New in Expert Witness:

• Amber Coffman: City of No Reply (Columbia) A-
• Lorde: Melodrama (Lava/Republic) B+
• Bleachers: Gone Now (RCA) ***
• John Mayer: The Search for Everything (Columbia) **
• Dirty Projectors: Dirty Projectors (Domino) *

New in Expert Witness:

• Emperor X: Oversleepers International (Tiny Engines) A-
• JJ Doom: Key to the Kuffs (Lex) A-
• Emperor X: The Orlando Sentinel (self-released) B+
• JJ Doom: Bookhead EP (Lex) B+
• MF Doom Featuring Big Benn Klingon: Expektoration . . . Live (Gold Dust) **
• Emperor X: Central Hug/Friendarmy/Fractal Dunes (self-released) *

New in Expert Witness:

• Starlito & Don Trip: Step Brothers Three (Grind Hard LLC) A-
• Kano: Made in the Manor (Parlophone) A-
• Starlito & Don Trip: Step Brothers Two (self-released) ***
• Kano: Method to the Maadness (Bigger Picture) **
• Adamn Killa: I Am Adamn (Homespun Media Group) **
• T-Pain & Lil Wayne: T-Wayne (self-released) **
• Big Boi: Boomiverse (Epic) *

New in Expert Witness:

• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: The Nashville Sound (Southeastern) A
• Steve Earle: So You Wannabe an Outlaw (Warner Bros.) A-
• North Mississippi Allstars: Prayer for Peace (Songs of the South) ***
• Rodney Crowell: Close Ties (New West) ***
• Gurf Morlix: The Soul and the Heal (Rootball) **
• Colvin & Earle: Colvin & Earle (Fantasy) **
• Willie Nelson: God's Problem Child (Legacy) *

Also new by Christgau:

• With a God on His Side: a review of several books by Terry Eagleton.

New in Expert Witness:

• Chuck Berry: Chuck (Dualtone) A-
• Chuck Berry: The Definitive Collection (Geffen/Chess) A+
• Low Cut Connie: Dirty Pictures (Part 1) (Contender) ***
• Arkells: Morning Report (Last Gang) **
• Todd Snider: Eastside Bulldog (Aimless/Thirty Tigers) *

The new book, Shake It Up: Great American Writing on Rock and Pop From Elvis to Jay Z, edited by Jonathan Lethem and Kevin Dettmar, includes essays by:

• Robert Christgau: Prince
• Carola Dibbell: The Slits Go Native

New in Expert Witness:

• Cloud Nothings: Life Without Sound (Carpark) A-
• The xx: I See You (Young Turks) B+
• Japandroids: Near to the Wild Heart of Life (Anti-) ***
• Pinegrove: Cardinal (Run for Cover) **
• Los Campesinos!: Sick Scenes (Wichita Recordings) *

New in Expert Witness:

• American Epic: The Soundtrack (Legacy) A
• The Rough Guide to Jug Band Blues (World Music Network) A
• Mahalia Jackson: Moving On Up a Little Higher (Spirit Feel) B+
• The Rough Guide to Gospel Blues (World Music Network) *

New in Expert Witness:

• Daddy Issues: Can We Still Hang (Infinity Cat) A-
• Daddy Issues: Deep Dream (Infinity Cat) A-
• Girlpool: Powerplant (Anti-) B+
• Hurray for the Riff Raff: Navigator (ATO) ***
• Diet Cig: Swear I'm Good at This (Frenchkiss) **
• I Am the Polish Army: My Old Man (self-released) *

New in Expert Witness:

• Les Amazones d'Afrique: République Amazone (RealWorld) A-
• Oumou Sangaré: Mogoya (No Format) B+
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Walking in the Footsteps of Our Fathers (self-released) ***
• Ibibio Sound Machine: Uyai (Merge) **

Also new:

• Songs of Love and War: Syria's Omar Souleyman (Village Voice)

New in Expert Witness:

• Kendrick Lamar: Damn. (Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope) A-
• Migos: Culture (QC/YRN/300) A-
• Migos: Y.R.N. 2 (Young Rich Niggas 2) (self-released) ***
• Future: Hendrxx (Epic) **
• Future: Future (Epic) *

Also new:

• Who the Fuck Knows: Covering Music in Drumpfjahr II. (Paris Review)
• Rob Sheffield Explores How Beatles Live on Inside Our Heads (Village Voice)

There's also an interview with Christgau at Sp!ked Review.

New in Expert Witness:

• Brad Paisley: Love and War (Arista) A
• Angaleena Presley: Wrangled (Mining Light) A-
• Sarah Shook & the Disarmers: Sidelong (Bloodshot) B+

New in Expert Witness:

• Body Count: Bloodlust (Century Media) A-
• Matt North: Above Ground Fools (MattNorth.net) A-
• Rock and Roll Music: The Songs of Chuck Berry (Ace) A-
• Zeal & Ardor: Devil Is Fine (MVKA Music) A-

New in Expert Witness:

• Khalid: American Teen (RCA) A
• Kevin Abstract: American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story (Brockhampton) A-
• Sampha: Process (Young Turks) **
• Kingdom: Tears in the Club (Fade to Mind) *

New in Expert Witness:

• The New Pornographers: Whiteout Conditions (Collected Works/Concord) A
• Conor Oberst: Salutations (Nonesuch) A-
• The Shins: Heartworms (Columbia) ***
• Spoon: Hot Thoughts (Matador) ***
• The Old 97's: Graveyard Whistling (ATO) **

New in Expert Witness:

• Mariem Hassan: La Voz Indómita (Nubenegra) A-
• Orchestra Baobab: Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng (Nonesuch) A-
• Mariem Hassan & Vadiya Mint El Hanevi: Balla Sahara Balla (Nubenegra) B+
• Tinariwen: Elwan (Anti-) **
• Tamikrest: Kidal (Glitterbeat) **

New in Expert Witness:

• The Magnetic Fields: 50 Song Memoir (Nonesuch) A-
• Craig Finn: We All Want the Same Things (Partisan) B+
• Sleater-Kinney: Live in Paris (Sub Pop) B+

Also new by Robert Christgau:

• Yes, Chuck Berry Invented Rock 'n' Roll -- and Singer-Songwriters. Oh, Teenagers Too

New in Expert Witness:

• The Goon Sax: Up for Anything (Chapter Music) A-
• Thurst: Cut to the Chafe (self-released) B+
• Frontier Ruckus: Enter the Kingdom (Sitcom Universe) ***
• Let's Eat Grandma: I, Gemini (PIAS America) ***
• Stef Chura: Messes (Urinal Cake) **
• Priests: Nothing Feels Natural (Sister Polygon) **
• Lithics: Borrowed Floors (Water Wing) *
• Vagabon: Infinite Worlds (Father/Daughter) *

Also new by Robert Christgau:

• How Jens Lekman Got His Groove Back

New in Expert Witness:

• Sunny Sweeney: Trophy (Thirty Tigers) A-
• Becky Warren: War Surplus (self-released) A-
• Whitney Rose: South Texas Suite (Six Shooter/Thirty Tigers) A-

New in Expert Witness:

• Nnamdi Ogbonnaya: DROOL (Father/Daughter/Sooper) A-
• Syd: Fin (Epic) A-
• NxWorries: Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge: Yes Lawd! (Stones Throw) ***
• John Legend: Darkness and Light (Columbia) **

New in Expert Witness:

• Tom Zé: Cancoes Eroticas Para Ninar (Irara) A-
• Fanfare Ciocarlia: 20 (Asphalt Tango) A-
• The Klezmatics: Apikorsim/Heretics (World Village) B+