Editors' Choice for June 2022

Album cover for Big Time

Big Time

Jagjaguwar

Written as she was coming out as queer, the singer's sixth LP wrangles complex emotions with a broad palette centered on retro-shaded alt-country.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for The Essential

The Essential

Mr. Bongo

Mr. Bongo follows its reissue of the artist's 1976 classic The Devil Is Loose with the first-ever comprehensive overview of her career.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Proof
BTS

Proof

BIGHIT MUSIC

Expertly-crafted, three-disc anthology that packs hits, rarities, and personal curation from the K-pop septet.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Mississippi Son

Mississippi Son

Alligator / Alligator Records

After returning to the Delta to live, Musselwhite delivers an unromanticized testament to his life as a bluesman in originals and covers.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Deep in View

Deep in View

Fire Talk

The debut album from this band partly made up of ex-members of Ought turns away from that act's often emphatic style toward streamlined post-punk.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Reggae Film Star

Reggae Film Star

Maraqopa Records

A lush balance of wistful folk and psych-rock marks a cinematic 18th album focused on the life and times of ill-fated C-list actor Roger.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Scrutiny

Scrutiny

Felte

The stunning debut album from Pascal Stevenson's project delivers unflinchingly dark art-pop with a surprising streak of empathy.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Give or Take

Give or Take

Not So Fast / Epic
R&B

Exceptionally openhearted first proper album from the 100%-R&B, Grammy-nominated baritone.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Natural Part

Natural Part

Run for Cover Records

Increased fidelity and upgraded arrangements with the same slowcore soul and sideways melodic sense as on previous releases.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Orientations

Orientations

Fountain AVM

An arresting, insightful 22-track retrospective of unissued material whose careful curation by the artist covers 60 years of his career.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Cups

Cups

Thrill Jockey

A winsome and dreamy instrumental set echoing mountain traditions and triggering the imagination.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Love Quantum

Love Quantum

Masterworks / Sony Classical

The trumpeter continues to embrace a funky, spiritually minded blend of Afrofuturist jazz and hip-hop on his seventh album.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for GUV IV

GUV IV

Run for Cover Records

Along with the jangle pop they perfected on GUV III, the band successfully explore hooky new wave, rambling country-psych, and baggy '90s dance grooves.

— Tim Sendra