The Mountain Goats

Beat the Champ

Merge

Pop/Rock

John Darnielle's lo-fi heroes deliver a concept album about pro wrestling and the lives of the people in and out of the ring.

— Mark Deming

Brian Wilson

No Pier Pressure

Capitol / Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

Wilson follows the short-lived Beach Boys reunion with this breezy star-studded jumble of sweet nostalgia and modern pop.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Waxahatchee

Ivy Tripp

Wichita

Pop/Rock

Third full-length from this introspective songwriter delivers a more confident reading on the band's nakedly honest style.

— Fred Thomas

Cassandra Wilson

Coming Forth by Day

Legacy / Sony Music

Jazz

Moody, inventive salute to Billie Holiday produced by Nick Cave producer Nick Launay.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Lord Huron

Strange Trails

Iamsound

Pop/Rock

Indie rock, reverie, reverb, and themes of the Old West meet on this sophomore LP from Ben Schneider and band.

— Marcy Donelson

Doldrums

The Air Conditioned Nightmare

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

Sophomore album from Montreal-based indie electronic producer takes more cues from sinister '90s alt-industrial acts.

— Fred Thomas

Young Fathers

White Men Are Black Men Too

Big Dada

Rap

The Edinburgh hip-hop trio returns with its pop-influenced yet utterly unique sophomore album.

— David Jeffries

Toro y Moi

What For?

Carpark Records

Pop/Rock

Turning to the '70s and the guitar-heavy styles from the era, Chaz Bundick steps out here as a confident, extroverted indie pop craftsman.

— Tim Sendra

Fred Thomas

All Are Saved

Polyvinyl

Pop/Rock

Eclectic and intelligent solo effort from the Saturday Looks Good to Me founder, embracing the personal as well as the global.

— Mark Deming

Blues Traveler

Blow Up the Moon

Loud & Proud

Pop/Rock

The jam band invites a bunch of pop acts to help write and record an album that feels like a lost record from 2006.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Colleen

Captain of None

Thrill Jockey

Electronic, Pop/Rock

Drawing from influences as wide-ranging as dub and '50s pop, the artist's fifth album is some of her boldest, most eclectic music yet.

— Heather Phares

Dion

Recorded Live at the Bitter End, August 1971

Omnivore

Pop/Rock

Live solo performance from the former Belmonts singer during the early years of his soulful singer/songwriter period.

— Matt Collar

East India Youth

Culture of Volume

XL

Electronic, Pop/Rock

William Doyle follows up his Mercury Prize-nominated electronic debut with a more melodic, pop-leaning effort that's just as intense and well-crafted.

— Marcy Donelson

Lapalux

Lustmore

Brainfeeder

Electronic

Made with the intent to evoke states between asleep and alert, Stuart Howard's second album nonetheless contains some of his most vibrant tracks.

— Andy Kellman

GABI

Sympathy

Software

Electronic

An entrancing introduction to the composer's talent for writing songs filled with sensuality, wonder, and emotional clarity.

— Heather Phares

Todd Rundgren

Global

Esoteric Antenna / MVD Audio

Pop/Rock

An ambitious, funny collection of protest and satire that recalls The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Josh Rouse

The Embers of Time

Yep Roc

Pop/Rock

A personal crisis helped inspire the 11th studio album from the expatriate singer and songwriter.

— Mark Deming

All Time Low

Future Hearts [Only @ Best Buy]

Hopeless Records

Pop/Rock

Dirty Work producer John Feldmann is back for an infectious set of sparkling power pop and stadium rock-infused anthems.

— Matt Collar

Bad Company

Straight Shooter [Deluxe]

Atlantic / Swan Song

Pop/Rock

Rhino's 2015 expansion of Shooting Star contains 14 bonus tracks, mainly alternate mixes but also a handful of non-LP outtakes and B-sides.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Bad Company

Bad Company [Deluxe]

Atlantic / Swan Song

Pop/Rock

Rhino's 2015 expansion of Bad Company contains 14 bonus tracks, mainly alternate mixes but also a handful of non-LP outtakes and B-sides.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Pokey LaFarge

Something in the Water

Rounder

Folk, Country, Jazz

Illinois hepcat straddles vintage country and jazz with style and sass on his sixth studio album.

