With its mix of catchy and moving songs, an artful structure, and a way with words, Grim Town delivers a piece of Zeitgeist as well as a solid set of tunes.

After a pair of impressively strong solo releases, Craig Finn has made it a hat trick with I Need a New War, and the passion and superb craft of these songs make this a must for anyone who cares about American songwriting.

It all adds up to an album that cleverly feels stylish and fashionable without abandoning the emotional gravity P!nk has accumulated over the years.

In League with Dragons is a quietly brilliant album that gets stronger with each spin, and the fact the Mountain Goats can generally crank out something this good every 24 to 36 months suggests Darnielle may be one of America's more important natural resources.

Once again, King Gizzard deliver a record that lives up to their high standard even though it (mostly) is free from ambition and drama.

Despite the group's experimental inclinations, there are still plenty of hooky moments here.

As the first offering of a new stage in her career, Love + Fear not only reveals its creator as newly hopeful, but it also gives hope that future efforts might be carved in a similar fashion. Marina's Electra heart still beats, it's just pumping smoother and with a confidence born from a renewed and mature perspective.

Far removed from the developments of the Teklife collective and other figures of the scene, DJ Nate stands out just as much as he did at the beginning of the decade.

It's easily his best, most enjoyable work.

The only way that Lowly lives up to their name is their humility to push themselves to give more to their listeners--something they do exceptionally well on Hifalutin.

Her strengths as a storyteller play out over 11 well-crafted songs that alternately explore her own personal introspections or the twisting paths of those around her.

There's plenty to dissect on Run Fast Sleep Naked, with subsequent listens revealing new layers and surprises. With this deliberate rebranding to a more authentic self, Murphy delivers a more genuine vision that is satisfying and brimming with imagination.

By initially connecting at this gut emotional level, There Is No Other invites the repeated listens required to discover all of its mysteries but Giddens and Turrisi are by no means offering solutions: the more There Is No Other reveals, the more it becomes apparent that its depths are fathomless.

For fans this is the holy grail, but it's also an excellent introduction for the uninitiated. Not to be greedy, but let's hope this is not a one-off. We can never have too much J.J. Cale.

Her weightier songwriting and expansive production make A New Illusion the match of Stellular and something more rewarding on an emotional level.

As Dreaming in the Dark's songs confront pain and choose love in empowering--and sometimes uncomfortable--ways, they reveal Tamaryn as a mature, fully formed artist.

Human Question is the work of a powerfully good trio who've made it clear they are no ordinary roots rock outfit.

Kimbrough's ease is that of a veteran musician, one who knows enough not to hurry or hit his points too hard. This light touch results in an alluring slow-burner of an album built upon a clutch of songs that slowly creep into the subconscious.

Tacocat were a fun, sometimes great band before; This Mess Is a Place is their most consistent, most impressive, and best record yet and anyone looking for thoughtfully catchy modern guitar pop could do a whole lot worse.

As bleak a listen as it is, Enderness is an affecting piece of art reflective of its time, and the fact that Bondy's house burned down the day after he finished recording it almost feels like some inevitable if unfortunate occurrence.

Fear in a Handful of Dust seems like a departure for Tobin, but even while he's abandoning conventional rhythms or genre signifiers, his music remains unmistakably human, and as challenging as the album might seem, it's easier to listen to than one might expect.

Ultimately, Young Enough outshines a promising debut, delivering a steady mix of summery earworms and angst.

Cerebral yet soulful, Any Random Kindness strikes an ideal balance for Hælos, a significant step forward in their evolution.

For all its thematic focus and political commentary, Wheeltappers and Shunters is quintessentially Clinic; at once pointed and oblique, its bad trips and cheap thrills are a subversive rebuke to a sanitized notion of the past, present, or future.

Injecting their trademark sound with fresh flair, RAMMSTEIN is one of the band's best efforts, a potent distillation of all the elements that have endeared them to fans for two-and-a-half decades.

With all of the organic classical instrumentation employed here, the electronic side of Maps is significantly downplayed, lending Colours the added weight of strength in acoustic numbers, an effect that has consistently delivered emotional resonance to listeners for hundreds of years.

Fresh and exhilarating, Nothing Great About Britain firmly establishes slowthai as one of U.K. rap's most relevant artists.

Whether the songs are designed to motivate, mourn, or comfort, they're all sustenance. The everlasting potency of Staples' voice is a marvel.