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• Sleigh Bells: Reign Of Terror -

  C+ The buzz band takes a tiresome turn with its sophomore effort. 

• Damien Jurado: Maraqopa -

  A- The Seattle folkie branches out on his stunning new album.

• Frankie Rose: Interstellar -

  B- A romantic twee-pop record that’s not quite grown-up enough. 

• Grimes: Visions -

  A- A DIY artist moves boldly toward the dance floor. 

• Perfume Genius: Put Your Back N 2 It -

  B The Seattle singer-songwriter displays equal amounts of confidence and calculation. 

• Lambchop: Mr. M -

  A- Conjuring worlds from one small room in Music City.

• Cursive: I Am Gemini -

  B Even after seven albums and a few hiatuses, Tim Kasher is still pretty moody. 

• Tindersticks: The Something Rain -

  B The dour lads still make sad sound sweet. 

• Punch Brothers: Who's Feeling Young Now? -

  A- Growing a rock band from bluegrass roots.

• Earth: Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II -

  B The second half of a drone-folk opus doesn’t quite measure up to the first. 

• Field Music: Plumb -

  A- More buttoned-down pop from the remarkably consistent U.K. band.  

• Shearwater: Animal Joy -

  B+ The long-running chamber-folk act stops getting delicate and starts getting real. 

• Tennis: Young & Old -

  B The garage-pop band serves up a bright, tuneful sophomore effort. 

• Heartless Bastards: Arrow -

  A- Erika Wennestrom and crew teach old rock some new tricks. 

• Young Magic: Melt -

  B Chillwave goes on a spirit quest.  

• The Fray: Scars & Stories -

  D The Denver quartet churns out more sensitive, mid-tempo tunes.  

• Van Halen: A Different Kind Of Truth  -

  B A surprising, even shocking, comeback album. 

• Sharon Van Etten: Tramp -

  B+ A singer-songwriter comes into her own.

• Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks  -

  B+ Pop debris swirls in Kevin Barnes’ latest sonic tornado. 

• Air: Le Voyage Dans La Lune -

  B One French institution pays homage to another.

• Paul McCartney: Kisses On The Bottom  -

  C+ Macca makes his inevitable standards album. 

• The Twilight Sad: No One Can Ever Know  -

  B+ Trading guitars for synths doesn’t make the Scots any less sinister. 

• Dr. Dog: Be The Void -

  A- The indie-rock vets flawlessly recapture their youth. 

• Mark Lanegan Band: Blues Funeral  -

  C- An immortal voice makes a disc that instantly dates itself. 

• Lindstrøm: Six Cups Of Rebel  -

  C- The Norwegian producer sets phasers to funk and fails to stun. 

• Patrice O’Neal  -

  A- The late, great comic’s last words.

• Lana Del Rey: Born To Die  -

  D Flighty pop from the new queen of Internet provocation. 

• Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas -

  A- The singer-songwriter dares to sound proudly old.

• Hospitality: Hospitality -

  A- Indie-pop newcomers offer a bold sound and big hearts. 

• Escort: Escort -

  B+ An LP five years in the making delivers classic disco thrills. 

• Imperial Teen: Feel The Sound  -

  B Teenage bliss, all grown up. 

• Black Bananas: Rad Times Xpress IV -

  C Royal Trux’s female half takes a half-hearted stab at reinvention. 

• Imbogodom: And They Turned Not When They Went  -

  B+ An experimental duo reins in the noise—but not the atmosphere. 

• Heems: Nehru Jackets -

  B+ Das Racist’s loudest third makes a big solo noise.

• Schoolboy Q: Habits & Contradictions  -

  B An erratic, utterly compelling sophomore effort from the Compton rapper.