Father John Misty / Jonathan Wilson

Mahashmashana

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

Josh Tillman is still a keen and sardonic observer of the human condition, but here he directs the proceedings with a gravitas that finally feels earned.

— James Christopher Monger

Kim Deal

Nobody Loves You More

4AD

Pop/Rock

The indie icon's winning solo debut offers some of her catchiest, most eclectic, and most revealing music.

— Heather Phares

Opeth

The Last Will and Testament

Orchard

Pop/Rock

Returning from a five-year recording break, the Scandinavian metallers wed a decade-long exploration of prog with their death metal heritage.

— Thom Jurek

The Beatles

The 1964 U.S. Albums in Mono

Apple / Capitol / UMR

Pop/Rock

Lavish set of mono albums from the group's early years, remastered from the original analog tapes.

— Tim Sendra

Michael Kiwanuka

Small Changes

Polydor

R&B, Pop/Rock

A sedate fourth album from the Mercury Prize-winning singer/songwriter and guitarist, produced again by Inflo and Danger Mouse.

— Andy Kellman

Dean & Britta / Sonic Boom

A Peace of Us

Carpark Records

Holiday, Avant-Garde, Pop/Rock

A cozy, AM pop-inspired holiday collaboration from the longtime Luna couple and British psych-pop maverick.

— Matt Collar

Miles Davis

Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings

Concord / Craft Recordings / Craft Records / Universal

Jazz

A crucial year in the legendary trumpeter's career is given a box-set spotlight.

— Matt Collar

Marilyn Manson

One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1

Nuclear Blast

Pop/Rock

The shock rocker's 12th set following a short hiatus addresses events in his life in the early 2020s.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Joe Henderson / McCoy Tyner

Forces of Nature: Live at Slugs'

Blue Note

Jazz

The jazz stars come together for a fiery evening in 1966 at the storied East Village club.

— Matt Collar

Can

Live in Keele 1977

Mute / Mute US

Pop/Rock, Avant-Garde

Powerful 75-minute live document dating from one of the German experimental group's final tours.

— Paul Simpson

ETA IVtet / Jeff Parker

The Way out of Easy

Nonesuch

Jazz

The guitarist and his long-standing quartet recorded at Enfield Tennis Academy in January; it closed in May.

— Thom Jurek

Joe Goddard / Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

Neptunes

Smugglers Way

Electronic

Club-friendly yet experimental collaborative EP from the modular synth wizard and the Hot Chip member.

— Paul Simpson

Tashi Dorji

we will be wherever the fires are lit

Drag City

Avant-Garde, Pop/Rock

Raw, cabin-recorded acoustic guitar improvisations using a variety of experimental techniques, made in reaction to the chaotic state of the world.

— Paul Simpson

Papa M

Ballads of Harry Houdini

Drag City

Pop/Rock

This chapter of David Pajo's ever-changing project explores Krautrock repetition and bluesy bar band guitar spectacle.

— Fred Thomas

Comet Gain

Tigertown Pictures

Tapete Records

Pop/Rock

Loud, stark, and committed blast of punk anger, pop hooks, and gloriously unsubtle playing from the post-split edition of the band.

— Tim Sendra

Simon Joyner

Coyote Butterfly

BB*Island / Grapefruit

Pop/Rock

The independent singer/songwriter processes the grief of losing his son on this collection of crushingly beautiful, emotionally bare songs.

— Fred Thomas

Daryl Johns

Daryl Johns

Mac's Record Label

Pop/Rock, Jazz

Half warped '70s power pop, half oddball smooth jazz, the Mac DeMarco sidekick's debut album makes quite a statement.

— Tim Sendra

Steven Julien

DJ-Kicks: Steven Julien

!K7

Electronic

Whimsical, creative mix from the Apron Records founder and longtime NTS Radio host, ranging from synth-funk to house crowd-pleasers.

— Paul Simpson

Alexi Tuomarila

Departing the Wasteland

Edition

Jazz

The Finnish pianist and composer expands his lineup and pursues a more textural, dramatic musical direction.

— Thom Jurek

Xiayin Wang / Ben Gernon / BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Schurmann: Piano Concerto; Gaudiana; Man in the Sky; Romancing the Strings

Chandos

Classical

A strong memorial to a composer who died in 2020, with strong roots in British late Romantic styles.

— James Manheim

Simone Menezes / Ensemble K

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, a Tale

Alpha

Classical

A unique version of Scheherazade arranged for a chamber orchestra and adorned with text.

— James Manheim

Collegium Vocale / Philippe Herreweghe

Gesualdo: Silenzio mio - Il quarto libro di madrigali

Phi

Classical

Gesualdo's fourth book of madrigals, sung with rather chilling precision, hints at the radical language to come.

— James Manheim

Richard Galliano

Around Gershwin

PentaTone Classics

Classical

Adapted and improvisatory accordion music achieves a rare level of musical freedom.

— James Manheim

Barbara Hannigan

Stravinsky: Chamber Works

Linn / Linn Records

Classical

Collection of Stravinsky chamber works catches his unique voice that persisted through his various changes of style.

— James Manheim

Johan Dalene / Peter Friis Johansson

Souvenirs

BIS

Classical

A beautifully executed program of short virtuoso pieces could have been played a century ago.

— James Manheim

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