Amoeba Music

Philadelphia punk legends and road warriors The Menzingers' seventh album, Some of it Was True , stands as their most urgent and energetic effort to date. Capturing their distinctive live energy within the confines of the studio, the sound is rich, raw, and complementary to the group's increasingly prismatic songwriting approach. The Menzingers seem to be kickstarting a new era in their already illustrious career by tapping into the energy that brought the band to life in the very beginning. More

Sarah Jarosz seventh studio album, Polaroid Lovers , delivers her viscerally potent and resplendent brand of folk-rock, while exploring the ephemeral moments that indelibly shape our lives. The alchemy of Jarosz's finely wrought lyricism, gorgeous vocal work, and virtuosic yet unfettered musicality creates an album-long meditation on love and longing. More

Good Life is a celebration of Ledisi's artistic journey. A unique blend of soulful sounds and lyrical depth, her 11th album is a testament to her creative evolution that explores the spectrum of human emotions and experiences. With her signature blend of soul, R&B, and jazz influences, Ledisi continues to innovate and push the boundaries of expectation. Features vocals from Kenny Lattimore and Butcher Brown, as well as writing and production from long-time collaborator Rex Rideout and others. More

Legendary musician and artist Kim Gordon's second solo album continues her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen (Lil Yachty, John Cale, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and advances their joint world building. Raisin's damaged, blown-out dub and trap constructions work as a foil to Gordon's word collages and mantras, conjuring themes of our modern world's dysfunctions with communication, commercial sublimation, and sensory overload. Gordon is here to disrupt and we like it.More

IDKHow's second album (but first album as a solo act) is a window into the mind of lead vocalist and bassist Dallon Weekes, formerly of Panic! At The Disco. Fittingly for a solo act, the sound is an introspective departure from the debut album, Razzmatazz , with themes revolving around mental health and non-normative thinking styles. The sonic influences range from '70s glam to '90s R&B and pretty much everything in-between, showing Weekes as a songwriter with an appreciation of dark lyrics and upbeat melodies. More

Britti's triumphant debut, co-written and produced by Dan Auerbach, is inspired by musical luminaries from Diana Ross to Dolly Parton, and influenced by contemporary legends like Beyoncé and Sade. The album is a personal love letter to her native New Orleans that reflects her diverse musical influences, including R&B, blues, Zydeco, Motown, and even some glittery country. The emotional and stylistic scope of the songs is far-reaching, but her unique voice works as a through line, holding them together. More

Bonny Doon's latest musical journey is one that has big payoffs for devoted followers and undeniable rewards for anyone just discovering them. Let There Be Music presents the band at their most dynamic and the songwriting deftly explores new terrain. Indelible guitar lines lay the solid foundation while the lyrics reach skyward with philosophical truths - both profound and mundane, comforting and difficult. More

Filled with lively, catchy rock that calls to mind The Cars and David Bowie, Boeckner's solo debut is the culmination of his deep library of musical influence and his quest for self-realization. In Boeckner's hands, the journey of working through the grit and gravel that accumulates in the heart involves post-apocalyptic synth and guitar heroism. Throughout his work with Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, and other bands, the Canadian indie rocker recognizes that few feelings are more gratifying than hope. But it takes getting the hell out of your own way. More

1993's Recipe for Hate is Bad Religion's most eclectic album and a controversial one for the fans. The band focuses on events of the day, serving scathing commentary on the state of the nation, specifically alcoholism, abortion, and homelessness. Greg Graffin reaffirms his place as one of the best punk rock vocalists with his trademark combination of perfect pitch and skeptical emotion. The album also features guest vocals from Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano. More

Everything you've ever wanted from Sum 41 can be found on their new double album Heaven :x: Hell . Heaven is packed to the gills with the pop-punk gems that brought Sum 41 infamy. Hell takes listeners on a journey to the band's more recent heavy metal side. It's a raucous, rowdy thrillride meant to be turned up loud. Heaven :x: Hell may be Sum 41's final album but these tracks will keep fans headbanging for year to come. More

Chicano Batman takes you on a voyage with Notebook Fantasy . Produced by in-demand producer John Congleton (Erykah Badu, Budos Band, St. Vincent), the album feels like a throwback to a more psychedelic, sexy, jet-setting time. "Era Primavera" is a lush, shimmering number with soaring strings, dreamy harmonies, and romantic melodies. The appropriately named "Fly" just feels superfly, with elements of classic '70s funk, sexy sleaze, and an addictive chorus. Notebook Fantasy is absolutely sensational. More

