Featured New Releases for
February 17, 2023

Trustfall
RCA
The thoughtful ninth set from the reliable pop hitmaker is a soulful, nourishing document of faith and growth.
- Neil Z. Yeung
7sEditors' Choice
Domino
The fourth solo album from the Animal Collective co-founder distills the wealth of strange sounds he's explored throughout his long-wandering history.
- Fred Thomas
Our Best PlaceEditors' Choice
Good Charamel Records
Into their fifth decade, the Japanese trio sound as happily hooky as ever as they tackle punky pop and poppy punk with joyous abandon.
- Tim Sendra
Optical Delusion
London
Rave pioneers Orbital continue exploring new sounds on their guest-heavy post-pandemic album.
- Paul Simpson
Desire Pathway
Don Giovanni
A smart, impactful breakup album from a band who mix hard rock chops with punk rock honesty and sense of purpose.
- Mark Deming
Dragging the Needlework for the Kids at UpholeEditors' Choice
Tough Love
Murky, moody psychedelic music powered by darkly menacing lyrics, gently chiming guitars, and swaths of degraded electronic sounds.
- Tim Sendra
Marshall Crenshaw [40th Anniversary Expanded Edition]
Yep Roc
The best pure pop album of 1982 full of bouncy tunes and plangent melodies, presented here with a selection of bonus tracks.
- Tim Sendra
Sometimes Happy TimesEditors' Choice
Sundazed
Archival compilation of unreleased material from this hidden gem of the sunshine pop era.
- Fred Thomas
Sure Thing: The Warner Bros. Recordings 1972-1977
SoulMusic
R&B
Dutiful and fascinating six-disc anthology of the singer's recordings between her more successful affiliations with Scepter and Arista.
- Andy Kellman
Keep Up the Good Work
Bella Union
The Danish collective's moving third album offers warm yet complex meditations on what it means to be part of a family.
- Heather Phares
Vols. 1-5 (1978-1984)
Luaka Bop
A handsomely designed box with a special edition book containing the five "volume" albums released by the artist in the '70s and '80s.
- Thom Jurek
Our Likeness
Mute
Featuring members of Can, Liaisons Dangereuses, and Einstürzende Neubauten, Phew's 1992 album dazzles with experiments ranging from feral to sultry.
- Heather Phares
Transmissions from Total Refreshment Centre
Blue Note
This Blue Note compilation focuses on the music and diverse musicians who have played the famous venue or recorded in its studio.
- Thom Jurek
Teenage Glampage: Can the Glam 2
Various Artists
7T's / Glam
The second volume in an ongoing series collects another 80 artifacts of '70s glam from big stars and lesser-known artists alike.
- Fred Thomas
Musik Music Musique 3.0: 1982 Synth Pop on the AirEditors' Choice
Various Artists
Cherry Red
Cherry Red continues their year-by-year examination of '80s synth pop, digging deeper into the year the genre infiltrated radio airwaves.
- Paul Simpson
in|FLUX
City Slang
Subtly expanding her intimate chamber-rock palette, Savage encouraged spontaneity in the studio on a sophomore LP about humanity's contradictions.
- Marcy Donelson
Land of Sleeper
Missing Piece Records
The Newcastle stoner/doom unit confront existential dread with creativity on their fourth long-player.
- James Christopher Monger
Electronic Music Improvisations, Vol. 2
Mute / Parallel Series
Second set of spontaneous modular synth pieces from Mute founder Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones.
- Paul Simpson
The Vivian Line
Cooking Vinyl
The great songwriter leaves Canada's suburbs for a few days in Nashville, hitting a sweet spot between the familiar and the challenging.
- Mark Deming
Weight of the World
Forty Below Records
A vigorous exploration of a variety of soul-blues styles.
- Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings
High Moon
Anthology of the Texas-born singer/songwriter's obscure, bittersweet '70s folk and AM pop albums.
- Matt Collar
Eddie Piller Presents: British Mod Sounds of the 1960s, Vol. 2 - The Freakbeat & Psych Years
Various Artists
Edsel
Fine collection curated by a longtime figure on the U.K. scene that delivers what the title states along with side trips into acidic jazz and Baroque pop.
- Tim Sendra
Drop Out with the Barracudas
Lemon
Equal parts sunny surf and dark garage psych, the album defined garage rock revival, presented here with a wealth of bonus material.
- Tim Sendra
Alone with the Sound the Mind Makes
Bar / Bar/None Records / None
Kristina Moore's second album translates pandemic isolation into surprisingly playful, trippy tracks about thoughts, memories, dreams, and perception.
- Marcy Donelson
Mind Palace Music
@ / At
Carpark Records
An unpredictable lo-fi folk-pop gem with engaging melodies and quirky, sometimes dazzling arrangements.
- Timothy Monger
Nocturne
Sekito
The London-based artist's 2015 debut solo release is a focused yet exploratory set of jazzy neo-soul and hip-hop.
- Paul Simpson
Piano Trios: Martinu No. 1, Dvorák No. 3
Hänssler Classic
Splendid performances of very different Czech trios achieve both balance and passion.
- James Manheim
Jongen: 13 Préludes; 24 Petits Préludes dans tous les tons
Chandos
Attractive and little-known 20th century preludes from obscure music specialist Ilić.
- James Manheim
Piano Works by Ravel, Chopin, Tchaikovsky
Steinway & Sons
Young pianist Tatiana Shafran excels in pure powerhouse repertory.
- James Manheim
Arturs Maskats: Accordion Concerto; Tango; Cantus Diatonicus; My River Runs to Thee
Ondine
An album presents a sampling of the attractive, rather cinematic works of composer Maskats.
- James Manheim
Josef Labor: Quintet for clarinet Op. 11; Quintet in D; Clarinet Trios
Capriccio Records
Highly competent Brahmsian studies for clarinet chamber groups, two of which include parts for a left-hand-only pianist.
- James Manheim
Franz Schubert: Messe As-Dur D678
Hänssler Classic
Consistently gorgeous recording of Schubert's Mass in A flat major, with small but not minimal groups.
- James Manheim
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