There’s a real familiarity at play here, especially with all of the classic rock underpinnings, that makes it awfully difficult to refrain from just listing the artists that so obviously made an impact on the group, but their Bad Company-by-way-of Big Star (see what I mean?) aesthetic is so easy and engaging.

While Versions may be too tasteful-seeming for die-hard fans of early Zola Jesus, the album's undeniable beauty reveals another accomplished facet to Danilova's music.

Dig Thy Savage Soul is everything a Barrence Whitfield & the Savages fan could hope for and more; it may even reel in followers of the Dirtbombs, Andre Williams, and the Detroit Cobras.

We Knew may be a less immersive listening experience than Kudos was, but it makes up for that by sounding better and having better songs.

A compact, lyrically diverse debut, Rebellious Soul makes it plain that K. Michelle should be supported enough to reverse her albums-to-mixtapes ratio.

Doris is unsettled, messy, and takes a bit to sort, but there are codes to crack and rich rewards to reap, so enter with an open mind and prepare to leave exhausted.

Ultimately, whether it's Tubb's honky tonk twang, or the twang of Mayer's own heart, the sound of Paradise Valley rings true.

A spacious, yet measured and surprisingly inspirational, midtempo dirge.

The rapper is an excellent tour guide through this warped landscape of thrills and chills, and even if Rocky remains the A$AP Mob's most obvious and outgoing choice, there's an argument to be made that the more interesting one is Ferg, a Trap Lord if there ever was one.

Between the airless coldness of lunar ambience and the waving freak flag of their most high-power jams, White Hills' voice becomes more defined and more deliberate on this set of songs.

It showcases the strength of an 11-piece band willing to experiment as they assimilate inspirations--from Stax, Muscle Shoals, Motown, Delaney & Bonnie, blues, and jazz--and incorporate their various experiences into a new whole.

This is Saginaw's most colorful and accomplished release, and it indicates a vast range of individualistic possibilities for his next move.

Equal parts manic fun, party-friendly silliness, and unexpectedly real emotional content, I'm Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams is powerful and light at the same time. The technical playing and nods to the best of heavy metal culture never get so tongue-in-cheek that the greatness of the songs gets buried under posturing.

At its core, Krule is showing all sides of his U.K. environment, and the multiple genres laced into the sparse backdrop are held together by an overlying somber grey fog. Peel that back and you have one of the most vital debuts of the year.

e. This all-or-nothing approach makes Deep Trip an exhilarating listen that's just as capable of amping listeners up with its vital punk energy as it is freaking them out with its surging undercurrent of mind-altering sludge, making for yet another feather in the cap of Sacred Bones and their ever-growing lineup of head trip-inducing bands.

A striking, satisfying album that balances the boldness of a debut with the experience Rocketnumbernine has gained since You Reflect Me.

For fans, this is more than a curiosity, it's an indispensable addition to the catalog.

Aerotropolis, her second album, adds even more references to the mix and leaves her fine debut in the dust.

Era is another solid album; with the laser-like focus Disappears have, it's hard to imagine them delivering anything less.

This is a finely realized album, with a wonderful, you-can-hear-a-pin-drop sound to it, and Fulks' songs are some of the best he's written, showing once again that he has no intention of being anybody's fool.

While Parrish just about eliminates himself from the equation, this mix will appeal the most to fans of his work who know the funk, disco, and house stuff well enough but haven't traced back far enough to fully absorb an earlier, eternally vibrant form.

Warm Blanket is a tiny masterpiece of unassuming modern pop that you'll overlook at your own risk.

Caligula club music and nothing but, Stay Trippy is a pimp party of the highest order.

Pain Is Beauty isn't quite as cohesive as Wolfe's earlier albums. Regardless, it's exciting to hear her try so many new things and do them so well.

Not so much a grower as a slow-burning future classic, Forever points to even more exciting things from Holograms as they continue to challenge themselves and expand their vision.

Late for Nothing finds the band not missing a step despite losing an integral member, as LaPlante ably fills the rather formidable vacancy left by Cameron.

Sheff's willingness to strike a balance between his roots rock past and his personal past should please longtime fans and newbies alike, even if they spend the majority of the ride wondering why the tour bus never actually stops at the Silver Gymnasium.

Though the party is dialed back and more restrained than on previous efforts, it's no less wild and maybe even more enjoyable as a result.