Ultimately, Mount Kimbie strip away any musical excess on Love What Survives, and leave raw vivid emotion.

If you've never liked Sparks, Hippopotamus isn't likely to convince you otherwise, but as a band that seems perversely proud of being an acquired taste, this album shows Sparks are still in fine fettle, and this should delight their loyal fan base.

Overall, Out of All This Blue is a bold experiment that succeeds, and once again demonstrates the depth and breadth of Mike Scott's talent.

Anger can be power, and the musical and emotional furor of Shade is a powerful and much-needed weapon in a chaotic time.

He's a back porch strummer and fireside singer, playing for comfort, and that's precisely what All the Light Above It Too provides.

With a couple more killer songs and rougher production, it will all come together eventually. Until then, this is a fine place to mark Leo's welcome comeback.

Mulvey did well to heed the advice of none other than Brian Eno, who in pre-recording meetings encouraged him to share some of the load with others. The outcome sounds like a skilled musician hitting his stride.

There is a wealth of brilliant pop on C88 ripe for the picking, enough to keep anyone smart enough to check it out satisfied for a long time, or at least until C89 arrives.

Be Here Now never loses sight of the bigger picture. It's a fist and an open palm, but it certainly knows which side it's on.

Southern Blood is almost perfect; there isn't a better final album Allman could have made. It belongs on the shelf between 1973's Laid Back and the mysteriously withdrawn but amazing One More Try: An Anthology.

Antisocialites manages the rare feat of a band topping their brilliant debut with a sophomore effort that's even more brilliant. Alvvays make it looks easy, and by the time the album is done spinning, it's hard not to start thinking about how great their next record could be.

While The Physical World was a stunning comeback, this album cements Death from Above's place as one of the great rock bands of their era. It's a vital document to wave in front of anyone who says rock is dead, because one listen to any DFA song is enough to prove that argument DOA.

More than anything, Light Information feels like a pop record, albeit one that is tonally warped and distorted to represent VanGaalen's distinctive worldview.

Native Invader stands tall with its own vital voice and energy, alluding to beloved touchstones from throughout Amos' oeuvre while remaining fully of its time.

A late-summer bonfire of an album, Expect the Best proves once again that when it comes to hazy introspection and reflection, few bands are better at it than Widowspeak.

New cuts like "Real Love" and "Velvet" add depth to the album, and suggest there's more to the band than skillful pastiche.

This is a fantastic, highly creative set which maintains the recognizable Ekoplekz sound while still sounding new and different.

Dreaming in the Non-Dream is the sound of Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band breaking into the muck and mire of rock history to emerge with a communicative, dynamic language of their own design.

Nobody on the album overshadows Price, who sounds as forceful, commanding, and even as funny as ever.

Isotach means a line on a map that connects points of equal wind speed, and this feels like an album that's attempting to achieve some sort of equilibrium--a fragile balance that Bourne goes some way to accomplish.

The album may take an unexpected tone, but it's not without its seductions. David Metcalf handles the majority of vocals with a haunting, Nick Cave-like quality that comes with an air of noir-ish suspense, and arrangements that highlight ensemble vocals and animated percussion without encroaching on the realm of stomping banjo folk are, at the time of release, a novelty.

A Giant Dog's greatest strength, however, remains their ability to tap into the enduring elements of rock's true grit and create feelings that are appropriately cathartic, dangerous, and fun.

All these nods to the past make Invitation seem cozy even when its words are defiant, and if that seems dissonant it also seems appropriate for 2017: outrage can be exhausting, so it's good to find solace in old friends.

It may not pack the same sonic punch as their early singles, but it has an overall more interesting sound, and the hard-won wisdom and feeling Berman injects into the songs now means that the Pains have transcended their struggles to find a sound, and have truly arrived at last.

It may be a little old-fashioned in places and there's the occasional track that doesn't work 100-percent, but the album is another strong showing from a band that could have packed it in years ago and become a nostalgia act, but have instead continued to make fine pop art.

American Dream isn't just a triumphant comeback, it's another great album by a great band.

These soft, slow songs are surrounded by cuts where the darkness opens up slightly but significantly. It's enough to make Sleep Well Beast feel like a dramatic departure in the close quarters of the National's discography.

Although Young is correct when he claims Hitchhiker is a "complete piece"--it sustains a dusky sweetness from beginning to an end--it is certainly not a polished album. Often, it feels as if Young is singing with no intention of his music being heard by a wider audience, but the presence of Briggs at the board means this doesn't sound like a ragged demo. Instead, Hitchhiker holds together as a mood piece.

With the sheer amount of voices that casually pop up on its 17 tracks--the cohesive vibe and swaggering passion make it a fun listen for fans of any of the two-dozen artists showing off their skills.

Endangered Philosophies is another triumphant, socially relevant album from the masters of industrial shoegaze hip-hop.

Bicep's debut album essentially delivers what fans have come to expect; for newcomers, the duo revisits some of the more open-hearted elements of '90s dance music without succumbing to the period's cheesiest trappings.

