End incorporates a lot of the touches and techniques that made The Wilderness stand out in the group's discography, from rippling electronics to post-minimalist repetition.

Cottonwood 2's glimmers of unpredictability are its best parts, and make the more by-the-numbers tracks all the more interesting by offering a contrast.

Though Tamko continues to address uneasy subjects and feelings with her music, she sounds more assured than before on her illuminating third album.

Bryan does demand that his audience lean into the songs to discern their meaning; he gives a hint of a hook, enough to coax a second listen to unpack all the sorrows racing around in his head. Over the course of a triple album, this approach gets monochromatic, but Zach Bryan is tighter than American Heartbreak not only holistically but in its individual parts.

Gregory Alan Isokov finds the sweet spot between mystical and relatable, pairing simple folk melodies and lyrics that house profound truths.

It's a hopeful end to an album torn between the pain of loss and the celebration of the times they shared.

There's too much life and imagination in the Handsome Family's work to not find some sort of joy in it, and they're far too good at writing songs and working them up to not earn your admiration. If being bummed out allows someone to make an album as good as Hollow, maybe there's some upside to it after all.

Never less than sweet and engaging, The Loveliest Time may not be as ambitious as its predecessor, but when it comes to Jepsen's lighter-than-air pop, it just might be more consistent.

Clear Pond Road's mesmerizing sonics and songwriting make it special among her solo albums. Nearly 30 years after Hips and Makers, it offers another chance to savor the intricacies of her music as well as its power.

They expanded upon their crate-digging aesthetic, blending disco, funk, new wave, and hip-hop sounds into their own hooky, dance-ready aesthetic. Volcano is no exception and finds the duo moving through the late '80s house grooves of "Holding On," the '70s soul of "Dominoes," and clubby tropicalia of "Every Night."

Owusu could have gone any number of ways on his sophomore set, but it's a testament to his artistic conviction that he chose to make something so risky and complex. Even better, he pulled it off.

Each of the performances allows the singer's personality to shine through without obscuring Russell's inherent oddball nature.

Deeply bruised, cinematic and graceful Western music is no match for their skills and Sea of Mirrors is another triumph for the band.

For That Beautiful Feeling has a few minor surprises, but for the most part it meets expectations and ends up another solid, enjoyable entry in the Chemical Brothers' discography.

As a whole, End of the Day taps into the stillness that's flowed through Tell Me How You Really Feel and Things Take Time, Take Time, a melancholy that's as restorative as it is depressive. That feeling when not married to singing and lyrics winds up offering some measure of comfort. Free of melody, hooks or other organizing themes, this music merely floats, a soothing sound to those who share its wavelength.

Romy may have been the last member of the xx to release a solo album, but it was worth the wait: Mid Air's joyful, thoughtful version of dance music is utterly true to her.

Listening to Bird Machine is a heartbreaking, uplifting experience -- in other words, a perfect tribute to the way he moved so many people.

Just as rewarding as the deeper dives into Garson's discography, Journey to the Moon and Beyond's breadth makes it a tremendously entertaining time capsule and a must-listen for his aficionados.

Club Romantech flows like a well-curated DJ set, and by imagining the club night of their dreams, Icona Pop prove they've still got EDM-pop down to an art.

Equally experimental and accessible, brimming over with aquatic atmosphere and pointed emotional feeling, and full of familiar joys and new surprises, everything is alive is the work of a group who are done reforming and have set their sights on brilliant evolution instead.

At this point, a Pretenders album is whatever she says it is and Relentless is a good one.

In the great tradition of punk rock heroes, Jeff Rosenstock might seem ordinary to a lot of folks, but not many folks have the talent and the vision to pull off an album as good as HELLMODE, and it ranks with his finest work.

Untangling Speedy Ortiz's hyper-detailed words and sounds is always time well spent, but these fierce, surprising songs are some of their most satisfying work yet.

The first part contains some of Clay's funkiest and most psychedelic material with poetic reflections on his upbringing that leave a lot to the imagination. .... The LP's middle third is fueled by moments of deeper self-examination. Those songs are more in line with earlier Clay output like Deadpan Love. .... The latter third is where Clay and company truly stretch out.

Together they wander the landscape like a band of joyous nomads, relishing the journey over the destination.

