Their songs of family, love, lust, and spirit pair perfectly entwined and complementary voices.

As befits a self-titled album, all the moves Shears makes--both familiar and new--feel true to him. Funny, flashy, and not so secretly recovering from heartbreak, Jake Shears is one of the tightest sets of music he's made.

Live a Little sounds more open and roomy than the past few Pernice Brothers efforts.

Friend and Foe may be part unbridled energy, part thoughtful arrangement, part innovative experimentation, but it's the synthesis of these that makes it so fantastic.

It shows Costello's mastery of mood and storytelling, the kind of skill he's acquired over the course of a long career, but the key to Hey Clockface is that these techniques are applied to a record that's as restless as anything Costello made in his younger days.

It may be considerably more commercial than their first album, but Promises Promises is, crucially, also much, much better.

Employing a handful of tasteful collaborators, including J Mascis, Dirty Three drummer Jim White, and the National's Aaron Dessner, who co-produced Passerby, Randall and Hassett have made a record that boldly turns a corner while still slotting neatly into their already sterling catalog.

For the moment, Lights Out suggests they are capable of producing compelling work even as they become increasingly comfortable in their own skin.

Ultimately, that lean sense of purpose is what drives My Way Home: by being lean, heartfelt, and mean, the record proves that Reed is back where he belongs.

The Low Anthem have explored this minimalist, moving stylistic space before, but never so relentlessly and affectingly. Almost completely stripped of virtuosity, The Salt Doll may alienate certain traditional roots fans but has the potential to bewitch musers and wanderers.

The soft, subtle tension between the deeply felt songs and the smooth, sophistication of the execution is quite rewarding, since the album can alternately play like a plea or a balm, depending on mood or timing.

Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan is an album that invites -- and benefits from -- full immersion, as it has its own odd, alluring flow. The nods to the past only serve to indicate how thoroughly Tasjan has absorbed Petty and Lynne, finding a way to spin universal pop into something personal and poignant.

Fine Art is a major step up for Kneecap, an already unique group who have finally delivered on their early promise with a bold, relevant statement.

It also exhibits a sleeker sound than the notably rough-hewn debut, with McClure having invested in "a laptop and some decent microphones." Thankfully, these changes don't erode the outfit's free-spirited charisma.

Aside from a handful of real solid honest-to-gosh gems, the whole album feels a little too casual and off-the-cuff to stand on equal footing with her other recordings.

There really isn't another dance/rap act on the scene that combines snarky teenage style with seriously slammin' retro dance beats the way Fannypack does.

Overall, Standards has a few detours for fans conscious of any band's "progression," but plenty of interesting songs and great musicianship for less vested listeners. Though it doesn't develop the evocative or impressionistic side of Tortoise (as heard on TNT), the band is certainly as inventive as ever

Imagine Bauhaus' "Terror Couple Kill Colonel" massaged by classic 4AD discord and you have the mysterious blend of On! Air! Library!

Despite all attempts to sabotage his songwriting and production with innumerable experimental tidbits, songs within a song, and (seemingly) tossed-off arrangements, Damon Gough has to face the fact that He wrote and produced over a dozen excellent songs of baroque folk-pop for his album debut, and the many gems can't help but shine through all the self-indulgence.

Best of all, Tucker and crew rock out a lot, and in a lot of different ways, on Kill My Blues.

While the lyrics still bristle with discontent, they're less defiant and more concerned with the journey than they are the inevitable descent/ascent to oblivion.

Even if it's not quite as cohesive as Clear Shot, Happy in the Hollow doesn't change the feeling that the members of TOY have one foot in another dimension that they're waiting to transport their listeners to.

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.

Even though Girls is a brisk nine tracks, there's enough variety and energy to make it an engaging and irresistible listen.

Ultimately, the album sounds more like Tangerine Dream than it does Justice, but the songs unfold and soar in ways indebted to both the patience of space rock and the immediacy of electronic party music.

In the end, what keeps Tremors from drowning in its own paralyzed sadness is the feeling that Sohn himself has defeated these dark feelings through the painstaking process of crafting an album so beautiful.

Fortunately, as a collection of forgotten odds and ends, Release doesn't have to fall into line with the rest of their discography, though the fact that even their forgotten 4-track tapes and VHS masters work better as an album than some band's first choice material is a testament to Cave's songwriting prowess and stellar musicianship.

Kweli persists as one of the most inspired storytellers, wasting no syllables as he condenses and elucidates complex non-fiction.

With Bish Bosch, Walker creates a kind of Möbius Strip: by virtue of creating a less physical sonic landscape, he provides a way into his great trilogy on his way out of it.

Like a guided tour through the last 20 years of guitar rock.

Amerie returns with In Love & War, an album that is much more creative than its title indicates while also playing out a bit like Because I Love It redux.

Treefight for Sunlight's debut is a triumph of sun-drenched ecstatic pop that leaves listeners with an arsenal of hooks in their heads, eager to hear what the band will come up with next.

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.

Maybe Chastity Belt aren't always laughing and loving on this album, but the music is alive and eloquent, and this is a welcome return from an interesting, consistently rewarding quartet.

