Much like the natural world it describes, Complete Mountain Almanac is a deeply nuanced record of layers and unseen details that only reveal themselves with time.

The resulting album is perhaps surprisingly uplifting and affectionate in tone. Based in a reflective, if dance-minded, bedroom-R&B zone for the most part.

The wonderful paradox of John Cale's music is his best albums don't often sound like one another, but they're all driven by music no one else could create, and his heart, soul, and vision are visible and intact through the dense, free-flowing atmospheres of Mercy.

With Rush!, Måneskin make good on their Eurovision rock promise, delivering an album that's campy, inspired, and thrilling all at the same time.

The enthusiasm of the execution helps keep The Power and the Glory from sounding like an exercise in nostalgia, as do Mantione's earnest, unguarded songs: this is music that exists entirely in its own moment, not as part of the past.

Coombes remains a rocker in repose, avoiding the temptation to make a racket, yet Turn the Car Around carries a sense of adventure that World's Strongest Man lacked, which ultimately makes it a richer listen.

Though it's often a slower burn than Who the Power, Internal Working Model reaffirms Moss is an artist with something to say and a distinctive way of saying it.

With Ladytron, the band proved they could more than hold their own with the like minded acts who sprang up in their wake. The thought and skill they put into Time's Arrow, however, could only come from years of perspective and experience.

This carefully constructed introspection does fulfill Rowntree's intention of Radio Songs mimicking the shape-shifting nature of late-night listening, acting as an aural journey to an astral plane.

La La Land captures the incredibly rare state of a band still sounding fresh and curious on their 37th LP, and shows no indication of Pollard and co. stopping anytime soon.

This release is probably more for Mac DeMarco super fans than casual listeners, as there's nothing resembling the happy-go-lucky hooks of his best-loved songs, just the incidental sounds collected on a slow, aimless wander.

There's a heady joy in his bile that's infectious, and Every Loser is a weirdly joyous celebration of life from someone who knows why you shouldn't toss it aside.

Often moving. ... It's that distinctly human sense of discovery and the yearning for a better tomorrow, even as the world crumbles around you, that Circa Waves capture on Never Going Under.

Despite all the changes she introduces on Cacti, the honesty of Maries' music remains paramount, and the savvy and polish she brings to the album confirm she's an excitingly hard-to-pin-down artist.

Yorkston has couched his thoughtful, insightful songs in many musical forms, all of them quite successful. His teamwork with the Second Hand Orchestra, and especially with Persson, results in some of the most beautiful and moving music he's made, which is high praise indeed.

Even the inclusion of an older tune somehow doesn't feel like they're content to stay cycling through past ideas. If anything it serves as a stark example of just how far they've come since those timid, mawkish early days, and the rest of the songs give a glimpse of how far they might yet go.

All told, Prize acts as a companion album to What a Boost, further distinguishing Plain's idiosyncratic sound.

Sharp, incisive songwriting remains at the heart of her music, allowing Price to weave different sounds and rhythms into her probing, emotionally open songs.

Snoop Cube 40 $hort is largely a funky good time.

A must-listen for anyone following Harvey's archival series, B-Sides, Demos & Rarities serves as a fascinating parallel primer to her music and the multitudes within it.

Heroes & Villains is the worthy and meticulously assembled sequel to Not All Heroes Wear Capes.

Indigo is an eye-opening taste of what RM is truly capable of outside the bounds of the K-pop powerhouse.

The album runs more than an hour, with 23 tracks ruminating on similar musical and topical themes, but somehow Me vs. Myself stays fresh throughout.

That nobody saw fit to release anything from the tapes at the time wasn't too shocking -- it probably wouldn't have had the impact of Budokan. That it has finally come out is cause for rejoicing for Cheap Trick fanatics and lovers of real, rugged, and insanely catchy rock & roll.

It plays to her strengths with an ideal balance of solid craft and relatable humanity, and it's a more than welcome return from a singer and songwriter whose every release feels like a gift.

Despite Four's gentility and lyricism, it is a striking, intimate, and abundantly creative exercise in modern jazz interaction and improvisation.