Emotional Contracts finds Deer Tick operating at full power and making very few advancements from previous albums, seeing no need to fix what isn't broken with their meat-and-potatoes, blue-collar rock sound.

While not the project's most mind-bending or boundary-pushing album, it’s their most stunningly gorgeous, and a successful, timely countermeasure to the symbolic cover art depicting a rainbow in flames.

What gives it resonance is that the album's bones are constructed from the same elements that have made him one of the most interesting singer/songwriters of the punk generation: he's toned down his snarl and cynicism, retaining a D.I.Y. spirit while also honing his powers of observation. All of these come into play in surprising, inventive ways on Leisureland, making it one of his most distinctive records.

The songs are tough, the performances are rugged and real, and Eddie 9V is clearly on his way to greater acclaim by following the music that initially, and still, inspires him.

There isn't a weak moment here, not even a middling one. Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound is forging a unique path into the future of blues, one artist and one impeccable track after another.

Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) is both a pinnacle of that bold creative musical vision and a tantalizing spark of what might have been.

It's remarkable how these fusions feel bright and lively and every bit as sharp as the Americana-leaning Freedom Highway. Giddens may be emphasizing a different side of her personality--and perhaps courting a different audience--but she's made no compromises.

Georgas' conscious attempts here to be more candid in her songwriting pay off on a no-filler label debut for Lucy Rose's Real Kind Records that stands as her best to this point in her career.

Spellling & the Mystery School demonstrates how some of Cabral's best songs have taken on lives of their own since they were first written.

Taylor has made an album that's happy without being silly, and positive while acknowledging just how much of a challenge it can be. Jump for Joy is an exercise in self-help and self-care, and a few spins might help you on the road to better days. It will certainly make them easier to enjoy.

Hearing Pearl reclaim her agency with an older, wiser, and hopefully more sustainable incarnation of Be Your Own Pet is a thrill for fans old and new.

Jaguar II nudges contemporary R&B forward as it mixes inspirations spanning continents and generations.

An album of many strengths -- poetic yet folksy lyrics, charming melodies, an A-plus band, and disarming sincerity -- Haunted Mountain is another delight in a solo career that deserves to be more than a sideline of his Billboard 200-charting main gig.

The Armed get down to business, delivering a volley of potent noise-punk rockers ("FKA World," "Clone," "Everything's Glitter") that temper their myriad technical complexities with sugary, boot-stomping melodies.

A bevy of producers, highlighted by Jennifer Decilveo (Bat for Lashes, Anne-Marie) and Daniel Tannenbaum (Kendrick Lamar), do admirable, evocative work, but the songs and feeling get lost under the layers of sound, particularly at the album's hour-long running time.

Here Lydon has ideas and sounds focused on making them into something, and he has a band capable of giving him all the support he needs. It's not entirely successful, but it's not lazy, either, and at this stage of Lydon's career (and given a very trying situation at home), that's to be commended.

Everyone Else Is a Stranger is easily one of Lindstrøm's most gleeful records, and one of the easiest to recommend.

The resulting 11-song set, The Window, is a volatile one that continues a gradual shift in balance toward harsher guitar tones and more energy without shunning the ambling, jangly alt-country that has co-existed with the band's Breeders-revering alt-rock side since their full-length debut.

Road is primarily killer and only a little bit of filler, with Alice tapping into the power he harnessed in his younger days to create a surprisingly inspired collection of new material.

Barbie: The Album is a celebration as colorful and uplifting as the movie itself, and both are highly recommended.

The strongest submissions make it worth the listen, however, as it's wonderful to hear yet another generation of artists doing interesting things inspired by Drake's evergreen presence.

Even amid the emerging identities of its two star players, it hangs together as a delightfully cohesive volume. It's the sound of old friends playing guitar and singing together in a good room, a vibe that never gets old.

Despite all of these guests and shifting stylistic moods, World Music Radio holds together nicely. The production has an organic, musically experimental vibe that feels like Batiste is really bridging his jazz and pop influences. There's also a sense that he is digging deeper emotionally after a tough few years.

Live in Brooklyn 2011 is a stunning document of a veteran band challenging received wisdom and thriving in the excitement of rediscovery.

Wide-ranging yet cohesive, crafted yet genuine, Homo Anxietatem is an expansive, satisfying standout within his body of work.

