diff --git a/beets/importer.py b/beets/importer.py
index 3feaffcb8..6dbd82ad8 100644
--- a/beets/importer.py
+++ b/beets/importer.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def _duplicate_check(lib, task):
 
     found_albums = []
     cur_paths = set(i.path for i in task.items if i)
-    for album_cand in lib.albums(artist=artist):
+    for album_cand in lib.albums(library.MatchQuery('albumartist', artist)):
         if album_cand.album == album:
             # Check whether the album is identical in contents, in which
             # case it is not a duplicate (will be replaced).
@@ -83,7 +83,11 @@ def _item_duplicate_check(lib, task):
     artist, title = task.chosen_ident()
 
     found_items = []
-    for other_item in lib.items(artist=artist, title=title):
+    query = library.AndQuery((
+        library.MatchQuery('artist', artist),
+        library.MatchQuery('title', title),
+    ))
+    for other_item in lib.items(query):
         # Existing items not considered duplicates.
         if other_item.path == task.item.path:
             continue
@@ -296,7 +300,7 @@ class ImportSession(object):
 
     def resolve_duplicate(self, task):
         raise NotImplementedError
-    
+
     def choose_item(self, task):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
@@ -533,7 +537,7 @@ def read_tasks(session):
             if resume_dir:
 
                 # Either accept immediately or prompt for input to decide.
-                if _resume() == True:
+                if _resume() is True:
                     do_resume = True
                     log.warn('Resuming interrupted import of %s' % path)
                 else:
@@ -746,7 +750,9 @@ def apply_choices(session):
         # when the last item is removed.
         task.replaced_items = defaultdict(list)
         for item in items:
-            dup_items = session.lib.items(library.MatchQuery('path', item.path))
+            dup_items = session.lib.items(
+                library.MatchQuery('path', item.path)
+            )
             for dup_item in dup_items:
                 task.replaced_items[item].append(dup_item)
                 log.debug('replacing item %i: %s' %
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index e48b632d8..53a7a71f8 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -1508,58 +1508,42 @@ class Library(object):
 
     # Querying.
 
-    def albums(self, query=None, artist=None):
-        """Returns a sorted list of Album objects, possibly filtered
-        by an artist name or an arbitrary query. Unqualified query
-        string terms only match fields that apply at an album
-        granularity: artist, album, and genre.
+    def _fetch(self, model_cls, order_by, query):
+        """Fetch the objects of type `model_cls` matching the given
+        query. The query may be given as a string, string sequence, a
+        Query object, or None (to fetch everything).
         """
-        query = get_query(query, True)
-        if artist is not None:
-            # "Add" the artist to the query.
-            query = AndQuery((query, MatchQuery('albumartist', artist)))
+        query = get_query(query, model_cls is Album)
 
         where, subvals = query.clause()
         with self.transaction() as tx:
             rows = tx.query(
-                "SELECT * FROM albums WHERE {0} "
-                "ORDER BY {1}, album".format(
-                    where or '1',
-                    _orelse("albumartist_sort", "albumartist"),
-                ),
-                subvals,
-            )
-
-        return Results(Album, rows, self, None if where else query)
-
-    def items(self, query=None, artist=None, album=None, title=None):
-        """Returns a sequence of the items matching the given artist,
-        album, title, and query (if present). Sorts in such a way as to
-        group albums appropriately. Unqualified query string terms only
-        match intuitively relevant fields: artist, album, genre, title,
-        and comments.
-        """
-        queries = [get_query(query, False)]
-        if artist is not None:
-            queries.append(MatchQuery('artist', artist))
-        if album is not None:
-            queries.append(MatchQuery('album', album))
-        if title is not None:
-            queries.append(MatchQuery('title', title))
-        query = AndQuery(queries)
-        where, subvals = query.clause()
-
-        with self.transaction() as tx:
-            rows = tx.query(
-                "SELECT * FROM items WHERE {0} "
-                "ORDER BY {1}, album, disc, track".format(
-                    where or '1',
-                    _orelse("artist_sort", "artist"),
+                "SELECT * FROM {table} WHERE {where} "
+                "ORDER BY {order_by}".format(
+                    table=model_cls._table,
+                    where=where or '1',
+                    order_by=order_by
                 ),
                 subvals
             )
 
-        return Results(Item, rows, self, None if where else query)
+        return Results(model_cls, rows, self, None if where else query)
+
+    def albums(self, query=None):
+        """Get a sorted list of Album objects matching the given query.
+        """
+        order = '{0}, album'.format(
+            _orelse("albumartist_sort", "albumartist")
+        )
+        return self._fetch(Album, order, query)
+
+    def items(self, query=None):
+        """Get a sorted list of Item objects matching the given query.
+        """
+        order = '{0}, album'.format(
+            _orelse("artist_sort", "artist")
+        )
+        return self._fetch(Item, order, query)
 
 
     # Convenience accessors.
@@ -1932,7 +1916,7 @@ class DefaultTemplateFunctions(object):
         for key in keys:
             value = getattr(album, key)
             subqueries.append(MatchQuery(key, value))
-        albums = self.lib.albums(query=AndQuery(subqueries))
+        albums = self.lib.albums(AndQuery(subqueries))
 
         # If there's only one album to matching these details, then do
         # nothing.
diff --git a/beetsplug/random.py b/beetsplug/random.py
index 57ac77e79..259cbe5f6 100644
--- a/beetsplug/random.py
+++ b/beetsplug/random.py
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ def random_item(lib, opts, args):
     template = Template(fmt) if fmt else None
 
     if opts.album:
-        objs = list(lib.albums(query=query))
+        objs = list(lib.albums(query))
     else:
-        objs = list(lib.items(query=query))
+        objs = list(lib.items(query))
 
     if opts.equal_chance:
         # Group the objects by artist so we can sample from them.