Featured New Album Releases

Superchunk

What a Time to Be Alive

Merge

Pop/Rock

Written and recorded in a burst of passion after the 2016 elections, the album is full of fire and powerful, political punk-pop anthems.

— Tim Sendra

Belle and Sebastian

How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pts. 1-3

Matador

Pop/Rock

Belle and Sebastian dedicate themselves to joy on these three interlocked EPs.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Brandi Carlile

By the Way, I Forgive You

Atlantic / Elektra

Pop/Rock

Carlile expands upon the catharsis of The Story on this rich, empathetic album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Laurie Anderson / Kronos Quartet

Landfall

Nonesuch

Avant-Garde

The venerable avant-garde artist and contemporary chamber music quartet collaborate on a record with enormous reach.

— Bekki Bemrose

Car Seat Headrest

Twin Fantasy

Matador

Pop/Rock

Indie rock singer/songwriter offers two versions of his song cycle about the joys and pains of teenage love.

— Mark Deming

Dabrye

Three/Three

Ghostly International

Rap

Almost 12 years after Two/Three, Tadd Mullinix completes his hip-hop trilogy with help from a cast including Doom, Ghostface, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.

— Andy Kellman

The Choir

Artifact: The Unreleased Album

Omnivore

Pop/Rock

A lost psychedelic-meets-baroque pop classic recorded in 1969 by the Cleveland band who went on to form the Raspberries.

— Tim Sendra

I'm With Her

See You Around

New Rounder / Rounder

Folk, Pop/Rock, Country

The folk supergroup delivers an exquisitely shaded debut.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Loma

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

The debut long-player from the Texas trio featuring Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, Cross Record's Emily Cross, and Dan Duszynski, is both heady and heart-heavy.

— James Christopher Monger

Marlon Williams

Make Way for Love

Dead Oceans

Pop/Rock

Written in the wake of a breakup with fellow Kiwi crooner Aldous Harding, Williams' sophomore effort is awash in post-midnight reverb and spilling over with the despondency of heartbreak.

— James Christopher Monger

Tal National

Tantabara

Fat Cat / FatCat Records

International

The West African powerhouse continues to blaze their own path on their excellent third release for the FatCat label.

— Timothy Monger

Norma Winstone

Descansado: Songs for Films

ECM

Jazz, Stage & Screen

The iconic British jazz singer delivers a poignant and provocative collection of songs by film composers -- some with original lyrics.

— Thom Jurek

U.S. Girls

In a Poem Unlimited

4AD

Pop/Rock

With social and political injustice on her mind, Meg Remy joins with improvisational collective the Cosmic Range for her most immediate LP to date.

— Marcy Donelson

The Orielles

Silver Dollar Moment

Heavenly / PIAS

Pop/Rock

Stunning debut by a young U.K. trio that gives the baggy indie dance sound of the early '90s a serious upgrade.

— Tim Sendra

Ought

Room Inside the World

Merge

Pop/Rock

The Montreal band return with their most graceful work yet.

— Bekki Bemrose

Ibon Errazkin

Foto Aérea

Elefant

Latin, Pop/Rock

A peculiar and utterly mesmerizing collection of whimsical, dreamlike compositions from the Spanish guitarist and composer.

— Timothy Monger

Andy Sheppard / Andy Sheppard Quartet

Romaria

ECM

Jazz

An essential addition to the saxophonist's catalog and a fine extension of 2015's Surrounded by the Sea.

— Thom Jurek

Poliça / s t a r g a z e

Music for the Long Emergency

Transgressive

Pop/Rock

The band's collaboration with an orchestral collective adds depth and ambition to their intimate songwriting.

— Heather Phares

Dita Von Teese

Record Makers

Electronic, Pop/Rock

The burlesque icon's collaboration with Sebastien Tellier delivers sparkling fantasy pop that's equally evocative and provocative.

— Heather Phares

Wild Beasts

Last Night All My Dreams Came True

Domino

Pop/Rock

The band delivers a rousing goodbye with a live set of definitive songs.

— Heather Phares

Born Ruffians

Uncle, Duke & the Chief

Paper Bag Records

Pop/Rock

The Canadian indie group gets earnest.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Everything Is Recorded / Richard Russell

Everything Is Recorded by Richard Russell

XL

Pop/Rock

The XL Recordings head assembles a measured, predominantly downcast set with help from dozens, including Sampha, Ibeyi, and Kamasi Washington.

— Andy Kellman

Shannon & the Clams

Onion

Easy Eye Sound / Nonesuch

Pop/Rock

Produced by Dan Auerbach, the group's fifth album is a more mature and thoughtful effort, but still soulful and joyous.

— Mark Deming

Nipsey Hussle

Victory Lap

Atlantic

Rap

After years of buildup, the South Central rapper makes his major-label debut without sacrificing his trademark authenticity.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Wiley

Godfather II

CTA

Rap

Wiley follows up the triumphant Godfather with a delayed, slimmed-down, somewhat underwhelming sequel.

— Paul Simpson

Pianos Become the Teeth

Wait for Love

Epitaph

Pop/Rock

The Baltimore band's fourth album revisits the brooding introspective tone introduced on 2014's Keep You.

— Timothy Monger

Robert Earl Thomas

Another Age

Captured Tracks

Pop/Rock

The Widowspeak guitarist holds his own as a songwriter and producer on a dreamy, uncertain solo debut.

— Marcy Donelson

Senses Fail

If There Is Light, It Will Find You

Pure Noise

Pop/Rock

The screamo band's seventh set tones down the metalcore muscle and opts for unflinching emotional confessions.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Miracle

The Strife of Love in a Dream

Relapse Records

Electronic

Second full-length from Miracle, the dystopian synth pop project of Steve Moore and Daniel O'Sullivan.

— Paul Simpson

Lionel Friedli / Nicolas Masson / Patrice Moret / Colin Vallon

Travelers

ECM

Jazz

On his ECM leader debut, the Swiss saxophonist and composer surrounds himself with old friends for a keen exercise in group interplay.

— Thom Jurek

Tigran Hamasyan

For Gyumri

Nonesuch

Jazz

On this five-track EP, the Armenian pianist revisits and extends the music he explored so brilliantly on 2017's An Ancient Observer.

— Thom Jurek

Satan's Satyrs / Windhand

Split

Relapse Records

Pop/Rock

A convergence of two Virginia bands' decibel-crushing sounds, this split LP from the doom/sludge metal troupe and the sleazy punk-metal unit delivers mightily.

— James Christopher Monger