On Intercepted Message he's filled the music with enough frantic energy and lyrical urgency that this clearly comes from his musical imagination, even if it explores new territory, and as a loving re-creation of the futuristic sounds of the past, it's well worth a listen.

There are experiments with ambience, risky beat switches, theatrical and hook-free pop, and orchestration that Scott has never attempted before. The multi-platinum guest features might set the album up for global conquest, but the most exciting moments come when it sounds like Scott is discovering a new way to push his craft forward.

Consciousology is the work of an artist who has tapped into something mystical and true, much like she did with Heart-Shaped Scars. Allison has made a record that stands not only with her best work but with that of experimental and inspired singer/songwriters of any era.

Ribot and Ceramic Dog push their vitriol about the state of the world to new heights, crafting an album that balances a sustained punk dread with moments of primal, yawping rage.

Old Ian Tyson and Hoyt Axton tunes do a better job of articulating his aesthetic than Wall himself, which suggests that all his period flair and plainspoken delivery are just affectations.

While nothing here increases the pulse like EP standouts such as "Dream Story" and "Infinite Wisdom," the sustained and unusual sense of solace is heartwarming enough.

A breakneck blend of craft, experience, fun, and excitement, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons is the most concentrated dose of the band's magic since Tyrannosaurus Hives.

Like the best of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's work that came before it, Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You is the kind of record that gets played over and over until it feels like a part of the listener's personal history.

The fine track list, together with the rarity value, should make this a high priority on the purchase list of Neil Young fans or, indeed, rock fans.

Altogether, Central City is a total riot and fun as hell, the culmination of years of grinding and fighting to place New Orleans bounce on an even larger stage.

The serene hum of nature in harmony leads her to realize that "the care I neglect so often is mine" on "In Gardens," while "Science and Art" is a glowing love song to the creative instinct and humanity's undying need to express itself, whether in a song or video game. On RPG, Me Lost Me continues that tradition brilliantly.

Regret, longing, and grief fill the other songs, but Lusk's soaring, whole-hearted articulations of hope and reassurance prevent this transfixing album from being an unqualified downer.

This is as strong anything they've recorded in their forty-plus year history.

Crashing Dream ended the Rain Parade's first era on a note of disappointment, while Last Rays of a Dying Sun begins a new chapter in their story with impressive strength and vision, and finds the Paisley Underground heroes still as gifted and capable as one could hope.

[A] cleverly devised and skillfully performed album that's pleasingly nostalgic, happily (for the most part) danceable, and best of all perhaps, represents a return to form after their ill-advised foray into radio-ready modern pop.

Shires has a relaxed, natural rapport with Nelson that gives Loving You a genuine sense of warmth: this wasn't intended as a tribute or a goodbye, it was merely a relaxed session between two kindred spirits and its inherent modesty makes it quite satisfying.

As with so many similarly powerful film scores, this one offers an enveloping listening experience that doesn't rely on the images it accompanies.

Melodic and heartfelt, Austin surprises at nearly every turn, whether that's by an unexpected sonic detour or the simple fact that Post Malone has never sounded this fearless.

The EP isn't a game changer, but it bears enough of Aphex Twin's unmistakable personality to be worthwhile.

As the creator and master of his own distinctive palette, he delivers another nuanced and well-crafted album.

It's a wonderful document of an unparalleled artist still radiating creativity, thoughtfulness, and power well into her late seventies. Like most everything else Mitchell has touched in her storied career, At Newport is inspiring, moving, and manages to also be a lot of fun.

Throughout, these ghostly and propulsive rhythms communicate, divide, and commingle, and are woven through with deep dub effects, avant-jazz, global pop, hip-hop, and woven rhythms drawn from several global traditions spindled, reshaped, and presented anew by the creators.

Tuttle and company have released another assured collection of songs that pair virtuosic musicianship with relatable and erudite songwriting.

Days in the Desert is a spiraling, hallucinatory experience, blurring the boundaries between studio-crafted ambient soundscapes and an engaging live jam.

While not among her more tuneful material, A New Reality Mind is a detail-oriented work that engages with its balance of sonic inventiveness and pop reference points. Lyrically, it may also connect with its steady stream of readjusted expectations.

It's a style that evokes the breezy, early '90s rock of artists like Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt, yet still retains all of the ringing melodicism of Best Coast. She also trades some of her cool girl swagger for a refreshing vulnerability and open heartedness.

