Featured New Releases for
March 23, 2018

Album cover for Space Gun by Guided by VoicesEditors' Choice
Guided by Voices

Space Gun

Guided by Voices, Inc.
Pop/Rock
With a great lineup, fine songs, and solid production, this is one of the group's best efforts since the dawn of the 2000s.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Sex & Cigarettes by Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton

Sex & Cigarettes

Def Jam
R&B
Brief, frank, and tightly concentrated set of breakup material from the recent Soul Train Legend Award winner.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Twentytwo in Blue by Sunflower BeanEditors' Choice
Sunflower Bean

Twentytwo in Blue

Mom + Pop Music
Pop/Rock
The band's second album takes on politics and growing up in a series of glam rockers, prom ballads, and midtempo indie pop gems.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for New Material by Preoccupations
Preoccupations

New Material

Jagjaguwar
Pop/Rock
Working with producer Justin Meldal-Johnson, the band hones its existential dread into undeniably catchy songs.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Post- by Jeff RosenstockEditors' Choice
Jeff Rosenstock

Post-

Polyvinyl
Pop/Rock
The Long Island native's third nervy missive merges emotional hopelessness with rousing punk defiance.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Castles by Lissie
Lissie

Castles

Cooking Vinyl / Lionboy Records
Pop/Rock, Country
Lissie strips her songwriting to its essentials while retaining some of her appealing surface sheen.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Toubalbero by Sidi Touré
Sidi Touré

Toubalbero

Thrill Jockey
International
The Malian singer/songwriter employs a youthful electric band on his vital and joyous fourth release for Thrill Jockey.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Used Future by The SwordEditors' Choice
The Sword

Used Future

Razor & Tie
Pop/Rock
A controlled blaze of '70s hard rock riffage, fuzzed-out desert blues, and jammy progressive metal in search of a new spark.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Dirt by Yamantaka // Sonic TitanEditors' Choice
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

Dirt

Paper Bag Records
Pop/Rock
The third effort from the Canadian-Asian collective whips myth and sci-fi with psych and prog metal in a thrilling sonic squall.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Fever by Black MilkEditors' Choice
Black Milk

Fever

Mass Appeal
Rap
The producer/MC's first rap album since 2014 is a tense, often grim, always riveting affair.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Longwave by Bonny Doon
Bonny Doon

Longwave

Woodsist
Pop/Rock
Born from improvisation, the Detroit indie rock band's Woodsist debut is a stripped-down, languid affair suited for warm summer evenings.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Eccentric Soul: The Saru Label by Various Artists
Various Artists

Eccentric Soul: The Saru Label

Numero
R&B
Anthology of a Cleveland-based independent soul label driven creatively by Bobby Massey of the O'Jays.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Blueprint by Alice BagEditors' Choice
Alice Bag

Blueprint

Don Giovanni
Pop/Rock
The L.A. punk pioneer's second solo album is intelligent, eclectic, and impassioned music by a gifted songwriter and vocalist.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Summertime Songs by Field Report
Field Report

Summertime Songs

Verve
Pop/Rock
The aptly named Summertime Songs manages to transcend the myriad hardships that birthed it with hard-earned compassion and genuine sonic warmth.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Plasty II by Hanz
Hanz

Plasty II

Tri Angle
Electronic, Rap
The second of mysterious, cinematic producer Hanz's 2018 EPs contains some of his strongest, tightest work yet.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Returnings by Jakob BroEditors' Choice
Jakob Bro

Returnings

ECM
Jazz
The Danish guitarist's third ECM album is an atmospheric set featuring trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for Ocean Electro by Kellarissa
Kellarissa

Ocean Electro

Mint / Mint Records
Pop/Rock
Larissa Loyva's third solo LP has a more consistent sound she has described as a mix of driving synth pop and "femme psych electronica."

— Marcy Donelson

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