The barebones numbers are solid and Townes carries them, but The Lemonade Stand truly kicks when it's at its poppiest, as on the exuberant "Come as You Are" and "White Horse."

Breach, is an inward-looking set of songs written during a deliberate period of isolation. Later recorded in Chicago with producer Brian Deck and Steve Albini, its slightly more expansive sound is evident on tracks like the lush "I, Nietzsche" and spiky "Alapathy."

After 2016's robust but scattered Everything at Once, the focused 10 Songs is a welcome return to their early style and one of the strongest statements in their catalog.

Apart from this one song ["Intrasport"], King Gizzard don't break much new ground on K.G., and while that in itself might be something of a letdown, the result is still quite pleasing.

The Symbol Remains is diverse, wildly creative, and expertly sequenced, making not only a consistent return for Blue Öyster Cult but a thoroughly inspired one as well.

What to Look for in Summer is simply more evidence to the fact that Belle and Sebastian's songs are so well made and evocative of such complex beauty, they were never going to stay contained in the lonely bedrooms and limited-edition releases they started from.

With just nine tracks, Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan feels a bit more like an EP than a proper album, but Hynde's takes on Dylan's songs are savvy and satisfying, and she's more than done right by one of her acknowledged inspirations.

The result is a crisp, concise package -- a bundle of summer anthems with the vivid emotions of summertime passion.

Lone always manages to go back in time and see things as they never truly were, and Always Inside Your Head is an immersive venture into the realm of fantasy and magic.

While Public Storage doesn't represent the songwriter's hookiest material, its affecting album-length presentation lingers -- emotionally and sonically -- nonetheless.

An album that's both intimate and communal, composed of small sounds and textures but expressing bigger feelings, particularly through the guest vocalists. "Fantasy" is easily the album's most memorable tune, cleverly snaking flutes and manipulated vocal hooks around Verushka's passionate, yearning lyrics.

Though it's not much longer than some of the group's EPs, Black Pearl's sustained mood of brooding mystery sets it apart, and its darkly lustrous songs uphold 50 Foot Wave's reputation as a vital part of Hersh's music.

La La Land captures the incredibly rare state of a band still sounding fresh and curious on their 37th LP, and shows no indication of Pollard and co. stopping anytime soon.

The holistic, evolutionary approach and stellar performances on Dance Kobina make it Chambers' finest as a leader for Blue Note.

The presence of primitive samples and Casio presets suggest that Khotin has been experimenting with electronic music since youth, but through years of experience, he's now able to produce more finely detailed work while keeping the spirit that inspired him to start creating music in the first place.

While it may not cull from her deep well of personal experiences, Heaven still ends up being one of the most immediate and compulsively listenable efforts in her catalog.

Their most tender, intimate album yet.

Black Duck's sprawling improv and cosmic Americana is the product of three experienced musicians deeply in tune with one another, eager to travel anywhere the spirit takes them.

Fans may be relieved to learn that while Broom did ratchet up the intensity of their sound a notch in the studio, together they keep things raw, frank, fun, and friskily psychedelic on the resulting The Joy of Sects.

A bold and bruising nine-song set befitting an architect of grunge and alternative hard rock.

With What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, Giddens and Robinson dig deep into the core Black Southern folk traditions that originally inspired them, and the joy is palpable; you can almost imagine them sitting around with Joe Thompson, smiling, and intently learning these songs.

Personal History is a triumph, offering an unguarded look into her heart and her soul.

As a whole, it extends not only Younger's musical reach, but also readily reflects the influence of her mentors in this, a music that could only be born in the 21st century, and as such, it's a gamechanger.

"Bad Dreams Summertime" is a standout among a truly immersive set, thanks largely to ghostly girl group-type backing vocals, shifting tonal centers, and lyrics that confuse time, imagination, and reality ("False recollections, the wrong soundtrack").

Atmospheric Hammond organ and country-styled guitar help set a sunny stage for songs such as the sultry "Rope You In"; the lusher "Contact High," with its acoustic and 12-string electric guitar, Ace Tone organ, and rim clicks; and the breezy and lilting "Hot Headed," an affectionate tune that regrets giving in to anxiety sometimes.

Stardust is among his more adventurous collections to date. When paired with the clarity and vulnerability of Brown’s lyrical portrayals of his victories and failures, the fearlessness with which he embraces every creative impulse he considers make Stardust even more of a triumph.

With EVERYONE'S A STAR!, they look back at their early years with an artful honesty, crafting a post-modern boyband album that's as sonically and thematically ambitious as it is fun.