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21 October 2020

Here's how it works: The Recent Releases chart brings together critical reaction to new albums from more than 50 sources worldwide. It's updated daily. Albums qualify with 5 reviews, and drop out after 6 weeks into the longer timespan charts.

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New

BeabadoobeeFake It Flowers

NME say the first full-length release from the Filipino-born Londoner is a "stunning debut album of anthemic slacker rock" while Clash describe it as "a revealing, enthralling, enchanting debut record"

New

Open Mike EagleAnime, Trauma And Divorce

"A self-help rap record that manages to be heart-breaking and humorous at the same time" - Beats Per Minute's take on the latest from the Chicago born rapper. DIY describe it as "some sweet, sweet lemonade"

New

Touché AmoréLament

"A resounding return from a band who have once again outdone themselves" - XS Noize's take on the 5th LP from the post-hardcore band. DIY say they "continue to reinvent the very foundations of hardcore"

Highest Recent Ratings

Albums to watch

Fleet FoxesShore

music OMH reckon the 4th LP from the Seattle indie folk group is "a glorious, life-affirming collection of songs". Pitchfork say it's "another musically adventurous album that is warm and newly full of grace"

Angel OlsenWhole New Mess

"Not only works in isolation, it deserves equal footing in Olsen's discography" - All Music's take on the fifth full-length studio release from the St Louis-born singer-songwriter which features new sparser recordings of tracks from 2019's All Mirrors

Everything EverythingRe-Animator

"Re-Animator is the most assured the band have ever been" - The Independent's take on the 5th LP from the Manchester-based band while DIY describe it as "a shadowy beast that’s sure to leave a mark"

The KillersImploding The Mirage

Clash reckon that with their 6th LP the Las Vegas pop-rock band are "stepping away from their limitations in a blast of undiluted ambitions". NME say it has "enormo-ballads and futuristic bangers aplenty"

Biffy ClyroA Celebration Of Endings

The Line Of Best Fit say the Scots alt.rock trio "continue to prove themselves titans on an experimental and thunderous" on their 9th LP. Uncut describe it as "glorious, elevating and energising stuff"

Fontaines D.C.A Hero's Death

"Fontaines D.C. intend to become one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and they don’t mind doing it the hard way" The Independent's take on the second album from the Dublin-based post-punk quintet

JARV ISBeyond The Pale

Clash say the debut album from Jarvis Cocker's new band is "a triumph" and Northern Transmission say it's "a wonderful addition to Cocker’s entire musical oeuvre". DIY say he's "an absolute one-of-a-kind"

ProtomartyrUltimate Success Today

The Line Of Best Fit reckon the 5th LP from the Detroit post-punk quartet "has the power of an exorcism" while Gigwise say it is "an emotional rollercoaster of a record, but one that is well and truly worth riding"

THE CHART: THE TOP RATED NEW ALBUMS

The ADM rating is a weighted average from our survey of more than 50 sources , taking into account the number of reviews

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7.3

Sam Prekop

Comma

Fifth solo album from the The Sea and Cake band member

Added: 10/09/2020
7.3

Autechre

Sign

Fourteenth album from the Rochdale electronic duo Rob Brown and Sean Booth

Added: 16/10/2020
7.3

Deradoorian

Find The Sun

Second solo album from LA-based experimental alt.rock musician Angel Deradoorian and former Dirty Projectors singer

Added: 18/09/2020
7.3

Shamir

Shamir

Latest album from the Las Vegas-born, Philadelphia-based electronic pop singer-songwriter

Added: 02/10/2020
7.3

Sarah Davachi

Cantus, Descant

Latest release from the Canadian electronic sound artist features recordings of church organs from around the world

Added: 18/09/2020
7.3

Sad13

Haunted Painting

Second solo album from the Speedy Ortiz singer and guitarist Sadie Dupuis

Added: 25/09/2020
7.2

Alicia Keys

Alicia

Seventh album from the Grammy-winning urban soul singer features songwriting and production contributions from her husband Swizz Beatz, Ludwig Göransson, Rob Knox, Johnny McDaid, and The-Dream

Added: 20/09/2020
7.1

Kevin Morby

Sundowner

Sixth album of indie rock from the Kansas-based former Woods bassist and The Babies frontman

Added: 16/10/2020
7.1

Will Butler

Generations

Second solo album from the Arcade Fire multi-instrumentalist recorded at his Brooklyn home

Added: 25/09/2020
7.0

A.G. Cook

Apple

Second full-length album of 2020 from the London electronic producer with contributions from Hannah Diamond and Caroline Polachek

Added: 18/09/2020
6.9

Melanie C

Melanie C

Eighth studio album by the former Spice Girls member featuring a guest appearance from Nadia Rose

Added: 02/10/2020
6.9

Sylvan Esso

Free Love

Third studio album of indie electropop from North Carolina duo Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn

Added: 29/09/2020
6.9

Jónsi

Shiver

Second solo album from the Sigur Rós frontman co-produced by A. G. Cook and recorded in Berlin, Helsinki, London and Reykjavik

Added: 01/10/2020
6.9

Into It. Over It.

