Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Multi-Love

Jagjaguwar

Pop/Rock

The Orchestra's third album deals with the fallout of a romantic triangle and features a shift to tighter, more R&B-influenced songs.

— Tim Sendra

Terence Blanchard

Breathless

Blue Note

Jazz

The trumpeter dives into electric funk and R&B with the help of his E-Collective band and vocalist PJ Morton.

— Matt Collar

The Vaccines

English Graffiti

Columbia

Pop/Rock

By embracing the tacky trashiness of glam and new wave, the Vaccines wind up with their best record to date.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Bad Plus / Joshua Redman

The Bad Plus Joshua Redman

Nonesuch

Jazz

Inspired collaboration between the genre-bending piano trio and the acclaimed jazz saxophonist.

— Matt Collar

Yes

Progeny: Seven Shows from Seventy-Two

Atlantic / GC / Rhino

Pop/Rock

An obsessive fan's dream, this 14-disc deluxe box captures the band at an early peak with high-quality, dynamic sound.

— Thom Jurek

Boosie Badazz

Touch Down 2 Cause Hell

Atlantic / Trill Entertainment

Rap

After his release from prison, the rapper returns with an album more ambitious but as hardcore as before.

— David Jeffries

Dizzy Wright

The Growing Process

Funk Volume

Rap

The Funk Volume rapper offers an aptly titled step up with this excellent second LP.

— David Jeffries

Little Wings

Explains

Woodsist

Pop/Rock

The Alabama-bred, California-based folk-pop outlier's most polished offering to date.

— James Christopher Monger

Valet

Nature

Kranky

Pop/Rock

Honey Owens returns with a transporting, organic set of psych pop that welcomes change and honors her roots.

— Heather Phares

Shana Cleveland / Shana Cleveland & the Sandcastles

Oh Man, Cover the Ground

Suicide Squeeze

Pop/Rock

The solo debut from the La Luz frontwoman is an unhurried folk affair full of strong guitar work and loose, homespun ambience.

— Timothy Monger

Shopping

Consumer Complaints

Fat Cat / FatCat Records

Pop/Rock

Featuring members of Wetdog and Trash Kit, the band's debut delivers potent, sharp-edged songs full of humor, anger, wit and grit.

— Heather Phares

Los Hijos de la Montaña / Luz Elena Mendoza / Sergio Mendoza

Los Hijos de la Montaña

Cosmica Records

Pop/Rock, Latin

A lush, inventive, and exciting debut from the eclectic Latin indie pop duo Sergio Mendoza and Luz Elena Mendoza.

— Timothy Monger

Allen Stone

Radius

Capitol

Pop/Rock

The "hippie with soul" (and an ax to grind), joined by Tingsek, gets a little slicker on his proper major-label debut.

— Andy Kellman

Aviador Dro / El Aviador Dro y Sus Obreros Especializados

Otros Mundos, Otras Estrellas (1979-1982)

Elefant

Pop/Rock

Fascinating compilation of early material, alternate versions, and rarities by a pioneering Spanish synth pop group.

— Paul Simpson

Metropole Orkest / Snarky Puppy

Sylva [CD/DVD]

Impulse!

Jazz

Brooklyn's jazz-funk heroes team with a symphony orchestra and swing hard in an ambitious groovefest.

— Thom Jurek

So Stressed

The Unlawful Trade of Greco-Roman Art

Honor Press

Pop/Rock

Debut album from this full-on noise punk band documents one of the longest and most impressive temper tantrums in history.

— Mark Deming

Rachel Grimes

The Clearing

Temporary Residence

Pop/Rock, Classical

The composer and pianist returns with 11 outstanding new pieces that honor the joys and terrors of the world outside.

— Mark Deming

Carla Olson / The Textones

Midnight Mission [2015] [Bonus Tracks]

Omnivore

Pop/Rock, Country

Folk rock soul, heartland rock ambitions, and arena rock swagger on the L.A. band's smart, powerful debut.

— Mark Deming

Maysa

Back 2 Love

Shanachie

R&B

Featuring appearances from Phil Perry and Stokley Williams, the singer marks two decades as a solo artist with one of her best albums.

