Sadly, Flight b741 is the first record they've made where it might make more sense to avoid the journey and stick to revisiting some of their glorious excursions of the past instead.

Somehow managing to sound minimal and controlled even when claustrophobically arranged with ever-shifting sounds, Images du Futur improves on Suuns debut and goes even deeper into the dark sounds they've been developing and perfecting as they go.

Evil Friends offers ample evidence that the match between Portugal. The Man and Burton expanded the horizons of both parties and will likely heighten the band's profile considerably.

It's an album meant to be discovered and lived with, revealing its jokes and its beauty over time.

Honestly, none of it makes a lick of sense, but unlike, say, the Beta Band -- whose entire shtick was that the parts of their music never fit into a coherent whole -- there's a shapeliness to Zootime that suggests the record was constructed from some inscrutable blueprint that's just naggingly out of reach.

Advancement ends up being an appropriate title, as this album largely dispenses with the cheesy elements that marred previous Solar Bears recordings, resulting in their most accomplished and enjoyable release to date.

King's voice remains assured and soft, like she's confidently revealing secrets in the most expressive way possible, without disturbing her neighbors. This time, there's a little more grit and swagger, and frequently there's a sense of resolve that comes through even when not indicated lyrically.

At once intricate and tossed-off, passionate and aloof, Tracey Denim's seeming contradictions and haunting mood elevate bar italia amongst their post-punk reviving peers. It's an album that's complex enough for fans of the band's previous work, and just welcoming enough for a wider audience.

Stuck on Nothing isn’t going to change rock & roll history even a little, but for a good time, give the album a listen and you won’t be disappointed.

Rise Against are still a band with plenty to say. All the d-beats and raw vocals in the world don't mean a thing if you don't have a message you believe in.

There are more than a few bright spots, but unfortunately, this is one of Enon's slightest and most uneven albums

For the most part, the cutesiness is kept just controlled enough to make the songs intriguing.

It's a fine introduction to the multifaceted pleasures of Gorillaz.

Alternative rock hasn't seen anything like this since the release of Turn on the Bright Lights. The catch: not only is The Back Room better, it holds promise for even better things in the future.

The folk singer/songwriter side of Mulvey is the one that is shown for most of the record, while his extensive influences flit in and out of each song, leaving their mark in the percussion, melody, and arrangement, but never taking center stage in his impressive repertoire.

Songwriter works well as an important document of a previously underrepresented era for Cash, whose career was about to enter a transformational new phase.

The album is fun, huge, and pleasantly confused (as evidenced in part by the out-of-place Germs cover that closes the album) but ultimately just another chapter in Moore's lifelong exploration of sound, poetry, and the darkest corners of American subcultures he helped build, and continues to add to.

Quiet River of Dust feels like its own celestial event, emitting frequencies both familiar and alien; Eastern philosophy-tinged pagan space folk devoted to gods both old and new.

For those who aren't put off by its favoring crafted texture and melody over mood or structure, it's also absorbing, offering layers to uncover with repeat listens. Trivia of note: Perfect Shapes is Wasner's first time producing music that isn't her own.

Freedom Tower: No Wave Dance Party 2015 isn't quite the best album of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's career, but they've never made one that documents the frantic energy and atmosphere of their live show as well as this.

Still, quiet and reflective where Animal Collective has become epic and dense, the album is unique, a mellow gem of experimental folk.

Glen Hansard has long been a gifted and effective vocalist and songwriter, but on This Wild Willing, he reveals a greater vision and intelligence in using the studio to give his music life, and it's an unusually strong offering from him.

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.

This is right up there with his best.

It may have taken Boyer a long time to take flight, but on Clarietta he soars.

As a whole, Crosby touches on a number of pleasing themes and sounds on Sky Trails, lending his sweet tenor and trademark harmonies to material of surprisingly high quality given his recent prolificacy.

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

Light & Magic is a logical, elegant progression for Ladytron, balancing their pop and experimental instincts even more ably than their debut.