To Each His Own goes down plenty easy, due in large part to the effortless soft rock arrangements--warm electric piano, weepy pedal steel, lush harmonies--but all of those breezy pop vibes would feel rote were it not for Pulido's affable presence and keen ear for melody.

The radical changes Trash Kit made to their music only heighten their time-tested strengths, and Horizon is some of their most satisfying music as well as their most forward-looking.

Aptly named, Patience is the sound of a band who have spent a few years growing into themselves and it honors Mannequin Pussy's raw punk past while opening doors to new creative possibilities.

A paranoid set that's nonetheless cathartic and dependably fun.

Poised and spacious, warm and inclusive, and highly provoked, Stonechild is another memorable addition to Hoop's discography.

Filled with lonely songs that are as warm as a hug from a long-lost friend, Purple Mountains is more of a rebirth than a debut, as well as a potent, poignant reminder of how much Berman has been missed.

Her most accomplished statement to date, a collection brimming with emotion, attitude, and unexpected delights.

Generally, Egoli bends toward joyous exuberance, music that sustains itself through its spontaneity and its open heart. The immediacy makes Egoli an instantly inviting listen but it's the camaraderie that makes it a nourishing one.

While there's a mercurial effect to Until the Tide Creeps In at least partly due to its songwriters writing separately, common tendencies, artful execution, and a melancholy dreaminess tie it all together, like a novel that's consistently compelling as it moves through multiple perspectives.

"Love Will Find a Way" closely echoes the levitating version on Pharoah Sanders' like-titled album, all the while seeming to inch toward "Love's Holiday." It ends this invigorating album just as effectively as the blueprint began its parent release.

Torche can get dirty as well, as evidenced by the gnarly, Alice in Chains-meets-Mastodon attack of "Extremes of Consciousness" and the scorching, aptly named "Inferno," but for the most part Admission administers seismic confections that vary in sweetness but always satisfy.

If you got to know METZ from 2015's II or 2017's Strange Peace, Automat will amaze you as you ponder how long they've been this good, and if you haven't been introduced to their work, starting at the beginning isn't a bad idea at all. Either way, you need this music.

From beginning to end, The Long Goodbye is pure Pere Ubu: surprising, unexpectedly tender, and above all, thought-provoking. Even by their standards, this is a wild and challenging album -- coming full circle rarely sounds this exhilarating.

Drab Majesty have crafted an album that works on its own merits, with songs that you may want to revisit just as much as your favorite vintage post-punk classic track. There's also a nice emotional arc and flow to the album that speaks to the band's theatrical nature as they recontextualize a kohl-eyed '80s goth aesthetic for the next doom generation.

On The Lion King: The Gift, Beyoncé deftly connects a kid's flick to something bigger, honoring not only Africa and its traditions but also shifting perspective to future destiny and greatness. It's a superior statement and a lesson on how to properly execute a winning soundtrack.

There's little ambiguity here and, compared to their earlier work, it's a refreshing evolution and maturation. That a group of Canadian punks would be the voices of reason in 2019 is a wonder in itself; that they've delivered one of the most accomplished albums in their catalog this late in their careers is another.

For the most part, it forgoes the gentle, acoustic side of his approach in favor of the kind of blown-out power pop he made his name on. ... Add in a couple very short acoustic interludes, and SONGS FROM SAN MATEO COUNTY gives an almost full account of Molina's particular and impressive talents.

With Fever Dream, Of Monsters and Men took a chance and rediscovered their creativity, embarking in a colorful and bold direction without sacrificing their heart and soul in the process.

Occasional nearsighted lyrical perspectives and three or four excellent but inessential tracks keep The Big Day from quite reaching masterpiece status, but it's still the most grown up (and the most polished) rendering of Chance's eternally bright spirit in his catalog.

The band prove just as adept at these more subdued and sad songs as they do at the uptempo rockers and the blending of the two styles and tones makes for a fascinating record. It's certainly more complicated, both musically and emotionally, and shows the band growing in interesting ways.

A worthy follow-up and tonal cousin to B Boys' strong debut, Dudu hits its mark.

Guesswork is the sound of Lloyd Cole older but not as wise as he would wish, yet with his typically strong melodic game sounding crisp and pleasing in new electronic dress, it's his way of trying to have it both ways and succeeding.

[Everything Hits at Once] proves there are few bands more adept at giving the venerable best-of compilation a refresh.

The resulting Emily Alone is a devastating, unapologetically vulnerable set of 12 ruminative guitar and keyboard songs, one of which is entirely spoken ("Still").

Midsommar's shadows would be nothing without its sunshine, and its balance of beauty and terror is an impressive achievement for both Aster and Krlic.

Mini Mansions are remarkably witty, and the way they combine their cleverness with newfound emotional depth makes Guy Walks into a Bar… their most satisfying album yet.

They may be channeling Incesticide-era grunge ("Datura"), jagged, Sunny Day Real Estate-inspired indie rock ("F Jam"), and straight-up shoegaze ("CCLL"), but underneath the hood Heaven Is Humming is pure, uncut Goon.

Volbeat have long been superstars in their native Europe for quite a while, but this album should go a long way to establishing them as festival headliners across the rest of the globe.