Jenny Lewis – The Voyager
The vibe is unabashedly ’70s California — the confessional songs and country-tinged melodies of the Laurel Canyon era merged with Fleetwood Mac’s gleaming but tortured pop-rock. Lewis’ pristine, at times deceptively childlike voice channels a series of life-shaking events. “Head Underwater” chronicles a breakdown in a bouncy tune supported by wordless backing vocals. There’s a hint of hope as the song winds down, but at a steep price. “She’s Not Me” is equally transparent about a breakup: “Remember the night I destroyed it all/ When I told you I cheated/ And you punched through the drywall.” Read the full review at Chicago Tribune

Tom Petty – Hypnotic Eye
A modern throwback, Hypnotic Eye recalls the band’s early Shelter Records releases. After the heavy-handed blues of Mojo, Hypnotic Eye is unabashed rock ‘n’ roll. The charging “Forgotten Man” is classic Petty. Even with its sense of purpose made clear, there is no urgency on the part of the Heartbreakers. Unhurried playing on the organic jam “Faultlines” and the Spanish-inflected meditation “Sins of My Youth” highlight the cohesiveness of the band. Read the full review on Pop Matters

Shabazz Palaces – Lese Majesty
Rather than mining Black Up’s fertile retrofuturist boom-bap further, Ish and Tendai have since decamped to parts unknown. The duo’s latest album Lese Majesty boasts 18 songs grouped into seven suites, with a subtle science fiction theme. If that sounds a bit Close to the Edge, get used to it. Lese Majesty aims to free the group’s songwriting apparatus from its trademark purposefulness, to chart a course that zags where earlier work zoomed. While the opening suite “The Phasing Shift” leads with three straight cuts in the spirit and form of Black Up, the record doesn’t stay in one place for long. From the moment “They Come in Gold” fades into the undulating drone of “Solemn Swears”, it’s clear that, for the duo, space is the place. Read the full review on Pitchfork