Comradely Objects seems like some of the most complex, demanding music Horse Lords have made, yet, amazingly, it's also their most danceable album.

That Little Simz was able to deliver such a crafty set so soon after the career-making Introvert is impressive enough, but No Thank You stands out for its own merits.

Yet another effortless display of ear-bending production, wild energy, and creative synergy from a team of preternaturally blessed artists.

The results are naturally a bit scattered sonically, as any record featuring Steve Vai and the Roots would inevitably be, yet it's tied together by Rundgren's aural aesthetic and sense of mischief.

Hour-plus length and stylistic variety likewise signal that SOS could be the overreaching kind of highly anticipated follow-up. Still, it's an advancement from Ctrl in every respect apart from cohesion

Densely packed with historical references and acute lyrical imagery, Aethiopes requires numerous listens and extensive research to fully comprehend, yet even on cursory listens, the album's scope, detail, and creativity are highly impressive.

On DMIZ the rapper finds a third gem in the post-T&Y crown, building his incisive pen into smaller frameworks -- with stunning consequences.

Featuring production from P2J, Kel-P, Sammy Soso, and others, it's an able follow-up to its breakout predecessor.

While other 1D members might grab more of the public spotlight, Tomlinson proves his strength as a songwriter and voice for fans with more complex, deeper emotions.

Only a few select moments that are more illuminated provide enough clarity to give you an idea of where things are going. Still, the drive for exploration is what makes the voyage worth taking, and rRoxymore's music eludes easy comparison.

Three albums into a burgeoning career, Strings could go anywhere at this point, but the mix of time-honored songs, heartfelt nature, and great playing really anchors this return-to-roots set.

Repetition and rumination are frequent throughout Choosing, as Jamieson ultimately makes a message of the album's economical title. While this lends itself to a certain amount of musical stagnancy, some changes of pace unfold along the way in the form of the catchy "Runner," which begins with spare electric guitar and voice but progresses at a tuneful, accelerating gallop.

The set sees the band channeling their anger about world events into a blistering mix of metal and alternative hard rock.

The result is a fine archival release that goes a long way toward proving that 1972 wasn't a lost year for the band and that their growing pains and tribulations make for fascinating listening.

It could be argued that Live at the Fillmore, 1997 is the definitive live portrait of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: not only do they sound mighty, this freewheeling eclecticism rooted in 1960s rock and pop is the best showcase of the band's aesthetic.

The end result is historically significant but also a pleasure: for anybody who has wanted to live within the world of Hunky Dory, this offers an excellent place to do just that.

Listeners willing to approach The Ruby Cord on its own terms will be treated to a remarkable, thoughtful, and emotionally literate cycle of songs that ranks with his most rewarding work.

The release seems like a major personal achievement and he deserves to be proud of it, but there isn't anything here that matches the best tracks on his first two albums.

Prior to the album's release, White Lung announced they would be breaking up after Premonition, and if that does end up being the case, they've gone out with a magnificently gutsy farewell.

Part singer/songwriter folk, part 19th century chamber song (one track is called "Tone Pome"), and part ambient score, the album arguably climaxes with the theatrical "Wash It Away," which most dramatically combines all of the above -- although the elegant, tonic-shifting, harp-accented closer, "Maya, Please," also does little to readjust listeners to the material world.

Now that they're veterans, Nickelback doesn't try so hard to be heavy, nor do they indulge in their tasteless side: they're craftsmen who know how to deliver the goods, which--on its own terms--Get Rollin' certainly does.

L.S. Dunes' defiant, topical, and anthemic sound draws from a wide array of punk and hardcore subgenres.

Her Loss is scattered, flowing more like a mixtape than a well-designed album, but there are plenty of highlights to balance out the less fully formed inclusions.

Live at the L.A. Forum, April 26, 1969 is a superb reminder that most of that music is still vital, rewarding, and well worth hearing.

The album does a masterful job of presenting Wand's powers as a live act, with the songs sounding every bit as strong as their studio counterparts, and often much more exciting.

