Bob Dylan

The Bootleg Series, Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: [Deluxe Edition]

Legacy / Sony Music

Folk, Pop/Rock

A phenomenal six-disc set of outtakes, alternate versions, and fragments from Dylan's 1965-1966 peak.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Ellie Goulding

Delirium

Interscope / Polydor

Pop/Rock

British electronic pop singer bursts her sound wide open with a hooky, R&B-infused third album.

— Matt Collar

Tim McGraw

Damn Country Music

Big Machine Records

Country, Pop/Rock

An exceedingly smooth yet slyly modern collection of mature country-pop from the veteran singer.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Seal

7

Warner Bros. / WEA

Pop/Rock

The singer's first full album of Trevor Horn-produced originals since 2003 is a pleasing continuation of the duo's familiar approach.

— Andy Kellman

Angie Stone

Dream

Shanachie

R&B

A little more retro-styled than her previous albums, the singer's seventh set bounds from boogie to soul-pop and includes a fine Dave Hollister duet.

— Andy Kellman

Little Mix

Get Weird

Sony Music / Syco Music

Pop/Rock

A fun, decade-blending mix of arty '80s synth pop and Beyonce-esque, booty-shaking R&B.

— Matt Collar

Sam Smith

In the Lonely Hour [Drowning Shadows Edition]

Capitol

Pop/Rock

The singer's smash debut resurfaces for the holiday shopping season with an extensive assortment of previously released and new material.

— Andy Kellman

Natalie Merchant

Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings

Nonesuch

Pop/Rock

Twenty years on, the singer/songwriter offers a new experience of her classic album by completely re-recording it.

— Thom Jurek

Sara Bareilles

What's Inside: Songs from Waitress

Epic

Pop/Rock

Sara Bareilles' songs for Diane Paulus' theatrical adaptation of the 2007 indie comedy Waitress is a tuneful triumph.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Billy Gibbons / Billy Gibbons & the BFG's

Perfectamundo

Concord

Pop/Rock

The ZZ Top guitarist takes solo flight with this collection of Cuban-inflected blues boogie.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Hunter Hayes

The 21 Project

Atlantic

Country

Hunter Hayes offers three different views -- studio, acoustic, live -- of the same seven songs on The 21 Project.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Floating Points

Elaenia

Pluto

Electronic

Sam Shepherd and supporting players' exacting and dazzling cross between modern creative jazz and ambient techno.

— Andy Kellman

Grimes

Art Angels

4AD / Crystal Math Music / Eerie Organization

Pop/Rock

Claire Boucher's independent pop is more ambitious and more accessible than ever on her Visions follow-up.

— Heather Phares

Bill Ryder-Jones

West Kirby County Primary

Domino

Pop/Rock

The introspective bard of West Kirby turns up the guitars on his warm and weary third album.

— Timothy Monger

Jamie Woon

Making Time

Polydor

Pop/Rock

After a four-year break, the singer tops his debut with nuanced, organic grooves made with Lexx, Paul White, and Robin Hannibal.

— Andy Kellman

Old Dominion

Meat and Candy

RCA / Sony Music

Country

Sterling collection of sharply written, mainstream country-pop with mild R&B influences that isn't afraid to be either romantic or corny.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

'77

Nothing's Gonna Stop Us

Sony Music

Pop/Rock

Big, loud, and unabashed hard-rocking boogie from these Spaniards obsessed with '70s-style guitar bashing.

— Mark Deming

Carla Morrison

Amor Supremo

Cosmica / Universal

Pop/Rock, Latin

Striking a perfect balance between atmosphere and artistry, Amor Supremo presents Morrison as anything but a traditional Latin pop star.

— James Christopher Monger

Cola Jet Set

El Fin del Mundo

Elefant

Pop/Rock

The band's third album comes after a long break and lineup shifts, and finds them adding new sounds and emotions to their jangling, upbeat approach.

