At the age of 63, Billy Bragg is not a young man anymore, and The Million Things That Never Happened reflects that but in a way that reveals new themes and thinking in his lyrics; it's a brave, smart, and effective set of songs.

Taken together, Valentine represents both a bold musical step and a signal that Jordan is ready to move on in more ways than one, at the same time that it leaves some of her distinctiveness behind.

Still Sucks stands as a fun and highly enjoyable addition to the band's discography, delivering exactly what a Limp Bizkit listener wants to hear.

Missteps prevent Voyage from being a triumph yet they are true to the rest of ABBA's catalog so, in a sense, they're welcome. If ABBA didn't have cheeseball moments, they wouldn't be ABBA, so it's reassuring that the group brings the lows along with the highs on this unexpected and delightful album.

Rundle has tempered her sweeping post-rock cinematics with lyrical vulnerability in the past, but Engine of Hell is a braver and bolder beast, as it lays bare the soul of its creator and dares the listener to reckon with it.

The changes are subtle and even though the group's sound is a little less thrillingly raw here, they make up for it with stranger melodies and vocals. Overall, a solid effort from a band with the potential to make a great record someday.

Drew's music stresses the importance of the communal rave experience, and reminds us that everything is possible.

Music for Psychedelic Therapy isn't as overwhelming as Hopkins' previous two albums, but it's still an enlightening trip inspired by a lifetime of profound experiences.

The detailing and variable arrangements here, combined with engaging songs, lift A Way Forward above the level of genre exercise, occasionally into something more compositional, as on the final two tracks.

The highlight of these is a ten-minute version of "All Too Well," a bitter ballad that was already one of the peaks of Red and is now turned into an epic kiss-off. This, along with excavated songs, are reason enough for Swift to revisit Red and they, not the re-recordings, are the reason to return to Red [Taylor's Version].

While Public Storage doesn't represent the songwriter's hookiest material, its affecting album-length presentation lingers -- emotionally and sonically -- nonetheless.

Time Clocks slowly comes into focus after the short atmospheric instrumental "Pilgrimage" sets the stage for a moody, cinematic record.

The duo's playfulness here verges on hammy at times -- more often than on their solo recordings. The trade-off is that they push each other into new levels of showmanship without pandering to the audience. Besides, there's some genuinely witty stuff here.

Garbology isn't nearly as complex or conceptually driven as 2020's Spirit World Field Guide, but it still contains an abundance of memorable lyrics, and demonstrates Aesop's talent for spinning fantastic stories out of nothing.

Funky bass and Fender Rhodes are among the featured instruments on songs that feel jammier than his first two albums, though the mood remains mellow and languid, at least for the most part.

The result of these tweaks to both production and attitude is something more mature and approachable yet still impassioned, and it's Slothrust's most cohesive record to date.

The main shortcoming of At My Piano is that even though Brian Wilson is playing songs that he wrote, the mellow, elevator music style of these versions doesn't sound any more significantly connected to Wilson than any other session musician or unknown piano player running through familiar tunes as background music at a martini bar would sound. Despite this, it's pleasant to hear these songs in a new form.

Happily, he retains the melodic sharpness that characterized 57th & 9th, his last solo album of straight-forward pop tunes. The Bridge isn't quite as crisp and clean as that 2016 effort, yet it moves along at a quick clip.

While Brown's songwriting isn't always as sharply honed as it's been in the past, Time Flies is a fine example of just how much fun, and how therapeutic, well-crafted pop can be.

The remix collection is considerably more fragmented than the cohesive original, but it's no less forward-thinking, and is well worth the time of anyone who was bowled over by the proper album.

While much of the album is taken up by experimental mood pieces like these, there's also a significant number of sprawling, progressive tracks.

As lovingly recorded and meditative as it is, Island of Noise doesn't break much new ground for Modern Nature. ... That said, there is much to enjoy within this latest chapter.

Even though Old Friends New Friends doesn't contain any obvious epics similar to the most well-known pieces from Frahm's ambitious albums like All Melody and Spaces, there's still an abundance of highlights, and even his smaller-scale works can resonate in a big way.

"All These Days" is an atmospheric skyscraper that recalls '80s indie even if it has a shimmering modern sheen, and "Ariel" offers a slight sense of sweetness to close out an EP that functions as a good teaser for the full album while also working well as its own mini-LP.

This is still a smart, powerful rock band with sharp wit and an abundance of well-deserved confidence -- but the added details and textures make a difference, and this music points to a more interesting future for them than one might have imagined after Femejism.

Buckley's arrangements of Weller's canny self-curation help give An Orchestrated Songbook a subtle but palpable emotional resonance that separates it from other orchestral pop reworkings, not to mention the heavy number of Weller live albums.

