Skillet, “Revolution.” Skillet took on a Revolution of its own while recording its 12th album. The hard rock band took out the middleman—a label—and went the independent route. The quartet then worked at its own pace, with guitarist Korey Cooper and longtime collaborators producing. The result brings a familiar…

The Cure, “Songs of a Lost World.” Songs of a Lost World marks the highly anticipated return of the Cure after 16 years. And while an entire generation of teenagers has grown up without a Cure album to call its own, in many ways, the band never really went…

Halsey, “The Great Impersonator.” Halsey is nothing if not adventurous on their fifth album, The Great Impersonator. The record opens on six-minute acoustic ballad “Only Living Girl In LA,” filled with quiet introspection and self-doubt that accelerates into a fuzz-toned wall-of-sound in the final moments. The Great Impersonator Halsey…

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis, “Warriors.” It’s not a stage show—at least not yet—but the latest project by Lin-Manuel Miranda is shaping up to be as ambitious as “Hamilton.” On Warriors, Miranda teams with playwright Eisa Davis to create a concert album adaptation of 1979 cult-classic film “The Warriors.”…

Kylie Minogue, “Tension II.” Kylie Minogue originally conceived thought of her new album as an expanded edition of 2023’s Tension. At first listen, Tension II seems to be riding on its predecessor’s coattails. But while Tension II rides on that album’s coattails, these nine previously unreleased tracks and four…

Fantastic Negrito, “Son of a Broken Man.” It’s been 10 years since Xavier Dphrepaulezz unretired from music and became Fantastic Negrito. Since then he released a self-titled reintroduction, won the inaugural NPR Tiny Desk Contest, won Grammys for three consecutive albums, opened for Temple of the Dog and collaborated with Sting,…

Jerry Cantrell, “I Want Blood.” Few hard rock musicians carry the torch for the authentic Seattle sound of ‘90s grunge like guitarist Jerry Cantrell. The Alice In Chains founder understands the assignment of riff-laden, harmony-rich heavy rock and roll. That’s exactly what Cantrell offers on I Want Blood, his…

Jelly Roll, “Beautifully Broken.” Reigning CMA Artist of the Year Jelly Roll continues his meteoric rise across genres with his eighth album, Beautifully Broken. Beautifully Broken Jelly Roll Republic, Feb. 24 9/10 Get the album on Amazon Music. Nashville native Jason DeFord had been releasing music as an indie…

The Offspring, “SUPERCHARGED.” I don’t mean to alarm anyone but Smash, the breakout album by The Offspring, was released 30 years ago. SUPERCHARGED The Offspring Concord, Oct. 11 8/10 Get the album on Amazon Music. Three decades is a very long time to maintain the frenetic pace of the band’s…

Coldplay, “Moon Music.” Coldplay recently announced that its 12th album would be its last and that the quartet would be retiring afterward. Music Moon, the band’s just-released 10th album, sets the slow march in motion. The record opens with a clash of complex orchestral beauty and somber melancholy and…