The Arcs

Yours, Dreamily,

Nonesuch

Pop/Rock

Atmospheric, soulful debut from Black Keys leader Dan Auerbach's side project the Arcs.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Dâm-Funk

Invite the Light

Stones Throw

R&B

A generous and uplifting dose of modern funk from Damon Riddick, joined by a supporting cast that includes Jody Watley, Flea, and Q-Tip.

— Andy Kellman

Iron Maiden

The Book of Souls

Parlophone

Pop/Rock

Eagerly awaited, Maiden's first double album is also their longest and most ambitious -- and deeply satisfying.

— Thom Jurek

k-os

Can't Fly Without Gravity

Dine Alone

Rap

The kinetic rapper offers a loose "vacation" of an album, but the results are rich and filling.

— David Jeffries

Widowspeak

All Yours

Captured Tracks

Pop/Rock

Reunited with Woods' Jarvis Taveniere, the duo delivers an album that's equally accomplished, unaffected, confident, and vulnerable.

— Heather Phares

Travis Scott

Rodeo

Epic

Rap

On this weird, wonderful album, the producer and MC becomes a ringleader with Justin Bieber, Juicy J, and the Weeknd as guests.

— David Jeffries

Lizz Wright

Freedom & Surrender

Concord

Jazz

Backed by a new label and a mostly new crop of collaborators, the eminently graceful vocalist and songwriter continues to fuse styles with ease.

— Andy Kellman

Lou Barlow

Brace the Wave

Joyful Noise

Pop/Rock

Sebadoh leader's fifth solo effort finds the songwriter in fine voice, sounding stronger and more comfortable than ever.

— Mark Deming

Blank Realm

Illegals in Heaven

Fire Records

Pop/Rock

The band's first studio album combines more polished sounds and more heartfelt songs with stunning results.

— Heather Phares

John Howard / The Night Mail

John Howard & the Night Mail

Tapete Records

Pop/Rock

Teaming up with a guitar-bass-drums trio, the majestic pop singer/songwriter turns in one of his best albums.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Diane Coffee

Everybody's a Good Dog

Western Vinyl Records

Pop/Rock

A widescreen, Technicolor burst of glam pop sound and hooky songs recorded in hi-fi glory by Foxygen drummer.

— Tim Sendra

Against Me!

23 Live Sex Acts

Universal

Pop/Rock

Urgent, sprawling, career-encompassing live album recorded in 2014 on the supporting tour for Transgender Dysphoria Blues.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Unwound

Empire

Numero Group

Pop/Rock

Uncompromising Pacific Northwest band's final two albums get a deluxe repackaging with bonus tracks and extensive liner notes.

— Mark Deming

Joan Shelley

Over and Even

No Quarter

Pop/Rock, Country

A breezy, lyrically bold, sonically beautiful soft barrage of bucolic country-folk.

— James Christopher Monger

Helena Hauff

Discreet Desires

Ninja Tune / Werkdiscs

Electronic

Debut album of gritty, one-take electro/techno from a German producer, greatly expanding upon the ideas of her previous EPs.

— Paul Simpson

Lloyd Cole

1D Electronics 2012-2014

Bureau B

Avant-Garde

Following his unlikely collaboration with Krautrock pioneer Roedelius, Lloyd Cole presents an album of solo modular synth experiments.

— Paul Simpson

The School

Wasting Away and Wondering

Elefant

Pop/Rock

The band's third album is another slice of sweet and lovely indie pop, this time with more horns, strings, and Northern soul influence.

— Tim Sendra

The Clientele

Alone & Unreal: The Best of the Clientele

Merge / Pointy

Pop/Rock

Well-chosen, career-spanning collection of beautifully autumnal indie pop.

— Tim Sendra

Cécile McLorin Salvant

For One to Love

Mack Avenue

Jazz

Salvant dazzles your ears while breaking your heart on this romantic, virtuosic follow-up to WomanChild.

— Matt Collar

Tommy Keene

Laugh in the Dark

Second Motion Records

Pop/Rock

A classicist yet cracking collection of ten tightly crafted tunes from the power pop master.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Woolen Men

Temporary Monument

Woodsist

Pop/Rock

The Portland lo-fi trio tackle dark disillusionment on their sophomore LPm which is full of post-punk grooves and jangling melodies.

— Timothy Monger

Family of the Year

Family of the Year

Nettwerk

Pop/Rock

The L.A.-based retro-pop quartet delivers another strong set of hook-laden power pop and breezy, west coast folk-rock.

