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• Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP 2 -

  B On his most spirited album since his hiatus, Eminem puts his demons behind him.

• M.I.A.: Matangi -

  C Unfortunately, the most interesting part about Matangi is its story, not its songs.

• Cut Copy: Free Your Mind -

  B- Cut Copy delivers more of its masterfully arranged synth-pop—along with some stuff that doesn’t quite work.

• Luscious Jackson: Magic Hour -

  C- After 14 years, former alt-pop stars lose some attitude and aptitude.

• Arcade Fire : Reflektor -

  B Arcade Fire's Reflektor is a bloated, beautiful mess.

• Sky Ferreira: Night Time, My Time -

  B+ Long-awaited debut from electropop iconoclast worth the wait.

• Skeletonwitch: Serpents Unleashed -

  B+ A veteran metal band cranks it to 11.

• Los Campesinos!: No Blues -

  B+ The Welsh band rediscovers its love of pop on its fifth album.

• Katy Perry: Prism -

  C+ Buy the singles, skip the rest.

• AFI: Burials -

  B Comeback or throwback? Either way, it works.

• Tim Hecker: Virgins -

  A- Hecker one-ups his own paradigm-shifting approach to noise, ambience, and the echoes in between.

• Paul McCartney: New -

  B- Even after 50 years and 50-odd albums, Paul McCartney still has something to say.

• Pearl Jam: Lightning Bolt -

  B+ Pearl Jam continues to age with grace and force.

• The Avett Brothers: Magpie And The Dandelion -

  C- The North Carolina band needs to learn when to let sleepy songs lie.

• The Head And The Heart: Let’s Be Still -

  C The Seattle folk-rockers give in to exhaustion.

• The Dismemberment Plan: Uncanney Valley  -

  C+ D.C. quirk-rock vets return with a so-so new album. 

• Pelican: Forever Becoming -

  A- After a four-year break, Pelican comes soaring back.

• Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals -

  B After a disappointing second album, the noise pop duo gets its groove back.

• Miley Cyrus: Bangerz -

  B Bangerz just might legitimize the former child star.

• Of Montreal: Lousy With Sylvianbriar -

  B- Quirky indie veterans go synthless for some old-school rock ’n’ roll.

• Lorde: Pure Heroine -

  B+ A 16-year-old New Zealand pop prodigy delivers on her full-length debut.

• Haim: Days Are Gone -

  A- The sisterly trio makes an excellent, intricately layered pop album.

• Deltron 3030: Deltron Event II -

  B Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Cross, and The Lonely Island guest on the hip-hop project’s belated sequel.

• Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience—2 of 2 -

  B+ Timberlake’s second volume of 2013 trumps the first.

• Drake: Nothing Was The Same -

  B+ Rap’s proudest everyman drifts even further from genre conventions.

• MGMT: MGMT -

  D The New York duo’s third album makes Congratulations feel like Oracular Spectacular by comparison.

• Kings Of Leon: Mechanical Bull -

  B- The Followills take a second victory lap, with diminishing returns.

• Icona Pop: This Is… Icona Pop -

  A- Swedish duo proves themselves more than a one-hit wonder.

• Chvrches: The Bones Of What You Believe -

  A The Scottish, electro-pop trio lives up to expectations on its debut.

• Touché Amoré: Is Survived By -

  A- Touché Amoré’s third album expands the band’s sound without abandoning its roots.

• Elvis Costello And The Roots: Wise Up Ghost -

  C+ The hyped collaboration between an unlikely pairing is less than the sum of its parts.

• Janelle Monáe: The Electric Lady -

  B+ The revolutionary android returns in fine dance-revolution form.

• Sebadoh: Defend Yourself -

  C Sebadoh can’t go home again, but the band at least wants to give it a shot.

• Bill Callahan: Dream River -

  A- The artist formerly known as Smog keeps it cloudy.

• The Naked And Famous: In Rolling Waves -

  B The kiwi electronic-rock band goes long on its much-anticipated sophomore album.