— Andy Kellman

Martin Newell

Teatime Assortment

Captured Tracks

Pop/Rock

24 songs from the great pop eccentric's home studio, featuring more of his charmingly bent pop melodies.

— Mark Deming

Eilen Jewell

Sundown Over Ghost Town

Signature / Signature Sounds / Signature Sounds Recording Company

Country

The queen of the minor key returns to her home state of Idaho and turns in one of the strongest albums of her career.

— Timothy Monger

Frank Nitt

Frank Nitt Presents Frankie Rothstein

Fat Beats

Rap

The Detroit rapper returns with an EP featuring producers J-Rocc, DJ Rhettmatic, and J Dilla.

— David Jeffries

Joey Baron / Marc Copland / Gary Peacock / Gary Peacock Trio

Now This

ECM

Jazz

Legendary bassist celebrates his 80th birthday with a fine trio date playing career milestones and new tunes.

— Thom Jurek

Modestep

London Road

INgrooves

Electronic

The rock and dubstep crew ups the rock on this gritty and gutsy sophomore effort.

— David Jeffries

Porcupine Tree

Anesthetize: Live in Tilburg Oct. 2008

Kscope

Pop/Rock

A new version of this excellent live 2008 concert combines two audio discs with a DVD.

— Thom Jurek

Exploding Star Orchestra / Rob Mazurek

Galactic Parables, Vol. 1

Cuneiform Records

Avant-Garde

Ambitious intergalactic electro-acoustic avant jazz opera continuing to document Chicago-based composer Rob Mazurek at his creative peak.

— Paul Simpson

The 5th Dimension

Up, Up and Away/The Magic Garden/Stoned Soul Picnic/The Age of Aquarius

Raven / Raven Records

Pop/Rock, R&B

The group's first four albums -- and their biggest hits -- are combined with non-LP singles.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Various Artists

Saved and Sanctified: Songs of the Jade Label

Numero Group

Religious

Rare, raw gospel recordings from a Chicago-based label documenting the Southern sounds of the Old Dominion church.

— Mark Deming

The Chocolate Watchband

I'm Not Like Everybody Else

Cleopatra / Purple Pyramid

Pop/Rock

2015 edition of the legendary garage rock band (including singer David Aguilar) re-records 13 of their best-known songs.

— Mark Deming

Marin Alsop / Orquestra Sinfónica do Estado de São Paulo - OSESP

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 3; Scythian Suite; Autumn

Naxos

Classical

Marin Alsop and the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra present two modernist masterpieces, Prokofiev's Third Symphony and his Scythian Suite.

— Blair Sanderson

Stephen Cleobury

Liszt, Reubke, Mendelssohn: Organ Works

King's College Choir

Classical

Stephen Cleobury showcases the centuries-old organ of King's College, Cambridge, in works by Liszt, Mendelssohn, and Reubke.

— Blair Sanderson

James Ehnes / Andrew Davis / Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Berlioz: Harold en Italie; Rob-Roy; Rêverie et Caprice

Chandos

Classical

Andrew Davis and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra present a sonic showcase of works by Hector Berlioz, featuring violinist James Ehnes.

— Blair Sanderson

Folke Grasbeck

Folke Gräsbeck plays Sibelius on the Ainola Piano

BIS

Classical

This is arranged chronologically, and in Gräsbeck's hands much of it reveals ties to contemporaneous Sibelius orchestral pieces. A really nice find for Sibelius fans.

— James Manheim

Choir of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge / Geoffrey Webber

Romaria: Choral Music from Brazil

Delphian

Classical

This program is absorbing from beginning to end as it is done here. Brilliantly diverse, gutsy, and very strongly recommended.

— James Manheim

Anima Musicæ Chamber Orchestra

Mozart: Divertimenti; Eine kleine Nachtmusik

Hungaroton

Classical

Anima Musicæ gives wiry, vigorous performances that knit the whole together on this very satisfying hour of Mozart.

— James Manheim

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