Editors' Choice for July 2014

As long as listeners are down with the idea of a fairly speculative recording, the effect of the tangent piano is electrifying.

— James Manheim

At times the sounds heard here achieve the grail of being simple and uncanny at the same time. Highly recommended.

— James Manheim

Mehta's performance here, totally absorbed in the role and not at all histrionic, is extraordinary and the musical elements are very fine indeed.

— James Manheim

Excellent noise pop debut that features Frankie Rose (on drums) and the vocals and guitar of Avan Lava's Drew Citron.

— Tim Sendra

Solo debut from fun.'s Jack Antonoff is a time trip back to the soundtracks of John Hughes' high-school films, but with a modern twist.

— Tim Sendra

The best introduction to a group that was crucial to the development of industrial, post-punk, and electronic dance music.

— Andy Kellman

The debut album from Hannah Lew's post-Grass Widow project contrasts post-punk tension with winning indie pop hooks.

— Heather Phares

The group's seventh album is heavy on the autumnal ballads, but still burns with an undimmed fire and passion.

— Tim Sendra

Strengthened by intense productions from No I.D. and appearances from fellow Chicago natives, this is some of the rapper's heaviest, hardest work.

— Andy Kellman

The Canadian country songwriter and his band re-record their early hits live from the floor of Memphis, Tennessee's Sun Studio for a CMT special.

— Thom Jurek

CSNY's legendary 1974 tour finally gets an official live document in this sprawling box.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Thirty-five tracks from the Soul Sister's years with Atco Records, including 12 unreleased performances; polished but powerful '70s soul.

— Mark Deming

A scorching set of punk-metal malevolence that somehow manages to be both relentlessly kinetic and imposingly muscular.

— James Christopher Monger

The beguiling Freeman is a soft, melodic hybrid of Y2K Ween and early Paul McCartney.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

One of the first and most gorgeously realized documents of the Tropicalismo movement.

— Fred Thomas

The debut from Super Furry Animals bassist Guto Pryce and wife Lindsey Leven is a stylized set of gently psychedelic, summertime indie pop.

— Timothy Monger

On his Sony Masterworks debut, the Oscar and Grammy-winning Argentine composer offers a spare, intimate, yet emotionally resonant instrumental set.

— Thom Jurek

Highly recommended, and likely to help further what is already a substantial revival in Busoni's music.

— James Manheim

Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra present Bruckner's Seventh Symphony in a remarkably clear and balanced audiophile recording.

— Blair Sanderson

An original score for one of Louis Feuillade's serial films performed live on the occasion of its centenary.

— Thom Jurek

Inspired by the traditional European trek, Land Observations delivers a lusher, more assured version of its hypnotic guitar experiments.

— Heather Phares

Soundtrack to the screen biography of the soul legend delivers classic studio sides as well as vintage live recordings.

— Mark Deming

A gorgeous, melancholy collection of sunshine and heartache that's quintessentially L.A.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

With a killer band, all-star guests, and co-authors, the prolific singer/songwriter delivers an absolutely solid double album.

Three-disc anthology of Coltrane's Blue Note sessions as a sideman for other artists in the '50s.

— Matt Collar

Raw, exceedingly emotional, and melodic neo-emo-punk that stands proudly next to the classic albums of the '90s emo wave.

— Tim Sendra

The leanest and most confident-sounding collection of new material the band has released in ages.

— James Christopher Monger

Sample Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen for an introduction in just six minutes to the essential Mahler. A superb job.

— James Manheim

On her first record in 14 years, the sophisticated songwriter employs a trio to showcase an intimate yet no less wry and poignant collection.

— Thom Jurek

Kazuki Yamada and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande present a sonic extravaganza of post-Romantic dance music.

— Blair Sanderson

The Scottish folksinger has delivered his most focused and detailed record with this moving soundtrack to director Virginia Heath's historical documentary.

— Timothy Monger

Debut album from Australian space-psych trio is made up of carefully wrought but passionately performed compositions.

— Fred Thomas

Violin and viola music by an obscure Australian-British composer during this era might not make most must-have lists, but this is a gem.

— James Manheim

The Australian folk duo's debut for Sub Pop is a treasure of timeless songcraft and gentle restraint.

— Timothy Monger

This is a release has a lot to recommend it and belongs on any decent shelf or hard drive of English choral music.