— James Christopher Monger

Fenster

Emocean

Morr Music

Pop/Rock

The Berlin-based pop experimentalists' third LP is a soundtrack to a sci-fi adventure film created by and starring the band.

— Timothy Monger

FIDLAR

Too

Mom + Pop Music

Pop/Rock

The brash L.A. garage punks' sophomore outing benefits from its studio makeover even if the material is a bit of a mixed bag.

— Timothy Monger

James Leg

Below the Belt

Alive

Pop/Rock

Black Diamond Heavies' keyboard man reveals he's about more than just the dirty blues on this diverse solo set.

— Mark Deming

John Mayall

Find a Way to Care

Forty Below Records / Relativity Entertainment

Blues, Pop/Rock

The British bluesman showcases his keyboard skills on this solid set of covers and originals.

— Thom Jurek

Five Finger Death Punch

Got Your Six

Prospect Park

Pop/Rock

One of the most popular and polarizing alt-metal bands delivers a big-sounding, polished set.

— Thom Jurek

The Ghost Ease

Raw

K Records

Pop/Rock

Second album (and K Records debut) by a dreamy yet slightly aggressive Portland-based indie rock trio.

— Paul Simpson

K Camp

Only Way Is Up

Interscope

Rap

Filled with highlights, the Atlanta MC's debut is a throwback party album with some modern touchstones.

— David Jeffries

Public Enemy

Live from Metropolis Studios [Super Deluxe Box Set] [2CD/2LP/BR]

Def Jam

Rap

Vigorous live-in-the-studio run-through of Public Enemy's biggest hits and a few left-field choices.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Oh Wonder

Oh Wonder

Republic

Pop/Rock

Mellow, R&B-flecked keyboard/drum machine tunes crooned in unison by the male-female duo, the culmination of their song-a-month release project.

— Marcy Donelson

Public Image Ltd.

What the World Needs Now...

PIL Official

Pop/Rock

John Lydon rants powerfully as his band throbs eloquently on the second album from the group's reunited lineup.

— Mark Deming

Pugwash

Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends)

Omnivore

Pop/Rock

Sixth album from Thomas Walsh's Irish pop prodigies has fewer guest stars but plenty of ear-catching melodies.

— Mark Deming

The Souljazz Orchestra

Resistance

Strut

Jazz

The Canadian sextet uses Afro-beat as a launch pad for hard-grooving explorations of Latin, Caribbean, and Ivorian club sounds.

— Thom Jurek

The Wonder Years

No Closer to Heaven

Hopeless Records

Pop/Rock

Song cycle about the death of a loved one brings this Philadelphia-based pop-punk band to new creative heights.

— Mark Deming

Wilson Pickett

Mr. Magic Man: The Complete RCA Studio Recordings

Real Gone Music

R&B

Four albums the wicked soul shouter recorded for RCA in the '70s, three of which sound stronger than their lukewarm reputation.

— Mark Deming

Martha Argerich

Carte Blanche

Deutsche Grammophon

Classical

In general, for those who think big-name chamber concerts were a thing of the past, check this out.

— James Manheim

Daniel Barenboim / Gustavo Dudamel

Brahms: The Piano Concertos

Deutsche Grammophon

Classical

There is a sense of great variety powerfully unified throughout and Deutsche Grammophon delivers live sound that's just about as good as it gets.

— James Manheim

Lars Vogt

Bach: Goldberg Variations

Ondine

Classical

These are moderate in tempo and quietly dreamy, to delightful effect, and one might indeed imagine the insomniac Russian count drifting off to them.

— James Manheim

Dresden Staatskapelle Kammerharmonie Bläsersolisten / Margarita Höhenrieder

Mozart, Beethoven: Quintette für Bläser und Klavier

Hänssler Classic

Classical

The wind soloists of the Dresden Staatskapelle and pianist Margarita Höhenrieder give the quintets of Mozart and Beethoven buoyant performances.

— Blair Sanderson

Dennis Russell Davies / Bruckner Orchester Linz

Philip Glass: Symphony No. 10

Orange Mountain Music

Classical

This is a great deal of fun. With the big, upbeat quality of the music, this is a good place to start with late Glass.

— James Manheim

Itzhak Perlman / Emanuel Ax

Fauré & Strauss: Violin Sonatas

Deutsche Grammophon

Classical

Itzhak Perlman and Emanuel Ax make their recording debut on Deutsche Grammophon as a duo with violin sonatas by Gabriel Fauré and Richard Strauss.

— Blair Sanderson

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