After the amazing masterpieces of Revolver and Sergeant Pepper's, The Beatles dove back into the art of pure writing, bringing about a certain level of sobriety and leaving aside their recent psychadelic delusions, awesome as they were. Released in November 1968, this double White Album is a return to more refined pop and rock; the essence of their art. The title of the disc, The Beatles, does not manage to hide the growing dissension between the four musicians at the time, and their diverging personalities saw this album herald the beginning of the end for the Fab Four, and the budding of their future solo careers... Despite all of this, The Beatles managed to release a new and totally unique album here, which can be enjoyed step by step as a true emotional rollercoaster: The fantasy of Dear Prudence, the dark madness of Revolution 9, the legendary guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the labyrinth of Happiness Is A Warm Gun and Sexy Sadie, the emotion of Julia (which Lennon dedicated to his mother, who died when he was 17), the purity of Blackbird and the ultra-violent tsunami that is Helter Skelter… the White Album is a brilliant production, a new masterpiece from a group growing apart ...For its 50-year anniversary, this legendary double album makes a return in Deluxe Edition form, a well-deserved title. As well as the stereo remixed version by legendary producer George Martin's son, the original mono version (praised by purists for this format) and the famous Esher Demos there are 27 demo tracks of some famous hits recorded in Harrison’s home and three studio-session CDs. It’s a marvellous collection (107 tracks in total!) which let’s us further explore this glorious piece of work that still fascinates us 50 years after its creation… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

Four years after the pinnacle of Stevie Wonder's mid-'70s typhoon of classic albums, Hotter Than July was the proper follow-up to Songs in the Key of Life (his Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants concept record was actually a soundtrack to an obscure movie that fared miserably in theaters). It also found Wonder in a different musical climate than the one that savored his every move from 1972 to 1977. Disco and new wave had slowly crept their way into the mainstream record-buying public, and hindered the once-ample room for socially and politically charged lyrics. However, Wonder naysayed the trends and continues to do what he did best. Solid songwriting, musicianship, and production are evident in the majority of Hotter Than July. Wonder also carries on his tradition of penning songs normally not associated with his trademark sound, from the disco-tinged "All I Do" (originally planned to be released by Tammi Terrell almost ten years previously) to the reggae-influenced smash "Master Blaster (Jammin)," which went straight to the top of the R&B charts. While admittedly there are a few less-than-standard tracks, he closes the album on an amazing high note with one of the most aching ballads in his canon ("Lately") and a touching anthem to civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King, Jr. ("Happy Birthday"). While most definitely not on the same tier as Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life, Hotter Than July is the portrait of an artist who still had the Midas touch, but stood at the crossroads of an illustrious career.© Rob Theakston /TiVo

Tori Amos has said that her new album—her 16th—is "about your losses, and how you cope with them." For her, that includes pandemic lockdown and the Capitol riots, as viewed from her remote farm in Cornwall, England. The area inspired her with its ancient mythology, including tales of pixies and giants; the fairytale Jack the Giant Slayer, aka Jack and the Beanstalk, was born of Cornish lore. As always, Amos herself isn't afraid to take on so-called giants. "Devil's Bane" warns of men who would try to control women and has a sort of Led Zeppelin feel, with its witchy guitar and big drums, courtesy of Pearl Jam's Matt Chamberlain (who last worked with Amos on 2009's Midwinter Graces). "Ocean to Ocean" places blame for political insurrection—"There are those who never give a goddamn for anything that they're breaking/ There are those that only give a goddamn for the profit that they're making"—a faint guitar cry like an accusatory echo. Yet there's hope as she sings, "There is a way out of this" while uplifting strings echo her optimism. Ocean to Ocean contains surprises, too. Over the years, Amos's theatricality has evolved from Under the Pink's baroque stylings and Little Earthquakes' Kate Bush-inspired drama. But there are some nostalgic moments on this record. "Addition of Light Divided" is especially Bush-like, and melancholy ballad "Flowers Burn to Gold," comfortingly, feels like it could've been lifted from one of those old albums—with Amos' left-hand piano work as heavy as the physical feelings of mourning, while her right hand tries to pull up out of it. "I am fascinated when someone has gone through a tragedy, and how they work through their grief. That is where the gold is ..." Amos has said. "I'm going to meet you in the muck." For "Speaking With Trees," with its spritely piano and galloping drums, that means turning to nature for comfort. On "Swim to New York State" (a song of loss, driven by moody strings) she's still in the bargaining stage of grief: "I'd swim to New York State from the Cornish coast of England, for even just a day," she sings, searching for reconnection. "Birthday Baby" slinks along like a tango, celebrating resilience: "This year, you survived through it all/ A cosmic apocalypse, a stab to the heart." And "29 Years" is remarkably, powered by a looming undertow of bass and drums, along with a sort of reggae-rock guitar. "Spies," meanwhile, is as "poppy" a song as Amos has penned in years. Written to quell her daughter's nightmares and fear of bats, it's a "lullaby" set to a racing beat and busy, mischievous bass, with absurd imagery about "spies" who chase away night terrors: "Scary men dipped in mustard (English mixed with Dijon)/ Mrs. Crabby Apple/ Won't get custard/ Won't get crumble." It's playful—ready to be a great TV show theme—and totally suits her. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

