Featured New Releases for
May 6, 2014

Album cover for Sheezus by Lily Allen
Lily Allen

Sheezus

Atlantic / Elektra / Parlophone / Warner Bros.
Pop/Rock
A muddled, celeb-taunting comeback from the British pop star.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Nikki Nack by tUnE-yArDsEditors' Choice
tUnE-yArDs

Nikki Nack

4AD
Pop/Rock
tUnE-yArDs' third album thrives on contradictions, delivering some of the duo's most challenging yet accessible music.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for I Never Learn by Lykke LiEditors' Choice
Lykke Li

I Never Learn

Atlantic
Pop/Rock
The Swedish singer/songwriter delivers a beautifully glacial set of break-up ballads on her strong third release.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Shine On by Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan

Shine On

Decca / Verve
Pop/Rock
Written in the wake of her divorce and father's death, this is nevertheless a hopeful, reassuring record.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Corazón by Santana
Santana

Corazón

RCA
Latin, Pop/Rock
The iconic rock guitarist delivers another duet recording, this one with a host of Latin pop's brightest stars.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for All or Nothin' by Nikki Lane
Nikki Lane

All or Nothin'

New West
Pop/Rock
On her New West debut, the South Carolina singer/songwriter teams with producer Dan Auerbach to deliver a diverse, provocative Americana set.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Luminous by The Horrors
The Horrors

Luminous

XL / Xlp
Pop/Rock
The Horrors' fourth album adds a more kinetic edge to their expansive psych-rock.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for The Nihilist by Liam FinnEditors' Choice
Liam Finn

The Nihilist

Yep Roc
Pop/Rock
Finn dives headfirst into a wild studio-crafted pop universe on an album that takes his songwriting smarts in a new direction.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Hotel Cabana by Naughty Boy
Naughty Boy

Hotel Cabana

Capitol
Pop/Rock
The Emeli Sandé collaborator "directs" a loosely conceptual album, featuring the Sam Smith-fronted number one U.K. hit "La La La."

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Magic Mountain by Black Stone Cherry
Black Stone Cherry

Magic Mountain

Roadrunner Records
Pop/Rock
On their fourth full-length, the Kentucky hard rockers offer refined songwriting skills without sacrificing their dynamic intensity.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Life Among the Savages by Papercuts
Papercuts

Life Among the Savages

Easy Sound Recording Company
Pop/Rock
Scaling back the ornate arrangements of previous albums in favor of a more intimate sound, the band's sixth album is their most emotional yet.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Magnetica by Quantic
Quantic

Magnetica

Tru Thoughts
Electronic
The British DJ/producer/musician returns with his first solo album in over seven years and it's a joyful noise.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Southsiders by AtmosphereEditors' Choice
Atmosphere

Southsiders

Rhymesayers Entertainment
Rap
Mature and less mad at the world, the indie hip-hop duo now navigates the dreck and depression of everyday life with flair and wisdom.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Keepin' It Real by Aleister X
Aleister X

Keepin' It Real

Nod and Smile Records
Pop/Rock, Rap
Conceptually restless and stylistically dizzying, the second album from this N.Y.C. artist is a brilliantly strange experience.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for What's Left Is Forever by Thomas DybdahlEditors' Choice
Thomas Dybdahl

What's Left Is Forever

Blue Note / Manhattan Records
Pop/Rock
The Norwegian singer/songwriter enlists producer Larry Klein and L.A. session greats on a sophisticated, trippy exercise in luxuriant, soulful pop

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Soul Power by Curtis HardingEditors' Choice
Curtis Harding

Soul Power

Burger Records
R&B
A satisfying set of classic-style soul with a modern edge, with outstanding vocals and lean, rock-influenced arrangements.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for data Panik etcetera by bisEditors' Choice
bis

data Panik etcetera

Do Yourself In
Pop/Rock
Collection of songs from the post-split mid-2000s when they were known as Data Panik, plus unreleased cuts from the band's aborted fourth album.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Asiatisch by Fatima Al Qadiri
Fatima Al Qadiri

Asiatisch

Hyperdub
Electronic
Following releases for UNO and Fade to Mind, the Kuwait-raised producer devises a soundtrack for an "imagined" China.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Seven Dials by Roddy Frame
Roddy Frame

Seven Dials

AED Records
Pop/Rock
Nostalgic, autumnal singer/songwriter album that stands with his best post-Aztec Camera recordings.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Farmer's Corner by Wooden WandEditors' Choice
Wooden Wand

Farmer's Corner

Fire Records
Pop/Rock
Softly lit, mellow acoustic roots folk excellence from this highly prolific and ever-changing indie songwriter.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for III by BadBadNotGood
BadBadNotGood

III

Innovative Leisure
Jazz
Toronto-based trio BadBadNotGood release their third record of jazz, hip-hop, and electronic-fused goodness.

— James Pearce

Album cover for Elements by Kina Grannis
Kina Grannis

Elements

One Haven Music
Pop/Rock
Elements retains all of the disarming sweetness and melancholic coffeehouse atmosphere that made her debut so easy to digest.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Demi by Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato

Demi

Hollywood
Pop/Rock
Demi Lovato tries a little bit of everything -- big ballads, Katy Perry pop, Miley Cyrus dance -- on their self-titled fourth album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Head & Heart by Luka Bloom
Luka Bloom

Head & Heart

Compass
Folk, Pop/Rock
Noted songwriter interprets the work of some of his favorite tunesmiths, accompanied by a jazz trio; an experiment that works.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Refuse to Lose by Jarekus Singleton
Jarekus Singleton

Refuse to Lose

Alligator / Alligator Records
Blues
Combines fiery electric guitar leads with an urban hip-hop narrative songwriting style that still remains undoubtedly rooted in the blues.

— Steve Leggett

Album cover for Embrace by Embrace
Embrace

Embrace

Cooking Vinyl
Pop/Rock
The British rock group embraces its middle age on this satisfying, atmospheric album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Bleep:10 by Various Artists
Various Artists

Bleep:10

Bleep / Warp
Electronic
Celebrates the past, present, and future of electronic music as well as one of the most venerable sites selling it.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Thinky Pain by Marc Maron
Marc Maron

Thinky Pain

Comedy Central Records
Comedy/Spoken
Unconventional thoughts delivered in a conventional standup set-up makes this one Maron's Bill Hicks moment, so get ready for some extra laughs.

— David Jeffries

Album cover for Brightly Painted One by Tiny Ruins
Tiny Ruins

Brightly Painted One

Bella Union
Pop/Rock
The New Zealand folk trio's austere sophomore effort lovingly recalls the hushed British folk of classic Witchseason productions.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Towards by We Were Evergreen
We Were Evergreen

Towards

Island / Universal / Universal-Island Records
Pop/Rock
Melodic, lightly experimental debut from the Parisian indie pop trio.

— Matt Collar

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