The Black Keys

Dropout Boogie

Nonesuch

Pop/Rock

A colorful, lively album that finds the Black Keys expanding their horizons and deepening their grooves.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Smile

A Light for Attracting Attention

XL Recordings

Pop/Rock

More than just a side exercise, the Radiohead/Sons of Kemet debut LP is a jazzy, mind-bending rock trip.

— Neil Z. Yeung

The Rolling Stones

Live at the El Mocambo

Interscope / Polydor

Pop/Rock

Dynamite document of the Rolling Stones' surprise 1977 gig at the 300-seat Toronto club the El Mocambo.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Florence + the Machine

Dance Fever

Polydor / Republic

Pop/Rock

The triumphant fifth set from the Florence Welch-fronted outfit finds healing through the power of physical release.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Lyle Lovett

12th of June

Verve

Pop/Rock, Country

Lyle Lovett returns after a decade-long hiatus with an album that relies on a familiar formula that's yet to be exhausted.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Mandy Moore

In Real Life

Verve / Verve Forecast

Pop/Rock

Mandy Moore explores domestic happiness on this relaxed collection of adult alternative pop.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tank and the Bangas

Red Balloon

Verve Forecast

R&B

Strong social commentary, rambunctious frivolity, soul-nourishing ballads, and more are offered by the Grammy-nominated band on their third studio LP.

— Andy Kellman

Sheryl Crow

Sheryl: Music From the Feature Documentary

Universal

Stage & Screen, Pop/Rock

This two-disc soundtrack to the Sheryl documentary is the most thorough and satisfying retrospective of Crow's career to date.

— Timothy Monger

The Chainsmokers

So Far So Good

Columbia

Electronic

The fourth full-length from the erstwhile EDM duo ventures deeper into emo-pop and heartache.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Kevin Morby

This Is a Photograph

Dead Oceans

Pop/Rock

Stark reflections on family and mortality combine with elevated arrangements for some of this indie singer/songwriter's best work to date.

— Fred Thomas

Say Sue Me

The Last Thing Left

Beach Town Music / Damnably

Pop/Rock

Tinged by sadness due to the death of their ex-drummer, the band deliver sadness with a pretty melody and the occasional glimpse of hope.

— Tim Sendra

Oded Tzur

Isabela

ECM

Jazz

The second ECM album from the Israeli-born saxophonist and his quartet is brief, emotionally resonant, and revelatory.

— Thom Jurek

The Garbage & the Flowers

Cinnamon Sea

Fire Records

Pop/Rock

New material from these long-running psychedelic outsiders sounds like it could fit neatly at any point in their 30-plus-year discography.

— Fred Thomas

Emma Ruth Rundle

EG2: Dowsing Voice [Colored Vinyl]

Sargent House

Avant-Garde

A bold set of guitar and voice improvisations that feel primal, potent, and plump with heathen energy.

— James Christopher Monger

The Muffs

Really Really Happy [Expanded Edition]

Navras Records / Omnivore

Pop/Rock

The expanded version of the band's lighter, more varied take on their signature power-pop-meets-punk sound contains a full disc of Kim Shattuck demos.

— Tim Sendra

Mary Halvorson

Amaryllis

Nonesuch

Jazz

One of two simultaneously issued albums by the guitarist, this offers compelling new compositions for sextet alone and with a chamber ensemble.

— Thom Jurek

Mary Halvorson / Mivos Quartet

Belladonna

Nonesuch

Avant-Garde, Classical, Jazz

On her initial foray into writing for chamber strings, the guitarist through-composes harmonically compelling tunes she then improvises over.

— Thom Jurek

Moderat

More D4ta

Monkeytown

Electronic, Pop/Rock

The techno supergroup resume activity after a hiatus, expressing pandemic-induced paranoia and isolation on their fourth studio album.

— Paul Simpson

The Pineapple Thief

Give It Back

Kscope

Pop/Rock

A newly recorded 12-track collection that showcases drummer Gavin Harrison's creative reworking of songs from the band's catalog.

— Thom Jurek

Monophonics

Sage Motel

Colemine

R&B

A concept album from the psychedelic soul band, this nonetheless contains some of their most heartfelt ballads and stirring uptempo numbers.

— Andy Kellman

Faust

Punkt

Bureau B

Pop/Rock

Long-shelved material recorded in the mid-'70s intended to be the fifth album from these Krautrock pioneers.

— Fred Thomas

They Hate Change

Finally, New

Jagjaguwar

Rap, Electronic

The Floridian duo effortlessly fuse Southern rap with drum'n'bass on their Jagjaguwar debut.

— Paul Simpson

Seedsmen to the World

Seedsmen to the World

Birdman Records / Blue Arrow Records

Pop/Rock

The debut album from this Detroit collective explores a dark and hard to predict kind of ambient folk.

— Fred Thomas

Chris Bathgate

The Significance of Peaches

Quite Scientific

Pop/Rock

A meditative outing from the Midwestern singer/songwriter that eschews guitars for drone-like parlor organ as part of a nuanced palette.

— Marcy Donelson

Klaus Mäkelä / Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Sibelius

Decca

Classical

A spacious, deliberate Sibelius cycle of an even more Nordic cast than usual.

— James Manheim

Jason Vieaux

Bach: Works for Violin, Vol. 2

Azica Records

Classical

Clean yet highly expressive guitar performances of Bach's lute and violin music.

— James Manheim

I Fagiolini / Robert Hollingworth

John Wilbye: Draw on Sweet Night

Coro

Classical

All-Wilbye program highlighting music from the English madrigal master's two volumes of madrigals.

— Keith Finke

Yolanda Kondonassis

Five Minutes for Earth

Azica Records

Classical

An exemplary collection of short contemporary pieces addressing the natural world and threats to it.

— James Manheim

Simon Callaghan / Martyn Brabbins / BBC National Orchestra of Wales

British Piano Concertos: Addison, Bush, Maconchy, Searle, Rubbra, Benjamin

Lyrita

Classical

A marvelous, joyous recording of six forgotten British piano concertos of a lighter hue.

— James Manheim

Girton College Choir, Cambridge / Gareth Wilson / Historic Brass of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama / Jeremy West

Marc'Antonio Ingegneri, Vol. 2: Missa Voce Mea A5

Toccata Classics

Classical

The Choir of Girton College returns with more fascinating and neglected music by Ingegneri.

— James Manheim

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