A sequel to Nicki Minaj's 2010 debut Pink Friday, this super-stuffed album (22 tracks, 70-plus minutes) finds the rap queen defending her throne and showing off her diverse range of skills. It kicks off with a slow jam, "Are You Gone Already"—a lullaby for her dad, killed in a hit-and-run in 2022—that interpolates large, sped-up chunks of Billie Eilish's "When the Party's Over." But right after that is "Barbie Dangerous" highlighting Minaj's signature rapid-fire precision on inventive verses that reference her young son (nicknamed Papa Bear): "Name a rapper that can channel Big Poppa and push out Papa Bear/ Ho, I'm mother of the year." Moody "Nicki Hendrix," featuring an Auto-Tuned Future serves as a reminder tha Minaj can sing with real emotion. Excellent "Let Me Calm Down" shines with a '90s throwback feel—delivering silky-smooth R&B balladry, hard-spitting from Minaj and a breathtaking, roller-coaster guest turn from J. Cole as he defends the queen. Indeed, Minaj flexes her power via the big names she's able to enlist. Drake brings the sexy come-ons for dance-floor ready "Needle," with its island-breeze vibes and references to Minaj's Trinidadian origin story. On twinkly "RNB," Lil Wayne goads and Tate Kobang croons, while Minaj swears her ride-or-die devotion. As usual, Minaj seemingly takes swipes at rivals, including Megan Thee Stallion on bombastic "FTCU." She also pulls out her notorious alter egos, such as Harajuku Barbie on "Cowgirl"—which also shines with dreamy singer-songwriter guitar and Lourdiz singing sweetly about a sex position. Minaj's other selves mostly stay in the closet, though new addition Red Ruby gets introduced via irresistible "Red Ruby da Sleeze," a spicy dancehall-flavored track that samples Lumidee's 2003 hit "Never Leave You." Pop hits are put to good use on bass-booming "My Life" (Blondie's "Heart of Glass") and "Pink Friday Girls," which borrows all the best part of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and is sheer exuberance in the vein of Minaj's 2012 classic "Starships." Divisive "Everybody" turns the madness up to 11, sampling the Junior Senior earworm "Move Your Feet" and layering on a tongue-twister verse from Lil Uzi Vert. Minaj sprays her lyrics in short spurts and cleverly uses the sample: "Pretty face with a Barbie doll (Body)/ 'Nother year, 'nother Vince Lom' (Body)." Get ready, because it's going to be blasting from cars and TikTok videos for months to come. Super fun "Super Freaky Girl" samples Rick James and leans hard into a cheerleader chant ("F-R-EEEE-A-K"), with lines that range from cartoon double-entendres to plainspoken raunch. Minaj completely switches gears on "Blessings," featuring gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and sincerely thanks God for all she has in life. Finally, she switches to a deeper, T-Boz-like register and reggae feel for "Just the Memories"—a sincere-sounding reminder of how Minaj got here: "I remember when I was the girl that everybody doubted/ When every label turned me down, and then they laughed about it/ I 'member goin' home and writin' fifty more raps." © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