— Mark Deming

Sound Prints / Dave Douglas / Joe Lovano

Sound Prints: Live at Monterey Jazz Festival

Blue Note

Jazz

Live album debut from the Douglas/Lovano-led group featuring two newly commissioned songs by saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

— Matt Collar

Agnostic Front

The American Dream Died

Atomic Fire / Nuclear Blast

Pop/Rock

The veteran hardcore unit's blue collar roots seep into every palm-muted note and weathered snarl like mink oil into an old combat boot.

— James Christopher Monger

Alicia Witt

Revisionary History

Compass

Vocal, Pop/Rock

The actress debuts with this Ben Folds-produced update of melodic '70s singer/songwriter pop.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Alison Wonderland

Run

Astralwerks / Universal / Virgin EMI

Electronic

With Ganz and Wayne Coyne as guests, the Aussie EDM producer offers her vibrant and varied debut.

— David Jeffries

Delta Rae

After It All

London / Rhino / Sire

Pop/Rock

The sibling-heavy group doubles down on bombastic, harmony-heavy folk-pop on its sophomore set.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

American Wrestlers / Gary McClure

American Wrestlers

Fat Possum Records

Pop/Rock

Debut album from Gary McClure's lo-fi one-man band is a small triumph of great sounds emerging from mediocre technology.

— Mark Deming

Art Pepper

Neon Art, Vol. 3

Omnivore

Jazz

Vol. 3 of the series curated by Laurie Pepper features the saxophonist playing live in Japan in 1981 with pianist George Cables.

— Matt Collar

Cannonball Adderley

Big Man: The Legend of John Henry

Real Gone Music

Jazz, Stage & Screen

At long last the great altoist's massive musical theater work -- and final completed album -- gets a proper reissue treatment.

— Thom Jurek

Crumbsuckers

Life of Dreams/Beast on My Back

Real Gone Music

Pop/Rock

This "two-fer" from Real Gone Music rounds up both of the pioneering crossover/thrash outfit's studio albums into a single-disc package.

David Sanborn

Time and the River

OKeh Records

Jazz

The saxophonist celebrates his 40th anniversary as a bandleader, re-teams with Marcus Miller, and issues a killer set of grooves and ballads.

— Thom Jurek

Gov't Mule

Dub Side of the Mule [2015]

Evil Teen

Pop/Rock, Reggae

This punky New Year's Eve reggae party was recorded at the Beacon Theater in 2006 with legend Toots Hibbert fronting the band.

— Thom Jurek

Heavy Trash

Noir!

Bronzerat Records

Pop/Rock

The dynamic duo of rockabilly mayhem empty their vault here, with predictably interesting and fun results.

— Tim Sendra

Jesse Winchester

Seems Like Only Yesterday: Live in Montreal 1976

Real Gone Music

Pop/Rock

Marvelous 1976 radio broadcast captures the then-exiled singer and songwriter in a superb performance.

— Mark Deming

Jessie Baylin

Dark Place

Blonde Rat

Pop/Rock

Languid, bluesy, lightly psychedelic pop from the Nashville-based singer with assistance from producer Richard Swift.

— Matt Collar

John Krautner

Fun with Gum, Vol. 1

Burger Records

Pop/Rock

Fun and loose debut album of bubblegum-flavored garage rock from longtime member of the Go.

— Tim Sendra

Kerrier District

4

Hypercolour

Electronic

The second album of sample-laced post-disco irreverence from Luke Vibert.

— Andy Kellman

Marriages

Salome

Sargent House

Pop/Rock

The L.A. post-rock trio builds on its first EP with this dark-hued, shoegaze-heavy debut full-length.

— Timothy Monger

Matt and Kim

New Glow

Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

The duo's first album finds them cutting back on the energy and settling into a midtempo, very pop-oriented groove.

— Tim Sendra

Mean Jeans

Singles

Dirtnap Records

Pop/Rock

Fast, loud, and charmingly obnoxious punks from Portland bring together 20 rare tracks from singles and compilations.

