First Listen: Conor Oberst, 'Ruminations'
Oberst's distinctive warble is set against a spare patchwork of acoustic guitar, piano and the occasional harmonica, drawing most of the attention to his dark, personal words.
Music Reviews
Isaiah Rashad Dusts Himself Off And Tries Again
Depression and addiction stymied the rapper after a promising debut on the same label that launched Kendrick Lamar. On The Sun's Tirade, he sounds like a new man, refreshed and self-aware.
Angel Olsen Sings With Fierceness And Fatalism On 'My Woman'
Though Olsen sets pain and frustration to music in her latest album, critic Ken Tucker says it's clear that the singer is "very much in control of her emotions and her life."
First Listen: Pixies, 'Head Carrier'
The inspired Head Carrier reaffirms all the spark, wit and weirdness, tempered by the occasional burst of emotional rawness, that made people fall in love with the Pixies in the first place.
First Listen: John Adams, 'Scheherazade.2'
Violence against women, and a smart storyteller from the Arabian Nights, inspired John Adams' "dramatic symphony," featuring violinist Leila Josefowicz.
First Listen: John Prine, 'For Better, Or Worse'
On the cusp of his 70th birthday, the revered singer-songwriter sets down his pen to explore country classics with some stellar duet partners.
In 'Latin American Songbook,' Edward Simon Rethinks The American Jazz Standard
The pianist's new album places Latin standards at the center of instrumental jazz and offers creative experimentation with harmony and meter.
Jim Black's Trio Comes Into Its Own With A Lovely, 'Constant' Album
Drummer Jim Black slips rock-ish beats beats under a jazz groove on his trio's new album. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the sound on The Constant has a distinctive edge that "pops out of the speakers."
First Listen: Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam, 'I Had A Dream That You Were Mine'
The former Walkmen frontman records an album with the help of Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij. Throughout, the two surround the singer's voice with surprising, sometimes old-fashioned sounds.
First Listen: Dwight Yoakam, 'Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars...'
On the 30th anniversary of his debut, the country star releases his first-ever bluegrass album — though this isn't quite the simple, back-to-roots affair the concept suggests.