The only sad thing about Lizzo's fourth studio album is that it didn't come out weeks earlier to light up the summer even faster. "Hi motherfucker/ Did you miss me?" she leaps right in on opener "The Sign." Bouncy, sunny and glorious, it finds her touching on familiar themes: body empowerment ("I'm worth my weight"), self-confidence ("I'm still that bitch, yeah!"), dude problems ("I keep on writing these songs/ Because he keep on doing me wrong") and that one line everyone will be singing for the next year ("I got that 'oh hell no you can't get this at the store'—whoooooaaaa!"). Lizzo has called in a Who's Who of songwriters and producers to lend a hand, including mid-aughts superstar Max Martin for the title track, a blaze of R&B fire that encourages listeners to ignore the haters and remember: "In case nobody told you today/  You're special." A throw-pillow platitude for sure, but nobody pulls that off more believably than Lizzo. Gorgeous "If You Love Me" was written with English singer-songwriter Kid Harpoon, who also had a hand in Harry Styles' Harry's House—and honestly, the song wouldn't be out of place on that record, with its blending of soul and '70s Elton John vibes. On "Break Up Twice," Mark Ronson continues to traffic in retro glory, helping Lizzo channel both Dusty Springfield and Lauryn Hill—the singer borrows liberally from "Doo Wop (That Thing)"—and samples the suave "Private Number" by William Clay and Judy Bell. In fact, this is a fun record for playing "name that sample." A shout-out to her ladies, "Grrrls" nicks the carnival-like melody of the Beastie Boys' "Girls." "Naked" lifts the satiny smooth groove of Kool and the Gang's "Summer Madness." Layering on super funk bass, disco shimmer and—of course—a celebratory flute bridge, "About Damn Time" also weaves in a piano sample from "Hey DJ" by the World's Famous Supreme Team. It's a song made for roller-skating—and the carefree, self-assured lyrics might even convince you that's a good idea: "Oh, I'm not the girl I was or used to be/ Uh, bitch, I might be better." Soul-queen closer "Coldplay," meanwhile, puts an elfin spin on that band's "Yellow" and cribs the cool yacht-rock piano from "Sudden Death" by Quelle Chris & Chris Keys. Lizzo delves into some '80s fun, too: Hyper-beat "2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)" could be a workout anthem from that era, while "Everybody's Gay" is delicious dance-floor cheese á la Midnight Star. But go ahead and get ready to be sick of "Birthday Girl," because you're going to hear it so much for the next decade. It's pretty savvy to write a new spin on a happy-birthday song, even more so to make it just for the ladies, and brilliant to go staccato on the chorus—"Is it your birthday girl/ Let's celebrate it"—so anyone can sing along. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

After the amazing masterpieces of Revolver and Sergeant Pepper's, The Beatles dive back into the art of pure writing, bringing about a certain level of sobriety and leaving aside their recent psychadelic delusions, awesome as they were. Released in November 1968, this double White Album is a return to more refined pop and rock; the essence of their art. The title track of the disc, The Beatles, does not manage to hide the growing dissension between the four musicians at the time, and their diverging personalities saw this album herald the beginning of the end for the Fab Four, and the budding of their future solo careers... Despite all of this, The Beatles managed to release a new and totally unique album here, which can be enjoyed step by step as a true emotional rollercoaster: The fantasy of Dear Prudence, the dark madness of Revolution 9, the legendary guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the labyrinth of Happiness Is A Warm Gun and Sexy Sadie, the emotion of Julia (which Lennon dedicated to his mother, who died when he was 17), the purity of Blackbird and the ultra-violent tsunami that is Helter Skelter… the White Album is a brilliant production, a new masterpiece of a group growing apart ... ©Marc Zisman/Qobuz, Translation/BM

