Editors' Choice for June 2023

Album cover for All Her Plans

All Her Plans

Merge

An outstanding third album from these smart Australian punks that often deals with the reality of living with mental illness.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for The Misfit Jukebox

The Misfit Jukebox

Tapete Records

Career-spanning collection of odds and sods including demos, lost tracks, and rare singles from the long-running, ever-inspiring group.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Bound to Be

Bound to Be

Where It's At Is Where You Are

The Portland duo build on their debut with a more varied and undeniably melodic follow-up.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Western Cum

Western Cum

Drag City

After a few solo albums of gentle, lonely Americana, the Wand bandleader shifts course drastically in favor of greasy, layered guitar riffs and hard-rocking weirdness.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Yawning Abyss

Yawning Abyss

Bella Union

John Grant and Wrangler tighten their focus on their second album to confront corruption and indifference with humor and horror.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Systemic

Systemic

Invada

Powerful fourth album from the Australian instrumental duo, alternating between punishing sludge metal and beautifully haunting neo-classical passages.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Off Planet

Off Planet

Because Music

The U.K. art-pop combo sound fresh and revitalized on their guest-heavy, space-themed fifth album.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Last Man Dancing

Last Man Dancing

Mute / Mute US

The multifaceted artist returns to the dancefloor with a surprising, ambitious mix of instant-gratification disco-pop and sweaty, hypnotic grooves.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for To Be Cruel

To Be Cruel

Sacred Bones

The doom metal supergroup's first album of new material in 17 years continues the writhing, tortured intensity of their earlier work.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Black Elvis 2

Black Elvis 2

Mello Music Group
Rap

The rap visionary revisits one of his key alter egos on the sequel to his 1999 major-label effort.

— Paul Simpson

Album cover for Supernatural Thing

Supernatural Thing

Anti-

The prolific singer/songwriter offers a distant sequel of sorts to his earlier highlight Transistor Radio.

— Timothy Monger

Album cover for Brain Worms
RVG

Brain Worms

Fire Records / Ivy League

The third album from this Australian outfit is as catchy with its college rock-informed songwriting as it is emotionally overpowering in its bleakly brilliant lyricism.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for This Moment

This Moment

Abstract Logix

On their first studio album in 46 years, the quintet offer an updated sound to carry their transcendent global fusion to both old and new listeners.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Sweet Western Sound

Sweet Western Sound

Fantasy

Following induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the outlaw country legend re-teams with co-producers Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Waiting Here

Waiting Here

Bobo Integral

Canadian trio assembles subtle and overt reference points into a collage of sharp, jangly indie punk on their fifth full-length.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Continuing

Continuing

Pi Recordings

The drummer/composer/educator and collaborators present a brilliantly pointillistic, polymetric, authoritatively evolved language for jazz piano trio.

— Thom Jurek