23 October 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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Second record this year from Robert Pollard's indie rock group
6.7
This version of GbV can do more than just play Pollard's songs - they bring a tough but intelligent rock & roll swagger to the music Read Review
They have managed to return with a familiar sound that never comes across as contrived or parody, just plain spoken rock and roll, and manages to be more directly focused than April’s August By Cake. Done and dusted in a taut 37 minutes, a welcome return Read Review
With a batting average like Pollard’s, you can afford to take this many swings Read Review
Some of these songs rank among the most intimate and earthbound in the band’s bottomless canon Read Review
Affirms Pollard’s ability to write off-kilter-yet-addictive melodies remains undiminished after all these years Read Review
Magical, raw rock'n'roll classicism. Print edition only
There isn't enough here to make How Do You Spell Heaven stand out from Guided By Voices' deep catalogue Read Review
A peppy selection of tracks that lacks the spark to push it to great heights Read Review
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And So I Watch You From Afar The Endless Shimmering
ASIWYFA haven’t reinvented the wheel with this album, but it’s a worthy addition to an increasingly accomplished body of work The Skinny
The sense of optimism is infectious, and even with plenty of stiff competition for the title, ‘The Endless Shimmering’ might be the year’s most exhilarating post-rock album DIY
The Endless Shimmering displays ASIWYFA's unrelenting optimism, and demonstrates their mastery of their singular brand of math-grunge All Music
A formidable display of power The Irish Times
Jessie Ware Glasshouse
A mixed-bag reminder that Ware's best songs are the ones that only she can sing Consequence Of Sound
A captivating voice struggles to overcome a surprisingly flat collection The Arts Desk
Mature and classy The 405
She knows her niche inside out DIY
Sam, an acoustic duet with Ed Sheeran about motherhood and meeting Mr Right, is a little saccharine while Stay Awake is as beige as a pasta sandwich Evening Standard
Delicate, soul-baring songs of love The Irish Times
Smooth soul, ramped up when the diva lets loose The Guardian
Kllo Backwater
A fantastic debut album from a duo who have prioritized their sound over chart baiting success PopMatters
Lam (the electronics and production side of Kllo) has kept the spirit of the '90s by filling these songs with space The Line Of Best Fit
A mature, rich effort that's likely to see Kllo continue on their ascent Exclaim
Airy vocals and 2-step beats seem at odds on paper, but at times work impressively for KLLO 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