Ariana Grande

thank u, next

Island / Republic

Pop/Rock

A swiftly delivered Sweetener sequel that confirms Ariana Grande's place as 2019's pre-eminent pop star.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Panda Bear

Buoys

Domino / Domino Recording

Pop/Rock

Though it's his most spacious work in years, Animal Collective linchpin holds fast to the core components of his sound.

— Fred Thomas

Bob Mould

Sunshine Rock

Merge

Pop/Rock

A thundering tsunami of guitars and drums accompanies a passionate emotional inventory from the alternative rock icon.

— Mark Deming

Mercury Rev

Bobbie Gentry's the Delta Sweete Revisited

Partisan / PTKF

Pop/Rock

The band's affectionate recreation of Bobbie Gentry's conceptual classic plays like a mystical dream of the original album.

— Heather Phares

The Lemonheads

Varshons 2

Fire Records

Pop/Rock

An amiable, cozy covers collection that finds Evan Dando in fine form.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Jessica Pratt

Quiet Signs

Mexican Summer

Pop/Rock

Third album from the understated singer/songwriter is her most complex without losing any of the subtlety or intimacy of her earlier work.

— Fred Thomas

LCD Soundsystem

Electric Lady Sessions

Columbia / Sony Music

Pop/Rock

Recorded while the band were touring in 2018, this energetic live-in-the-studio set features tracks from American Dream and a few choice covers.

— Tim Sendra

Cass McCombs

Tip of the Sphere

Anti-

Pop/Rock

The songwriter's ninth album sets post-Trump despondency to a mostly hazy, ambling set bookended by long-form jams.

— Marcy Donelson

Mavis Staples

Live in London

Anti-

R&B

The gospel and soul legend celebrates her 79th birthday and shines throughout a set drawn primarily from her 2010-2017 albums.

— Andy Kellman

International Teachers of Pop

International Teachers of Pop

Desolate Spools

Pop/Rock

An impressive debut album of neo-disco jammers and synth pop melancholy from a trio made up of members of Moonlandingz and Soundcarriers.

— Tim Sendra

Galactic

Already Ready Already

Galactic Records / Tchoup-Zilla Records

Pop/Rock

NOLA's resident jazz-funk-pop, rock & soul sextet deliver a short mixtape blast of their hard-grooving sound with a handful of great singers.

— Thom Jurek

HEALTH

Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear

Loma Vista

Pop/Rock

The band's fourth album delivers heavy, perversely catchy songs about death and hopelessness.

— Heather Phares

Xiu Xiu

Girl with Basket of Fruit

Polyvinyl

Pop/Rock

The band returns to their challenging side and finds new ways to describe and confront the world's horrors.

— Heather Phares

Michael Chapman

True North

Paradise of Bachelors

Pop/Rock, Folk

The venerable British guitarist looks back toward his musical roots in a cycle of poignant songs that reflect on the passage of time.

— Thom Jurek

Nick Zammuto

We the Animals

Temporary Residence

Stage & Screen, Electronic

Tense, poignant soundtrack to Jeremiah Zagar's coming-of-age drama, composed by Nick Zammuto (formerly of the Books).

— Paul Simpson

Alex Chilton

From Memphis to New Orleans

Bar Records / Bar/None Records / None

Pop/Rock, R&B

15-track collection summarizing the wiry, R&B-slanted recordings of the cult favorite's return to recording in the '80s.

— Mark Deming

Alex Chilton

Songs from Robin Hood Lane

Bar/None Records

Pop/Rock, Vocal, Easy Listening

The Box Tops and Big Star frontman relaxes on this low-key, engaging collection of jazz-influenced vocal standards.

— Mark Deming

Yak

Pursuit of Momentary Happiness

Third Man Records / Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

The London-based psych band expands their musical and emotional horizons on their second album.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Beechwood

Trash Glamour

Alive Naturalsound Records

Pop/Rock

Fervently raw early recordings of this N.Y.C. rock band capture them at their most headstrong and derivative.

Busted

Half Way There

East West / EastWest / Rhino / WEA

Pop/Rock

The British outfit recapture their pop-punk boy band roots on their fourth full-length, and second since reuniting in 2013.

— Matt Collar

Eric Gales

The Bookends

Mascot Label Group / Provogue

Blues, Pop/Rock

With the assistance of producer Matt Wallace, the blues guitarist focuses on songs and singing.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Flat Worms

Into the Iris

God Records / God?

Pop/Rock

Short and decidedly not sweet, this blast of noisy garage punk is even smarter and more satisfying than their debut album.

— Mark Deming

Said the Whale

Cascadia

Arts & Crafts

Pop/Rock

The Canadian indie rockers' sixth studio effort and first outing for Arts & Crafts finds the sweet spot between the past and present.

— James Christopher Monger

Sean McConnell

Secondhand Smoke

Big Picnic Records

Folk

The Nashville stalwart takes matters into his own hands on this quality home-recorded set.

— Timothy Monger

Skinny Girl Diet

Ideal Woman

Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records

Pop/Rock

The U.K. feminist punk combo is pared down to a guitar-and-drum duo on their rugged sophomore set.

— Timothy Monger

Talos

Far Out Dust

BMG

Pop/Rock

Sophomore set from the Irish singer/songwriter that builds upon his ethereal style with swelling beauty and power.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Tullycraft

The Railway Prince Hotel

Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records / HHBTM

Pop/Rock

The twee pop band's seventh album has all the hallmarks -- enthusiastic vocals, hooky tunes, clever lyrics -- their fans have come to expect.

— Tim Sendra

Leon Vynehall

DJ-Kicks

!K7

Electronic

Adventurous home-listening mix from Leon Vynehall which plays more like a college radio set than a night out.

— Paul Simpson

Anton Batagov

Philip Glass: The Hours; Distant Figure

Orange Mountain Music

Avant-Garde, Classical

A finely detailed rendering of one of Philip Glass' most popular scores.

— James Manheim

Philippe Quint

Chaplin's Smile: Song Arrangements for Violin & Piano

Warner Classics

Classical, Stage & Screen

Melodies not only from Charlie Chaplin's films, but composed by him and idiomatically performed.

— James Manheim

Thomas Zehetmair / Musikkollegium Winterthur

Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 D minor (Version 1877)

MDG

Classical

Thomas Zehetmair takes Bruckner's Third at a brisk clip and delivers a clear-headed and clean performance with Musikkollegium Winterthur.

— Blair Sanderson

El León de Oro / Peter Phillips

Amarae Morti

Hyperion

Classical

Sacred music of the high Renaissance is offered by early music authority Peter Phillips and the 33-voice chamber choir El León de Oro.

— Blair Sanderson

Cédric Tiberghien

Liszt: Années de Pèlerinage, Troisième Année & Other Late Piano Works

Hyperion

Classical

Cédric Tiberghien reveals a strong aptitude for the late piano works of Franz Liszt in the Années de pélerinage, troisîème année and other pieces.

— Blair Sanderson

Cecilia Bartoli

Antonio Vivaldi

Decca

Classical

Star mezzo soprano Bartoli is still in fine form on her second collection of inexplicably neglected Vivaldi arias.

— James Manheim

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