1 February 2015
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.
Browse specific styles
Second album of folk / indie pop from the North Carolina band led by Ari Picker
7.5
Draws heavily from his [Ari Picker] classical training, yet maintains a smart, accessible core that brings to mind Sufjan Stevens at his least quirky Read Review
Lost In The Trees has constructed a beautiful memorial for the soul of Ari Picker’s mother to rest in Read Review
This may be one of the best records of the year so far Read Review
The tracks on A Church are beatifically mournful, its orchestrations minor key, and its vocals sung by an author distinctly heavy of heart Read Review
The album is stirring without wallowing; it can move even the listener who knows nothing of the backstory Read Review
Too deep in its emotion to idly listen to, and too warm in its instrumentation to wear you down, this record proves a strange, incomplete comfort -- one that embraces loss as much as it tangles with it Read Review
The tragedy that inspired and plagues this album seems to be offered as a celebration rather than an exercise in mourning Read Review
A stirring coda that embraces the aftermath of despair, ringing with a resilience that's inspired, ambitious, mesmerizing and majestic Read Review
The album is as intricate and well-crafted as a Radiohead release, with highly emotional content that was inspired by the recent suicide of frontman Ari Picker’s mother Read Review
A mother’s suicide inspires moving orchestral folk, beauty and hope found amid grief Read Review
Over the course of a dozen songs, frontman Ari Picker tries to make sense of his mother's suicide against a backdrop of rich orchestration Read Review
Roll over video for more options
Lost In The Trees: A Church That Fits Our Needs
The Charlatans Modern Nature
The first half, particularly, is very good indeed, the best tracks (Talking in Tones, Come Home Baby) both wistful and gloriously alive The Observer
Jessica Pratt On Your Own Love Again
It all makes for an absorbing performance and intriguing album The Observer
Bob Dylan Shadows in the Night
Neither too reverential nor too ironic, the nostalgia strikes exactly the right note, a fond fantasy of the past The FT
Twerps Range Anxiety
Great hooks on this fine second album creating cracking indie-pop. Print edition only Uncut
The Dodos Individ
Folkish psych-pop on guitar and drums with deceptively joyous enthusiasm. Print edition only Uncut
Mark Ronson Uptown Special
Recreating a slew of retro-funk styles, the music settles for tasteful reverence. Print edition only Uncut
Punch Brothers The Phosphorescent Blues
An album of fierce ambition and undeniable charm. Print edition only Uncut
Alasdair Roberts Alasdair Roberts
Yet another display of excellence from an artist in consummate control of his art. Print edition only Uncut
Alastair Roberts might be quietly escalating toward Scottish national heritage status. Print edition only Mojo
Indiana No Romeo
Indiana is clearly still experimenting with the boundaries of her sound and the potential is there for something very special in the future music OMH
No Romeo is smart, inventive, thought-provoking pop music, and it deserves to be a hit The Guardian
It could lose a lot of the moody filler clogging up the spaces between the substantial songs The Observer
'No Romeo' may be sweet, but it doesn't leave a lasting impression NME
The major issue for Indiana and her label is that it lacks - despite 'Solo Dancing' coming close - that one really killer tune that will get her playlisted The Digital Fix
Easy to admire, but difficult to truly fall in love with Drowned In Sound
Since we've been around, that is. So, the highest-rated albums from the past six years or so. Rankings are calculated to two decimal places.
D'Angelo And The Vanguard Black Messiah
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Anaïs Mitchell Hadestown
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Deafheaven Sunbather
Sleater-Kinney No Cities To Love
PJ Harvey Let England Shake
My Bloody Valentine mbv
Ry Cooder Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down
St Vincent St Vincent