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J. Cole  The Fall-Off

Bowing out after six consecutive US No 1 albums, Cole references rap greats and even conjures a convo between Biggie and 2Pac – but the lens rarely strays from himself The Guardian

Hemlocke Springs  The Apple Tree Under the Sea

Beyond its musical execution, the apple tree under the sea is an immense literary accomplishment, and a nourishing meal for this cold and dark season The Skinny

Hemlocke Springs  The Apple Tree Under the Sea

Nostalgic and brimming with pop gems - but mostly, a lot of fun DIY

Silversun Pickups  Tenterhooks

Seven albums in, the L.A. band continues to channel ’90s-inspired alt-rock. The record’s pleasant sound and seamless production only exacerbate the feeling of stasis Pitchfork

Silversun Pickups  Tenterhooks

Tenterhooks explores the extent to which society can tolerate the political unease present in our daily lives. And while they occasionally touch on some of those themes throughout the album, they’re broken down into punchy soundbites that are never fully explored No Ripcord

Silversun Pickups  Tenterhooks

Tenterhooks is one of the darker and more internal SSPU albums that stresses atmosphere over energy, which will hit listeners who enjoy their more thoughtful and introspective material, but may miss fans craving cathartic ragers and catchy anthems All Music

Silversun Pickups  Tenterhooks

Long time fans of this band will have no problem enjoying Tenterhooks because it is, in essence, a median representation of all things Silversun Pickups Sputnik Music (staff)

Silversun Pickups  Tenterhooks

Some fans mourn the loss of Silversun Pickups’ looser, messier sound, but ‘90s super-producer Butch Vig helped them distill their many and disparate influences into a tight, 10-track set of impeccable songs Spectrum Culture

Geologist  Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?

If Camel Lights had been released a couple of decades ago, it might have offered new ways to think about Animal Collective’s sound while opening new doors for the band Spectrum Culture

Daphni  Butterfly

On the latest album from his DJ alias, Caribou’s Dan Snaith ups the tempo and doubles down on big-room oomph, sacrificing some of the appealing eccentricity of his best work Pitchfork

Beverley Glenn-Copeland  Laughter in Summer

A mix of reworked classics and new songs, Laughter In Summer stands as a tender testament to his enduring love No Ripcord

The Molotovs  Wasted On Youth

The Cartlidge siblings replicate the style, sounds, lyrical conceits and feel of early punk and new wave bands on their debut. And for the most part, they’re successful musicOMH

Tyler Ballgame  For The First Time, Again

The acoustic guitar and piano are the two most valuable players of this record, creating a lush soundscape that’s befitting of this hopeful world Ballgame has created while simultaneously challenging each other to explore more nuanced depths of his songwriting Far Out

Daphni  Butterfly

Daphni’s Butterfly is made to get you moving, designed for the club, but it will sound equally as massive in the living room discos PopMatters

Joji  Piss In The Wind

While some of the production on Piss in the Wind feels like an upgrade, the core issue with Joji’s songwriting remains: He never offers much of a window into his emotions Pitchfork