Myrkur's music melds all of her adopted stylistic elements, lets their seams show, and emerges with an innovative, alchemical creation of her own. M expands on black metal's boundaries yet holds its dark, foreboding spirit close.

An album that deliberately side-steps many of Thomas' signature moves while still sounding unmistakably like him.

Meliora jumps so quickly from classic hard rock to prog to glam metal it can be dizzying (and perhaps even dazzling) for listeners. What holds it all together is solid writing that sticks close to stock pop/rock methodology.

Those who still believe that rock & roll can and should make you move ought to put Under the Savage Sky on their playlists pronto; it's the raw real thing.

Confounding as ever, James nonetheless presents some of his most physical and ultimately electrifying tracks here.

Ultimately, What Went Down should please fans of Holy Fire, and they may not be the only ones drawn to its gloomy and persistent energy.

At his best, he's as poignant, heartbreaking, funny, sad, and creative as Stephin Merritt, and Nephew in the Wild is a gentle reminder of this.

As Battles evolve, they remain true to their unique mix of brains and brawn, and La Di Da Di just might be their most engaging music yet.

As The Light in You's title implies, Mercury Rev are seeking life's brightest moments, and they find them--along with some of their most satisfying music in many years.

Substantial enough to require three pieces of vinyl (the CD version is a single disc with three fewer tracks), it's more outward-looking than Toeachizown, not only through its dizzying and multigenerational list of collaborators, but also through Riddick's increased ability and confidence as a vocalist who promotes positivity, whether it's blissful escape or strong-willed perseverance.

Fleming may have lost some of the outsider charm that bubbled through the first Diane Coffee record by going big, but he went big in such a sure-handed and spectacular way, it's hard to complain too much. In fact, an album this crazy and good deserves nothing but praise and adulation.

Taken all together, the set is a fascinating document of a band you see change from the kind of band who'd release a cassette in weird packaging to a band making a grab for the brass ring of success. Along the way, there were considerably more hits than misses, though, and any fan of Flying Nun will find much to love here.

With repeated listening it earns shelf space with their finest records.

While the songs are good--there's canny craftsmanship behind the Stylistics salute "Stay in My Corner" and the steady crawling "Put a Flower in Your Pocket"--it's this immersive, trippy atmosphere that distinguishes the Arcs and makes Yours, Dreamily live up to its name.

It's a winningly low-key record, where the atmosphere matters more than the songs, yet Richards doesn't neglect writing tunes this time around.

In all, Cranekiss is a beautiful pop fantasia that finds Tamaryn expressing her music's passion and sensuality in exciting new ways.

"Girls" illustrates the dance between jealousy and affection simply and brilliantly. Moments like these make All Yours Widowspeak's most self-assured and vulnerable album yet.

Discreet Desires is a fascinating debut album, demonstrating the right way to transition from an underground, 12"-only electronic producer to a full-scale album artist, greatly expanding upon previous ideas while avoiding sounding overblown and remaining rough and exhilarating.

This excitement can be exhausting over the course of nearly 90 minutes, but that's also an attribute: this version of Against Me! throws everything it has into a performance and while that passion may be overwhelming, it's also potent and thrilling.

So Brace the Wave reveals that Lou Barlow hasn't changed all that much in the past quarter-century--he's just better at this stuff, and has finally grown more comfortable with it.

With No Closer to Heaven, Campbell and the Wonder Years have made an album that's more mature and thoughtful than before, but no less passionate and direct, and it ranks with their finest work to date as well as suggesting this band has an interesting and exciting future ahead.

This music declares that Clark is one artist who will see to it that the blues does indeed have a future, which is what makes him important and Sonny Boy Slim a serious leap forward from Blak and Blu.

In trying to re-create the music he's long admired--all at once--through The Last Hurrah!!'s kaleidoscopic persona, he's moved beyond the trappings of mere nostalgia. Via the music of Mudflowers, the historical past is vital and ever present.

With Rodeo, Travis Scott becomes a designer drug.

This busy collection is really just more free.

For those who made his acquaintance on the Mute albums--Cole's Corner, Lady's Bridge, Truelove's Gutter--or even Standing At The Sky's Edge, this loose-knit set just might be revelatory.

A lovely, stimulating debut album, Contrepoint is a beautifully written love letter to musical history and creativity.

So There is both ambitious and down-to-earth, impeccably constructed, and utterly accessible.