Ari Hest
The Fire Plays
(Project 4)

Ari Hest is the best thing to happen to baritones since the emergence of John Gorka. Maybe it’s the harbor waters—Gorka is from metro New Jersey and Hest from the Bronx. And Paul Simon, whose pen prowess Hest sometimes approaches, is from Newark. Hest’s newest release—his twelfth since 1999—is a small masterpiece, a blend of solid hooks, poetic imagery, and soulful vocals. Among its many impressive dimensions is the ease with which Hest moves from a simple acoustic guitar-backed melody such as “Concert Sky” to the keyboard-backed “Winter of Yes,” evocative of late Billy Joel, to a full-textured composition such as “Know Where,” a big arrangement with anthem-like lyrical tag lines. What a voice!—husky and raspy one moment and smooth as caramel the next. This is surely one of the finest releases. —Rob Weir

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Dark Dark Dark
Who Needs Who
(Supply & Demand)

Dark Dark Dark’s Nona Marie Invie continues to deliver quality, mood-driven musical observations of a life that’s obviously transient (the band is generally touring the world), but exudes a gentle momentum more akin to a feather on a lake than a speeding train. The piano-driven material has a feel that’s as introspective as some other purveyors of similar fare, but with less of a desperate, frenetic vibe. The album was recorded in New Orleans, and you can hear a Cajun/accordion influence on some of the cooler, weirder stuff (“Without You”), and its slinky, stray-cat-strutting acoustic bass and swinging jazz drums venture into hazy, retro-surreal territory. Even so, for whatever reason, the album is not quite the equal of its predecessor, 2010’s Wild Go. —Tom Sturm

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Dinosaur Jr.
I Bet On Sky
(Jagjaguwar)

Since reuniting in 2005, the three original members of Dinosaur Jr.—J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph—have been busy. In between tours, side projects and other band-related ventures, the Western Mass. natives have also managed to turn out three albums, much to the delight of alternative music fans who clamored for the trio’s resurrection in the first place. On their latest disc, the guys further cement their ongoing partnership with a record that ranks among their best. “Watch the Corners” is a standout, chugging along with strident power chords, while “Pierce the Morning Rain” pairs Mascis’ familiar braying with an unceasing drive that doesn’t slow until the final note. Perhaps reinvigorated by some time spent in his other band, Sebadoh, Barlow contributes two great numbers, including the galloping “Rude.” —Michael Cimaomo