— Tim Sendra

Julia Kent

Asperities

Leaf / The Leaf Label

Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde

Cellist Julia Kent's spellbinding fourth album focuses on conflict, both internal and external, resulting in her most direct, striking work.

— Paul Simpson

The Leaf Library

Daylight Versions

Where It's At Is Where You Are

Pop/Rock

Inspired by the English seaside and countryside, the band's post-rock pop is almost as restful and refreshing as the great outdoors.

— Heather Phares

Library Voices

Lovish

Nevado Records

Pop/Rock

The Saskatchewan indie outfit stretches out, trying on a darker, more mature tone on their third LP.

— Timothy Monger

Kelley Stoltz

In Triangle Time

Castle Face

Pop/Rock

Another set of homemade pop gems from this one-man band, boasting great songs and inventive production.

— Mark Deming

Molly Nilsson

Zenith

Dark Skies Association / Night School

Pop/Rock

Nilsson's sixth album is her best; expansive and emotional synth pop delivered with a deadpan grace.

— Tim Sendra

Soldiers of Fortune

Early Risers

Mexican Summer

Pop/Rock

The "anti-band" wail hard on their second album, featuring guest vocals from Stephen Malkumus, Matt McAuley, and Cass McCoombs.

— Mark Deming

Stanley Clarke / Biréli Lagrène / Jean-Luc Ponty

D-Stringz

Universal / Verve

Jazz

This acoustic trio offers a relaxed, swinging set of standards and originals that showcases the warm side of musical virtuosity.

— Thom Jurek

Steve Forbert

Compromised

Rock Ridge Music / Rolling Tide Records

Pop/Rock, Folk

The singer-songwriter sounds laid back but game as he ponders aging, relationships, the Beatles, and the Stones.

— Mark Deming

Talib Kweli / 9th Wonder

Indie 500

It's a Wonderful World

Rap

Pride and retro-soul both fuel this underground duo's excellent collaboration.

— David Jeffries

Vanden Plas

Chronicles of the Immortals: Netherworld, Pt. 2

Frontier Records / Frontiers Records

Pop/Rock

The German progressive metal outfit conclude their conceptual take on Wolfgang Hohlbein's novels in grand, excessive style.

— Thom Jurek

W-X

W-X

Castle Face

Pop/Rock

White Fence's Tim Presley retreats into the garage for his sprawling, messy experimental side project W-X.

— Paul Simpson

Paavo Järvi / Orchestre de Paris

Rachmaninoff: Symphonie No. 3; Caprice Bohémien; Danses Symphoniques; Le Rocher; Vocalise

Erato

Classical

Paavo Järvi and the Orchestre de Paris give a French sound to Sergey Rachmaninov's orchestral music on this Erato two-fer.

— Blair Sanderson

Stephan Genz / Michel Dalberto

Schubert: Winterreise

Claves

Classical

Those looking for a recording that follows in the footsteps of Fischer-Dieskau may gravitate toward this Swiss baritone.

— James Manheim

Amanda Forsythe / Apollo's Fire

The Power of Love: Arias from Handel Operas

Avie

Classical

Amanda Forsythe sings virtuoso arias from Handel's operas, backed by Jeannette Sorrell and the brilliant period instruments ensemble Apollo's Fire.

— Blair Sanderson

Takács Quartet

Janácek & Smetana: String Quartets

Hyperion

Classical

This kind of thing is the Takács Quartet's bread and butter, and a major statement of Czech chamber music.

— James Manheim

Stile Antico

A Wondrous Mystery: Renaissance Music for Christmas

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

A Wondrous Mystery is a quietly joyous album of Renaissance choral music for Christmas, presented by the exquisite Stile Antico.

— Blair Sanderson

Conrad Tao

Pictures

Warner Classics

Classical

In his 2015 Warner Classics release, Conrad Tao explores themes of grief, memory, and imagery in a collection of solo piano works.

— Blair Sanderson

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