Though Heavy Lifting isn't quite up to the level of Kramer's 1990s work, it comes close enough that it would have reaffirmed his status as a veteran guitar hero and proto-punk sage, full of hard-won wisdom, good tunes, and an admirable reserve of piss and vinegar.

On Limits of Language, they specifically utilized a handful of synthesizers to craft their intricate songs. What's particularly engaging about the band's production here is that, rather than trying to get the keyboards to stand in or mimic other instruments, you can really hear them drawing inspiration from the specific sounds of each synthesizer.

Blood Incantation belong to the class of bands such as Gorguts, Demilich, and Sigh who push extreme metal far beyond its conventions, and Absolute Elsewhere is a towering achievement which exceeds all expectations.

Manning Fireworks is his own fusion of the contemplation of Harvest and the release of Zuma, and it's a small triumph of noisy roots rock.

For fans craving more of Kylie's excellent early-2020s output, Tension II delivers, even when it pales next to more immediate cuts on Disco and the first Tension.

Machines I-V is the Bug in pure club damage mode, and it's as heady and powerful as anything else he's done.

Dance of Love feels like a chapter, not an extension, and that's what makes it such a fresh and enjoyable listen.

Free Energy sounds like the work of a band tapping into the well of creativity at its source and coming up with a work that gently and gracefully slides the group up one notch closer to their heroes.

The guys are aging gracefully, playing to their strengths -- catchy, high-energy anthems that blend pop-punk with good ol' fashioned hardcore -- rather than trying to rehash any of that youthful intensity and rawness of their early albums.

Dreamstate feels like Owens' attempt at reaching the sort of mainstream success that someone like Peggy Gou has achieved, and while it does contain some worthwhile material, overall it just doesn't add up.

The resulting Clouds in the Sky They Will Always Be There for Me finds Porridge Radio still recognizably visceral and volatile but also a little wearier and occasionally resigned, as on the eerie, semi-rambling "In a Dream I'm a Painting" and on penultimate track "Pieces of Heaven."

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

It may not be Wasser's most cohesive album, but Lemons, Limes, and Orchids' discrete vignettes might convey life's multitudes better than any of her prior music. Without question, it reaffirms that for Joan As Police Woman, sincerity and creativity are better together.

Karate exhibit more verve and fun here than on much of their previous output, and continue to push themselves into new forms regardless of how dissimilar to their earlier iterations those forms may be. That ethos on its own is commendable, and the best results of it on Make It Fit are proof that Karate's ever-evolving approach is working.

The invigorated No Obligation is a breath of fresh air, a reminder that punk can be fun and pure without losing its impact or message. The Linda Lindas give us all hope that the kids will be alright.

Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free is state-of-the-art contemporary pop-folk, and with each LP Bonny Light Horseman deliver stronger work; deciding to put their songwriting chops to work may be the smartest thing they've done to date.

While fans are bound to miss Abbott, Heaton's still got more to say, and his crew is in fine form.

Ultimately, Bleed is the Necks' most formless, abstract, and focused album, one that that points toward a brave new direction.

There's more than enough gas left in Goat's tank to keep them riding in style for years to come.

It may not match See Through You's consistent brilliance, but at its best, Synthesizer delivers the noise for which A Place to Bury Strangers is known and quite a bit more.

The release pauses for a moment of solemn reflection with the extremely vulnerable "LOST MY DOG." "SURFING A TSUNAMI" also deserves mention for its flood of ambient synths which elevate the drama. Otherwise, the release largely sounds like what fans would expect from Future.

Stung! is yet another hard-to-categorize but easy-to-enjoy chapter in Pond's ever-changing story. It's full of melodies made for both sunny summer days and solitary, reflective walks, and often changes gears with little notice.

The album levels up with its final four tracks, which fully commit to the rapid tempo of drum'n'bass.

It's still a privilege to hear another album from SOPHIE, and if this album is only creative and engaging instead of revolutionary, it doesn't diminish her legacy -- it just reinforces how irreplaceable she is.

Generally even more affecting are relatively spare entries like the lilting, piano-centric ballad "Sunset Hunting," the eerie "Violetlight" ("Enclosing a disaster"), and the environmental "Mother Tongue" ("I should be angry/But I'm just tired"), although nothing on See You at the Maypole is simple or without determination.

This collection is at its most intriguing in the brief moments where listeners can hear Reed experimenting with these ideas, ones he'd fully realize a little further down the road with the Velvet Underground. These moments show up fairly unambiguously in the sadistic sneering of the Primitives, but they're also there to be found just a little bit deeper below the surface of songs where Reed was trying his best to emulate simplistic pop music but couldn't keep his inherent darkness from showing.

A kind of survival tool, Quiet in a World Full of Noise is one of the most remarkable albums either artist has made.

With A Modern Day Distraction, Bugg further establishes his reputation as a modern-day British rock troubadour.