Editors' Choice for May 2024

Album cover for Death Jokes

Death Jokes

Sub Pop

Damon McMahon's dense, challenging critique of American culture's need to conform is equal parts timely and timeless.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for CASSANDRA (cherith)

CASSANDRA (cherith)

Warner Records
R&B

An impassioned second album from the Grammy- and Golden Globe-winning singer/actress, this neatly deviates from the throwback orientation of the debut.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for Lives Outgrown

Lives Outgrown

Domino

The singer/songwriter returns from a long hiatus with gorgeously weathered songs that explore aging with resolute honesty.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Placenta

Placenta

International Anthem

The Los Angeles-based producer and percussionist assembles a wonderful cast for a conceptual album centered on birth and parenthood.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Atavista

Atavista

RCA / Wolf & Rothstein
R&B, Rap

This revamped version of 3.15.2020 sports a new mix, a shuffled track list, and all the daring and unpredictable brilliance of the original.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Frog in Boiling Water

Frog in Boiling Water

Fantasy

The band's despondently beautiful fourth album pairs songs about a world falling apart with seductive sonics and a little bit of hope.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Here in the Pitch

Here in the Pitch

Mexican Summer

Pet Sounds-informed production, mercurial bossa nova breezes, and expanded instrumentation broaden the insular sound world of this already captivating singer/songwriter.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Baby J

Baby J

Drag City

Now available on physical formats, the Emmy-winning comedian takes a darker, long-form turn with a special chronicling addiction and rehab.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Fearless Movement

Fearless Movement

Young

Using the idea of dance as a creative and physical engine, the saxophonist's star-studded cast travel across jazz, funk, fusion, R&B, and more.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Glorious

Glorious

Hail Mary / Hail Mary Productions / Virgin

A bright, lively, and fresh spin on classic rock from the actress turned singer.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Big Swimmer

Big Swimmer

City Slang

A mesmerizing sophomore LP that draws on the sonics of Mazzy Star, the Velvet Underground, Speedy Wunderground, noise rock, haunted folk, and more.

— Marcy Donelson

Album cover for Can We Please Have Fun

Can We Please Have Fun

Capitol / Lovetap

An artful, emotionally resonant ninth album that finds the Nashville band recapturing the playful, post-punk energy of their early work.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for Combustible Gems

Combustible Gems

Slumberland

The proper debut full-length from this New Jersey indie outfit takes a slightly different approach for each of its eight tuneful and tastefully arranged tracks.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for To All Trains

To All Trains

Touch and Go

Chicago's math rock titans dish out ten bangers in 28 minutes in a fitting yet unexpected finale to their career.

— Mark Deming

Album cover for Reasonable Woman
Sia

Reasonable Woman

Atlantic

The tenth studio set from the Aussie pop wiz matches the power and intensity of her mid-2010s mainstream peak.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Høvikodden 1971

Høvikodden 1971

Cuneiform Records

The band's complete killer 1971 run at Norway's Henie Onstad Art Centre, with another unissued concert from the night before, in stellar sound.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Walking After Dark

Walking After Dark

Trouble in Mind

The double album from this psychedelic collective splits its time evenly between sleepless, observational, lyrical songs and free-floating jams.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Clancy

Clancy

Atlantic / Fueled by Ramen Records

The Ohio super duo end their multi-album, metaphorical mythology with yet another genre-blurring collection.

— Neil Z. Yeung

Album cover for Ten Fold

Ten Fold

Big Dada
R&B

Aided by the likes of Corey Fonville, Karriem Riggins, and Jay Daniel, the progressive R&B artist relates joy and pain with unfeigned emotion and sardonic wit.

— Andy Kellman