Ed Sheeran

No. 6 Collaborations Project

Atlantic

Pop/Rock

With a little help from his friends, Ed Sheeran creates a state-of-the-art replica of a 2019 cross-genre play list.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

BANKS

III

Harvest / Virgin EMI

Pop/Rock

Expansive third set from the alt-R&B singer/songwriter features improved production and matured lyrics.

— Neil Z. Yeung

K.Flay

Solutions

Interscope

Pop/Rock

Buoyant, pop-leaning third set from the genre-defying Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Torche

Admission

Relapse Records

Pop/Rock

The Floridian doom-pop quartet's fifth full-length effort administers seismic confections that vary in sweetness but always satisfy.

— James Christopher Monger

Tycho

Weather

Mom + Pop Music

Electronic, Pop/Rock

On its fifth album, Tycho adds vocals to its already accessible electronic pop sound, courtesy of Hannah Cottrell (aka Saint Sinner).

— Paul Simpson

New Order

∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) New Order + Liam Gillick: So it goes..

Mute

Pop/Rock

The legendary band run through a lively set of mostly deep cuts from throughout their long career with the help of a 12-person synth orchestra.

— Tim Sendra

Purple Mountains

Purple Mountains

Drag City

Pop/Rock

Singer/songwriter David Berman's final album is filled with lonely songs that are as warm as a hug from a long-lost friend.

— Heather Phares

Africa Express

Egoli

Africa Express Records

Electronic

The pan-global collective orchestrated by Damon Albarn offers an exuberant hybrid of African and Western music.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Paul McCartney

Amoeba Gig

Capitol

Pop/Rock

The full concert of McCartney's surprise 2007 gig at L.A.'s Amoeba Records gets a belated but welcome release.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Pere Ubu

The Long Goodbye

Cherry Red

Pop/Rock

The band's "definitive destination" is a challenging, surprisingly tender, and always thought-provoking journey.

— Heather Phares

Kool Keith

Keith

Mello Music Group

Rap

Producer Psycho Les of the Beatnuts backs up Kool Keith's warped yet focused lyrics on this solid full-length.

— Paul Simpson

Kyle Craft

Showboat Honey

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

A less rip-roaring but still compelling third set from the '70s rock disciple and his titular backing band.

— Marcy Donelson

Gauche

A People's History of Gauche

Merge

Pop/Rock

The activist band from Washington, D.C., delivers potent new wave-inspired dance tunes along with satisfying food for thought.

— Mark Deming

Big K.R.I.T.

K.R.I.T. Iz Here

Multi Alumni

Rap

The Mississippi rapper's fourth studio album is another ambitious, stylistically varied set of tracks.

— Paul Simpson

311

Voyager

BMG

Pop/Rock

The 13th set of feel-good, summer-friendly jams from the veteran alternative reggae-rock outfit.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Bleached

Don't You Think You've Had Enough?

Dead Oceans

Pop/Rock

The Clavin sisters' first album as sober artists delivers some of their catchiest and most genuine songs.

— Heather Phares

Drab Majesty

Modern Mirror

Dais

Pop/Rock

The Los Angeles band's third album of atmospheric, '80s-style goth anthems that both evoke and measure up to their influences.

— Matt Collar

Imperial Teen

Now We Are Timeless

Merge

Pop/Rock

The sixth album from this long-running indie power pop act matures without losing the edginess of their signature sounds.

— Fred Thomas

Stereo Total

Ah! Quel Cinema!

Tapete Records

Pop/Rock

The duo adds a surprising, shadowy complexity and filmic flow to their audacious style.

— Heather Phares

METZ

Automat

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

Collection of the Toronto noise rockers' non-LP singles proves they were great from the first moment they went into the studio.

— Mark Deming

Foreigner

Live at the Rainbow ‘78

Rhino

Pop/Rock

An exciting, well-preserved live set from 1978, a year when the band were on top of the world and played like they knew it.

