sean Paul
Sean Paul

Full Frequency

Atlantic / VP Records
Reggae
Featuring guest artists such as 2 Chainz, Nicky Minaj, and Damian Marley, Paul's sixth studio effort is a genre-jumping success.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Music Speaks by Candice Glover
Candice Glover

Music Speaks

19
R&B
The debut from the resilient AI champion features a collaboration with Jazmine Sullivan and a studio version of her take on the Cure's "Lovesong."

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Bluebird by Dawn LandesEditors' Choice
Dawn Landes

Bluebird

Western Vinyl Records
Folk, Country
This gently crafted album is the songwriter's graceful yet gritty response to divorce and its aftermath.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Terror Amor by AJ DavilaEditors' Choice
AJ Davila

Terror Amor

Nacional Records
Pop/Rock
Thrilling debut from Davila 666 leader that touches on electro-pop and glam, but is scruffy, good-time lo-fi rock & roll at heart.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Rising Son by Takuya KurodaEditors' Choice
Takuya Kuroda

Rising Son

Blue Note
Jazz
The jazz trumpeter's funky, soul- and hip-hop infused Blue Note debut produced by vocalist Jose James.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for Weird Kids by We Are the In Crowd
We Are the In Crowd

Weird Kids

Hopeless Records
Pop/Rock
Pop-punkers from Poughkeepsie stretch out a bit on their sophomore LP while also delivering more of what fans loved the first time.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Blame Confusion by SolidsEditors' Choice
Solids

Blame Confusion

Fat Possum Records
Pop/Rock
The duo's debut album injects hardcore punk passion into melodic, '90s-inspired indie rock.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Digital Resistance by Slough FegEditors' Choice
Slough Feg

Digital Resistance

Metal Blade
Pop/Rock
So meaty, melodic, and spilling over with Iron Maiden "guitarmonies" that it may as well have been released on cassette.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Our Kind of Bossa by BossacucanovaEditors' Choice
Bossacucanova

Our Kind of Bossa

The Orchard / Six Degrees
Latin
Blending bossa nova with electronica once again after nine years off, the trio sounds renewed on this comfortable and clever comeback.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Lions by William Fitzsimmons
William Fitzsimmons

Lions

Nettwerk
Pop/Rock
Fitzsimmons' melancholy lyrics are offset by heartfelt melodies that evoke images of the sad bits in a romantic dramedy.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Gravitas by Talib KweliEditors' Choice
Talib Kweli

Gravitas

Javotti Media
Rap
The rapper's 2014 effort is an excellent ode to artistic freedom with Mike Posner, Raekwon, and Big K.R.I.T. as guests.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Art Decade by Art Decade
Art Decade

Art Decade

Pop/Rock
Boston indie quartet dream big on their sophomore release with an ambitiously arranged orchestral rock record.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Toujours by Sabina
Sabina

Toujours

Bar/None Records
Pop/Rock
Brazilian Girls' frontwoman delivers a brilliant debut full of warmth, wit, and spontaneity.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Kindly Bent to Free Us by CynicEditors' Choice
Cynic

Kindly Bent to Free Us

Season of Mist
Pop/Rock
Cynic continue to distance themselves from their early death metal leanings with an album of drifting and approachable prog rock.

— Gregory Heaney

Album cover for Cult by Bayside
Bayside

Cult

Hopeless Records
Pop/Rock
Bayside take their pop-punk to a darker and more self-aware place on their reflective sixth album.

— Gregory Heaney

Album cover for Wave 1 by Com Truise
Com Truise

Wave 1

Ghostly International
Electronic
Another half-hour of Seth Haley's robust, wide-eyed synth pop/punk is highlighted by a vocal contribution from Joel Ford.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Crazy Life by Home Free
Home Free

Crazy Life

Columbia / Sony Music Entertainment
Country
This acappella group's shiny, sheeny, major-label debut follows their win on The Sing Off.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for El Prado by NO
NO

El Prado

Arts & Crafts
Pop/Rock
L.A. band delivers a debut of darkly brooding, yet hopeful adult rock in the style of the National.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Far Reaches by Trin Tran
Trin Tran

Far Reaches

Castle Face
Pop/Rock
Incredibly brief EP from long-running one-man band follows in the footsteps of quirky synth punk pioneers like Devo.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Belomancie by Sun Araw
Sun Araw

Belomancie

Drag City / Sun Ark
Pop/Rock
Sun Araw gets even more experimental on the inscrutable and eclectic Belomancie.

— Gregory Heaney

Album cover for Lucky by Suzy Bogguss
Suzy Bogguss

Lucky

Proper Records
Country
Suzy Bogguss singing classic Merle Haggard songs is a match made in Honky Tonk Heaven.

— Steve Leggett

Album cover for Moon Sickness by The Caribbean
The Caribbean

Moon Sickness

Hometapes
Pop/Rock
D.C. group shifts from the uneasiness of their last album for a breezier approach to their obtuse pop songwriting.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Boy Cried Wolf by The Feeling
The Feeling

Boy Cried Wolf

BMG Rights Management / Little World
Pop/Rock
A poignant post-breakup album full of grand, melodic choruses and sparkling studio production.

— Matt Collar

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