Featured New Releases for
January 13, 2015

Mark Ronson

Uptown Special

RCA

R&B

Another star-studded set of throwback party numbers from the producer, featuring the smash Bruno Mars collaboration "Uptown Funk."

— Andy Kellman

Meghan Trainor

Title

Epic

Pop/Rock

On her full-length debut, the "All About That Bass" sensation sticks to a similar blend of girl groups, rap, and musical theater while proving she's no one-hit wonder.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Jazmine Sullivan

Reality Show

RCA

R&B

A wholly pleasing, relatively contemporary set from one of the planet's greatest multidimensional R&B talents.

— Andy Kellman

Panda Bear

Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper

Domino

Pop/Rock

Fifth solo album by the Animal Collective contributor finds him in a class by himself with his hypnotic, electro-friendly pop.

Guster

Evermotion

Nettwerk / Nettwerk Music Group / Ocho Mule

Pop/Rock

The band ditches the acoustic guitars and bongos and discovers electricity on their seventh studio album.

— James Christopher Monger

Kat Dahlia

My Garden

Epic / Vested in Culture

Pop/Rock

Front-loaded with three singles, the Miami native's debut for Sylvia Rhone's Vested in Culture label offers confident streetwise pop.

— Andy Kellman

Ella Henderson

Chapter One

Columbia / Syco Music

Pop/Rock

The X-Factor finalist launches her solo career with this appealing, soul-influenced pop debut

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Chris Potter / Chris Potter's Underground / Chris Potter Underground Orchestra

Imaginary Cities

ECM

Jazz

The saxophonist adds two bassists, a vibraphonist, and a string quartet to his core group to deliver a remarkable, expansive set of new compositions.

— Thom Jurek

Ghost Culture

Because Music / Phantasy Sound

Electronic, Pop/Rock

James Greenwood's diverse project offers wistful synth pop and dance music for overcast afternoons.

— David Jeffries

Various Artists

Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of "Inside Llewyn Davis"

Nonesuch

Folk, Pop/Rock, Country

Document of a concert celebrating folk music, as well as the Coen brothers' film using the N.Y.C. hootenanny scene as a backdrop.

— Mark Deming

Justin Townes Earle

Absent Fathers

Loose Music

Pop/Rock, Country

Companion piece to 2014's Single Mothers that extends the songwriter's song cycle on broken families and failed relationships.

— Mark Deming

Liam Hayes

Slurrup

Fat Possum Records

Pop/Rock

The Plush leader steps out on his own with a bracing, bittersweet set of pop songs.

— Heather Phares

Mr. Oizo

The Church

Brainfeeder

Electronic

The producer's Brainfeeder debut embraces trap, dubstep, and grime with his signature cartoonish flair.

— Heather Phares

Dan Mangan / Dan Mangan + Blacksmith

Club Meds

Arts & Crafts / Arts & Crafts Productions

Pop/Rock

A sonically expansive and emotionally charged new beginning for the Juno Award-winning singer/songwriter.

— James Christopher Monger

Swamp Dogg

The White Man Made Me Do It

Alive Records / Burnside / SDEG

R&B, Blues

The inspired madman of R&B sounds impressively sane and soulful as he tackles race and embraces old-school soul.

— Mark Deming

Dr. Dog

Live at a Flamingo Hotel

Anti-

Pop/Rock

The Philadelphia indie rock powerhouse turns in a solid and spirited double live album.

— Timothy Monger

Arthur / Arthur Lee Harper

Dreams and Images

Light in the Attic Records

Pop/Rock

The ornate, Lee Hazlewood-produced 1968 psych-folk debut from this soft-voiced Florida native.

— Timothy Monger

Matthew Trusler / Roland Wood / Iain Burnside

Stars of the Night: Songs and Violin Works by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Albion

Classical

This covers mostly rather obscure material, but it's a nice find for fans, with performances of real intimacy and sensitivity.

— James Manheim

Anna Netrebko / Daniel Barenboim / Staatskapelle Berlin

Richard Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder; Ein Heldenleben

Deutsche Grammophon

Classical

Strauss' highly pictorial score Ein Heldenleben receives detailed treatment. Recommended perhaps for Netrebko fans, decisively for those of Barenboim.

— James Manheim

Choir of Merton College, Oxford / Benjamin Nicholas / Peter Phillips

The Marian Collection

Delphian

Classical

Committed fans of Tavener may well find the choir's recording of Two Hymns to the Mother of God worth the price of admission.

— James Manheim

The Sixteen / Harry Christophers

Spirit, Strength & Sorrow

Coro

Classical

The Scarlatti setting draws an unusually passionate performance out of the normally reserved Sixteen. Not a set of new masterpieces, but a commendable, fresh program.

— James Manheim

Anonymous 4 / Bruce Molsky

1865: Songs of Hope & Home

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

Those who enjoy Anonymous 4's vocal sounds will likely be intrigued to hear it in this new light, and Molsky's low-key but versatile accompaniment works well.

— James Manheim