This is the work of a master guitarist who has taken his time to come up with a quality record.

Opus Primum [contains] striking passages of ethereal beauty.

Bassett and his fellow knuckle-dragging stargazers are having far too much fun to care about anyone else's perception.

It is certainly their most well-rounded and diverse, one that adds some pop-machine savvy without losing any of the insouciant charm they've had to spare in the past.

A thoroughly delightful album, it's hard to imagine fans of Jóhannsson and Dunckel's other projects not falling hard for Starwalker's charming galactic pop.

Richly textured yet spacious and meditative, L'Orange, L'Orange is some of Kowalsky's most rewarding work yet.

It's Pond's personality that shines brightest on Tasmania, and they've turned these songs into an off-kilter gem that's worth exploring.

Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? crackles with energy, wit, and passion, attributes that are worthwhile effective compensation for Fantastic Negrito's relatively streamlined attack here.

Dorji is simply one person making music in an isolated environment while the world is constantly in a tumultuous state, and his is simply his own feverish, spur-of-the-moment reaction to everything that's going on.

There's a Riot Going On is, in its own subtle way, Yo La Tengo at their most uncompromised; it's an album that's likely to separate their most hardcore fans from more casual admirers, though if you loved "Night Falls on Hoboken" from And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, you'll likely savor it.

Like Torres' previous album, Silver Tongue takes some time to unfold, but it's well worth it; by fluently expressing the resilience it takes to bounce back from hard times, she comes into her own.

Following on from a much earlier collaborative single, the first full-length effort pulling together Modeselektor and Apparat--despite a name that suggests a Depeche-loving rodent--has plenty to offer without entirely being a full-on slam dunk.

With this album, Windy & Carl are more controlled, focused, and confident than ever before, offering up their best work to date in an evolution that may just prove to be without limits.

Thanks to Ex Hex's sheer commitment to their rock & roll fantasies, It's Real never feels less than genuine.

Those new to Autechre might be best off starting with their earlier material, and working their way up to this gradually--or else diving in headfirst here and preparing for a long, strange trip.

Throughout the album, Dungen try new things without getting caught up in the excitement of changing their sound, successfully evolving rather than merely throwing random ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks.

This album is one of his most classicist, not classical, pop records and in that sense, Out of the Game is definitely a winner.

The album's a wonderful step forward from an already strong foothold, theatrical without being overdone, introspective without being saccharine, and makes for an excellent piece of work.

Glaspy defies easy categorization and this solid, cleverly written debut is a testament to her sense of craft.

The Waterfall II offers no clues as to where My Morning Jacket might be headed, but as a document of what they were capable of in the studio, it's consistent, well-structured, and satisfying in a way the original was not.

While it doesn't break any new ground and remains firmly entrenched in contemporary country's geography, it evokes the riled-up, bluesy hard country rock sound of Hank Jr. enough that it separates Church from the genre's other practitioners who are attempting the same thing.

A relatively calm, collected, and breezy set of 21st century folk songs that prefers subtlety over novelty.

The unusual states of being in the band's songs are sometimes more admirable than relatable, but this isn't the case on Big Balloon's highlights.

This is Real Estate at their best, giving us the same bright and bittersweet indie perfection as always, only better with age and experience.

As with the album's first two cuts, it incorporates several movements, yet it's hip-hop much more than techno and never fades into the background like a fusty Mo' Wax scrap.

Ultimately, Beautiful Dreamers is a wonderfully balanced trio exercise.

Such of American Tragic is remarkably poppy, at times feeling like a darker response to the '80s AOR revival popularized by the likes of HAIM--or, less controversially, a continuation of Concrete Blonde's throaty, tough-but-vulnerable drama.

A set of songs that stick and hold up to repeat plays.