Throughout Cherry, Snaith creates a new kind of tension in Daphni's music, as well as a spontaneity that seduces his audience into movement ever more cleverly.

Stylistically uneven, unsettled set, though one never loses the sense that Warren is presenting a central, ill-fated-relationship narrative.

It certainly slots in a level below their more considered releases, but if one is fully onboard with the King Gizzard experience, Laminated Denim is certainly worth adding to an ever expanding collection of works.

While Tinariwen would hone their sound and achieve even greater sonic depths in the decades following their cassette releases, Kel Tinariwen offers a compelling and charming aural window into that development.

Due to its length (nearly 50 minutes), cerebral constitution, and tenuous songs structures, SAP can take some effort on the part of the listener by the end, although its unpredictability, enveloping intimacy and creative restlessness are just as likely to engage.

Trios: Sacred Thread is the fitting sendoff volume for the project. Its tunes are wrought with nearly symbiotic aesthetic interplay, spiritual connection, intimacy, and even tenderness.

Pole continues advancing musically on Tempus, stowing away new sounds and approaches so subtly that they only surface when zeroed in on.

Along with delivering the abundance of colors, moods, and first-rate songwriting expected from a Bill Callahan album, Ytilaer is more exciting and engaging than his music has been in some time. This is how an expert singer/songwriter captures the tenor of the moment: with songs of timeless quality.

While it doesn't always reach Sinning's heights, the deeper sexuality, deeper grooves, and deeper understanding Daniel seeks and finds on Is It Going to Get Any Deeper Than This? make it a triumph in its own right.

Standouts aside, Profound Mysteries III feels like the weakest link in this ambitious, year-long project which, while exciting to behold, probably could have been condensed into a one exceptional album.

BROCKHAMPTON have consistently been on an upward trajectory, improving upon each previous effort with the maturity and skill of much more seasoned artists. Ending this part of their story with grace and simplicity, The Family is not only a thank-you letter to fans but to the guys themselves -- a band of brothers who came, conquered, and clocked out while still on top.

And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow is another step forward for Weyes Blood, building on the stunning sonic and emotional environments she tailored on Titanic Rising and using that lushness as a means of processing destabilized times.

The Lone Bellow took a risk in self-producing Love Songs for Losers, and they pulled it off. Through this deeply moving collection of songs with a wide range of musical expressions, the album offers creative abundance and possibility.

This is deeply intuitive, subtly detailed, endlessly grooving, holistic jazz-trance music that was improvised at an extremely high level.

[The] spirit of fun and togetherness carries even the heaviest moments of the record, making it another valuable example of the unique magic Neil and Crazy Horse keep tapping into, even so many years on.

Even though The Metallic Index feels sparser and less developed than the first Fenella release, which was longer and a bit more dynamic, it's still a captivating effort, and well worth exploring.

While it sometimes feels like the duo could have done more with the album's concept, it's still a unique experience, and could very well signal a shift in how the visionaries approach their craft.

The bottom line is that Kalak is a musical manifesto of South Indian futurism. It stands out from the ideologies, prejudices, and cultural conceits of the West, offering an instructive, wildly diverse aesthetic approach that demands to be observed, critiqued, and celebrated on its own terms.

By not forcing Redcar's music into a pop template when it doesn't fit, the album reaffirms him as a resolutely independent artist and makes another fine addition to a nearly flawless discography.

It's enjoyable enough that it takes a minute to realize that Springsteen and Aniello aren't exactly re-interpreting these 15 songs: they're merely playing them for a lark. That's enough for a good time but once Only the Strong Survive fades out with the last notes of "Someday We'll Be Together," there's not much that lingers behind in the memory.

The Work is Gold Panda's most honest, emotionally direct release.

Pigments is not necessarily built for movement, but it's as moving as any of Richard's previous output. No other album is quite like it.

The closest thing here to a track that one could imagine being played through speakers instead of headphones is "Where to Put the Pain," which fashions a skittering ambient pop still very much in line with the rest of the album's design, for a set that's very unlikely to disappoint established fans.