Observatory is a satisfying listen and deserves to be heard on its own merits. On whether or not it will appease longtime Wrens fans as a vestige of a long-promised return, the jury remains out.

Themes of struggling to overcome depression and drug dependency surface often on Fighting Demons, making it a heavier collection than the sometimes celebratory memoriam of Legends Never Die. It's not an essential piece of the Juice WRLD story, but it's also not without some solid reminders of his greatness.

Where the Viaduct Looms is a daring and mostly rewarding undertaking, especially for Smith. Performing the songs of one of alternative music's most acclaimed acts with another backing her, she uncovers meanings and feelings that weren't fully present in the original material -- and that bodes well for what she might be capable of with her own songs.

There's a fair number of meandering moments, but the parts that actually go places are something to behold.

The few '70s selections -- from Sumiko Yamagata, Hiroshi Sato, and Makoto Iwabuchi -- all take easy, pleasant strolls down the middle of the road. Among other more fascinating curiosities are Mizuki Koyama's vivacious pop-R&B hybrid "Oh! Daddy" (with all-English lyrics), Kumi Nakamura's capering "Kimagure" (somewhere between Michael Franks and Seawind), and Haruo Chikada & Vibra-Tones' Kid Creole-indebted "Sofa Bed Blues," the only one that whoops it up (if politely so).

An album that's both intimate and communal, composed of small sounds and textures but expressing bigger feelings, particularly through the guest vocalists. "Fantasy" is easily the album's most memorable tune, cleverly snaking flutes and manipulated vocal hooks around Verushka's passionate, yearning lyrics.

Live Life Fast is a strong sophomore effort, one that finds Ricch taking a few moderate risks alongside his attempts to repeat the approach that worked so well on his debut.

Guests including Big Thief's Buck Meek, Mauno's Eliza Niemi, and pedal steel guitarist Aaron Goldstein also contributed to the album's gentle, textured palette. It opens with a sparse, Renaissance-style folk tune, the dulcimer-accompanied "Take On Me," which introduces Le Ren's lithe and lucid vocal delivery alongside evocative lyrics.

Covers is a treat for fans, and reaffirms that Marshall can find the Cat Power -- as well as new meanings -- in the music that moves her.

His productions are just the right balance of lush and gritty, blending rich string arrangements by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and lovely harp playing by Lara Somogyi with modular synth swells and soulful organs.

Moments of unfulfilled anticipation and endless, directionless drifting might make Antidawn seem difficult compared to other Burial releases, but there's something quietly powerful in the way he's able to express the sensation of being inexplicably lost.

Summery beats and glitched-out soul samples make tracks like "Ugly" and "Hollywood Gangsta," and the huge fun of "Wave Gods" finds A$AP Rocky dropping in for a guest verse while DJ Premier scratches in some familiar hooks from the archives of golden-era rap.

It would be nice to hear a more nuanced and stylistically diverse album from Dion (like 2005's Bronx in Blue or 2016's New York Is My Home), but there are more than enough great moments on Stomping Ground to remind us Dion is still a major talent over 60 years after scoring his first hit single.

Unsettling and plaintive throughout, the soundtrack ends with its sole song, the also mournful "The World to Come," which calls back earlier musical themes. A striking score debut, it does much to establish the film's tone.

Perhaps it's simply the growing pains that follow a much-hyped introduction, but Storm Queen is more of an interesting record than an excellent one, though it still has enough high points to recommend it.

W is not merely a counterpart to No but its polar opposite -- an album made of moments and atmospheres rather than songs. Nearly spectral in its articulation, this set offers a more elegant, restrained side of Boris than we've ever encountered before.

It's an especially lucid reading of the sound they've been perfecting for over two decades at this point, and one that adds a human warmth to a group that's long been defined by their otherworldly nature.

Taken together, The Alien Coast isn't as fun or as moving as the Broken Bones' earliest releases, but their commitment to experimentation and growth is as impressive as their collective technical skill, and in this case, the act of discovery provides its own fascination.

Several tracks ("heavy," "heartbreak3r," "regret") follow a similar emo-rap style, but On to Better Things gets more interesting when Dior commits fully to exploring different approaches.

As usual the label has done a fine job of capturing all the various streams of sound coursing through the vibrant indie rock and pop scenes during another truly interesting year of music.

John Mellencamp embodies the stubborn independence of an artist who unquestioningly follows his heart and his muse, and Strictly a One-Eyed Jack is the work of a man accepting the passage of time rather than fighting against it. As a songwriter and a performer, it's a gambit that works in his favor.

It's the duo's keenly observed originals that stay with you the longest, delivered with hard-won wisdom, gallows humor, and the near-supernatural fluidity of sisterly harmonies.

