THIS WEEK’S CD RELEASES

Childish Gambino 3.15.20 Out now

Like a male Beyoncé, Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, doesn’t do anything unless it’s eye-catchingly ambitious, political and unconventional. His fourth album, released with next to no warning, has barely any song titles, just timestamps – obliging you to swim blind in an intriguing sea of low-frequency funk, sing-song soul and weirdo electro-pop.

Lucinda Williams Good Souls Better Angels Out now

The crisp, tuneful Americana of Sweet Old World and Car Wheels On A Gravel Road are long in Lucinda Williams’s past, and her muse has carried on into grittier places. Here she steers through the underbelly of America, often blaring heavy electric blues, her voice a cracked, protesting drawl.

The Strokes The New Abnormal Out now

Having ridden in nearly 20 years ago on a wave of excitement, The Strokes have released half-hearted albums ocassionally and as if with a gun to their tousled heads. Recorded in LA with mystical music-doctor Rick Rubin, the sixth feels like an attempt to salvage some pride. Here they’re engaged and open to new ideas, with a focused stash of songs that sound like a grown-up sequel to 2001’s Is This It.

Gerry Cinnamon The Bonny Out now

Glaswegian man of the people Gerry Cinnamon has charted an astonishing course from pubs to sold-out stadiums with no record company and little critical buzz. He’s done it with anthemic troubadouring, mostly flavoured with guitar, harmonica and hard-knocks wisdom. With those stadium gigs on hold, second album The Bonny guarantees his momentum will resume when the world starts spinning again.