Featured New Album Releases

Angel Olsen

My Woman

Jagjaguwar

Pop/Rock

The indie crooner premieres synths and a five-piece backing band on parts of LP four, which follows the emotional stages of an ill-fated relationship.

— Marcy Donelson

Jesse Paris Smith / Patti Smith / Soundwalk Collective

Killer Road

Sacred Bones

Electronic

Performance art collective pays homage to singer and poet Nico with this piece, which features Patti Smith reading Nico's poetry.

— Mark Deming

The Fleshtones

The Band Drinks for Free

Yep Roc

Pop/Rock

America's leading Super Rock band still have all the smarts, energy, and swagger they need on their 40th Anniversary release.

— Mark Deming

The Frightnrs

Nothing More to Say

Daptone

Reggae

Striking debut from Queens, New York band channeling vintage reggae and rocksteady; vocalist Dan Klein died three months before release.

— Mark Deming

The Hecks

Trouble in Mind

Pop/Rock

Unpredictable collection of minimalist garage rock deconstructions, ranging from dissonant drone to scratchy hooks.

— Paul Simpson

Chook Race

Around the House

Trouble in Mind

Pop/Rock

Strong second album of scrappy, but still melodic, jangle pop from the Australian trio.

— Tim Sendra

Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart / Jah Wobble

Everything Is No Thing

Jah Wobble Records

Jazz

The legendary bassist draws on jazz-funk, Afrobeat, and spiritual soul for this killer homage to the music that inspired him.

— Thom Jurek

Beach Baby

No Mind No Money

Caroline / Island / Universal

Pop/Rock

An engaging debut by a London-based quartet that crafts memorable tunes with a mix of spiky indie rock and post-punk contemplation.

— Marcy Donelson

Scott and Charlene's Wedding

Mid Thirties Single Scene

Fire Records

Pop/Rock

Returning to his native Australia after a stint in New York City, Craig Dermody still excels at writing wry observations about day-to-day life.

— Paul Simpson

Seth Walker

Gotta Get Back

Royal Potato Family

Blues, Jazz, Pop/Rock

The singer/songwriter/guitarist reconnected to early childhood inspiration including family for this spirited and eclectic outing.

— Marcy Donelson

Céline Dion

Encore un Soir

Pop/Rock

Recorded during her husband's passing, Encore Un Soir is one of the subtlest and moving collections in Celine Dion's catalog.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Chatham County Line

Autumn

Yep Roc

Country

Nuanced and earthy, the band's eighth album perfectly evokes the many different facets of its namesake.

— Timothy Monger

Freddie Mercury

Messenger of the Gods: The Singles

Hollywood

Pop/Rock, Classical

Well-presented two-disc anthology showcasing all of the legendary Queen vocalist's solo singles.

— Matt Collar

Dog Party

'Til You're Mine

Asian Man Records

Pop/Rock

The Giles sisters fifth album is fun and tough punk pop that doesn't skimp on the hooks.

— Tim Sendra

Eluvium

False Readings On

Temporary Residence

Electronic

Matthew Cooper continues to blend classical and shoegaze elements on his seventh full-length under the name Eluvium.

— Paul Simpson

Gene & Eddie

True Enough: Gene & Eddie with Sir Joe at Ru-Jac

Omnivore

R&B

Collection of rare sides from this R&B duo ultimately flatters their producer and arranger more than the vocalists.

— Mark Deming

Goblin Cock

Necronomidonkeykongimicon

Joyful Noise

Pop/Rock

Spills forth from a viscera-stained tackle box brimming with hooks, effectively pairing fiery punk and sludge metal might with crafty alt-rock choruses.

— James Christopher Monger

Helms Alee

Stillicide

Sargent House

Pop/Rock

The Seattle-based trio delivers both might and magic via an 11-track blast of glacial post-rock/stoner metal grandeur.

— James Christopher Monger

James Vincent McMorrow

We Move

James Mahogany Books, Ltd. / Mahogany

Folk, Pop/Rock

The third full-length studio outing from the Irish singer/songwriter sees him transitioning from bucolic balladeer to minimalist R&B bard.

— James Christopher Monger

Mozes and the Firstborn

Great Pile of Nothing

Burger Records

Pop/Rock

The former garage rockers ripen into a wonderfully hooky power pop outfit on their sophomore LP.

— Timothy Monger

Porter Wagoner

The Definitive Collection

Real Gone Music

Country, Religious

A double-disc set that contains all of the Nashville icon's major hits between 1954 and 1974.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Meters

A Message from the Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977

Real Gone Music

R&B

Exceptional double-disc collection of the singles the seminal New Orleans band released between 1968 and 1977.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Warlocks

Songs from the Pale Eclipse

Cleopatra

Pop/Rock

Bobby Hecksher and company bring new life to some of his old song ideas, full of nocturnal psychedelic magic.

— Mark Deming

Various Artists

Total 16

Kompakt

Electronic

The 2016 installment of German techno institution Kompakt's lauded compilation series is one of its trippiest volumes.

— Paul Simpson

Zomby

Ultra

Hyperdub

Electronic

Joined by Burial and Rezzett, among others, the producer returns to Hyperdub with a set of slight variations on old moves.

— Andy Kellman

Jamie T.

Trick

Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

Infectiously exciting genre-blender from a sonic mad scientist who draws upon influences like the Clash, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, and the U.K. grime scene.

— Neil Z. Yeung