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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Latest solo release from the noise rock pioneer and Sonic Youth co-founder and third since the band split in 2011
7.1
Even without the Youth by his side, Ranaldo can still forge the most glorious soundscapes Read Review
Stepping further from the shadow of Sonic Youth, Lee Ranaldo delivers solo album number 12 and it flows like wine into a glass Read Review
Lee is free - and it sounds wonderful. Print edition only
Virtually everything here, in its own edgy manner, points to light, hope and the endless possibility of the human spirit Read Review
Recorded in both Barcelona and NYC, a convergence of the two cities' settings can be found throughout, but none more so than Ranaldo's duet with Sharon Van Etten on "Last Looks" Read Review
The hidden complexity of Ranaldo's guitar work is layered over straighter rock songs while his vocals have taken a folkier turn Read Review
Lee Ranaldo serves up his latest record with both electric and acoustic trimmings Read Review
His finest post-Sonic Youth solo effort Read Review
What it lacks in surprises it makes up for in songcraft. Print edition only
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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