— James Manheim

The Louisiana singer delivers a set that brims with his immense growth as both a songwriter and performer.

— Thom Jurek

On its fifth -- and best -- full-length, the Swedish d-beat crustpunks keep the aggression level high while expanding their sonic reach.

— Thom Jurek

Second album of drifty indie folk-rock from this L.A. songwriter turns up the volume just a touch.

— Fred Thomas

Four years after the re-release of 1986's Traveler's Advisory, the composer's excellent debut album from 1981 is reissued.

— Thom Jurek

For her debut on Challenge Classics, Michèle Gurdal presents an exciting survey of Scriabin's dazzling etudes for piano.

— Blair Sanderson

Moz's first album for Harvest is his weirdest, proggiest record since Southpaw Grammar.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Italian bandleader and composer creates a classic-sounding, seamless integration of jazz, Latin, Brazilian, and soul.

— Thom Jurek

On its ninth effort, the Chicago band sums its musical history while pushing ever forward in a dark, aggressive, dynamic set.

— Thom Jurek

On their fifth full-length, the Virginia string band finish another Dylan tune, and deliver a confident, ambitious set of original roots music.

— Thom Jurek

Paul O'Dette has selected his favorite lute pieces by John Dowland, sampling both the melancholy and brighter sides of his music.

— Blair Sanderson

Peter Orth's recording of Ludwig van Beethoven's Diabelli Variations for Challenge Classics is compelling listening from beginning to end.

— Blair Sanderson

A shimmering, cacophonous, and often glorious mess of an album that subverts most guitar-and-drum-duo tropes.

— James Christopher Monger

Seattle's left-field hip-hop duo grow musically and up the art on their brilliant sophomore effort.

— David Jeffries

Returning to the spotlight after years as a chart-topping songwriter, Sia balances her arty instincts with big hooks.

— Heather Phares

Psych-rock upstarts Stardeath and White Dwarfs take their sound into their own hands on their compelling sophomore effort.

— Gregory Heaney

Two-fer collection boasts the first North American release of two albums the Dream Syndicate leader cut in Spain with Paco Loco.

— Mark Deming

Of the many choices the listener has in this repertory, Goodyear's performance is well into the top tier.

— James Manheim

The trio's debut is full of subtly compelling, shape-shifting tracks that compare favorably with the xx and How to Dress Well.

— Heather Phares

Exhaustive six-disc set featuring all of the unedited performances from the legendary 1971 concert album.

— Matt Collar

The English dream pop confectioners finally get the career overview they deserve.

— James Christopher Monger

Second album by the Australian combo takes a dreamy turn toward psych pop and improves upon their excellent debut.

— Tim Sendra

The Vivat label gets the edge here with its near-ideal small-auditorium sound. A very strong choice for Purcell fans.

— James Manheim

The band's debut album is a low-key psych pop delight that casts a calmly enchanting spell that's hard to break, even after the album ends.

— Tim Sendra

The duo's excellent seventh album is more proof that they are the premiere noise pop group of their era.

— Tim Sendra

A subtle but soulful change of pace for Greg Cartwright, though the songwriting and performances are as strong as ever.

— Mark Deming

The Heartbreakers spend some time playing trashy rock & roll in the garage on this fun, fuzzy record.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

One of the most flagrantly lecherous commercial R&B albums of its time, with sharp hooks and slick productions to spare.

— Andy Kellman

The debut from the former Awesome Color frontman's next project is a scuzzy yet heartfelt embrace of pop, garage, and experimental rock.

— Heather Phares

To mark his 150th anniversary, Richard Strauss' extant songs and melodramas have been recorded under the direction of Brigitte Fassbaender.

— Blair Sanderson

Moving out of the bedroom and into Ty Segall's garage only makes their oddball psych clearer, not any less weird or wonderful.

— Tim Sendra

This compelling, completely instrumental set -- composed on analog synths, guitars, winds and brass -- is anything but black metal.

— Thom Jurek

Lo-fi, low-budget album recorded in the artist's apartment is a small-scale triumph with great songs and edgy performances.

— Mark Deming

Sun-kissed modern pop draws from decades of psychedelic dance music but sounds fully modern, with the duo totally in charge of their sound.

— Tim Sendra