Nine Inch Nails

Bad Witch

The Null Corporation

Pop/Rock

This cacophonous final piece of a conceptual trilogy finds NIN experimenting with jazz and Bowie-esque crooning.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Panic! At the Disco

Pray for the Wicked

Fueled by Ramen Records

Pop/Rock

The band's sixth studio album is a flamboyant collection of pop anthems infused with R&B, hip-hop, and Rat Pack swagger.

— Matt Collar

Kamasi Washington

Heaven & Earth

Young Turks

Jazz

On his sophomore full-length, the Los Angeles-based saxophonist, arranger, and bandleader retains his maximalist aesthetic to excellent effect.

— Thom Jurek

Dawes

Passwords

Hub Records

Pop/Rock

Communication is the core of Dawes' sixth album, a sophisticated, warmly rendered set of '80s-style adult contemporary anthems.

— Matt Collar

The Record Company

All of This Life

Concord

Pop/Rock

Sophomore effort from the roots rock trio is more full-bodied and less derivative than their debut.

— Mark Deming

R+R=Now

Collagically Speaking

Blue Note

Jazz, R&B

The debut album of progressive, thought-provoking, groove-based jazz from keyboardist Robert Glasper's supergroup.

— Matt Collar

Death Grips

Year of the Snitch

Harvest / Third Worlds

Rap

California alt-rap group break more boundaries and defy expectations with their sixth LP.

— Rob Wacey

The Orb

No Sounds Are Out of Bounds

Cooking Vinyl

Electronic

Joined by past collaborators and several newcomers, the Orb produce a typically eclectic set of playful ambient dub.

— Paul Simpson

Lera Lynn

Plays Well with Others

Single Lock Records

Country

Lera Lynn loosens up on this atmospheric collection of duets.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Gang Gang Dance

Kazuashita

4AD

Electronic, Pop/Rock

Returning from a seven-year hiatus, the band delivers a message of hope that sounds timely and eternal.

— Heather Phares

T. Hardy Morris

Dude, the Obscure

New West / Normaltown Records

Pop/Rock

Third solo effort from the former Dead Confederate frontman is gloomy and philosophical, but strongly evocative.

— Mark Deming

The Innocence Mission

Sun on the Square

Badman Recording Co.

Pop/Rock

The Pennsylvania chamber folk trio offer a somewhat denser and more layered version of their trademark sound.

— Timothy Monger

Ludella Black

Till You Lie in Your Grave

Damaged Goods / Damaged Goods

Pop/Rock

Another exciting installment of rough-and-ready garage punk from the former Headcoatee with songs written and played by the Masonics.

— Tim Sendra

Dan + Shay

Dan + Shay

Atlantic / Elektra / Warner Music / WB

Country

Dan + Shay keep things smooth and easy on their third album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Arp

Zebra

Mexican Summer

Electronic, Pop/Rock

Alexis Georgopoulos explores a sort of cosmic Fourth World chamber jazz on his fourth full-length as Arp.

— Paul Simpson

Bebe Rexha

Expectations

Parlophone / Warner Bros.

Pop/Rock

Hitmaking pop singer's full-length debut is an introspective collection that includes the single "Meant to Be."

— Neil Z. Yeung

4th Movement

The 4th Movement

Drag City / Tryangle

Pop/Rock, Religious

Originally released in 1980, this inspired Christian hard rock record sees Detroit proto-punks Death reborn as a decidedly more spiritual entity.

— Fred Thomas

Garbage

Version 2.0 [20th Anniversary Edition]

Play It Again Sam / Stunvolume

Pop/Rock

The alt-rock quartet integrate classic pop hooks with futuristic electronic production on their innovative sophomore effort expanded here with bonus tracks.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Haken

L-1VE

Inside Out Music

Pop/Rock

Celebrating a decade together, the band's first live album is not only a dream come true for fans, but a definitive introduction for new listeners.

— Thom Jurek

Dumb

Seeing Green

Mint Records

Pop/Rock

Smart, angular, and edgy music from a Vancouver band whose take on punk rock is lean and challenging.

— Mark Deming

MC Paul Barman

(((echo chamber)))

Mello Music Group

Rap

Brown University graduate MC Paul Barman unexpectedly returns with his most accomplished, mature work to date.

— Paul Simpson

Hamish Kilgour

Finklestein

Ba Da Bing Records

Pop/Rock

Lovely and unassuming indie pop with psych-folk underpinnings.

— Tim Sendra

Harlan T. Bobo

A History of Violence

Goner Records

Pop/Rock

A dark, hard-edged collection of songs about a marriage in shambles from the secretive Memphis songwriter.

— Mark Deming

John Renbourn

Live in Kyoto 1978

Drag City

Folk

A beautifully recorded, impeccably performed, and previously unreleased document from the archives of Satoru Fujii.

— Thom Jurek

Mona

Soldier On

Bright Antenna

Pop/Rock

Soldier On delivers a meaty blend of rock & roll pageantry and shimmery electro-pop that lands somewhere between the Struts and Imagine Dragons.

— James Christopher Monger

This Wild Life

Petaluma

Epitaph

Pop/Rock

The SoCal acoustic emo duo's third outing for Epitaph takes a breezier, more optimistic tone.

— Timothy Monger

Yukon Blonde

Critical Hit

Dine Alone

Pop/Rock

After adding a dedicated keyboardist to the line-up, the band's fourth LP offers summery synth pop tinged with relationship angst.

— Marcy Donelson

Proud Parents

Proud Parents

Dirtnap Records

Pop/Rock

Carefree garage pop vibes from this self-described "jangle-chunk" combo out of Madison, Wisconsin.

— Timothy Monger

The Skygreen Leopards

The Jingling World of the Skygreen Leopards

Soft Abuse

Pop/Rock

An archival release pairing the first two early-2000s mini-albums from disjointedly dreamy forerunners of the freak folk scene.

— Fred Thomas

Carolyn Sampson / Joseph Middleton

A Soprano's Schubertiade

BIS

Classical

Superb interpretations of Schubert, technically flawless, intimate, and deeply felt.

— James Manheim

Helen Callus

British Music for Viola and Orchestra

Naxos

Classical

Highly lyrical music for viola and orchestra, played by a performer skilled in the idiom.

— James Manheim

Boris Giltburg

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3; Variations on a Theme of Corelli

Naxos

Classical

Fluid, confident Rachmaninov performances by a rising Russian-Israeli player.

— James Manheim

Richard Egarr

One Byrde in Hande

Linn Records

Classical

Fascinated since his twenties with Byrd's keyboard music, Richard Egarr presents a selection of representative pieces on One Byrde in Hande.

— Blair Sanderson

Brook Street Band

Handel: Sonatas for Violin and Basso Continuo

Avie

Classical

State-of-the-art performances of Handel's violin-and-keyboard sonatas make a convincing case for their authenticity.

— James Manheim

Angela Hewitt

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Op. 27 No. 1, Op. 31 No. 2, Op. 79, Op. 109

Hyperion

Classical

An extraordinary performance of Beethoven's mighty Piano Sonata No. 30 is the culmination of this volume in Hewitt's series.

— James Manheim

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