Big Sean

I Decided.

Def Jam / Virgin EMI

Rap

The Detroit rapper's fourth full-length is a significant evolution in terms of depth, maturity, and self-awareness.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Deadmau5

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Kobalt / Mau5trap

Electronic

Eighth LP from the Canadian producer finds the mouse-masked Joel Zimmerman relying on deep grooves that favor a focused, extended listen.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Elbow

Little Fictions

Concord / Polydor

Pop/Rock

A contemplative and hopeful album from Elbow.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Sampha

Process

Young Turks

R&B

Stirring first album from a singular do-it-all who has worked with Drake, Beyoncé, Kanye, and Solange.

— Andy Kellman

Surfer Blood

Snowdonia

Joyful Noise

Pop/Rock

The band responds to a period of massive change and loss with some of its most ambitious and unexpected music.

— Heather Phares

The Bats

The Deep Set

Flying Nun

Pop/Rock

The ageless New Zealanders sound as good and jangly as ever, even after being in a band together since 1982.

— Tim Sendra

Homeshake

Fresh Air

Captured Tracks / Sinderlyn

Pop/Rock

Peter Sagar continues to refine his minimalist, melancholy indie R&B sound on his third full-length as Homeshake.

— Paul Simpson

Porcelain Raft

Microclimate

Volcanic Field

Pop/Rock

Italian-born bedroom pop auteur Mauro Remiddi's third outing splits the difference between heady chillwave and Scandinavian pop grandeur.

— James Christopher Monger

Iron Reagan

Crossover Ministry

Relapse Records

Pop/Rock

The third full-length from these thrash metal revivalists is smart, funny, and hits hard like a baseball bat.

— Mark Deming

Julian Cope

Drunken Songs

Head Heritage

Pop/Rock

U.K. eccentric Julian Cope reclaims his whimsy and melodicism on this pleasing set of drinking songs.

— Timothy Monger

Ron Gallo

Heavy Meta

New West

Pop/Rock

Former Toy Soldiers frontman reinvents himself as a scrappy, literate garage-punk troubadour with this album.

— Mark Deming

Moon Duo

Occult Architecture, Vol. 1

Sacred Bones

Pop/Rock

The band's fifth studio album is reliably psychedelic, but lacking some of the invention of their best work.

— Tim Sendra

MUNA

About U

RCA

Pop/Rock

Moody, new wave-inspired modern pop with guitars and very direct lyrics.

— Tim Sendra

Black Star Riders

Heavy Fire

Nuclear Blast

Pop/Rock

The post-Thin Lizzy unit's third studio outing invokes the heyday of late-'70s/early-'80s classic rock without falling victim to nostalgia.

— James Christopher Monger

The Menzingers

After the Party

Epitaph

Pop/Rock

The Pennsylvanian punks deepen their self-ruminations on their big-hearted fifth LP.

— Timothy Monger

Communions

Blue

Fat Possum Records

Pop/Rock

Danish band conjures the sound of the U.K. in the '80s with uncanny accuracy, though a more original perspective might be welcome.

— Mark Deming

Wyclef Jean

J'ouvert

eOne

Rap

Uneven prelude to the Fugee's third Carnival album, featuring appearances from Walk the Moon and Young Thug.

— Andy Kellman

Duke Garwood

Garden of Ashes

Heavenly

Pop/Rock

Smoky, dark dream-blues from this understated London singer/guitarist.

— Timothy Monger

Fenech-Soler

Zilla

So Recordings

Pop/Rock

On their third album of buoyant alternative dance, few are likely to notice that the lineup's been halved to the duo of Ben and Ross Duffy.

— Marcy Donelson

Beth Hart

Fire on the Floor [Bonus Track]

Provogue

Pop/Rock, Blues

A loose, swaggering, and fun album from Beth Hart.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Five's Company

Friends and Mirrors: The Complete Recordings 1964-1968

Grapefruit

Pop/Rock

The complete recordings of a band that dabbled in British Invasion commentary and prog rock.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Ralph Towner

My Foolish Heart

ECM

Jazz

A warmly delivered set of solo jazz and classical guitar from the virtuoso performer.

— Matt Collar

The Dig

Bloodshot Tokyo

Roll Call

Pop/Rock

The New York indie rockers' third LP is a sensual groover co-produced by bassist Matt Basile (Mother Feather) and mixed by Richard Swift.

— Marcy Donelson

Original Soundtrack

T2: Trainspotting [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Interscope / Polydor

Stage & Screen, Electronic, Pop/Rock

A soundtrack that updates the defining tracks from the original for a new century, and a new set of problems, for the film's anti-heroes.

— Bekki Bemrose

Alice Babs / Duke Ellington

Serenade to Sweden

Real Gone Music

Vocal

A lush and sophisticated collaboration between the legendary pianist and Swedish vocalist Alice Babs.

— Matt Collar

Art Pepper

Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions, Vol. 1: Sonny Stitt

Omnivore

Jazz

The two saxophone giants teamed up for this thrilling, deeply emotive late-'70s session.

— Matt Collar

Art Pepper

Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions, Vol. 2: Pete Jolly

Omnivore

Jazz

The West Coast saxophone icon reunited with pianist Pete Jolly for this swinging, dusky session.

— Matt Collar

Less Than Jake

Sound the Alarm

Pure Noise

Pop/Rock

Concise blast of signature horns-and-harmony ska-punk energy from the veteran Florida quintet.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Lynn Anderson

The Definitive Collection

Real Gone Music

Country

The first thorough overview of Lynn Anderson's '60s and '70s peak.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Reba McEntire

Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope

Nash Icon / Rockin' R

Country

A double-disc religious album containing one disc of standards and one disc of contemporary inspirational material.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Eliza Carthy / The Wayward Band

Big Machine

Topic / Topic Records

Folk

The U.K. folk maverick deftly wields her ambitions with this appropriately robust big ensemble collaboration.

— Timothy Monger

The Move

Magnetic Waves of Sound: The Best of the Move

Esoteric Recordings

Pop/Rock

Excellent cross-licensed collection that delivers the highlights of Roy Wood and company's 1966-1972 lifespan.

— Mark Deming

Bernard Haitink

Mahler: Symphonie Nr. 3

BR Klassik

Classical

Bernard Haitink conducts the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in his third recording of Mahler's Third Symphony.

— Blair Sanderson

Johannes Monno

Johann Sebastian Bach: Works for Lute

Hänssler Classic

Classical

Bach's works for lute receive vibrant performances by guitarist Johannes Monno, who has wanted to record them since childhood.

— Blair Sanderson

Giovanni Antonini / Isabelle Faust / Il Giardino Armonico

Mozart: Violin Concertos

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

Isabelle Faust joins the period ensemble Il Giardino Armonico in this historically informed set of Mozart's five violin concertos.

— Blair Sanderson

Yuri Serov / St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra

Boris Tishchenko: Symphony No. 8

Naxos

Classical

Yuri Serov leads the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra in orchestral and vocal works by Shostakovich protege Boris Tishchenko.

— Blair Sanderson

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