Much of Reservoir feels like an exercise in fussy production techniques layered over material by an artist who holds plenty of promise, but hasn't quite found her voice.

One could easily imagine hearing these songs at a store and bopping along as you shop. However, where their '90s idols oozed personality and hooks that defined an era, on their album, Fifth Harmony often just sound fine.

It's an album filled with wonderful moments from the delicious grooves of "Evil" to "Mother Fighter's" entrancing hooks, and they only ever serve to deepen Shah's message.

Orc is another classic Oh Sees album that shows no signs of wear and tear anyplace in the operation.

Anyone who missed Hype Williams the first time around should start with any of the group's early albums rather than this, but there's no guarantee that they'll make any more sense.

Much like its name, Good Nature is well-meaning and polite, but doesn't do quite enough to distinguish itself.

On the strictly drum'n'bass side, "Tribute" is a smooth, relaxing roller with some dusky late-night trumpet, and "Tribes" is a brassy, percussive workout which borders on clownstep. Besides all of these, there's several more radio-ready pop songs which use drum'n'bass to elevate the drama.

Music for People in Trouble is rooted in empathy, and even at its most cynical--the woebegone "No One Believes in Love Anymore" comes to mind--the warmth of its core radiates outward.

Though there's nothing here to grab headlines, A Deeper Understanding reclaims and explores the distinctive soundscapes, vastness, and haunted psyche of Lost in the Dream, and that in itself is significant.

Ultimately, it's that balance of harmonically adventurous exploration and no-holds-barred blowing that make Far from Over nothing short of thrilling.

On All We Know, PVRIS take a crucial step on the right course toward finding their own trademark sound.

Seekers and Finders is as riotous, poignant, and fun as anything by Gogol Bordello; that said, Hutz's raw production is a closer reflection of the band's live sound.

Villains [is] a dark joy, a record that offers visceral pleasure in its winking menace.

While Impressions does seem a little weighed down, it's really a document of their struggle, making their second attempt to leave the runway somewhat relatable; inevitably, it's hard not to root for them as they spread their wings independently.

More about creating a low-wattage soundtrack for chemical and sexual mischief than foundations for songs.

Despite its varying sonic proclivities, Modern Ruin is a punk album at heart, but that Carter ends this latest salvo with hope for a better, more empathy-driven future for his child shows that he's capable of more than just mosh pit-inducing invective.

It may not be a step forward, but it is a strong step in a very pleasing direction, especially for fans of a more unfiltered Iron & Wine.

The approaches, from improvised noise pieces to concise electronic pop songs, are almost as numerous and far-flung as the represented outposts. A significant portion of the tracks appears on compact disc for the first time.

Just 33 minutes long, Esker is a compelling glimpse of MacKay as a sound painter and spirit explorer.

From the fiery punk of standout "Lower Worlds" to the haunted "Ornaments of Empty," Rainer Maria sound confident and on point, putting their changed selves into the task of deepening their already rich catalog with this comeback gem

The freewheeling, uplifted spirit likewise continues. Martin and company combine and alternate between groove-oriented contemporary jazz, soul, funk, and hip-hop.

Overall, Issa is a competent statement that demonstrates promise from the young rapper.

Occasionally, Painted Ruins' drifting meditations border on meandering, but its open-ended beauty is well worth the close listening it takes for the album to fully reveal itself.

This time out, the best things are brought out in sharper focus and dressed up in finer clothing, and the record nearly achieves perfection.

Altogether, A Fever Dream is confrontational, warped, emotionally and aurally high-contrast, and full of turmoil, but reliable in its infectiousness.

It lovingly invokes both the past and the future without fully submitting to either.

An ethereal, magnetic, and alluring piece of work, The Road, Pt. 1 is a robust album with ebb and flow. Here's looking forward to Pt. 2.

While To the Bone sometimes seems inconsistent, it's an illusion; repeated listening reveals that Wilson's brand of progressive pop is so multivalently textured and expertly crafted, that its aesthetic and sonic palette refuse to be contained under a single rock umbrella. As such, To the Bone stands with Wilson's best work.

The Rise of Chaos manages to entertain, and that the album does so with such gusto is the mark of a band with more than a little fight left in it.

By expanding their horizons on Althaea, Trailer Trash Tracys have become an even more singular act.

Unpeeled is a great live album that not only encapsulates Cage the Elephant's ability to honor, reference, and tribute the sonic feel of Zeitgeists past, but ultimately reminds you that all it takes is a simple song with minimal instrumentation about introspection, yearning, or internal struggles to still achieve a huge, soaring sound that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

The results are so ghoulishly compelling that it's akin to shamefully leering out your car window at a grisly accident scene on your way to pick up a pizza. Hardcore done right is a terrible and beautiful thing.

New Facts Emerge is still rowdy and absorbing stuff, and proves that Mark E. Smith and his compatriots are growing old in a gloriously ungraceful fashion.

It certainly won't spawn four number one U.K. pop hits the way his platinum-selling fourth album, Tongue N' Cheek, did, but it's a necessary re-evaluation and re-focus of his talents, and proves that he's far from finished.

