Gloria Estefan

Brazil305

Sony Music

Latin

With joyful abandon, the singer/songwriter explores the African musical connections between Brazil and Cuba via re-envisioned hits and new tracks.

— Thom Jurek

Bruce Hornsby

Non-Secure Connection

Zappo Productions

Pop/Rock

A moody puzzle box of an album featuring cameos by Leon Russell, Vernon Reid, James Mercer, and Jamila Woods.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rumer

Nashville Tears

Century Media / Cooking Vinyl

Pop/Rock

The British singer's immaculately produced exploration of the work of country songwriter Hugh Prestwood.

— Matt Collar

Bill Frisell

Valentine

Blue Note / Decca

Jazz, Folk

The recorded debut by this trio delivers a slew of new tunes and deftly re-examines selections from the guitarist's catalog.

— Thom Jurek

James Dean Bradfield

Even in Exile

Montyray

Pop/Rock

A passionate, cinematic song cycle inspired by the life of Chilean dissident Victor Jara.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

All We Are

Providence

Domino

Pop/Rock

The Liverpool trio's third LP is high on bright grooves, sex, love, and positivity.

— Timothy Monger

Whitney

Candid

Secretly Canadian

Pop/Rock

The band put their distinctly mellow, pastoral stamp on a set of covers ranging from John Denver and the Roches to David Byrne and SWV.

— Marcy Donelson

Fantastic Negrito

Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?

Cooking Vinyl

Blues, Pop/Rock

Fantastic Negrito streamlines his modern blues by relying heavily on the purple funk of Prince.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Biffy Clyro

A Celebration of Endings

Warner Bros. / Warner Records

Pop/Rock

The Scottish power trio's thrilling ninth album.

— Matt Collar

Kiesza

Crave

Zebra Spirit Tribe

Pop/Rock, Electronic

After injuries sustained in a car crash derailed her career, the singer/songwriter returns with life-affirming pop indebted to the '80s and '90s.

— Heather Phares

Trevor Dunn / King Buzzo

Gift of Sacrifice

Ipecac

Pop/Rock

The second acoustic album from the Melvins guitarist adds a bassist who gives the music a richer and more powerful attack.

— Mark Deming

Black Marble

I Must Be Living Twice

Sacred Bones

Pop/Rock

Covers of songs by Wire, Robert Palmer, and the Field Mice shed engaging light on Black Marble's musical influences and creative process.

— Heather Phares

Kathleen Edwards

Total Freedom

Dualtone Music

Pop/Rock, Country

The Canadian singer/songwriter returns to music with an album that speaks of strength, independence, and rough-hewn beauty.

— Mark Deming

Caylee Hammack

If It Wasn't for You

Capitol / Capitol Nashville

Country

A swaggering, confident debut that owes as much to modern pop as it does to contemporary country.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Halestorm

Reimagined

Atlantic

Pop/Rock

Unlike previous EPs that focused largely on cover songs, Reimagined delivers stripped-down versions of the band's own material.

— James Christopher Monger

Harry Beckett

Joy Unlimited

Cadillac

Jazz

A once-forgotten masterpiece of Caribbean- and African-influenced electric jazz led by one of Britain's finest musicians gets its due.

— Thom Jurek

Jim O'Rourke

Shutting Down Here

Portraits GRM

Avant-Garde

Combining sessions at GRM recorded 30 years apart, this startling, mysterious piece brings O'Rourke's music full-circle.

— Heather Phares

Paul Grabowsky / Paul Kelly

Please Leave Your Light On

Cooking Vinyl

Pop/Rock, Jazz

Two of Australia's most celebrated musicians deliver a spare but inspired collaboration fusing pop/rock and piano jazz.

— Mark Deming

Robby Krieger

The Ritual Begins at Sundown

The Players Club

Jazz, Pop/Rock

The Doors' guitarist returns with swaggering jazz-funk exercise featuring Frank Zappa's sidemen and others.

— Thom Jurek

Sylvie Simmons

Blue on Blue

Compass

Pop/Rock, Country

The second album from the rock writer turned singer/songwriter is steeped in pop and blues while remarkably strong in its fragility.

— Mark Deming

Johnny Hates Jazz

Wide Awake

Absolute / Absolute Label Services / HJH

Pop/Rock

The British duo's second album since reuniting finds them imbuing their sophisticated pop with an environmentally and socially conscious message.

— Matt Collar

Constantinople / Marco Beasley / Kiya Tabassian

La Porta d'Oriente

Glossa

Classical

Fascinating representation of the musical interactions between the Ottoman Empire and the West, with music from a 17th century manuscript.

— James Manheim

Marc Albrecht / Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra

Zemlinsky: Die Seejungfrau

PentaTone Classics

Classical

Lush, detailed music from turn-of-the-century Vienna, based on The Little Mermaid.

— James Manheim

Mark Elder / Hallé Orchestra

Debussy: Images; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune

Hallé

Classical

Fine, detailed Debussy from an orchestra that has long championed the composer's music.

— James Manheim

Anna Maria Chiuri / Stephan Rügamer / Gianandrea Noseda

Dallapiccola: Il Prigioniero

Chandos

Classical

A timely recording of Dallapiccola's anti-fascist one-act opera reinforces its compact power.

— James Manheim

Paul Lewis

Beethoven: Für Elise; Bagatelles Opp. 33, 119 & 126

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

A probing recording of Beethoven's "trifles" captures the formal experimentation of every little work.

— James Manheim

Augustin Hadelich

Bohemian Tales

Warner Classics

Classical

A thoroughly enjoyable all-Czech album from an impressive young violinist.

— James Manheim

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