Jeff Buckley
“You and I”
Sony

Posthumous albums are usually a crapshoot. And the more albums come out after an artist’s death, the more likely it is that the quality will be low. If someone passes away far too early — like Jeff Buckley did — then there is probably a solid album or two worth of nearly finished, unreleased music to enjoy. But “You and I” is the fifth release since Buckley’s death, and what we are left with is material that has been seen on other albums, half-finished musical thoughts, and stuff that was always destined for the cutting room floor. The only real good that “You and I” serves is a painful reminder of what we’ve lost. There is enough talent displayed in these unvarnished tidbits to make Buckley’s loss feel fresh and frustrating. But there is precious little to be found on these tracks to actually be worth a listen on their own. CV

Killswitch Engage
“Incarnate”
Roadrunner

Killswitch Engage practically wrote the book on what successful modern metalcore sounds like. After a brief period in the early 2000s when the band was cast adrift creatively, burdened by a vocalist who never seemed to gel with the band’s direction, Killswitch Engage reunited with vocalist Jesse Leach and turned out 2013’s “Disarm the Descent,” which put the band back at the forefront of the metalcore sound and re-established it as one of the top metal bands roaming the countryside. “Incarnate” continues that trend with a series of loud, sonically powerful numbers that prove “Disarm the Descent” was no fluke. Killswitch Engage is back in full effect. “Just Let Go” and “It Falls on Me” are the two best tracks on the album because Leach’s vocals place the focus back on the songwriting, rather than trying to blind everyone with sheer power or volume. CV