Nobody expects him to go back in time and deliver another classic album like Too-Rye-Ay, but it doesn't seem too much to ask for him to make a record that has more zip than this. That being said, it's always good to get another transmission from the heart and soul of Kevin Rowland, even one lacking the sweat and excitement he usually delivers.

It adds up to another pitch perfect album by the band, certainly one of their best and most devastatingly pretty works. In a career full of brilliance, that's saying ever so much.

While Lanza has never come across as diffident, she is at her most poised and direct on Love Hallucination, another serving of bubbly avant-pop only she could have made.

The Ones Ahead gets too saccharine at times, and it's not anywhere near as engaging as Glenn-Copeland's visionary folk-jazz records from the early '70s, or his soothing ambient classic Keyboard Fantasies. Nevertheless, it's impossible to find fault with his optimism, and the songs' messages clearly resonate.

While the majority of the album is breezy and unassuming, the radio-ready pop detailing of "Mona Lisa" cuts through a little more than most, with manicured hooks and sonic sweetening that feel tailored for commercial blockbuster status.

The result is Georgia's most accessible album to date, although it does feel like some of the unique qualities of her earlier releases have been compromised.

Guided by Voices has never had so long a streak of consistently fine albums as they've had since this edition came to be, and Welshpool Frillies shows this band (and their indefatigable leader) aren't about to let us down now.

DeMent's acute sense of humanity remains her greatest asset, and it has rarely sounded so graceful as on this wonderful set of songs.

Sakamoto died two months after 12 was released, and being aware that it was his final work adds emotional weight to music that appears fragile and delicate.

You & I is a nourishing, adult examination of love and relationships that matures the singer and her catalog in the process.

Less serious-feeling moments like "Zombie World" and "This Isn't Funny" call back to the juvenile spirit of early Half Japanese, but the majority of Jump into Love finds Fair and his band communicating messages of joy and promise with strangely heavy tunes that don't quite sonically match their optimistic sentiments.

IRL doesn't truly feel like a return or even a follow-up. Still, she immediately set this album apart from Love and Compromise by previewing it with the fluid and bumping "Terms and Conditions," a shrewd collaboration with RAYE that is unequivocal about its "rules in place" for a potential lover.

Clarke's songs are founded in seductive pop melodies with a rootsy undertow, and he, his studio band, and his production team have crafted an album that comes from the heart and emotionally connects with rare skill, in both music and lyrics. Having a down day? Cut Worms may be just what you need.

Lofgren doesn't shy away from big emotions -- one song, "Nothin's Easy," is explicitly dedicated to his wife Amy, who also serves as the album's co-producer, yet many of the other tracks feel informed by their relationship -- and that open-heartedness is the key to the album's success: it enlivens the studio precision and gloss, giving it a warm human pulse.

An album that feels age-appropriate without being stodgy: it's mature and nuanced, cherishing the connections that once were taken for granted but now seem precious.

He may be able to capture the sound of a band playing in a room but in this case, it feels like the room is a rehearsal studio, with the band stuck playing rough drafts at maximum volume. A bit of tightening and a bit of polish would've gone a long way here.

Some of Uzi's experiments are fun and exploratory while others flop, and the entire album is a lot to digest in one go. There are still plenty of solid tracks regardless of what style Lil Uzi Vert is trying on, but more fastidious editing might have delivered a more enjoyable, less meandering overall listening experience.

Super Snooper puts enough of a fresh spin on the standard tropes of punk to make this exciting, without sacrificing the satisfying energy at the core of the sound. As a first major salvo from a band on the rise, this is highly promising and a lot of good, noisy fun.

Rajan might not quite reach the top rank of modern psych albums -- "Nightmare" hews a little too closely to blues clichés and the occasional bit of editing could have been done when the tracks started to drift too much -- but Blackwell has made a strong and never less than interesting step in that direction. Even if he swings back to the more well-known Night Beats formula, this will stand as a fun experiment at the very least.

Despite the understated and lo-fi nature of the recording, Evenings at the Village Gate is a testament to their profound artistry and creative synergy.

At its most passable, COI is an engaging play with enough highlights to pack a playlist and keep the party moving.

This understated makeover casts Speak Now not as the final Taylor country record but as the first pop album from the singer/songwriter, a revision that offers its own gentle revisions.