At times Give Me the Future feels a bit heavy-handed. Fortunately, the album's brisk pace saves it from feeling overblown. This is music for and of its moment, with a mix of ambition and pop concision that's unmistakably Bastille.

Second album Glitch Princess is more futuristic than yeule's past work and perhaps more dystopian as well.

Clocking in at just over 37 minutes, Dissolution Wave doesn't overstay its welcome, which helps to absolve it of some of its more directionless moments. However, even at their meandering, Cloakroom manage to compel, and their seismic heft and majestic layers of sound do all they can to counteract the weightlessness of space.

It seems unfair to call DNWMIBIY a failed experiment, as it's loaded with gems -- including some of Big Thief's most free-spirited work to date -- however, it lands much more like a showreel than a plotted album.

As far as Punch Brothers albums go, Hell on Church Street is a bit of an odd bird in that it's an album of covers chosen by someone else. As a nod to Rice, however, they honor his spirit well enough.

The Highest in the Land may not be the strongest Jazz Butcher release, but it certainly has enough frothy treats and swooning bits of heartbreak to remind everyone why they -- and Fish -- were so delightful.

While its seeming contradictions make it a slightly more challenging listen than Shamir was, Heterosexuality acknowledges how complicated just existing can be with the wit, creativity, and unguarded emotions that have been a vital part of Shamir's music since the beginning.

Rashad sings with restraint the whole time, giving each line an air of secrecy and/or seduction -- almost as if he's self-conscious about breaking an unreasonable noise ordinance. The approach is fitting, with Rashad riding just above the warmly reverberant grooves and background voices to heady effect.

Krüller is one of the most accessible-sounding Author & Punisher releases, but it's still vast and uncompromising.

Released almost exactly two years after that EP [Texas Sun], Texas Moon is spacier and a little moodier, and Bridges' writing this time gets as personal and spiritual as it does in his solo work.

Because of its lack of vocals, The Patience Fader sounds a bit more open and free than A Son, and somehow manages to say more with less.

While As I Try Not to Fall Apart probably won't pull in any new fans, it has a sultry, back-of-the-club intensity that speaks to White Lies' ever-deepening artistry.

EarthGang's rapping could often take a backseat to their grandiose production and arrangements, but Ghetto Gods balances quality vocal performances and detailed instrumentals.

Another step in the direction of propriety may have been one too many, as it stands Backhand Deals slides right into the corporate power pop timeline with just the right amount of vim and vigor.

If PAINLESS is less ambitious and attention-grabbing than her debut, it sees Yanya makes strides in being more affecting.

Perhaps cloaking her personal experiences in the guise of a fictional narrative allowed Parton to allude to her past in this fashion, but no matter the inspiration, these moments are the grace notes that help make Run, Rose, Run a satisfying listen on its own terms.

"Right 2 Left" (with Melé) constructs a tribal house banger using a sample of Busta Rhymes' "Dangerous," which ends up being a good idea, although it feels somewhat unfinished at only two and a half minutes. Still, the mixture of proper hits and slight experiments makes for a well-rounded album, and Diplo contains some of the jet-setting producer's best work since the Hollertronix days.

It makes for a fine second album from a band that could have easily been nothing more than a one-trick pony.

The good news is they're clearly getting better at this, and there are plenty of compelling places the Districts could go next from this vantage point.

Raum feels a little bit more like a transitional work than the unexpectedly solid Quantum Gate, but that album seemed like more of an overt revisit of the band's classic sound, while Raum finds them taking more chances and exploring fresh ideas.

While some listeners are bound to mourn the loss of Mattiel's most retro-minded garage qualities, these latter songs attain a stylistic sweet spot between their most accessible and rebellious material, while still -- refreshingly -- completely defying contemporary pop.

Although Jacob's Ladder is one of the more idiosyncratic albums in Mehldau's discography, there's enough sophisticated and delicately rendered piano work here to appeal to his longtime fans.

Their formula hasn't coagulated yet, and the subtle changes to their sound mark a well-timed soft progression for the group.

This band have maintained a creative vision that's served them beautifully, and their commitment to the power of dynamics and finding the details of a song by leaving room to ponder the details and textures has led them to write some great material and also find unexplored landscapes in the work of other tunesmiths. Songs of the Recollection captures them doing the latter with grace and intelligence.

The record has a few interesting outlier songs, like the R&B-leaning Summer Walker duet "Difference Is" or the questionable country-trap experiment "Broadway Girls" with raspy hooks and twangy ad-libs by Morgan Wallen. For the most part, however, Lil Durk commands the flow of 7220 with emotionally complex lyrics that feel confessional and raw on more melancholic tracks like the Gunna-featuring "What Happened to Virgil" and out for blood on charged, confrontational moments like "AHHH HA."

