22 September 2019
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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A previously unreleased collection of songs recorded in 1973 by the folk country singer-songwriter who died on January 1, 1997
7.1
It just misses out on being Van Zandt’s definitive statement–the self-titled album is stronger song-for-song–but it feels like this is how the man was always supposed to sound. Sky Blue is a revelation, and essential Read Review
The glimmers of brilliance captured on Sky Blue are just as equally dazzling and devastating as Van Zandt's story and the rest of the masterful catalog he left behind Read Review
Another star in the artist's posthumous career Read Review
Sounds like himself: tormented, tremendous, forever trying to break through his chains with a song Read Review
Displays his careful sense of craft across a set of covers, favorites, and unheard songs Read Review
Isn’t the Van Zandt record that’ll turn new fans on to his genius. It’s the type of compilation that’ll help his longtime listeners better understand the many shades of that talent Read Review
It's all good, but none of it is great. Still, if this is merely the first taste of an eventual vault series of releases from Townes Van Zandt's musical archive, it's more than enough to make us hunger for more Read Review
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Tool Fear Inoculum
An album that pushes and challenges its creators and its audience in new ways, the finer details of which will probably take another 13 years to fully unwrap and appreciate Kerrang!
Chelsea Wolfe Birth Of Violence
This is the work of a brilliant artist who is singular in both talent and vision. And that’s worth taking proper time away to discover Kerrang!
Pixies Beneath the Eyrie
No need to worry about spoiling a legacy – this is another modern classic from a classic band Kerrang!
Korn Nothing
Isn’t simply an upsetting trawl through a harrowingly hard chapter in Jonathan Davis’ life. It is more of a showcase of Korn’s strengths when hard times do come along; harnessing their ability to inspire and energise even in the darkest and most difficult of circumstances Kerrang!
This tries dearly to be nostalgic yet fresh, but the finished product just comes across forced and derivative Sputnik Music (staff)
The heavy pioneers join their contemporaries Rammstein, Slipknot and Tool as giants of metal who have proved their longevity with urgent LPs in 2019 NME
After 25 years, the band continues to express aggression and heartache Consequence Of Sound
Korn have always excelled at pain, but with The Nothing, this is the most authentic it's ever been All Music
The Pixies are always at their best when they don’t give a toss what others think. It quickly becomes apparent on Beneath the Eyrie they are making these tracks to suit themselves XS Noize
Hiss Golden Messenger Terms Of Surrender
MC Taylor delivers is a richly emotional country-soul LP with help from his kids and friends like Jenny Lewis Rolling Stone
Blink-182 Nine
The band’s second album with former Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba on hand is a nuanced success Rolling Stone
Liam Gallagher Why Me? Why Not.
With the help of songwriting heavyweights, the ex-Oasis member’s sophomore solo effort is a hook-laden ream of nostalgia Rolling Stone
Vivian Girls Memory
Memory is a testament to their talent as musicians and songwriters and it’s nice to have this record and them here, a hopefully more encouraging time for musicians of all genders Northern Transmission
While this may not be their magnum opus, and they aren’t reinventing the wheel — or even trying to — Vivian Girls keep us wanting more than just a Memory, but a bright future full of raucous tunes. Paste Magazine
The rebooted trio build a wall of sound with tales of romantic disaster and self-loathing Consequence Of Sound
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