Ken Tucker

Presley makes a passionate, pointed plea about the current state of country music on her new album. Critic Ken Tucker says that despite its melodramatic nature, Wrangled is subtle, nuanced and clever.

Emotions like lust and love serve as metaphors for social and political struggles on Lamar's new album. Critic Ken Tucker says the music on DAMN. signals the artist's bold refusal to back down.

The Philadelphia-based quartet idealizes youth and innocence on its new album. Critic Ken Tucker says the nostalgia on After The Party is "mostly free of excess sentimentality."

The country singer teams up with producer Lenny Kaye on her new record of spiritual songs. Critic Ken Tucker says the result is one of the most distinctive recordings he's heard in a while.

Though the Tennessee-born musician lives in Brooklyn now, she still takes inspiration from the Gospel music she grew up with. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews June's latest album.

Critic Ken Tucker reviews the British group The xx's third album. "Beneath its sleek beauty, there's a fresh joyousness ... that at its best is something close to inspirational," he says of I See You.

Acoustic guitar and the occasional faint cry of a pedal steel guitar frame Merritt's vocals on her new album. Rock Critic Ken Tucker has a review.

After writing No. 1 hits for various country stars, Hemby now has an album of her own. Critic Ken Tucker says Puxico mixes country sentiments with a folksy sound.

Fresh Air's rock critic presents his playlist for 2016. It includes big pop stars, beloved cult stars and a couple of not-yet-stars.

The second album by the California-based singer features an optimism often associated with West Coast pop. Critic Ken Tucker says Little World creates an "alternate universe of the sunniest sounds."

Lambert's new release features 24 songs on 2 CDs. Critic Ken Tucker calls The Weight of These Wings a collection that "keeps on giving the deeper you get into it."

Mid-Thirties Single Scene, the new album by the Australian group Scott and Charlene's Wedding, describes the thoughts and actions of a character who has just turned 34. Critic Ken Tucker has a review.

The 82-year-old songwriter mixes serious contemplation with mordant humor on his new album. Critic Ken Tucker says You Want It Darker features some of Cohen's simplest, most effective lyrics.

Best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, Weir goes solo on his new album, which was inspired by his time working as a ranch hand in Wyoming as a teen. Critic Ken Tucker has a review.

Dacus mixes plainspoken language with rock-music instrumentation on her debut album. Critic Ken Tucker says the singer-songwriter's vulnerability goes against the grain of much current pop music.

Though Olsen sets pain and frustration to music in her latest album, critic Ken Tucker says it's clear that the singer is "very much in control of her emotions and her life."

Waldon puts a distinctive spin on classic country with her new album. Critic Ken Tucker calls her singing, which avoids excessive emotion or embellishment, "the musical version of hard-boiled prose."

A new drama series on Netflix chronicles the rise of early hip-hop music in the late '70s. Rock critic Ken Tucker says the show's soundtrack is dense, complex and delightful.

The singer-songwriter began performing at age 14 in a band with her sisters and her father. Critic Ken Tucker says the songs on Loveless' latest solo album, Real, have a "tough edge."

The band, which began as a tribute to the The Foggy Mountain Boys, won a Grammy for their debut album in 2015. Critic Ken Tucker says the Earls' new record, Rattle & Roar, lives up to its title.