Ornate but polished throughout, Field of Love ultimately delivers pop music for those who are bored with pop music.

The grim truths and fantastical tales are almost equally vivid.

Produced by Manfred Eicher, Elegy fits ECM's aesthetic to a T. More than that, however, it reveals Bleckmann's creative authority as he searches the limits of both sound and silence for an expression that utters its own name. The album is a gentle wonder; it bodes well for an enduring relationship between artist and label.

It's clear Matthew Milia has the talent to do any number of things, but thankfully he's happy to continue making music, and Enter the Kingdom is yet another reminder that Frontier Ruckus are one of the best things to come out of Michigan since Faygo Redpop.

Savage Times is indeed raw, desperate, and chock-full of new ideas and sounds, making this a creative breakout for El Khatib.

Alice is a major step forward for Meatbodies and one of the better garage punk/heavy metal/psychedelic rock albums anyone is likely to hear in 2017.

It's not a record that wallows in hurt, it's an album that functions as balm for bad times.

Melancholy but not overbearingly so, No Home of the Mind is thoroughly entrancing, and another triumph for Bing & Ruth.

On the whole a solid set of songs, the album's influences play out consistently across a wistfully romantic atmosphere that should appeal to both lovers and the lonelyhearted.

Like love, The Incessant is not for the faint of heart, but it's a gripping and deeply personal piece of art and another solid release from this gritty, all-or-nothing trio.

Committed fans and casual admirers will find Notes of Blue worth a listen, but ultimately this is the work of an artist who has done better with similar ingredients in the past.

Showalter and producer Nicolas Vernhes find a nice balance between the rawness of the production and the meatiness of its execution, and allow the classic rock underpinnings that were so prevalent on Heal to continue to rise to the forefront.

A lot of the album feels inspired by the Ghostwriting project, and while he's definitely injected himself into the songs, it feels oddly detached and writerly, as if he's taking pains to create a buffer zone of distance between his real feelings and the listener.

Undying Color seems like a strange experiment at first, but it ends up being one of the most enjoyable releases in the Mind Over Mirrors catalog.

Turbulent yet strangely comforting, No Future is one of Moiré's best works yet.

The mild growth and light sophistication they show in spots doesn't make the record any less of a rollicking good time. Just like they have since their early days, the Orwells bring the songs, the suds, and the knuckleheaded energy to the party.

The album gathers songs of a more personal nature than were fitting for his band's fierier post-punk disposition, with a few actually predating Ought. Not that Saturday Night is a sullen acoustic-guitar record; rather, Darcy is more reflective here, sometimes channeling early solo Lou Reed and sometimes wandering into more experimental meditations.

This is a burner from start to finish, enjoyable for anyone with a pulse.

She's created a cool, sensual sound for Close Your Eyes, spinning off of her signature subdued adult alternative pop but adding in significant elements of electronica, particularly an echo of trip-hop past.

This is tough, smart, impassioned rock & roll with a sense of purpose and lots of swagger, performed with the confidence of a veteran and the scrap of a newcomer. It's heady stuff well worth your attention.

Its gleaming surface feels shinier than previous McMahon productions, but rather than seeming like an attempt to chase trends, these inflections and accents feel like a culmination of craft. McMahon has long understood how to craft a song, and Zombies on Broadway proves he has the studio skills to match.

Along with having one of the best titles of recent memory, Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins confirms that more than 25 years after making his solo debut, Chuck Prophet remains one of America's strongest songwriters and recording artists, and he's in great form here.

Ultimately, it's Towner's immense gift for portraying that kind of romantic drama that makes My Foolish Heart such an evocative listening experience.

Tinariwen once again deliver a vital and engaging album.

Trigger Complex is a late-career gem that's both resonant and a shit-ton of fun, and its lack of any sort of agenda is its greatest strength.

Fans who have been following Black Joe Lewis' career since his 2007 debut album will find a lot of what they like on Backlash. But there's also enough that's fresh, tough, and challenging to remind listeners that Lewis is still moving forward, putting a modern-day perspective on the tropes of classic soul and R&B.

The range in quality here indicates that superior work is in reserve.

His influences are worn lightly, the melodies remain inventive, and there is a real elegance to Sinkane's music. Hopefully next time he'll get back in the driver's seat.