The fourth album from Manchester quartet led by the “bad boy of pop-rock” (as described by Pitchfork) Matty Healy, 31. The most interesting thing about The 1975’s music is its ability, through diversity and multiplicity, to represent the times in which we live. This is their strength, but also one of their limitations. On this rather pretentiously titled album, “Notes On A Conditional Form”, we find an ensemble of many styles: an intro of several minutes consisting of worrisome spoken-word à la Laurie Anderson (in fact an alarming speech by Great Thunberg on “The 1975”), thrashing rock and punks’ cries on “People”, a quasi-classical section resembling the soundtrack of a new age film on “The End (Music For Cars)” before finishing it all off with the very R&B, “Frail State of Mind”… A sort of virtuous patchwork, the album resembles an eclectic radio show or playlist. With some twenty-two tracks, and a one hour twenty minute run time, this might appear lengthy. But the diversity of this post modern collage helps us to forget that we are listening to just one group. The only danger? A blurred identity diluted through multitude. A little like our lives today. © Yan Céh/Qobuz

On her debut studio album, 2010's Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj made it clear she could do it all. The bloodthirsty rap powers she'd displayed on her earlier mixtapes were so abundant she had to organize them as separate characters, but she also had no problem singing sugary hooks or following scandalous diss tracks with bouncy pop tunes designed for the charts. Thirteen years later, Minaj is still striking out in all directions on Pink Friday 2, a sequel to her breakthrough that sees her continuing to stretch her range, but it feels a little different coming from an established superstar than Pink Friday felt coming from a relative newcomer. First, there's the pop; several tracks reiterate a formula that's resulted in multiple hits for Minaj, that of building out on ubiquitous songs from the past. Her hypersexual rhymes on "Super Freaky Girl" are a tailored fit for the familiar groove of Rick James' "Super Freak" that the song is based on, while "Pink Friday Girls" leans heavily on Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "My Life" samples Blondie's biggest song, "Heart of Glass." The seething rap tracks happen mostly in the album's first act, with concise burners like "Barbie Dangerous" and "FTCU" leading to more nuanced production on the moody J. Cole-aided "Let Me Calm Down" and the infectious meanness of "Big Difference." Minaj imprints herself onto bumpy, island-tinged R&B on "Needle" (featuring Drake, naturally), boisterous club on "Everybody," deep trap on the Future duet "Nicki Hendrix," and banging dancehall on "Forward from Trini," with help from Jamaican artists Skillibeng and Skeng. The swings between genres are less jarring than when Minaj lets her guard down emotionally. The album begins on a surprisingly mournful note with "Are You Gone Already," a song that reframes Billie Eilish's vaporous "when the party's over" as a vulnerable expression of loss. The album's closing moments are similarly glum, with the slogging devotional track "Blessings" giving way to melancholic pop on the indie-flavored "Last Time I Saw You" and ending with the yearning sadness of "Just the Memories." The way Minaj moves between disparate genres and polar extremes of puffed-up flexing and grief makes Pink Friday 2 a disjointed ride. In one way, it harkens back to the scattershot energy of her mixtapes, trying on new styles and sounds like different outfits. For a star of Nicki Minaj's caliber, however, the roller-coaster approach makes the album feel inconsistent and sometimes even randomized, like some stretches of the 70-minute, 22-track playlist are just experiments being presented in the order in which they were conducted. While Minaj is still a masterful rapper, charismatic pop presence, and stunningly talented artist, Pink Friday 2 lacks the cohesion and self-editing that would make it a rightful follow-up to her 2010 mainstream arrival. As it stands, Pink Friday 2 is another collection of Nicki Minaj songs, most of them exhilarating and fun, but some forgettable or awkwardly placed.© Fred Thomas /TiVo

