Featured New Album Releases

Faith No More

Sol Invictus

Ipecac / Reclemation

Pop/Rock

Reunion set for the alt-rock pioneers is eclectic and unified, their best work since the confounding masterpiece Angel Dust.

— Mark Deming

Paul Weller

Saturn's Pattern

Atlantic / Elektra / Parlophone / PRW / Warner Bros. / Warner Music

Pop/Rock

A spacy, soulful rebirth for Paul Weller.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Brandon Flowers

The Desired Effect

Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

The second solo outing from the Killers singer is an infectious, synthy melange of '80s adult-contempo pop.

— Matt Collar

Hot Chip

Why Make Sense?

Domino

Pop/Rock

Paying tribute to vintage hip-hop, R&B and disco, the band's witty electro-pop sounds fresher than ever.

— Heather Phares

Shamir Bailey / Shamir / Nick Sylvester

Ratchet

XL

Pop/Rock, Rap

The Las Vegas-based artist's debut album expands on the vibrant, genre-defying charm of his early singles.

— Heather Phares

Zedd

True Colors

Interscope / Polydor

Electronic

Ryan Tedder and Selena Gomez assist the EDM producer on this satisfying sophomore release.

— David Jeffries

Joanna Gruesome

Peanut Butter

Slumberland

Pop/Rock

The band's second album is a hyper-focused blast of piercing pop and dynamic noise, poppier than their debut but just as strong.

— Tim Sendra

Du Blonde

Welcome Back to Milk

Mute

Pop/Rock

Former anti-folk singer goes electric on songs that are sexy, dangerous, and often exhilarating.

— Heather Phares

Georgia Anne Muldrow

Thoughtiverse Unmarred

Mello Music Group

Rap

Usually a producer, Muldrow presents an album where she's strictly an MC and the results are excellent.

— David Jeffries

Holly Herndon

Platform

4AD

Electronic, Pop/Rock

The composer's fragmented, ethereal explorations of humanity and technology blur the line between intimate and invasive.

— Heather Phares

Thee Oh Sees

Mutilator Defeated at Last

Castle Face

Pop/Rock

After getting in touch with their softer side on Drop, the gnarly, noisy guitars are back on the band's sixth album in five years.

— Tim Sendra

Graham Parker / Graham Parker & the Rumour

Mystery Glue

Universal

Pop/Rock

Former Angry Young Man becomes the Larry David of pub rock, and it suits him perfectly on this sharp but laid-back set.

— Mark Deming

Jamie Foxx

Hollywood: A Story of a Dozen Roses

RCA

R&B

A less substantive release from the Oscar and Grammy winner, featuring Chris Brown, Kid Ink, and Wale, among others.

— Andy Kellman

Jeff Beck

Live+

Atco / Rhino

Pop/Rock, Blues, Jazz

A souvenir of Beck's 2014 tour finds the guitarist dabbling in lyrical fusion, thick sheets of distortion, and hard-driving blues.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Murs

Have a Nice Life

Strange Music

Rap

The underground rapper goes for the mainstream and offers an alluring set of songs, some political, some pornographic.

— David Jeffries

The Milk Carton Kids

Monterey

Anti- / Epitaph

Pop/Rock, Folk

Recording live on the road in multiple empty venues (pre-show) brings warmth to the near flawless guitar work and harmonizing of the Kids' wistful folk.

— Marcy Donelson

Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear

Skeleton Crew

Glassnote Entertainment Group

Pop/Rock

Impressive debut album from a mother and son duo with a singular blend of folk, blues, and gospel influences.

— Mark Deming

Dommengang

Everybody's Boogie

Thrill Jockey

Pop/Rock

On its debut, this Brooklyn trio offer hard boogie with an abundance of psychedelic space and groove.

— Thom Jurek

Vaadat Charigim

Sinking as a Stone

Burger Records

Pop/Rock

Israeli shoegaze trio pick up where their impressive 2013 debut left off.

— Paul Simpson

The Helio Sequence

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

Sixth album from the Portland-based noise-pop duo is full of clean, streamlined tunes but feels short on feeling and inspiration.

— Mark Deming

Total Babes

Heydays

Wichita Recordings

Pop/Rock

The second album from Cleveland-based Cloud Nothings associates, and a major leap in maturity from their garage-recorded 2011 debut.