Their light touch and unfailing ability to deliver un-telegraphed emotional punches on Life Like make the album a strong addition to the Rosebuds already impressive catalog.

Meshuggah have easily proven to listeners time and time again that they know their way around their instruments better than most, so even though Koloss isn't the band's most daring or experimental work to date, it's definitely worth any metal fan's time.

Not only does Wyatt sound even more comfortable with the album format, his uncanny valley of past and present, feeling and observing, is blurrier--and more impressive--than ever.

How to Dance is a quietly remarkable work from a group that can make modesty and excellence coexist.

The songwriting, playing, and production here are inspired, kinetic, and far more accessible than ever before.

It would be easy to call this album an exercise in dabbling if the quality of these songs weren't so strong--and it's that quality, along with Bibio's continuing flair for crafting distinctive atmospheres, that are the only constants throughout.

By turns gentle and bold, traditional and boundary-pushing, The Thread That Keeps Us is another fine example of Calexico's ever-broadening horizons.

It perfectly reflects both Sunn 0)))'s impenetrably emotional dark heart and Ulver's expertly crafted senses of drama and dynamic.

Ones and Sixes is a brave effort that stands apart from much of Low's work, and there are certainly glimpses of their dour beauty on these 12 songs, but in the final analysis this is an album that fails more often than it triumphs.

If it isn't as ambitious as the three releases that preceded it, it still confirms that the Drive-By Truckers are still what they were before making this record: the best hard rock band in America today.

As it makes these digressions seem funny, not fussy, and that's ultimately the charm of Momofuku: it's captures a loose, natural Elvis Costello, somebody that hasn't been captured on record in years. It's still a Costello that plugs Lexus, writes operas and plays jazz festivals, but here he's not trying to prove anything, he's just making music and that's why it's one of his most enjoyable latter-day records.

McKeown's in fine voice throughout and the backing players add subtle polish to her finely constructed tunes. Her fluid vocals remain the centerpiece of the album, while her lyrics reveal the heart of a poet and the wisdom of a soul wise beyond her years.

It's a testament to Hawthorne's songwriting ability that this wall is easily scaled after one or two listens, and that the man sounds more natural and loose than on his debut might be this album's greatest asset, making the vulgar drops and other nods to the present feel less mannered than before.

This may be his most consistent offering since El Corazón.

Fans of BP will no doubt delight in this masterful set, while newcomers will experience their brand of mind-melding consciousness expansion en masse.

The Toronto trio's first album is an impressive debut that shows the band to be masters of taking psychedelic, experimental, and simply interesting music of many eras and delivering them all wrapped up in one shimmering package that's easy to absorb.

In order to be true to themselves, Mastodon had to make Emperor of Sand at this time. There was no other option. As such, its urgency, sophistication, and emotional heft make it a necessary entry in their catalog.

They're demonstrating they can write and play as well as anyone in pop and country in 2017, and the album is a rich, thoroughly satisfying delight.

They take a decidedly psychedelic approach on songs like "Through Windows" and the impenetrable "The C Is A B A G" ("and the sky has a film"), but a knack for sunny tunes and an off-kilter delivery keep everything sounding like themselves.

Along with the aforementioned "Havana," these [Latin-inflected songs] are easily the most potent songs on the album, and showcase Cabello's effusively resonant voice and playful charisma. Admittedly, the album leans a little too heavily on ballads and midtempo acoustic guitar numbers that work against the vibrancy and momentum of the Latin tracks.

They haven't quite arrived on a focused, cohesive sound yet. They certainly have something to say about the state of London nightlife, however, and it's worth paying attention to their insightful observations.

Semblance isn't Forma's most consistent album, but their approach to rhythm is more innovative here than it was on their past releases, and their continued progression remains exciting to witness.

Pile hold on to all the anxiety and fury of youth here, but present their dissonant squalls with a mature, metered patience that just adds to the slow-boiling listening experience.

The rich palette of soulful musical styles he draws from is often at odds with his strangely plain American diction. Yet, the vivid tones of his African heritage transmuted through his Ohio upbringing are a major part of his story, and with his melting pot of styles, influences, and cultures, Sinkane sets out to prove that we can be many things at once and still find acceptance and love.

While Darkness Brings the Wonders Home finds Smoke Fairies toying with a new and different approach, it also reinforces what they do best; it's a detour that happens to take them someplace worth visiting.

Deeply introspective and pleasantly mellow, Lost in the Country is a mature step forward for Benton as a writer, and more firmly establishes Trace Mountains' vision.

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.

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.

["Jealous Type" is] a savvy throwback banger, thrillingly evoking Janet Jackson at her most physical. Yet, as with all of Vie, it underscores Doja Cat's power as the diva who's in control here.

It gets a little long in the tooth in places and samey-sounding.

Time on Earth a haunting yet comforting affair that is quite unique in Neil Finn's body of work, yet functions as an oddly appropriate, utterly worthy, comeback as Crowded House.

