Ken Tucker

Thorn's latest album uses airy synthesizers and insistent percussion as the backdrop for a series of meditations on being feminist. Critic Ken Tucker says Record plays as both a comfort and a dare.

Rigby's new album, which features jangly guitars and thumping drums, sounds like an old-fashioned rock 'n' roll album. But critic Ken Tucker says that The Old Guy is definitely not "a nostalgia item."

Carlile fills her new album with songs about forgiving the pain inflicted by lovers, parents and others. Critic Ken Tucker says the singer's music and message carry a "mighty strength."