Apart from "Zone 1 (24 Hours)," the selections are generally brief and concise, and the shortest ones sometimes feel like sketches that could've been developed further. Still, the techno side of Mount Kimbie is just as creative as the pop/R&B/hip-hop side, and both halves of MK 3.5 contain several gems.

Throughout the album, dal Forno reveals many intimate thoughts but still suggests much more.

Rarely deviating from a mix of elation and stupefaction, Cometa doesn't have the range of emotions examined on Green Twins and Will This Make Me Good, but frayed-nerve howls, phrases of distress -- anything other than loved-up susurration -- would have disturbed the groove.

The whole album is something of a surprise and the band make it work by wisely exploring both sides of the disco coin. Thanks to the care they put into the sound and the strength of the songs, they pull off their latest transformation smoothly.

While Where I'm Meant to Be is a logical follow-up to Ezra Collective's debut, it's a soulful, musically advanced, rhythmically infectious one, too.

Phoenix's most immediate work since Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and their most varied since United, Alpha Zulu does indeed range from A to Z, but the band are always in control and the results are frequently brilliant.

It doesn't hurt that these moments of unfiltered introspection are matched with infectious, uplifting melodies. Working with longtime executive producer Malay (Lorde, Frank Ocean), as well as collaborators like Jennifer Decilveo and Jesse Shatkin, among others, Fletcher coalesces all of the atmospheric vaporwave and clubby electro-pop that marked her previous work.

Pawns & Kings adds another reliable and tightly crafted volume to Alter Bridge's robust canon.

Fields sings everything with the expected high level of conviction, covering nearly the gamut of blue-collar soul subjects with devotion and heartache at the fore. His performances elevate the material when it's merely functional.

Protector comes across as less lonesome than her debut, though the hushed mystique that is one of her hallmarks remains.

Ultra Truth is easily one of Avery's most powerful releases.

They approached the sessions with the idea of capturing the feel of "an old rock song from the '80s," specifically along the lines of Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and Hall & Oates. Where the album really succeeds in this regard is in its strong, economical melodies and a certain warm, bittersweet depth to the songwriting.

By the end, the album both feels like an inevitable destination from prior albums and represents an excellent entry point for the uninitiated.

Entergalactic is a late-era gem in his catalog, a multimedia gift to fans that expands his artistic scope and bodes well for more projects outside the confines of music.

No one who is a fan of Haines' previous work is likely to be disappointed with All the Kids Are Super Bummed Out, and he's fortunate to have found a collaborator in Peter Buck, who makes music as strong, idiosyncratic, and witty as the lyrics they support.

All told, it's a delight to hear that, over 20 years into Lewis and Best's partnership, they are pushing their recognizable but rarely formulaic sound into fresh territory.

With the exception of the over-five-minute, tempo-shifting "Empty Head," the songs here are still short and bittersweet and still distinctly Frankie Cosmos, but there's a little less bounce in their gait and more weight to them on the whole, as Kline negotiates self-examination, affection, regret, and apprehension.

Weather Alive nestles into a comparatively hushed, atmospheric blend of acoustic and electronic timbres that's meticulous and nebulous at once.

A concise, direct statement about how the world has shaped him, Hugo is Loyle Carner's most accomplished work to date.

While much of Willow's charm lies in the way she can switch genres with ease, Coping Mechanism is so engaging that it'd be nice for her to stick to this sound for at least one more album before continuing her ever-riveting evolution.

Ultimately It's Only Me sticks to the formula that's taken Lil Baby to the top, but somehow fails to communicate the personality and creative fire that was hard to miss on earlier albums.

King Gizzard are never less than compelling and even when their concepts are modest, they deliver a final product that's psychedelic pop/rock/funk/soul/prog/what have you at it's very best.

Returning after a five-year studio hiatus (ages in the Hitchcock discography), the esteemed sorcerer of pop surrealism delivers a more than worthy successor to his acclaimed 2017 self-titled effort.

Understated and enveloping.