The Stooges

Live at Goose Lake, August 8, 1970

Third Man Records

Pop/Rock

Not great but quite good soundboard recording of the proto-punk heroes on-stage shortly before the release of Fun House.

— Mark Deming

Washed Out

Purple Noon

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

After a couple albums that pushed the boundaries of the sound, this is textbook chillwave from one of the inventors of the genre.

— Tim Sendra

Deep Purple

Whoosh!

Ear Music

Pop/Rock

The iconic hard rockers team with Bob Ezrin for the third time and "...put the 'Deep' back in 'Deep Purple'."

— Thom Jurek

Luke Bryan

Born Here Live Here Die Here

Capitol

Country

A slick entertainment that hints at Bryan settling into a comfortable middle age.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Mary Chapin Carpenter

The Dirt and the Stars

Lambent Light Records

Pop/Rock

Recorded live at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios, the songwriter and her band deliver organic personal songs with immediacy and heart.

— Thom Jurek

Art Blakey / Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers

Just Coolin'

Blue Note

Jazz

Unreleased 1959 date includes Hank Mobley returning in a temporary role with a band in hard-swinging transition.

— Thom Jurek

Immanuel Wilkins

Omega

Blue Note

Jazz

An auspicious debut from extremely talented saxophonist and composer, produced by Jason Moran.

— Thom Jurek

The Microphones

Microphones in 2020

P.W. Elverum & Sun

Pop/Rock

Phil Elverum revisits his beloved indie pop project with an ambitious yet humble musical memoir that honors his past and present selves.

— Heather Phares

Alison Mosshart

Sound Wheel

Third Man Records

Comedy/Spoken

The Kills and Dead Weather vocalist expands her horizons with the vivid spoken word companion to her book Car Ma.

— Heather Phares

BRONSON

BRONSON

Ninja Tune

Electronic

A darker, more dramatic diversion from Seattle electronic duo ODESZA and Australian producer Golden Features.

— Paul Simpson

Helvetia

This Devastating Map

Joyful Noise

Pop/Rock

The ninth album from this Duster/Built to Spill side project is a homespun and pleasantly unpredictable take on melancholic indie songcraft.

— Fred Thomas

Jaga Jazzist

Pyramid

Brainfeeder

Jazz, Electronic

Recorded and self-produced by the band in two weeks, Jaga Jazzist's seventh studio album is one of their most effortless-sounding releases.

— Paul Simpson

Jason Molina

Eight Gates

Secretly Canadian

Pop/Rock

Lost 2008 recordings from the Magnolia Electric Co./Songs: Ohia leader revel in beautiful, introspective sorrow.

— Mark Deming

Jenny O.

New Truth

Mama Bird Recording Co.

Pop/Rock

The indie singer/songwriter effectively combines vintage pop/rock allusions with an anxious, modern world view on her Mama Bird debut.

— Marcy Donelson

Glass Animals

Dreamland

Polydor / Republic / Wolf Tone

Pop/Rock

Autobiographical songwriting and playful pop culture references make the band's third album some of their richest music.

— Heather Phares

Tough Age

Which Way Am I?

Mint Records

Pop/Rock

The simple but expansive guitars of this Canadian indie pop trio build on the influences of the Feelies and Television.

— Mark Deming

Victoria Monét

Jaguar

Tribe

R&B

Not the Grammy-nominated songwriter's fifth EP, this "part one" of her debut album is an enticing and satisfying set of retro-modern R&B.

— Andy Kellman

Video Age

Pleasure Line

Winspear

Pop/Rock

The self-produced indie outfit's engagement-inspired third album leans more heavily into lovestruck '80s pop and new wave.

— Marcy Donelson

Jaye Jayle

Prisyn

Sargent House

Pop/Rock

Evan Patterson leaves Americana traditions in the dust in favor of shadowy, surreal electronic collages.

— Heather Phares

Suzanne Ciani

Music for Denali

Finders Keepers

Stage & Screen, Avant-Garde

Brief but illuminating set of compositions for a 1973 documentary about the first skiers' descent from the tallest North American mountain peak.

— Paul Simpson

Vadym Kholodenko

Kholodenko Plays Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 6; Visions Fugitives

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

Elegantly constructed Prokofiev program by Kholodenko proceeds from serious to wispy.

— James Manheim

Epiphoni Consort / Tim Reader

When Love Speaks: Choral Music by Owain Park

Delphian

Classical

An exceptional collection of works by Owain Park does much to establish him as Rutter's heir apparent.

— James Manheim

Kirill Gerstein / Thomas Adès / Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra

Thomas Adès: In Seven Days

Myrios Classics

Classical

Crackling Adès performances by the pianist who understands them best.

— James Manheim

Rosie Aldridge / Anna Patalong / Sakari Oramo / BBC Symphony Orchestra

Alwyn: Miss Julie

Chandos

Classical

A fine revival of Alwyn's operatic remaking of Strindberg's seething tale of sex and class.

— James Manheim

Bertrand Cuiller / Jean-Luc Ho / Les Meslanges

François Couperin L'Alchimiste, Vol. 2: Les Années de jeunesse

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

From a fine new Couperin keyboard cycle, two ordres along with two rare and beautiful organ masses.

— James Manheim

Amanda Gookin

Forward Music Project 1.0

Bright Shiny Things

Avant-Garde, Classical

Cello chamber works distinguished not only by feminist orientation but also by a direct, compelling approach.

— James Manheim

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