— Tim Sendra

Penelope Isles

Until the Tide Creeps In

Bella Union

Pop/Rock

An artful debut by an English band who align catchy guitar pop, rich atmosphere, and noise.

— Marcy Donelson

Khruangbin

Hasta el Cielo

Dead Oceans

Pop/Rock

The Texas trio undertake a dub remix of their breakthrough 2018 album, Con Todo el Mundo, with the help of Scientist on two tracks.

— Tim Sendra

Various Artists

Red Gold Green & Blue

Trojan

Reggae, Blues

A spirited reggae jam session with a number of heavyweights covering classic blues, R&B, and early rock tunes.

— Timothy Monger

Yuna

Rouge

Verve

Pop/Rock

The third Verve album from the singer/songwriter is weighed down by guest appearances but contains some of her finest work with Robin Hannibal.

— Andy Kellman

INXS

Mystify: A Musical Journey with Michael Hutchence [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Universal

Pop/Rock, Stage & Screen

An impressionistic collage stitched together from interview snippets, outtakes, and a megamix of INXS' greatest hits.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Angie Stone

Full Circle

Cleopatra

R&B

The singer's first album of originals in four years is highlighted by a throwback ballad with Jaheim.

— Andy Kellman

Carmen Villain

Both Lines Will Be Blue

Smalltown Supersound

Pop/Rock

The Oslo-based artist incorporates elements of dub, ambient, and new age into a transporting set of instrumentals.

— Heather Phares

Dean Hurley

Anthology Resource, Vol. 2: Philosophy of Beyond

Sacred Bones

Avant-Garde

Second collection of ethereal ambient pieces from the David Lynch-associated sound designer.

— Paul Simpson

Jefre Cantu-Ledesma

Tracing Back the Radiance

Mexican Summer

Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde, Electronic

The ambient artist makes a sharp turn from warped shoegaze pop to minimal electro-acoustic beauty.

— Fred Thomas

Insane Clown Posse

Hell's Cellar

Psychopathic Records

Rap, Pop/Rock

Outtakes from the group's 2004 album that are heavy on Violent J verses and dark, minimal production.

— Fred Thomas

Glitterer

Looking Through the Shades

Anti-

Pop/Rock

Title Fight's Ned Russin combines sparkly synths and churning distortion on a cathartic set of short songs produced by (Sandy) Alex G and Arthur Rizk.

— Marcy Donelson

Gus Dapperton

Where Polly People Go to Read

Gus Dapperton

Pop/Rock

The debut album from this bedroom pop artist results in a few undeniably strong tracks but feels largely insincere and interchangeable.

— Fred Thomas

Various Artists

Do You Believe in Heather?: Chamber Music by Ståle Kleiberg

2L

Classical

Lovely performances of music by an inward-looking neo-tonalist.

— James Manheim

Lawrence Zazzo / Timothy Redmond / BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

The Orchestral Music of Jonathan Dove

Orchid Classics

Classical

Vocal in flavor even when there is no voice, composer Jonathan Dove's music is pleasing.

— James Manheim

Gaechinger Cantorey / Hans-Christoph Rademann

Stay, ye angels: J.S. Bach Cantatas

Accentus

Classical

Unusual Bach cantata recording that combines a traditional German way of singing with historical instruments and insights.

— James Manheim

Michael Fabiano

Verdi, Donizetti

PentaTone Classics

Classical

A program of late Donizetti and early Verdi illuminates deep connections while showcasing the voice of young tenor Michael Fabiano.

— James Manheim

Linus Roth / Antony Hermus / BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 22: Lassen, Scharwenka, Langgaard

Hyperion

Classical

Hyperion scores in its Romantic Violin Concerto series with two unknown works and one from Klemperer's teacher.

— James Manheim

Binchois Consort / Andrew Kirkman

Music for Saint Katherine of Alexandria

Hyperion

Classical

Intimate, small-group performances of English music honoring a now-little-known saint.

— James Manheim

Previous Week Next Week