Exotic Birds of Prey is the new seven song mini-album from the inimitable Shabazz Palaces. These tracks are gloriously weird, pushing hip-hop forward into cosmic, funky, and unsettling territory. The ultra-experimental "Angela" features haunting synthscapes and woozy basslines. "Myths of the Occult" is a short-but-sweet track with a trippy, slightly eerie melody and dreamlike, goth rap vocals. "Take Me to Your Leader" sounds like a forgotten classic from the era that brought us weirdo synth-funk legends like Charlie and Egyptian Lover. Exotic Birds of Prey is innovative, enjoyable, and unlike anything else you'll hear this year. More

Rarely do legendary acts have a second act as creative, interesting, and essential as Ride. Interplay is some of the band's best work. Opener "Peace Sign" is shoegaze with pop sensibilities and an early '90s indie quirk. "Last Frontier" is romantic, wistful, and moody. "Monaco" kicks off with danceable electronic beats before melancholy post-punk guitars and stabbing synths add urgency and intensity. With so many top-notch songs, Interplay is one of those records that quickly becomes a favorite. More

The Smile's Wall of Eyes is a powerful slow burn. These languid, lush songs unroll at their own pace, building a powerful mood that crescendoes as the album goes along. The tracks are devastatingly lovely, discordant and unsettling, with moments of sublime beauty. Alongside drummer Tom Skinner, Radiohead members Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke magnificently blend familiar elements of their legendary band's sound while still charting exciting new sonic ground. More

SPRINTS's first album, Letter to Self , is one those heady, intoxicating debuts that barrels straight at you, no holds barred and ready to reaffirm your faith in rock 'n' roll. The Dublin four-piece combines post-punk, garage punk, and riot grrrl into an intense, cathartic listen. Singer/guitarist/lead songwriter Karla Chubb doesn't shy away from hard-hitting topics, delving into mental health issues, religious guilt, bodily autonomy, sexuality, and self-acceptance. But this isn't a "message" album: instead, it's a full-throttle reckoning with the issues through loud, ferocious, gritty rock 'n' roll. Letter to Self announces SPRINTS as a band to watch. More

The self-titled debut from San Francisco's Spiritual Cramp is high-octane, rough and rowdy punk rock in its purest form. These ultra-catchy tracks feel like direct descendents from classic NYC and London punk, even when the band is singing about totally modern concerns (see "Talkin' on the Internet") or dipping a toe into post-punk ("Herberts on Holiday"). Spiritual Cramp will have you longing for basement shows and sticky floors, late nights and living on the edge. This album is pure good times. More from these guys, please. More

SPELLLING proves once again she's a powerful force in music, magic, and the space in between. On her latest for Sacred Bones, SPELLLING & The Mystery School , the experimental pop artist reimagined studio tracks from the length of her career, spotlighting the ways in which they've grown and morphed. The songs are sparkling with life, at times witchy and enchanted, at times earthy and comforting. There are elements of disco, trip-hop, and grandiose '80s-style fantasy pop. It's an intoxication potion that showcases the power of art and the remarkability of the creative process. More

Sleater-Kinney's Little Rope is a remarkable album. Written in the wake of the deaths of Carrie Brownstein's mother and stepfather, the arrangements are sparse and meditative, intense and careening — much like the process of navigating loss itself. Through the comfort and challenge of songwriting, Brownstein and Corin Tucker transmute grief into striving, sympathetic, transcendent songs. Little Rope feels like a companion, a friend, someone to walk beside you on a long, dark road. Because isn't that what music, at its best, does? More

The mighty IDLES find power in love on TANGK . (Pronounced "tank.") The best British post-punk band in modern music can always be relied on for intelligent lyrics, punishing riffs, and no holds barred truth-telling, but whereas on earlier releases the band directed their talents at taking down the failures and apathy of society, now they're funneling that same forceful sound into the not-so-simple act of perseverance. The band's inimitable stomp is present on "Dancer" — even as the song intros with golden age of Hollywood cinematic strings — before segueing into a bold, brutal melody. On "Grace," those pounding basslines and fierce drums are toned down in an aural echo of the title; this anthem for communal love and solidarity feels both open-eyed and comforting. An essential album for rough times, TANGK is some of the most intriguing material from the ever-excellent IDLES. More

Scuzzy, hedonistic, and ridiculously fun, Push is Sextile's first release for Sacred Bones. Long an LA underground mainstay, the band sounds better than ever as it descends in darkly pleasurable new directions, cranking up the volume on an unholy mixture of '90s Manchester, bigbeat, breakbeat, acid, post-punk and punk rock. This is music for 3am, with all its possibilities, wooziness, latent drama, and the inevitable comedown. Sextile has always received a serious amount of buzz, so if you're one of those people that gets turned off by hype, you'll just need to hear this one to believe that it's well-earned. A breath of fresh night air. More