Despite the overall trippy and feel-good nature of the set, there's enough for fans of any past era to find an entry point and enjoy the ride.

While the songs themselves are more uneven, Pillow Queens' sound is fully formed, with tracks including opener "Be by Your Side" hitting on all cylinders.

With guest spots from Margo Price, Billy Strings, Old Crow Medicine Show, Sierra Hull, Dan Tyminski, and Gillian Welch, Crooked Tree can feel a little busy, but the playing is reliably top-notch, and the songs, which approach trad-bluegrass themes from a female perspective, are both potent and timely.

Christian Lee Hutson manages to make you care about him and his life even as he artfully reveals his darkest side on Quitters, and while it's hard to tell if he thinks California really is beautiful or if he's one of the doubters, he tells his stories well enough that you'll follow this LP to the end as you try to figure it out.

Fans of 2019's Happy to Be Here will be glad to know that the project's sound is tweaked, not redefined, with Lindsay making her vocals more distinguishable from plushy surroundings without compromising their wispy, daydreamy qualities.

Hinting at more to come with a little more experience and practice, Growing Up is a heartwarming opening salvo that recharges the punk spirit for a new generation while recognizing, as they sing on the endearing title track, that "there's still a little more growing up" to do.

He launches into bristling pop-punk after the intro, and elsewhere offers honeyed hip-hop, convincing retro-soul, and a touching corrido, among other styles, refining his R&B-rooted bedroom pop throughout.

While Serpentina manages to add some fresh highlights to Banks' catalog, it never veers too far from her established formula, for better or worse.

Clocking in at over an hour, there's enough here for all types of fans to enjoy and rejoice that the guys have returned.

Keep your expectations properly adjusted and Spencer Gets It Lit will be an effective soundtrack to all manner of wild good times.

While it isn't quite as consistent as Keepsake, its finest moments are some of Hatchie's most exciting work.

His usage of stringed instruments, whether plucked or bowed, particularly gives the music a sense of intimacy as well as its distinctive character, to the point of establishing a signature sound. Much of the album is instrumental, with a few guest vocalists providing additional perspectives.

As uneven as the album can be, it's never a simple rehash of Bloc Party's glory days. Adam Greenspan and Nick Launay's tight production gives Alpha Games a leaner attack than Silent Alarm, and while the moments of beauty that balance the band's outbursts are in shorter supply, they're all the sweeter when they appear.

On LP.8, Owens draws from different, seemingly contradictory mystical energies, creating music that challenges and shocks as much as it soothes.

This is fun, thoughtful, expressive music from a man whose inspiration has yet to run dry.

Written on a toy Casiotone, with fleshed-out productions later recorded in London with her co-producer and partner, James Howard, the album reflects those struggles more in lyrics than in its graceful, subtly underworldly, and frequently Baroque sound.

While not as immediately accessible as the all-star run of their first three albums, WE will at least be a course-corrector for fans still alienated by Everything Now and the underrated Reflektor, a satisfying journey that realigns the band's heart and soul.

Less obsessive fans might not see the necessity in seeking out more than one live recording from a window of time when a lot of Young's shows were fairly similar. Young completists will of course need to hear the clarity of this recording, and will appreciate the subtle nuances in every joke, slight variation in delivery, and minor shift in presentation that separate this show from any other.

Only completists will need to collect every volume of the series. Despite their similarities, each volume is an excellent document of any given night on-stage with Neil Young, and Royce Hall 1971 finds him in just as fine form as the best of his solo performances from this time.

While frequently poignant, If I Never Know You Like This Again feels like a post-catharsis moment of hanging out, talking into the late hours, and making music with friends.

Unmistakably influenced by the late SOPHIE, who appeared on Hi This Is Flume, the production has a stretched-out, rubbery-yet-metallic quality, and the songs balance sugary vocal hooks with truly intense beat formations.

Phillips' commentary on the state of the world is quite artful, but a look at the lyrics and a careful listen to the vocals allows the activist side of the songs to step forward, and when they take shape it's effective in the way it whispers rather than shouts in our ear.

More D4ta is Moderat's most introverted album, artfully expressing the tension of lockdown and facing an uncertain future.

Gallagher retains a slight edge to his voice that enlivens even staid settings, but this gift isn't necessarily necessary as his urgent delivery does give the album a driving force. He's working in a tonier setting, relying heavily on studio wizardry and polish, yet Liam Gallagher remains a rock & roll star, the kind who turns generic material into something worth a listen.

Once again, the Drive-By Truckers have made a strong album well worth your time and attention, but Welcome 2 Club XIII suggests they're having a problem embracing uncomplicated joy in 2022 -- but then again, so do most people.