— Paul Simpson

Daniel Bachman

River

Three Lobed Recordings

Pop/Rock

The prolific guitarist has reached a new level of sophistication and confidence on this double-length set.

— Thom Jurek

Secrets of the Sky

Pathway

Metal Blade

Pop/Rock

This Bay area doom act reveal no sophomore slump on this date. Their meld of sounds and textures here is startling.

— Thom Jurek

Froth

Bleak

Burger Records

Pop/Rock

Second album from L.A.-based garage psych band doubles the guitar power and delivers a stronger, tighter set of songs.

— Mark Deming

Circuit des Yeux

In Plain Speech

Thrill Jockey

Pop/Rock

Fifth album and Thrill Jockey debut by Haley Fohr's haunting experimental folk project, and easily her most accomplished work yet.

— Paul Simpson

Ceremony

The L-Shaped Man

Matador

Pop/Rock

The former hardcore act fully embrace a moody, new post-punk sound on their fifth LP.

— Timothy Monger

Pinact

Stand Still and Rot

Kanine Records

Pop/Rock

Oft-thrilling debut album from a duo that's deeply in debt to the alt-noise '90s, but good enough to overcome it and deliver something new sounding.

— Tim Sendra

Regal Degal

Not Now

Terrible

Pop/Rock

Brooklyn trio's second album, produced by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, is their poppiest effort yet, but isn't without its melancholy side.

— Paul Simpson

Tanlines

Highlights

True Panther Sounds

Pop/Rock

The Brooklyn duo returns with a second helping of laid-back, romantic synth and guitar pop.

— Timothy Monger

Holly Miranda

Dangerbird Records

Pop/Rock

The singer/songwriter's third album is smart and contemplative indie pop that's also languid and subtly playful.

— Mark Deming

Talk in Tongues

Alone with a Friend

Fairfax Entertainment Group / Fairfax Recordings

Pop/Rock

Debut album from an L.A. band who love hazy, effects-driven neo-pysch (think Tame Impala), but also take a few rewarding side trips.

— Tim Sendra

Johanna Warren

Numun

Team Love Records

Pop/Rock

Dedicated to the moon and nature's cycles, Warren's sophomore LP features melancholic reflection sharpened by dollops of production and musical complexity.

— Marcy Donelson

The Grahams

Glory Bound

12 South Records

Pop/Rock, Country

The New York-based roots duo follow up their Mississippi River-inspired debut with another themed album, this time about America's historic railways.

— Timothy Monger

Entrails

Obliteration

Metal Blade

Pop/Rock

A textbook course in no-frills '90s Scandinavian death metal.

— James Christopher Monger

Twenty One Pilots

Blurryface

Fueled by Ramen Records

Pop/Rock

Double-platinum, Billboard number one album from the genre-smashing Ohio duo that includes the hits "Ride" and "Stressed Out."

— Neil Z. Yeung

Saun & Starr

Look Closer

Daptone

R&B

The backing vocalists for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings step out on their own with a set of vintage-style soul and funk.

— Mark Deming

Primavera en Salonico / Savina Yannatou

Songs of Thessaloniki

ECM

International

The Greek vocalist and Primavera en Salonico offer a beguiling musical portrait of Thessaloniki's rich cultural history.

— Thom Jurek

Cinerama

Valentina

Forced Exposure / Scopitones

Pop/Rock

David Gedge and crew remake the Wedding Present's Valentina record with big-band arrangements, deep crooning, and Vegas-style glitz.

— Tim Sendra

The Knack

Zoom [Bonus Tracks]

Omnivore

Pop/Rock

Excellent, hook-laden latter-day power pop effort from the Knack.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Fink

Horizontalism

R'coup'd / Redeye Music Distribution

Pop/Rock, Electronic

Dubby remixes and spaced-out new tunes combine to create a worthy follow-up to this trio's Hard Believer.

— Thom Jurek

Pavel Haas Quartet

Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E minor "From my Life"; String Quartet No. 2 in D minor

Supraphon

Classical

This performance of Smetana's String Quartet No. 1 has everything: adept playing and ensemble work, broad expression, and sensitivity to the piece's deep autobiographical symbolism.

— James Manheim