Good Charlotte

Youth Authority

MDDN

Pop/Rock

Alternately mawkish, nostalgic, and impassioned, Youth Authority is an endearing comeback from Good Charlotte.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Clams Casino

32 Levels

Columbia

Rap

The mysterious and groundbreaking producer offers a stunning official debut with help from A$AP Rocky, Lil B, and Samuel T. Herring.

— David Jeffries

Aaron Neville

Apache

Tell It

R&B

A set of stimulating originals, all co-written by the New Orleans legend, produced by retro-R&B specialist Eric Krasno.

— Andy Kellman

Jeff Beck

Loud Hailer

Atco / Atlantic / Rhino

Pop/Rock

A roiling, topical record that nevertheless adheres to Jeff Beck's traditional values.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Michael Kiwanuka

Love & Hate

Polydor

R&B, Pop/Rock

The London native's sophomore LP is a dark and graceful expansion outward from his retro-soul roots.

— Timothy Monger

Snoop Dogg

Coolaid

eOne

Rap

It's a back-to-basics album from the veteran rapper with help from Swizz Beatz, Wiz Khalifa, E-40, and others.

— David Jeffries

Steven Tyler

We're All Somebody from Somewhere

Big Machine Records / DOT Records

Country

Power ballad-heavy collection of crisp, polished country crossovers by the Aerosmith lead singer.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

16

Lifespan of a Moth

Relapse Records

Pop/Rock

The veteran Southern California sludge rockers' seventh studio outing is a viscera-stained, eight-track calling card with incredibly sharp edges.

— James Christopher Monger

Ash Koley

Elements

Nettwerk

Pop/Rock

The Canadian pop duo inject synth pop and hip-hop elements into their sophomore effort.

— Timothy Monger

Boss Hog

Brood Star

In the Red Records

Pop/Rock

Four-song EP from Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer's project shows a 16-year layoff hasn't sapped their strength.

— Mark Deming

David Nail

Fighter

MCA / MCA Nashville

Country

A mature, confident record from a singer who sees no reason to grandstand.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Earls of Leicester

Rattle & Roar

Rounder

Country

All-star Flatt & Scruggs tribute act sounds even stronger on their sophomore album.

— Mark Deming

Gary Wilson

It's Friday Night with Gary Wilson

Cleopatra

Pop/Rock

Eccentric cult hero seems slightly better adjusted as he continues to ponder his obsessions with women and synthesizers.

— Mark Deming

Heaven for Real

Kill Your Memory

Mint

Pop/Rock

Halifax-based quartet serves up a knotty, nervy, and often cryptic set of post-punk/psych-pop math jams.

— James Christopher Monger

Heliotropes

Over There That Way

The End / Warner Bros.

Pop/Rock

Their second album debuts a new lineup for the band, and a weightier thematic approach.

— Mark Deming

Amanda Palmer / Jack Palmer

You Got Me Singing

8ft. Records / Cooking Vinyl

Folk

Eccentric singer/songwriter releases a covers album recorded with her father.

— Rob Wacey

Jherek Bischoff

Cistern

The Leaf Label

Pop/Rock

The symphonic ambience of this follow-up to Composed was influenced by recording experiments done in an empty two-million-gallon water tank.

— Marcy Donelson

Lawrence Arabia

Absolute Truth

Flying Nun / Rallye

Pop/Rock

Fourth, and best, album of sweet-and-smart classic songcraft from the Nilsson-loving New Zealander.

— Tim Sendra

Lawson

Perspective

Polydor

Pop/Rock

Britain's Lawson deliver their sophomore album of hooky, earnestly romantic pop, produced in Nashville with John Fields.

— Matt Collar

Lindstrøm

Windings

Smalltown Supersound

Electronic

Following a few years' worth of collaborations, the Norwegian disco king goes back to basics with this three-track EP.

— Paul Simpson

Lucy Woodward

Til They Bang on the Door

Decca / Groundup Music / Universal

Pop/Rock

A soulful, R&B- and blues-effort featuring contributions from Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League.

— Matt Collar

Needtobreathe

Hard Love

Atlantic

Religious

The Carolina quartet's riveting heartland spirituality reaches a peak on their sixth LP, expertly balancing the faithful with the mainstream.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Original Soundtrack

Ghostbusters [2016] [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

RCA

Stage & Screen

The original motion picture soundtrack to the Paul Feig-directed 2016 reboot of the beloved 1984 blockbuster supernatural comedy treads familiar ground.

— James Christopher Monger

The Paranoid Style

Rolling Disclosure

Bar/None Records

Pop/Rock

An exhilarating full-length debut with a distinctive sound that juxtaposes loose punk-pop with Elizabeth Nelson's musical theater-friendly tone.

— Marcy Donelson

Prose

Home of the Brave

Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock, Rap

Combining confessional rap with indie guitar, this Manchester trio strikes an emotional chord with nostalgia and gravity.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Sugar Candy Mountain

666

Joyful Noise / Piaptk

Pop/Rock

The Oakland psych-pop outfit's third LP is mystic, complex, and classically Californian.

— Timothy Monger

The Garbage & the Flowers

The Deep Niche

Grapefruit

Pop/Rock

Previously unreleased sessions from before their legendary Eyes Rind as if Beggars album was recorded.

— Tim Sendra

William S. Burroughs

Let Me Hang You

Ernest Jenning / Khannibalism

Comedy/Spoken

Wild reworking of the Beat novelist's readings of Naked Lunch, accompanied by new music from King Khan.

— Mark Deming

Richard Lester / Elizabeth Lester

A Musical Journey Around Europe

Nimbus

Classical

Richard Lester presents a survey of keyboard music from Europe in the late Renaissance, the Baroque, and Classical eras.

— Blair Sanderson

Eco dell'Anima

Dance Suites and Sonatas of Jean-Féry Rebel

Centaur Records

Classical

Chamber works by the French Baroque composer Jean-Féry Rebel are performed in period style by Eco dell'Anima.

— Blair Sanderson

John Storgårds / Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Per Nørgård: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6

Dacapo

Classical

The music of Per Nørgård is perhaps best experienced through his symphonies; this release is especially recommended.

— James Manheim

Itamar Golan / Matt Haimovitz / Miró Quartet

Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata & String Quintet

PentaTone Classics

Classical

Matt Haimovitz's Schubert program combines the Arpeggione Sonata with the String Quintet, two important works for cellists.

— Blair Sanderson

London Symphony Orchestra Percussion Ensemble

Steve Reich: Sextet; Clapping Music; Music for Pieces of Wood

LSO Live

Classical

Reproducing a concert directed at commuters, the light, spontaneous live energy of this could serve to represent Reich in any collection.

— James Manheim

Vladimir Ashkenazy / Mats Lidström / Ada Meinich / Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay

Shostakovich: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2; Viola Sonata

Decca

Classical

A wonderful tribute from one great artist to another who inspired him, beautifully recorded.

— James Manheim

Previous Week Next Week