In Stores Now 5/2

It's true: KEXP is playing the new Beyoncé. Don't be too surprised, though -- KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls the release, "a powerful set of expansive R&B blended with hip hop, electro-pop, reggae, blues-rock, gospel, New Orleans brass band music and more, combining a dark, decidedly non-glossy sound with her versatile, soulful vocals and often-scathing lyrics of infidelity, marital discord and eventual reconciliation, while also reflecting outward onto larger gender and racial issues. Special guests include Jack White, The Weeknd, James Black and Kendrick Lamar."

Other highlights this week include the debut from Portland-via-Shreveport artist Kyle Craft, "a masterfully crafted, '70s-steeped blend of Bowiesque glam-rock and warm folk-rock, featuring a full, beautifully arranged sound with electric and acoustic guitars, piano, organ, horns, harmonica and more accompanying his clarion vocals and intricately detailed lyrics." The sophomore release from Ann Arbor, MI band Pity Sex is "a strong set of brooding shoegazer pop with fuzzy guitars, alternating female/male vocals, melancholy lyrics and wistful melodies." Luna bassist Britta Phillips strikes out on her own with "a well-crafted blend of breezy, '60s-steeped pop and atmospheric electro-pop, with the songs split evenly between covers and originals." The sixth album from Rogue Wave is "a solid set of gentle, psych-tinged folk-pop with jangly guitars, atmospheric keyboards and breezy melodies." And the Godfather of Ambient, Brian Eno, shares his latest, "comprised of two lengthy pieces (though the second one is segmented into three tracks). The first two tracks are lengthy ambient pieces, the third features spoken word from Peter Serafinowicz, and the fourth and final one is a gorgeous cover of The Velvet Underground's 'I'm Set Free.'"

• (Various Artists)
• from Close to the Noise Floor: Formative UK Electronica 1975-1984 on Cherry Red
• (Various Artists) Roman Flügel – “9 Years (DJ Koze Remix)”
• from Pampa Records: Vol. 1 on Pampa
• A Dead Forest Index – “Tide Walks”
• from In All That Drifts From Summit Down on Sargent House
• Aesop Rock – “Rings”
• from The Impossible Kid on Rhymesayers
• Antwood – “Lung”
• from Virtuous.scr on Planet Mu
• Batida / Konono No. 1 – “Um Nzonzing”
• from Konono No. 1 Meets Batida on Crammed Discs
• Beyoncé
• from Lemonade on Columbia
• The Blessed Isles – “Confession”
• from Straining Hard Against the Strength of Night on Saint Marie
• The Bo-Keys
• from Heartaches by the Number on Omnivore
• Brian Eno – “The Ship”
• from The Ship on Opal / Warp
• The Boxer Rebellion – “Keep Me Close”
• from Ocean by Ocean on Absentee Recordings
• Britta Phillips – “Daydream”
• from Luck or Magic on Double Feature
• Deerhoof / Dal Niente – “meltDown Upshot: 6. Cherubim (Marcos Balter)”
• from Balter / Saunier on New Amsterdam
• The Egyptian Lover – “Freak-A-Holic”
• from 1983-1988 on Stones Throw
• Fallujah – “Scar Queen”
• from Dreamless on Nuclear Blast
• Freeway – “Addiction”
• from Free Will on Babygrande Records / iHipHop
• Holy Ghost! – “Crime Cutz (Eli Escobar Remix)”
• from Crime Cutz EP on DFA
• Horse Lords – “Truthers”
• from Interventions on Northern Spy
• The Jayhawks – “Comeback Kids”
• from Paging Mr. Proust on The Jayhawks / Sham
• Jaye Bartell – “Tuesdays”
• from Light Enough on Sinderlyn
• John Doe – “Get On Board”
• from The Westerner on Cool Rock Records
• JOY – “Ride Along!”
• from Ride Along! on Tee Pee
• Juan Atkins / Borderland / Moritz von Oswald – “Odyssey”
• from Transport on Tresor
• Katy B – “Honey”
• from Honey on Rinse/Virgin EMI
• King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Gamma Knife”
• from Nonagon Infinity on ATO
• Konono N°1 / Batida – “Um Nzonzing”
• from Konono N°1 Meets Batida on Crammed Discs
• Kyle Craft – “Lady of the Ark”
• from Dolls of Highland on Sub Pop
• Lera Lynn
• from Resistor on Resistor
• Lonestar – “Never Enders”
• from Never Enders on Shanachie Records
• Martina McBride – “Reckless”
• from Reckless on Nash Icon / Universal
• Pity Sex – “Burden You”
• from White Hot Moon on Run for Cover Records
• Plants and Animals – “Stay”
• from Waltzed in from the Rumbling on Secret City Records
• Rob Zombie – “Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O.” NSFW
• from The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser on Universal
• Rogue Wave – “California Bride”
• from Delusions of Grand Fur on Easy Sound Recording Company
• Say Yes – “Once Forward, Twice Back”
• from Real Life Trash Mag on Dine Alone
• Sixx: A.M. – “Rise of the Melancholy Empire”
• from Prayers for the Damned on Eleven Seven
• Snarky Puppy – “Tarova”
• from Culcha Vulcha on Universal
• We Are Scientists – “Classic Love”
• from Helter Seltzer on 100% Records