Figure

Fourth album from the Chicago-based emo / indie rock musician Evan Thomas Weiss

Added: 22/09/2020
6.9

Gorillaz

Song Machine, Season One: Strange

Seventh studio album from Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's virtual band is part of the Song Machine project

Added: 20/10/2020
6.8

Annie

Dark Hearts

Third album and First in ten years from the Norwegian electro-pop artist produced by Stefan Storm

Added: 15/10/2020
6.8

Travis

10 Songs

Ninth studio album from the Scottish indie rock four-piece features a guest appearance from the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs

Added: 12/10/2020
6.7

Osees

Protean Threat

Twenty-third album of psyched-out garage rock from the San Francisco band and first under their second name change

Added: 18/09/2020
6.7

Cults

Host

Fifth studio album from New York indie pop duo Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin

Added: 18/09/2020
6.7

Machine Gun Kelly

Tickets To My Downfall

Fifth album from the Texas-born pop-punk rapper produced by Blink-182's drummer Travis Barker

Added: 28/09/2020
6.4

Big Sean

Detroit 2

Fifth studio album from the Detroit, Michigan hip hop artist includes guest appearances from Anderson.Paak, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla Sign and Young Thug

Added: 10/09/2020
6.4

Blackpink

The Album

Second album from the South Korean pop group with guest appearances from Cardi B and Selena Gomez

Added: 02/10/2020
6.3

Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Tea For The Tillerman2

Album number sixteen from the singer-songwriter features new interpretations of the songs from his 1970 album Tea For The Tillerman

Added: 18/09/2020
6.3

Hurts

Faith

Fifth studio album from the Manchester English synth-pop duo Adam Anderson and Theo Hutchcraft

Added: 14/09/2020
6.1

Gus Dapperton

Orca

Second album from the Warwick, New York singer-songwriter Brendan Patrick Rice

Added: 18/09/2020

Latest Reviews

Songhoy Blues Optimisme

A record that punches as hard as an early AC/DC album, but is still as danceable as a Rick James cut Loud And Quiet

Kevin Morby Sundowner

On Sundowner, Morby’s storytelling isn’t just the album’s centerpiece – it’s an overcompensation Beats Per Minute

Gorillaz Song Machine, Season One: Strange

The English troupe’s latest project is as sundry, vibrant, playful, and superficial as you’d expect Consequence Of Sound

More reviews

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Fresh stuff

Serpentine Prison by Matt Berninger

Record Collector describe the debut solo album from The National's frontman as "a stunning record" while Northern Transmissions say it's "stark, weirdly comforting, bruised and beautiful"

Future IslandsAs Long As You Are
"A band who finally found what they are looking for" - Loud And Quiet's take on the 6th LP from the synthpop group. The Line Of Best Fit say it's "a collection of taught electro-pop numbers graced with poetic flair"

Working Men’s ClubWorking Men’s Club
NME say that the West Yorkshire band "find chaos in the every day on their superb debut" while Mojo say "a compelling, grimy darkness ripples throughout"

Bartees StrangeLive Forever
"Bartees Strange is a visionary artist worth watching closely" - Exclaim's take on the debut from the Brooklyn musician while BPM say he's "an artist not merely requesting his seat at the table, but demanding it"

Róisín MurphyRoisin Machine
"Distils her disco expertise and musical idiosyncrasies in songs pulsing with dancefloor power" - The Guardian's take on the latest from the former Moloko singer. Exclaim say it's among her "best works"

Sufjan StevensThe Ascension
Record Collector say the 8th LP from the Detroit-born indie folk singer-songwriter is "a joyous blend of dumb fun and sonic smarts with". The Arts Desk reckon it's "highly accessible and at times even danceable"

IdlesUltra Mono
"As tight, ballistic, and in your face as IDLES have ever been" - Northern Transmaissions' verdict on the 3rd LP from the Bristol indie post-punk band. No Ripcord say it's "their most consistent album to date"

Marilyn MansonWe Are Chaos
NME reckon the latest LP from the American industrial act is "his best album since 2000's era-defining 'Holy Wood'". CoS say "the musicianship and songwriting are among the best of Manson’s career"

UniformShame
"It’s masterfully dark, invigorating stuff" - Loud And Quiet's take on the fourth full-length album from the New York based thrash metal duo while Kerrang! describe it as "a weighty slab of industrial punk"

The Flaming LipsAmerican Head
"Stately, sorrowful yet somehow also undeniably uplifting" - The Line Of Best Fit's take on the 16th LP from Wayne Coyne's Grammy-winning psych rockers. DIY say "it’ll tug at the heartstrings"

Bill CallahanGold Record
The Observer reckon that with his seventh album it's time for Bill Callahan "to join the pantheon of great American singer-songwriters" while Record Collector say it's "both tender and wonderfully silly"

All-time top 10

Since we've been around, that is. So, the highest-rated albums from the past eight years or so. Rankings are calculated to two decimal places.

See full list