Metallica

Hardwired... To Self-Destruct

Blackened Recordings

Pop/Rock

A double album that consciously evokes Metallica's '80s without ever seeming desperate.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Bruno Mars

24K Magic

Atlantic

R&B

An all-out R&B affair with references that span the '80s and scrape the '90s, from post-disco boogie to new jack swing.

— Andy Kellman

Miranda Lambert

The Weight of These Wings

RCA / Vanner Records

Country

A moody, muddy, and audacious double album from Miranda Lambert.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Solange

A Seat at the Table

Columbia

R&B

Potent, cathartic, and tender, the third album from the expectation-defying singer, songwriter, and producer weighs a ton and levitates.

— Andy Kellman

Tori Amos

Boys for Pele [Deluxe Edition]

Atlantic / GC / Rhino

Pop/Rock

The landmark third album that finds Amos diving headlong into pain and catharsis on a challenging but ultimately rewarding opus.

— Neil Z. Yeung

R.E.M.

Out of Time [25th Anniversary Edition]

Concord / Universal

Pop/Rock

R.E.M. got lush and pastoral on this 1991 blockbuster featuring "Losing My Religion."

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Soundgarden

Badmotorfinger [25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]

A&M / Polydor

Pop/Rock

Soundgarden got bigger, bolder, and meaner on this 1991 breakthrough.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Dawn Richard

Redemption

Local Action

R&B

The proudly defiant conclusion to the expectation-defying singer and songwriter's "heart trilogy."

— Andy Kellman

Bobby Previte

Mass

RareNoise Records

Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde

The master drummer and bandleader formally weds Renaissance liturgical music, improvisation, and heavy metal to devastating effect.

— Thom Jurek

The Human League

A Very British Synthesizer Group: The Anthology

Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

Deep overview that covers the group's entire existence, from late-'70s post-punk to early-2010s contemporary synth pop.

— Andy Kellman

Thee Oh Sees

An Odd Entrances

Castle Face

Pop/Rock

A companion to their A Weird Exits album from earlier in the year, it's a more experimental take on their blown-out and adventurous psych sound.

— Tim Sendra

devonwho

Luz

Leaving Records

Electronic, Rap, R&B

The West Coast beatmaker's excellent first LP for Leaving Records is full of sunny, laid-back but not sluggish synth-funk.

— Paul Simpson

Harvey Mandel

Snake Pit

Tompkins Square

Pop/Rock, Blues

On his first widely distributed album in 20 years, the legendary guitarist and a young band from Chicago deliver a stone killer.

— Thom Jurek

Keith Jarrett

A Multitude of Angels

ECM

Jazz, Avant-Garde

Four amazing self-recorded solo improv concerts captured in Italy in 1996 -- the last before he was sidelined for two years by illness.

— Thom Jurek

Justice

Woman

Because Music

Electronic

The duo's third album builds fondly remembered vintage funk and disco and French Touch into nostalgic grooves.

— Heather Phares

DNCE

DNCE

Republic

Pop/Rock

The debut from Joe Jonas' dance-rock-meets-disco band is a hooky and exuberant party album.

— Matt Collar

Little Mix

Glory Days

Sony Music / Syco Music

Pop/Rock

A fun, hooky album that balances '60s girl group R&B and contemporary dance-pop.

— Matt Collar

Pink Martini

Je Dis Oui!

Heinz / Heinz Records

Pop/Rock

Inspired by cinematic glamour, the little orchestra's ninth album is another celebration of globally minded pop.

— Heather Phares

Split Single

Metal Frames

Pop/Rock

Chicago journeyman Jason Narducy and his crew put on a power pop clinic on their sophomore LP.

— Timothy Monger

Tim Buckley

Wings: The Complete Singles 1966-1974

Omnivore

Pop/Rock, Jazz

Cross-licensed collection of the 45s the late singer/songwriter released in his lifetime, plus one unreleased track.

— Mark Deming

Dungen

Häxan

Pop/Rock, Stage & Screen

The band scores the 1926 animated film The Adventures of Prince Achmed with a typically trippy blend of psychedelic rock and freak jazz.

— Tim Sendra

DIANA

Familiar Touch

Culvert Music / Universal

Pop/Rock

Three years after their debut, Toronto group DIANA make a few minor adjustments to their pristine, confessional brand of synth pop.

— Paul Simpson

Mark III

Marvin Whoremonger

Blacklite / Now-Again

R&B

Fascinating '70s private press deep funk album conceptualized by a Las Vegas hustler and played by a trio of high-school students.

— Paul Simpson

Alex Izenberg

Harlequin

Weird World

Pop/Rock

Audacious chamber pop from an L.A. songwriter in his mid-twenties who stayed off the radar by using pseudonyms to work on his debut.

