Here’s what our writers thought of some recent releases.

Queens of the Stone Age/Villains

Queens of The Stone Age continue their dark and eccentric voyage into the human mind with the tantalizing Villains. Their seventh album is both a continuation of QOTSA’s stellar …Like Clockwork while also being a strong stand-alone effort.

A dissonant and menacing synth-laden trance creeps to the surface at the start of Villains before punching into the tight and catchy space-disco of “Feet Don’t Fail Me,” with Josh Homme singing, “I was born in the desert, babe,” just in case we’ve forgotten the inspiration behind many of his songs.

One of the best things about this band is their after-midnight weirdness. No one can lay on the ominous melodies like these guys can, particularly on the hypnotic “Un-Reborn Again” (which also happens to include a Dixie rock-like flare near its end). “Domesticated Animals” is dressed similarly, with an added stutter-step rhythm, incorporating a type of 21st-century shoegaze mixed with their brand of riff-rock.

And yes, there are plenty of riffs to be had. “The Evil Has Landed” and “Head Like a Haunted House” are stand-out, guitar-driven numbers, especially the latter with its kinetic Frankenstein surf kick. They hit a new peak with “Villains of Circumstance,” offering up a melodic and translucent finish.

Villains is more accessible for mainstream listeners than …Like Clockwork, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. When taking in Villains, you feel like you found some cool new band that is doing its own thing instead of trying to conform to any standard, and that’s what makes every QOTSA record mandatory listening.

For more information, visit qotsa.com.

-Jason SAVIO

Lorde/Melodrama

When Lorde came out with her debut album at the age of 16, I wasn’t sure what I was listening to, but it definitely grew on me. In fact, I found myself really liking that someone so young had already found her definitive style and was doing something that no one else was really doing at the time. You feel a connection to the reality in what she is singing at times, and then, in other moments, you almost feel like you are in a dreamlike state.

Her latest album, Melodrama, does not stray from what has put her on the map, but it is also a more mature version of what she does so well. She doesn’t seem to strive for raising the bar higher and higher, like some artists tend to do ? and ultimately overhaul their entire sound. She is fine in her element, like all the greats tend to be, and it makes the album that much more real.

The album opens with “Green Light,” a song that made me feel bad for the guy she is referencing. This is an emotional song, filled with pain and resentment for someone that did her wrong. It has a catchy melody and is a pure and intimate peek into a broken heart. I really liked “The Louvre,” filled with her perfect harmonies and starting slow but morphing into a true dance beat, making it perfect for any club. “Liability” is simply a beautiful narrative about a girl who has a bunch of flings with people she can’t have for one reason or another. My favorite on the CD is “Writer in the Dark,” a gorgeous and painful song about how musicians channel their experiences, both positive and negative, into an art that can speak for them and reach others.

I was very impressed with this album and I found it believable. You know she means it with every single fiber of her being. It’s stunning. Lorde hits Boston on April 3

Find out more at lorde.co.nz.

-Jennifer RUSSO

Fergie/Double Dutchess

We’ve been waiting for more than a decade for this album, and with Fergie’s split from hubby (Josh Duhamel) part of the proceedings, it’s no surprise there are some raw emotions on display. Unfortunately, much of this decade-in-the-making machination is a convoluted mess. Fergie tries to meld pop, hip hop, rap and R&B, and it makes us wonder: Who is Fergie?

She starts out sexually-charged and seductive, dropping F-bombs with Rick Ross to give her street cred or an aggressive edge, or something, and it’s a distracting departure from the artist we embraced from The Black Eyed Peas and the more radio-friendly Dutchess (2006). Double Dutchess feels like an experiment of throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Take the catchy “L.A. Love (La La)” (which played on radio back in 2014); it still stands out on this album three years later!

Fergie is freshest when she simply sings. On tracks like “Just Like You” and “A Little Work,” her lyrics aim to empower rather than boast (whereas “M.I.L.F. $” tries too hard to milk all the attention). Fergie can really kick ass on a ballad, and on the aforementioned songs and “Save It Til Morning,” she’s softer, stronger and more authentic. Even the peppier “Tension” ? about a sexual tug-of-war on the dance floor ? works because Fergie doesn’t sound like she’s trying so hard to be something she’s not.

For more information, visit Fergie.com.

-Mike WOOD