If it's not wholly satisfying as an EP, blame that entirely on how it winds up showcasing promise: hearing it, you want to know what How to Destroy Angels will do over the course of a full album.

Ten albums and 18 years on from their first show, the Drive-By Truckers are still capable of mixing things up and showing off new sides of their skill set, and that's certainly the case with English Oceans, which shows them making wise use of all their talents--not just Mike Cooley.

First Ditch Effort isn't a radical step forward for NOFX--they're still a punk band who smirk more than they shout--but it does successfully take them into a more thoughtful direction, and shows they can mature just a bit and still be themselves.

The group puts some twists on its sound, and Yukimi Nagano's lyrical thorns, typically concealed by her subtle approach -- are sharper than ever.

This album shows Wong at his most refined and compositional, maintaining the spontaneous spirit of his playing while delivering a final product more focused and satisfying than anything he's done before.

This album incorporates nearly all of the many facets that make British Sea Power memorable, and it's their strongest overall effort since Do You Like Rock Music? in 2008.

While nothing can capture the true feeling of being flattened by one of Mogwai's shows except attending one, Special Moves is still a great live document.

On Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything, Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra sound more vital and musical than ever.

It is highly electrifying, however, and ranks among the enigmatic, boundlessly exuberant vocalist's most joyous work.

Like Hopper's grand film maudit The Last Movie, Life, Death and Dennis Hopper doesn't quite manage a satisfying ending, but what it delivers along the way is impassioned, literate, and daring, and it's more than worthy of repeated listening.

Her haziest and trippiest yet, involving well over a dozen guests, including on synthesizer, organs, and electric guitar.

At times, Paisley seems a little beholden to tradition--he prefers tastefully burnished settings to an un-sanded, spiky mess--but he still has enough panache to give this a bit of resonance and that's what makes this record, which feels as if everybody involved wishes it was recorded in a cabin in 1975, rather charming.

Is Is may not be the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most immediately accessible music, but it is some of their most compelling work in some time

It's appropriate that the billing for this band is the Dynamites Featuring Charles Walker, not Charles Walker & the Dynamites, because that's what Walker sounds like on this disc, a featured performer rather than a dominating one. Thus, an album by the group is basically a calling card or souvenir of their live show more than a standalone entity.

Like the album's namesake, The Fire starts with a small spark that quickly builds itself into an emotional blaze that burns steadily across all 11 tracks, taking the listener on an exceptional musical ride.

It's an album that holds plenty of rewards for those willing to take the time to explore its odd twists and turns with an open mind.

The Waterfall suggests maybe My Morning Jacket would be better off doing a few things well rather than losing their way down several different paths.

Dark and luminous at the same time, Forget allows Xiu Xiu to redefine pop in a way that's true to their volatile--but always gripping--nature.

Benny's storytelling lyrics are hardened and aggressive as ever, but he balances out his tales of street dominance and underworld dealings with moments of honest self-reflection.

Yellen employs a set of pipes that are as deft as a swallow's, allowing the arrangements the space they need to set the tone, and then swooping in to seal the deal.

ArtScience is an excellent step forward.

You & Me delves deeply into the evocative ballads that have made the band fascinating since "Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone."

Since a big part of the Stripes’ live show also rests on their visuals, the Under Great White Northern Lights DVD gives the complete experience, but this album is satisfying enough to make it a must for most fans.

The vocals and flourishes are strongly Punjabi -- songs are often sung in the language, not English as they usually are on a Cornershop LP -- but these are essentially trappings for a collection of multicultural dance-pop not too dissimilar from the group's albums since 1997.

Multi-Love is definitely a departure from his previous work, but he has both the skill and the passion to pull it off. Ironically, where the album stumbles a bit is on the more experimental tracks.

On an album that, from a musical perspective, seems incongruously loaded with self-doubt ("I'm 20, washed up already," "I don't know what I'm cut out for") the material is consistently hooky, endearing, elegant, and uncommonly candid.

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

Dirt Don't Hurt isn't necessarily magical, but it is fun and breezy, as well as a nice addition to Golightly's impressive catalog.

It doesn't offer any answers, but The Sea is a testament to Rae's artistic growth as it provides comfort to those left on the wistful side of eternal love, and insight to those who are not.

The album is not just the best country has to offer (if the genre were modeled on his standard, its radio stations would be difficult to turn off), but more: it's the best that pop music has to offer, too.

The problem here, though, is that with the exception of the above songs ["Love Ain't a Love Song," "Oh Beautiful!," "Never Give All Your Heart," and "Trouble Town"], and maybe one or two others, the songs on Different Shades of Blue shade toward the generic side of things, and no matter how wonderful and gorgeous the guitar tones may be, it's hard to make a generic song sing memorably.

The pairing of Lund and Cobb on Things That Can't Be Undone is a feather in both their caps; as an album, it forges a new path in country music, yet remains exceptionally close to the tradition's heart.

Cayamo Sessions at Sea works best as a commercial for the ocean-going festival, but it also offers glimpses of some very talented artists crossing paths and sounding like fans, as well as musicians, as they make their way through some songs they clearly love.