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24 April 2018

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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Old Crow Medicine ShowVolunteer

Paste reckon the 6th LP from the Grammy-winning string band is "one of their finest collective efforts so far". Exclaim are pleased they "have found something new to say"

new

TesseractSonder

Forth album "adds yet further lustre to the burgeoning catalogue" of the prog-metal five-piece according to The Music, but NME say it's "too dislocated and confused to warrant unpicking"

New

DRINKSHippo Lite

Q describe the second album from Tim Presley (White Fence) and Cate Le Bon as "brilliantly abrasive" while God Is In The TV say it's "not for the faint-hearted". Loud & Quiet reckon it's "fresh and exhilarating"

Highest Recent Ratings

Albums to watch

MastersystemDance Music

Clash say the Frightened Rabbit, Editors and Minor Victories side-project is "bold, carefree, and gripping throughout", while NME proclaim it "one of the best and most pleasurable listens of the year so far"

Manic Street PreachersResistance Is Futile

Mojo describe the 13th LP from the Welsh indie rock band as "a complex, multi-layered work" while Q say "they sound revitalised by the radiance of these songs"

HindsI Don't Run

The Skinny admire the "sunny garage rock weighted by concrete hooks" on the Madrid quartet's second LP, although UTR find it "a meandering detour through chill, lo-fi, and sometimes flat songs"

The DamnedEvil Spirits

"A master class in growing older without becoming lame and embarrassing" - The Arts Desk take on the first album in a decade from the punk veterans. Record Collector say it's "their best work in 35 years"

EelsThe Deconstruction

"More staggering works of heartbreaking genius " - The Skinny's take on album number twelve from the California indie rock band led by Mark Oliver Everett. Uncut say it's "predictably overwhelming"

Hop AlongBark Your Head Off, Dog

Pitchfork find the Philly quartet's third is "filled with rich stories rendered beautifully in the abstract", and DIY reckon "they're just as enticing and attention-grabbing when practicing restraint"

Jack WhiteBoarding House Reach

Clash say the 3rd solo LP from the former The White Stripes leader and Raconteur member is "easily one of the most layered and compelling releases of 2018". Q thinks it's his "most surprising and eccentric record"

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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6.1

Josh T. Pearson

The Straight Hits!

Second solo album from the Texas singer-songwriter and former member of Lift To Experience

Added: 16/04/2018
5.9

George Ezra

Staying At Tamara's

Second album from the Bristol-based folk / blues singer-songwriter

Added: 23/03/2018
5.8

A Place to Bury Strangers

Pinned

Fifth album from the New York–based noise rock band and first with new drummer Lia Simon Braswell

Added: 12/04/2018
5.7

The Weeknd

My Dear Melancholy

EP from the Canadian alternative R&B singer-songwriter Abel Tesfaye featuring guest spots from Frank Dukes, Mike WiLL Made-It, Cirkut and Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

Added: 03/04/2018
5.5

Kylie Minogue

Golden

Album number fourteen from Australian-born pop singer-songwriter is country-tinged and recorded in Nashville

Added: 05/04/2018
5.3

Gengahr

Where The Wildness Grows

Second album from the London alt-rock 4 piece featuring a guest appearance by Wolf Alice's Ellie Rowsell

Added: 16/03/2018

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Latest Reviews

Old Crow Medicine Show Volunteer

A worthy next chapter for a group that continues do its best work when finding new ways to tell old stories American Songwriter

DRINKS Hippo Lite

Most of the tracks unfortunately tread into self-indulgent wank territory, perhaps too clever by a half Exclaim

Mouse On Mars Dimensional People

For as uneven as Dimensional People is, you can’t deny the ambition or the curiosity of Mouse on Mars Earbuddy

More reviews

Fresh stuff

Confident Music For Confident People by Confidence Man

"It's surely the party of the year" - The Skinny's verdict on the debut LP from the Melbourne-based dance-pop quartet while The Guardian say it's "a sophisticated and skilful distillation of dance-pop joy"

Alexis TaylorBeautiful Thing
The Skinny describe the fourth solo album from the Hot Chip front man as "a wondrous optimistic float through space". Q reckon that "in a career already dotted with peaks, this is definitely another"

Josh T. PearsonThe Straight Hits!
"This feels like a necessary act of burning and rebuilding" - Uncut's take on the second solo album from the Texas singer-songwriter while Drowned In Sound think he "seems to be having a ball"

John PrineThe Tree Of Forgiveness
The first album of new songs in 13 years from the American country folk singer-songwriter "has all the qualities that have defined him as one of America's greatest songwriters" according to Rolling Stone

SabaCare For Me
Consequence of Sound feel the second album from the Chicago rapper and record producer "offers a deep reflection on grief and hope" while Pitchfork say it's "a marvel of craft, musicality, and emotion"

TinasheJoyride
NME reckon the American singer's third is a "sensual, star-ridden offering", but the Guardian find it's "a mixed bag, best when her coolly focused sexuality is put to the fore"

A Place to Bury StrangersPinned
All Music reckon the fifth album from the New York–based noise rock band is one of their "most cohesive" while Mojo say it's "ear-splitting and sublimely desolate"

Rival ConsolesPersona
Ryan Lee West's fourth LP is "easily one of the most vivid and soul-stirring electronic albums of the year", according to PopMatters, and All Music describe it as "immaculately produced techno"

Laura VeirsThe Lookout
"Open-hearted, free-thinking and grown-up in all the best ways" - Q's take on the 10th LP from the Oregon folk singer-songwriter. The Arts Desk say it "deserves to be as successful as the ‘case/lang/veirs’ album"

Unknown Mortal OrchestraSex and Food
"Album of the year thus far? Easily" - Loud & Quiet's take on Ruban Nielson's 4th LP. God Is In The TV think it's a sign that "Neilson could become a real auteur of the genre"

Daniel AverySong For Alpha
"A strong, sometimes truly beautiful, maturation of Avery’s work as a producer" - Mixmag's verdict on the 2nd LP of ambient techno from London based producer while Clash say it "demands repeated listening"

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