— Marcy Donelson

Ween

GodWeenSatan [Live]

ATO / Chocodog Records

Pop/Rock

Ween celebrated the 2001 reissue of their 1990 debut by performing it in its entirety in their hometown of New Hope, Pennsylvania.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Zoos of Berlin

Instant Evening

Don't Look About

Pop/Rock

Detroit's art-pop enigmas deliver another stunner with their beautifully honed third album.

— Timothy Monger

Title Tracks

Long Dream

Dischord Records / Ernest Jenning

Pop/Rock

The group's third album is modern power pop that balances the power and pop perfectly.

— Tim Sendra

Cineplexx

Espejos

Jabalina

Pop/Rock

Slick and sophisticated modern pop that nods to late-night disco and romantic Latin ballads.

— Tim Sendra

Cliff Richard

Just... Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll

Sony Music

Pop/Rock

The first British rock star covers a stack of classic hits of the '50s and '60s in strong but unimaginative fashion.

— Mark Deming

Faith Hill

Deep Tracks

Warner Bros.

Country, Pop/Rock

A compilation of album tracks from 1998-2005 boosted by three unreleased cuts.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Highly Suspect

The Boy Who Died Wolf

300 Entertainment

Pop/Rock

In the wake of unexpected Grammy nominations, the active rock band experiences some serious growing pangs.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Jay Som

Turn Into

Polyvinyl

Pop/Rock

Spanning shoegaze and brighter indie pop, a sampling of songs from bedroom pop artist Melina Duterte that brought her to the attention of Polyvinyl.

— Marcy Donelson

Lamb of God

The Duke [LP]

Nuclear Blast

Pop/Rock

With the Duke EP, Lamb of God pay tribute to a fallen comrade.

— James Christopher Monger

Nathaniel Rateliff / Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

A Little Something More From

Fantasy / Stax

Pop/Rock

This eight-track stopgap EP is certainly for fans. It contains studio versions of live faves, a B-side, and new tracks.

— Thom Jurek

Robert Earl Keen

Live Dinner Reunion

Dualtone Music

Folk, Country, Pop/Rock

Sequel to the Texas singer/songwriter's celebrated 1996 live album shows he's still a great performer two decades on.

— Mark Deming

Sixx:A.M.

Prayers for the Blessed, Vol. 2

Eleven Seven

Pop/Rock

Sixx:A.M. deliver a brighter counterpoint to Prayers for the Damned.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Lower Plenty

Sister Sister

Bedroom Suck

Pop/Rock

Members of Dick Diver and Deaf Wish get together for a rousing session of off-kilter bedroom psych-folk.

— Tim Sendra

Disturbed

Disturbed: Live at Red Rocks

Reprise

Pop/Rock

The Windy City metal veterans' first full-length concert album delivers the goods.

— James Christopher Monger

Drakulas

Raw Wave

Dirtnap Records

Pop/Rock

The collaborative punk outfit from members of Riverboat Gamblers and Rise Against come out fully formed on their debut.

— Timothy Monger

ESP Ohio

Starting Point of the Royal Cyclopean

Guided by Voices, Inc.

Pop/Rock

Robert Pollard gets his prog on with some help from guitarist Doug Gillard on this ambitious but engaging album.

— Mark Deming

Tasseomancy

Do Easy

Bella Union

Pop/Rock

Led by twin sisters who often sing in unison, the Toronto quartet offer an offbeat, spooky version of dream pop on their third full-length.

— Marcy Donelson

Romain Descharmes / Pierre Fouchenneret

Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin

Aparte

Classical

Violinist Pierre Fouchenneret and pianist Romain Descharmes perform the complete cycle of Beethoven's sonatas for piano and violin.

— Blair Sanderson

The Sixteen / Harry Christophers

Song of the Nativity

Coro

Classical

A strong entry in the holiday season competition for 2016 and beyond, alternating traditional carols with contemporary pieces.

— James Manheim

Dunedin Consort / John Butt

Bach: Christmas Oratorio

Linn Records

Classical

This a performance in which intelligent, small decisions cohere into a persuasive larger whole.

— James Manheim

King's Consort Choir / Robert King

A Voice from Heaven: British Choral Masterpieces

Vivat

Classical

Pairs of treatments of the same text are compelling, but less significant than the beauty of the performances themselves.

— James Manheim

The Cory Band / Tredegar Town Band

War Memorials: Music for Brass Band

NMC

Classical

Both serious in intent and appealing in an almost tactile way, this brass band music doesn't have a weak moment.

— James Manheim

Valery Gergiev / Yefim Bronfman / London Symphony Orchestra

Stravinsky: The Firebird; Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3; Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin

LSO Live

Classical

Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra present a lively concert of modernist works by Bartók, Stravinsky, and Prokofiev.

— Blair Sanderson

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