Paranormal isn't the return to form one might have hoped for, but it's no embarrassment either, and Cooper appears to be having a grand time while giving his fans a good show for their dollar.

It's a stark, beautiful recording that hopefully proves something to both Lynne and Moorer: That what's here is a new beginning and that there is much more to explore.

Throughout, the engaging melodies, reliable hooks, and warm, even-tempered vocals would win friends easily; its simmering energy pushes the album over the line into crush-worthy.

Despite its calm demeanor, Mellow Waves is nearly as intricate as Cornelius' previous albums, and its masterful ebb and flow just gets richer with each listen.

Cuidado Madame is a constantly surprising album from a veteran who is all too familiar with making intriguing contradictions.

Marley acquits himself well, turning in a strong modern reggae album that's informed by R&B and rap, but is very much its own thing.

With Popular Manipulations, the Districts make their first grand statement, setting a new bar for themselves in the process.

How Do You Spell Heaven is one of the best and smartest rock albums Guided by Voices have given us since Isolation Drills, and this music confirms Pollard is no dummy when it comes to putting together a band.

It's easy to hear why Good Time won an award before the film was even in wide release: The way Oneohtrix Point Never's score bridges character, setting, and mood offers much more than a passive backdrop.

While it doesn't feel quite as honed as some of the Cribs' other albums, 24-7 Rock Star Shit is a lot of fun, as well as more proof that the band's eternal tug of war between grit and polish still generates excitement.

Forgiving those space fillers, Scum remains a great pleasure, the product of a young mind brimming with ideas coupled with enough youthful bravery to take such risks.

The opening title track and "Connect the Dots," two of three cuts produced by recent Dreamchasers signee Papamitrou, are among the grimmest, most thunderous moments in Meek's discography.

Life Is Fine doesn't break new ground for Kelly, but it also shows he doesn't need to come up with new concepts or mess with his formula in order to make a memorable album.

Apocalypse is a refreshing change of pace, a frantically urgent statement that taps into the visceral with a welcome blast of noise from a voice that still has much to say.

Produced by Guy Picciotto of Fugazi in tandem with engineer Greg Norman, Cost of Living is a tougher and leaner effort than Full Communism, with the group's abundant energy even more tightly focused.

It's very difficult to argue with what Rawlings and company have assembled here. Aside from one misstep (that, to be fair, others might find less wearying) ["Lindsay Button"is the set's longest track and it feels like it], it's every bit as good as Nashville Obsolete.

On these songs, and really all of the album, Rose isn't just using the '80s as a prop or making a novelty record. The big emotions need a big sound and the songs about returning to the city of her youth need the music of her youth to really hit home.

By slyly alternating between these two extremes throughout Rainbow, Kesha winds up with a comeback that's fully realized emotionally and musically.

The best songs on Gibbard's tribute illuminate something new or codify what was essentially great about the original. Sometimes he even manages to do both, while essentially offering up slavishly executed re-creations of the original tracks.

The release is certainly pleasant, but it often seems too laid-back and sluggish to really get excited about.

The album as a whole seems unfocused, and while the producer deserves kudos for making his most mature work yet, Foreign Light contains too few high points to warrant a recommendation.

The entire EP is haunting, surreal, and undeniably beautiful.

Even the album's weakest cut, "It's a Jungle Out There," works in context, and the two numbers about the bonds of family, "Lost Without You" and "Wandering Boy," are thoughtful and genuinely moving. And the easy, endlessly reliable stride of Newman's piano remains one of popular music's most underrated pleasures.

It's nothing more than a couple of old friends sitting around and cracking jokes to each other. If you happen to share their sensibility, it's a fun way to spend 50 minutes.

Sodium proves that at their best, Dasher are a truly powerful band.

Woodland Echoes can't be called a return to form for Heyward because he never lost his form; it just went unheard for years. Call it a welcome return instead, because the world of pop music always needs music this smart, tuneful, and unabashedly romantic.

A brief teaser with only eight tracks that last less than half an hour, it's enough to make the promise of the young Nashville native evident.

The giddy quality may stick more than do individual songs, but they succeed in capturing some of the wooziness of new love.

Despite the array of reference points touched upon, they manage to maintain a uniqueness in their work that's both confrontational and entertaining. Bands like Breakfast Muff are reclaiming punk from its heritage status, and molding it in their own image. The result is anything but ambivalent.

Those consumers in the market for the earliest Elvis will be satisfied by this, as it not only has everything in one convenient box but the addition of the live material does provide a nice coda to the familiar Sun sessions.

Not only is it a special volume of Fabric's impressive series, it's a living piece of music that presents Daphni at its most vital.

Overall, while the album is varied, it's consistently absorbing as it reveals itself with a sense of suspense through its melancholy ambience.

Some references to proper nouns come across as either misplaced or forced, and the set could do with fewer strained fairground-rock choruses. These shortcomings are nonetheless too rare and slight to prevent The Autobiography from being a remarkable first album.