Kendra Morris’s music always comes with a little side of soul. Amidst recipes that may appear stale, within this pop-soul tinged with rock, the New York singer manages to stand on a vocal and emotive footing that is all her own. Her fifth album, I Am What I’m Waiting For, displays a feigned nonchalance, this particularity wherein the singer first thrives within softness, then explodes. This album sounds very live, as illustrated by the track “The Door”, sung as if addressed to one beloved or hated, by employing the “you” to scour all possible feelings of being in love. Born in Florida, the Southern influences that are easily heard on “Birthday Song” or “Still Spinning” are perhaps preserved from Kendra Morris’s childhood . And since rock is never faraway with her, she can be heard dismantling the genre on the track “What Are You Waiting For”, armed with unexpected synthesizers, which give this song a noticeable lightness. I Am What I’m Waiting For is a new demonstration of Kendra Morris’s vast palette of sound. @Brice Miclet/Qobuz

Teenage Dream did its job. With its five number one singles, the 2010 album turned Katy Perry into a genuine superstar, the kind of musician whose image rivaled her music in popularity, the kind who could topline her own 3-D theatrical documentary, the kind whose name became shorthand for a sugar-pop sensibility. This meant there was only one thing left for her to do on its 2013 sequel, Prism: to make a graceful pivot from teen dream to serious, mature artist. Prism hits these marks precisely yet isn't stuffy, not with its feints at trap-rap, but even with the preponderance of nightclub glitz, there isn't a shadow of a doubt that Katy Perry has toned down her cheesecake burlesque, opting for a hazy, dreamy, sun-kissed hippie Californian ideal that quietly replaces the happily vulgar pinup of her earliest years. All the lingering nastiness of One of the Boys -- the smiling Mean Girl backstabbing of "Ur So Gay," for instance -- and the pneumatic Playboy fantasy of Teenage Dream are unceremoniously abandoned in favor of Perry's candy construct of a chipper, cheerful grown-up prom princess, the popular girl who has left all her sneering dismissals in the past. Perry remains a terminal flirt but she channels her energies into long-term relationships -- the sexiest song, "Birthday," is a glorious retro-disco explosion delivered to a steady boyfriend, while elsewhere she testifies toward unconditional love -- and the overall effect transforms Prism into a relatively measured, savvy adult contemporary album, one that's aware of the latest fashions but is designed to fit into Katy's retirement plan. Ultimately, this makes Prism a tighter, cleaner record than its predecessors -- there are no extremes here, nothing that pushes the boundaries of either good taste or tackiness; even when she cheers on excess on "This Is How We Do" she's not a participant but rather a ringmaster, encouraging her fans to spend money they don't have just so they can have a good time. Ultimately, this sense of reserve reveals just how canny Katy Perry really is: she's determined to give her career a dramatic narrative arc, eager to leave behind the bawdy recklessness of her early years in favor of something that's age appropriate. That's why the lead single from Prism was "Roar," an homage to Sara Bareilles so transparent that the singer/songwriter may deserve co-credit: the inspirational adult contemporary single signaled how Perry no longer views herself as a fluffy confection but rather a showbiz staple who'll be here for years and years, and Prism fully lives up to that carefully constructed ideal.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

42 years old, still alive and kicking, and already receiving an homage! Yes, we know…but not everyone’s Adam Green. The offbeat genius from New York, daydreaming artist and anti-folk songwriter at once, has towed along his imperfectly beautiful melodies and his nonchalance unpretentiously since the 2000s. From the ragged and whimsical underground, lo-fi rock of the Moldy Peaches, which he formed alongside Kimya Dawson, made popular by the soundtrack to Juno (2007), to his solo career, studded with masterpieces, including his first album Friends of Mine (2002), this living legend, from the shadows, inspired an entire generation to become more famous than he did. It’s these very artists who are shining a light on his body of work, still unfinished. More than twenty artists, including The Lemon Twigs, Father John Misty, Devendra Banhart and Binki Shapiro (who both appeared in Green’s surrealist papier-mâché film Aladdin), The Libertines, Herman Düne, and Vincent Delerm, put their spin on Green’s tracks in a moving love letter that makes you want to dive back into his beautiful and overlooked discography. © Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz