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

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.

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.

The supplemental voices are used to positive effect, whether they contrast with or echo Ejimiwe's plaintive surveillance of personal and societal ruination.

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

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.

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

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.

Taken together, for its somewhat lofty inspirations and complex construction, Onism is above all a fun listen, full of discovery, whimsy, and musicality. And it's got a good beat.

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

A lifetime away from the Long Island quartet's emo and pop-punk origins, Science Fiction is a complex and nuanced beast of introspective indie rock and detailed production.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Mountain Moves' whimsy often feels like a party that just happens to be political, but it's this sense of joy that makes protest--and Deerhoof's career--sustainable.

A deeply comforting album, Okovi is some of Zola Jesus' purest-sounding, most profound music in years.

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

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.

Richly layered and emotive even by Hercules & Love Affair's standards, Omnion is equally committed to moving hearts and bodies.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Not everything on V works--"Weighed Down" and "Gathering" lack the focus of the album's highlights--but the songs that do are some of the Horrors' most exciting yet.

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.

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.

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.

Half-Light is a sprawling, passionate musical memoir; as far as remembrances of things past go, this one is remarkably forward-sounding.

If you want to hear a clever, ambitious, and blessedly noisy set from four people who know how to do it right, then the Dream Syndicate's return to duty will find an honored place in your music collection.

It may take Haines another ten years to make her third solo album, but hopefully when she does it will be as richly melodic, subtly dynamic, and emotionally powerful as this one is.

There aren't many current groups that do what Antibalas does so well, especially in the United States, and Where The Gods Are In Peace reminds us they take their art and their message seriously, even as their music generates an impressive degree of joy.

When artists reach a certain point in their careers, they can maintain the status quo or they can challenge themselves; Ranaldo chooses the latter on Electric Trim, imbuing his poetic cool with earnest, quixotic charm that makes this some of his most wonderfully unpredictable music yet.

Dedicated to Bobby Jameson is a weird, catchy, thought-provoking celebration of individuality that offers one Pink's most appealing balances of sugary accessibility and irreverent indulgence.

Taken as a whole, Communicating presents a multi-layered universe of off-center pop well worth exploring.

It's a record where Lady Gaga can join in for a six-minute slow-burner styled after prime Faces ("Find Yourself") and feel at home because this is a place where anybody is invited just as long as they share the same vibe. And, as a listener, if you happen to share that vibe, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real is a pure pleasure.

To call I Tell a Fly a difficult listen may be understating it, but within this madcap art-pop song cycle, which is purportedly about two flies in love, are some genuine payoffs for those with the patience to stick with it.

The Laughing Apple can in some ways be viewed as a compromise, as Yusuf makes an album that will resonate with old Cat Stevens fans, but there's never a moment where he seems less than sincere and committed, and this merging of past and present makes for Yusuf's most satisfying album since his return to popular music in 2006.

New Magic is a different animal than Son Little [the self-titled], but both albums are products of a strikingly gifted artist, and listeners who want to hear a smart and passionate musician take R&B into new, thoughtful places owe it to themselves to give New Magic a careful listen.

That Numan can still juggle melodrama and musicality with such effortlessness is impressive, to say the least, but that he can make it so compelling is what sets him apart from his old guard new wave contemporaries.

Highly stylized but memorable for both its unusual palette and what are ultimately consistently good songs (for outright earworms, don't miss "Blue Cigar" and "Daddy Long Legs"), Saturn Over Sunset is recommended for anyone intrigued by the idea of retrofuturist anti-pop.

The times are always right for music as healing and calm as the Clientele's; the times surrounding the release of this wonderfully peaceful and uplifting album need it even more--and, thankfully, the band has responded with some of its best work ever.

Here and throughout Before the Applause, Re-TROS sound fully in command of their sound, and fans of Liars, Battles, Factory Floor, and Public Image Ltd will almost certainly get--and love--where they're coming from.

It's hard to imagine where METZ can go after pushing their sound and skills into the red zone as they have on Strange Peace, but with their third album, they've left no doubt that they're one of the most singularly powerful rock bands in North America, and you ignore them at your peril.

It's anyone's guess what the Yawpers might have in mind for the future, but they sure stepped up their game with their sophomore album, and Boy in a Well is an experiment that absolutely succeeds.

Whichever word one may choose, the record is a delight for lovers of psychedelic guitar interplay, and Beaches continue to be one of the best exponents of that sound around.

Hallelujah Anyhow is another outstanding exercise in record making from Hiss Golden Messenger, and it's recommended to loyal fans and curious neophytes alike.

The record charms because its ridiculousness is sincere and his sincerity is ridiculous--two qualities that make him and his art messy and quite genuine.

Maybe it's missing a little bit of the thrill that came along with hearing TERRY for the first time, but there isn't much anyone can do about that. All the band can do is keep cranking out these kinds of smart and snappy pop songs an album at a time, hopefully for as long as possible.

Both fierce and fragile, Hiss Spun presents an artist in compelling control of the entire scope of her expression.

Perhaps out of necessity, the group seem more inspired here than they have in a while, and the result is arguably their best work since their 2000 opus Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven.

The result is nourishing, a lulling yet ringing affirmation of Wright's deeply rooted connection to the South and its music.

As is the case with much of A Sentimental Education, both of those songs [Bob Dylan's "Most of the Time" and Mercury Rev's "Car Wash Hair"] find Luna deftly straddling the line between deep reverence and inspired reclamation, a perfect balance that renders each track a new addition to the band's own storied oeuvre.

Fans wishing for a full-on return to the glory of early days may not find their reward, but 15 years into their career, the Bronx have matured into their craftsmanship and can both rock and write harder than most of their younger peers.

While some fans might prefer Macklemore with Lewis, Gemini is a reminder that before the multi-platinum singles, hit albums, and thrift shop threads, he could handle himself just fine.

Ray Wylie Hubbard is making music that's tougher, more effective, and better crafted than most artists a third his age, and Tell the Devil I'm Gettin' There as Fast as I Can is yet another striking example of his casual brilliance.

Omni deliver the songs with all the punch of a band twice their size. They beat the tar out of the sophomore slump and come away with another instant classic album.

Her richest music yet, Fool's Paradise is a beautiful portrait of Hussein's heritage and artistry.

Relatives in Descent manages to sound more thoughtful and introspective than 2015's The Agent Intellect without sapping the strength of this great band; quite simply, as a bit of record-making, this is Protomartyr's most impressive accomplishment to date.

20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo's glimpses at life's unknowability are disturbing, affecting, and always fascinating--and prove that Pere Ubu are as vital as ever in the 2010s.

Introspective in personal as well as universal ways, Bring on the Sun is an excellent sampler of Laraaji's many strengths.

Overall, this is quite different (and stranger) than most Laraaji recordings, but even without his laughter or his autoharp, everything he does radiates positive energy, and this is simply another fantastic entry in his catalog.

The fascinating ways she puts songs and stories together on Three Futures reveals more with each listen.

The spontaneity on this set is more akin to a live record than a studio effort, making it a most welcome entry in his catalog.

What follows is one of Ritter's loosest and most rewarding outings to date, delivering a steady stream of compelling characters caught between bravado and vulnerability, constantly trying to find their emotional footing.

The Centre Cannot Hold constantly seems on the verge of collapse, but it never descends into utter chaos. It gets abrasive and engulfing, but it isn't accurate to describe it as a noise album. Frost and his associates expertly harness levels of sheer energy, resulting in a brilliantly forceful, commanding work.

Que Aura is the richest, most diverse, and interesting-sounding album he's done yet, with the songs to match.

It's chock-full of refreshing, sophisticated ideas, all balanced by an empathic, emphatic inclusiveness that engages the listener at both musical and emotional levels.

As a whole, Crosby touches on a number of pleasing themes and sounds on Sky Trails, lending his sweet tenor and trademark harmonies to material of surprisingly high quality given his recent prolificacy.

In the end, Ash is many things: militant, vulnerable, and tender; it is urgent yet unhurried, its sharp edges unapologetically exposed. It is rooted in struggles and seeks victory, not deliverance. It is not only memorable, but indomitable and beautiful.

It quickly announces that they're as capable and creative as ever, and the finished product is as strong as anything they've released to date.

Hurts have never shied away from grandiose musical gestures, something fans of their deeply emotive live shows and theatrical videos can attest to. With Desire, they've found a way to capture that amorous pop intensity and send it flooding back toward their audience.

It's hard to say if it's enough to warrant a purchase of this hefty box, but in either its CD or LP incarnation, A New Career in a New Town is a handsome, alluring, and exceptional-sounding reissue that earns its price tag.

It's a cozy sound, one that feels as intimate as a front porch but is delivered with the precision of seasoned pros, and having old tunes--including sweet covers of the Everly Brothers' "Walk Right Back" and Tom Petty's "Wildflowers"--threaded in between the excellent new tunes from Hillman helps make Bidin' My Time feel like an understated summation of everything Hillman's accomplished in his long, varied career.

At the age 60, Almond delivers Shadows and Reflections with absolute commitment. On its surface, it is an exotic encounter with the sound of another era, but this is not merely an homage, but a work of tremendous musical vision and emotional depth.

Now in his middle age, he's a richer, nuanced singer than he was during Oasis' heyday, yet he's retained his charisma and, unlike his brother, he favors color and fire in his records, elements that not only enhance this fine collection of songs but make this the best post-Oasis album from either Gallagher to date.

It's Mayfield's most compelling work yet.

If you're up for a highly creative, exhilarating sugar rush, Neō Wax Bloom will undoubtedly be one of the most joyous surprises of the year.

New Energy is one of the most accessible, listener-friendly releases in the Four Tet catalog, but it still maintains the creativity and unpredictability that have always made his work stand out.

Arty tropes aside, with Undivided Heart & Soul, McPherson continues to pull all of his varied stylistic influences together into his own vibrantly coherent brand of visceral, emotive rock that grabs you by the collar and demands your passion.

All the performances on Rule 62 are delivered with a casual assurance that gives the record a warm feel that, when combined with sturdy songs from a variety of styles, gives the record the feeling of an old favorite; it feels like a record that you've lived with for years, in the best possible sense.

The entire album is a stunning work of highly advanced kaleidoscopic new age pop, and is easily Smith's best and most accessible release to date.

The Blow's most self-assured, thought-provoking, and exciting music yet.

The album delivers the type of lush, cheerful disco Lindstrøm has always been known for, but there's a much darker undercurrent present here, and it feels like one of his most emotionally complex works yet.

Found in Far Away Places, was a bold smorgasbord of stylistic trial and error--but Phantom Anthem is rooted in pure power, and it just never lets up.

As displayed on Nightbringers, there's plenty of room left to explore and experiment inside their sound, while expanding its parameters. They've done both to excellent effect here.

Tenderness sounds bigger, bolder, and more sensual than Blue Hawaii's previous work, thanks to the duo's embrace of house, disco, and '90s dance music.

Cults give more of themselves on these songs than ever before, and opening themselves to more possibilities pays off with some of their most exciting music.

Audio, video, or both, this is a fantastic version of a bona fide classic.

HEAVN was expanded and reissued a year later by Jagjaguwar, made available on physical formats with a track list that added six interludes and a thick reprise of "Holy." The interludes, especially the one in which children recite an Assata Shakur quote--inserted as a brilliant setup for "Blk Grl Soldier"--are not extraneous.