Miley Cyrus

Something Beautiful

Columbia

Pop/Rock

Cyrus follows some of her biggest successes with an ambitious, sensual album that reminds listeners of her experimental side.

— Heather Phares

Garbage

Let All That We Imagine Be the Light

BMG Rights Management

Pop/Rock

On their potent eighth set, the alt-rock stalwarts channel hope and optimism as chaos swirls around them.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Alan Sparhawk

With Trampled by Turtles

Sub Pop

Pop/Rock

Turning drastically from the cold electronica of his last solo album, the former Low member teams up with a rootsy bluegrass group for this spirited effort.

— Fred Thomas

Ty Segall

Possession

Drag City

Pop/Rock

The sonic chameleon jumps a level to try classic rocker with strings and horns on for size and finds the fit to be perfect.

— Tim Sendra

Matt Berninger

Get Sunk

Concord

Pop/Rock

With his lyrical prowess on full display, the National singer takes stock of those who make us who we are on a bittersweet sophomore LP.

— Marcy Donelson

yeule

Evangelic Girl Is a Gun

Ninja Tune

Electronic, Pop/Rock

A chaotic yet introspective fusion of shoegaze, trip-hop, and industrial pop, containing some of the artist's strongest hooks.

— Paul Simpson

Foxwarren

2

Anti-

Pop/Rock

Captained by Andy Shauf, a surprising follow-up that trades the pastoral indie rock of the project's debut for melodic, sample-based experimentalism.

— Marcy Donelson

caroline / Caroline

Caroline 2

Rough Trade

Pop/Rock

The U.K. octet's intoxicating sophomore LP runs the gamut from spare experimental folk to crushing noise.

— Marcy Donelson

James Brandon Lewis Quartet / James Brandon Lewis

Abstraction Is Deliverance

Intakt Records

Jazz

On their fifth album in five years, the saxophonist's quartet explore the many textures, harmonies, and dynamics in the jazz ballad form.

— Thom Jurek

Keith Jarrett

New Vienna [Live]

ECM

Jazz, Avant-Garde

Recorded in 2016 during the pianist's final world tour, this improvised solo concert stands with the best of his late-career outings.

— Thom Jurek

Pale Fountains

The Complete Virgin Years

Cherry Red

Pop/Rock

The brilliant sophisti-pop band's complete works -- two near-perfect albums -- plus two discs of early singles, rough mixes, and demos.

— Tim Sendra

The Budos Band

VII

Diamond West

R&B, Jazz, Pop/Rock, International, Latin, Reggae

On their first long-player in five years, the innovative instrumental nonet showcases a refined, dynamic expansion of their sound.

— Thom Jurek

The Minus 5

Oar On, Penelope!

Yep Roc

Pop/Rock

Scott McCaughey's first Minus 5 album since his 2017 stroke finds him sounding strong, joyous, and rollicking.

— Mark Deming

Ben Kweller

Cover the Mirrors

The Noise Company

Pop/Rock

Power pop songwriter simultaneously expresses overpowering grief and inspired hopefulness in this loving tribute to his late son.

— Fred Thomas

Aesop Rock

Black Hole Superette

Rhymesayers Entertainment

Rap

Another expertly crafted effort from the rapper and producer, commenting on consumerism with remarkably detailed stories.

— Paul Simpson

Demise of Love

Demise of Love

Domino

Pop/Rock, Electronic

Glossy, futuristic new wave pop from Daniel Avery, James Greenwood (Ghost Culture), and Sydney Minsky-Sargeant (Working Men's Club).

— Paul Simpson

Various Artists

Soul 66 From The Vaults Of Atlantic, Atco, Calla, Loma, Reprise, Roulette, Stax, Volt and Warner Bros

Strawberry

R&B, Pop/Rock

A nearly four-hour-long collection of ecstatic soul tracks from one of the genre's most exciting and active years.

— Fred Thomas

Various Artists

Young and Wild: A Decade of American Glam Metal 1982-1992

Lemon Recordings

Pop/Rock

A three-disc bacchanal of 1980s glam metal from its best-known purveyors to its obscure upstarts.

— Timothy Monger

David Lowery

Fathers, Sons and Brothers

Cooking Vinyl

Pop/Rock

The Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker leader pulls no punches in this concept album that tells the story of his life.

— Mark Deming

Quantic

DJ-Kicks

!K7 / Retrofit

Electronic, R&B, Latin, Jazz

A mix of all-original material curated by Will Holland, from bubbling jazz-funk and house to trippy cumbia.

— Paul Simpson

Faun Fables

Counterclockwise

Drag City

Pop/Rock

On their first long-player since 2016, Dawn McCarthy and Nils Frykdahl enlist their daughters in creating this magical double album.

— Thom Jurek

Matthew Young

Undercurrents

Drag City

Avant-Garde, Folk, Electronic

Previously unheard compositions dating back to the 1970s, ranging from electronic minimalism to hammered dulcimer odysseys.

— Paul Simpson

Moonrisers

Harsh & Exciting

Easy Eye Sound

Country, Folk, Pop/Rock

Rustic and spectral vibes mark the debut from the Detroit instrumental duo.

— Matt Collar

Mt. Joy

Hope We Have Fun

Neon Gold / Universal

Pop/Rock

The Philly band's fourth outing is an organic and deeply textured set with strong dynamics.

— Timothy Monger

Patrick Demenga / Andres Mustonen / Kamer... / Riga Cathedral Boy's Choir / State Choir Latvija

Alexander Knaifel: Chapter Eight

ECM New Series

Classical

A vast, deliberate setting of a Song of Songs text, with a unique deployment of forces.

— James Manheim

Paul Agnew / Benjamin Alard / Les Arts Florissants

J.S. Bach: A Life in Music, Vol. 2 - The Weimar Years (1708-1717)

Harmonia Mundi

Classical

The second volume in a new Bach cantata series that is both expressive and insightful.

— James Manheim

Thomas Adès / London Philharmonic Orchestra

Thomas Adès: Luxury Suite from Powder Her Face; Five Spells from the Tempest; Inferno Suite

London Philharmonic Orchestra / LPO

Classical

Suites from operas give a good idea of the varied, flamboyant flavor of this composer's work.

— James Manheim

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

Ravel: Complete Works for Solo Piano

Chandos

Classical

A superb cycle of Ravel's piano music seems attuned to the composer's intentions at every turn.

— James Manheim

Third Coast Percussion

Standard Stoppages

Cedille Records

Classical

A 20th anniversary celebration from a percussion ensemble whose range of influences is large.

— James Manheim

Quatuor Diotima

Boulez: Livre pour Quatuor [2023 Recording]

PentaTone Classics

Classical

The world premiere recording of a revised version of Boulez's sole quartet.

— James Manheim

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