27 July 2017
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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Album number fourteen from the New York City R&B singer includes contributions from Kanye West, Quavo, DJ Khaled and Missy Elliott
6.7
Blige's finest offering in over a decade Read Review
A handsome set of hip-hop soul torch songs inspired by the end of the New Yorker’s marriage Read Review
Some big characters have walk-on parts but none of them can steal the show Read Review
A soulful, deeply personal album that luxuriates in the classic sounds of wronged-woman blues, featuring guest spots from Kanye West, DJ Khaled, and Kaytranada Read Review
The best tracks on ‘Strength Of A Woman’ seem destined to be poached for streaming service playlists and radio play, while the album as a whole potentially goes unnoticed Read Review
R&B star conjures some of her old magic Read Review
After the refreshing change furnished by 2014’s The London Sessions, things are pretty much back to normal for Mary J Blige on Strength Of A Woman Read Review
Clearly, the passion remains Read Review
A steady return Read Review
Her indomitable voice is always the main event Read Review
Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile To The Surface
An artistic triumph, the kind worth regarding as a creative masterwork among their collection Exclaim
Arcade Fire Everything Now
It’s a compositional mess, somehow both gratuitously moralising and morally repugnant, duller than watching already-dry paint, and I don’t want to waste another word on it The 405
Absolutely class God Is In The TV
Alice Cooper Paranormal
The two gems on this release are the two songs written with Cooper's original 1970s band Under The Radar
Coldplay Kaleidoscope EP
Goes down as easy as Sunday brunch with a cool uncle Rolling Stone
Alice returns to give his theatrical stylings an alt-rock make-over The Arts Desk
Alice Cooper knows what he does well, and sees no reason, on this evidence, to change The Independent
There's a treasure trove of blues rock to be lapped up here The Music
Sharpen up the guillotine, folks; he ain’t done yet Paste Magazine
It may not be a no-hitter (nothing here is as immediately visceral as, say, “Shake It Off” or as instantly gorgeous as “Simple Math,” perhaps), but the band still looks and sounds strong Paste Magazine
Lana Del Rey Lust for Life
Del Rey continues to reinvent and redefine herself in new and captivating ways, and Lust For Life is just one more step in that profound and lovely evolution Paste Magazine
Foster The People Sacred Hearts Club
It’s a dauntless album that boldly demonstrates its ability to successfully cross stylistic boundaries Paste Magazine
Manchester Orchestra's songs are bigger than ever Earbuddy
Waxahatchee Out In The Storm
Waxahatchee records her best album by meeting the listener on their own turf Earbuddy
As brittle as it is powerful The Music
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.
Kendrick Lamar To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar Damn.
D'Angelo And The Vanguard Black Messiah
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Anaïs Mitchell Hadestown
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Leonard Cohen You Want It Darker
Sufjan Stevens Carrie & Lowell
Mount Eerie A Crow Looked at Me