The Dodos, “Individ”
The Dodos’ sixth LP, “Individ,” doesn’t sound drastically different from anything they’ve made before, but it does sound like it was made by a younger band working its fingers off. Logan Kroeber and Meric Long have had a quiet but beautiful run that’s earned them loyal fans and a soft spot in critics’ hearts. Nothing ever quite touched the magic of their full-length debut, “Visiter,” but the Dodos music has been consistently lovely in its weird way. — Ashley Dean
Jessica Pratt, “On Your Own Love Again”
Jessica Pratt’ssophomore release, “On Your Own Love Again,” is an improvement on her debut in nearly every way. Sure, it borrows heavily from a bygone era of folk. But rather than a cover artist, Pratt sounds like a medium, channeling the likes of Nick Drake and Sandy Denny with a classical guitar as her antenna. In “Back, Baby,” it’s even got a bona fide single. Whether she likes it or not, Pratt’s newest excerpt of journal entries is going to be heard by a lot more people than her last — and deservedly so. — Dylan Owens