— Mark Deming

Nadine Shah

Fast Food

Apollo

Pop/Rock

Tackling more topics but coloring everything cursed, this sophomore release is as beautiful and as bloody as Shah's debut.

— David Jeffries

Portico

Living Fields

Ninja Tune

Electronic

The Portico Quartet return as a three-piece with support from Jono McCleery, Jamie Woon, and Alt-J's Joe Newman.

— David Jeffries

Priory / Brandon Rush / Kyle Sears

Need to Know

Expunged Records / Warner Bros.

Pop/Rock

The Oregon indie pop duo's major-label debut has TGIF written all over it.

— Timothy Monger

Ray Wylie Hubbard

The Ruffian's Misfortune

Bordello Records

Country, Pop/Rock

The veteran Texas singer and songwriter delivers a tough, soulful set that mixes up blues, rock, and country.

— Mark Deming

The Real McKenzies

Rats in the Burlap

Fat Wreck Chords

Pop/Rock, International

Vancouver's rowdy champions of Scottish pride blow their pipes and their amps on their ninth album of folk-infused punk.

— Mark Deming

Royal Thunder

Crooked Doors

Relapse Records

Pop/Rock

The sophomore outing from the Atlanta-based hard rock unit doubles down on the bluesy, psych-fueled classic rock vibe of its predecessor.

— James Christopher Monger

Shlohmo

Dark Red

True Panther Sounds

Electronic, Rap

Second proper album from Los Angeles-based beatmaker immerses itself in darkness, but manages to emerge triumphant and hopeful.

— Paul Simpson

Steve Vai

Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A.

Legacy

Jazz, Pop/Rock

Double-disc set captures the fluid virtuosity of the guitarist live on-stage in Los Angeles in 2012.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Very Best

Makes a King "Mumachokela Mafumu"

Moshi Moshi Records

International, Pop/Rock

The Swedish-Malawian duo offer up another alluring amalgamation of politically charged Afro-pop and European house music.

— James Christopher Monger

WATERS

What's Real

Vagrant

Pop/Rock

The now-California-based rockers deliver a radio-ready set of bittersweet power pop songs on their excellent second LP.

— Timothy Monger

Weed

Running Back

Lefse Records

Pop/Rock

Second album of overdriven noisegaze revivalism done with style and energy by the Vancouver trio.

— Tim Sendra

White Hills

Walks for Motorists

Thrill Jockey

Pop/Rock

A more stripped-down sound replaces the guitar-heavy space rock wandering of past releases, but the reinvention feels confused.

— Fred Thomas

WOLF!

WOLF!

Royal Potato Family

Pop/Rock

Ace guitarist Scott Metzger and his trio explore the lineage and sound of the Fender Telecaster on this set of short, tight tunes.

— Thom Jurek

Fuller & Kaz / Craig Fuller / Eric Kaz

Craig Fuller/Eric Kaz

Real Gone Music

Pop/Rock

The former American Flyer members team up on this one-shot soft rock singer/songwriter classic from 1978.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Drenge

Undertow

Infectious Music

Pop/Rock

The Sheffield-based guitar and drums duo dial in their fury on this darker toned and more cohesive second LP.

— Timothy Monger

Dusty Springfield

Faithful

Real Gone Music

R&B, Pop/Rock

Excellent but scrapped 1971 Jeff Barry-produced album finally sees the light of day via this 2015 release.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Poison Idea

Confuse and Conquer

Southern Lord Records

Pop/Rock

First album in almost a decade from Portland punk pioneers sounds fresh and unapologetically inspired to try new things.

— Fred Thomas

Say Lou Lou

Lucid Dreaming

Cosmos Music

Pop/Rock

The Kilbey sisters' debut album transforms the alluring haze of their early singles into dreamy yet eclectic pop.

— Heather Phares

Sinikka Langeland

The Half-Finished Heaven

ECM

Folk

The Norwegian kantele player, composer, and singer explores the mysteries of nature on a primarily instrumental recording.

— Thom Jurek

Previous Week Next Week