It is yet another in a string of excellent releases by her, but it's also something more. It integrates everywhere Richey's been yet inhabits a terrain completely of her own design.

Potter's vision and compositions on The Sirens never lose sight of his goal: portraying the eternal essence of humanity in the mythos of his subject; his poetic lyricism as a soloist, and his empathy as a bandleader are consummate.

An unlikely pairing of artists leads here to an uncommon focus, and one gets the feeling that the duo might not be done.

Always moving at full speed, YPLL creates a sense of anxious tension that, were it a longer album, would be exhausting.

Uunderneath that blustering, the group manage to ease back and act their age, and that detached cool exterior is why The Sun Comes Out Tonight is the most satisfying latter-day album this group has yet made.

The album's more intimate moments, such as "The Swollen Map" and "Down in the Liverpool Stream," have just as much impact as the showier ones, and reaffirm that Pinkunoizu have gained more than they lost by paring down a bit on The Drop.

Internal Sounds both solidifies and expands on the veteran group’s signature tone, beefing up the punk-infused, psych-rock twang without losing any of the technical mastery and subtle nuances of the playing.

As with Until Tomorrow, McFarlane produced the whole thing--an understated yet dazzling second album that is more imaginative than the impressive first.

Pattern Is Movement display their visions of skewed pop in bold, vivid colors, with faint echoes of their mathy past buried but still audible through the walls of joyous noise.

Get hip or get irked because either reaction is worthy of this loud, smart-ass joke put on loop, but not since Disco Tex unleashed his Sex-O-Lettes has there been such a cheeky way to keep dancing.

The result is an album of brilliantly charged and catchy songcraft. Even coming out of crushing pain, Changing Light is an impeccable statement of love and regret.

Take Me for a Walk in the Morning Dew is a triumphant comeback album, updating older tunes with a modernized production and new tunes showcasing Dobson's voice.

All of it fits together surprisingly well here--a satisfying, if imperfect, sampling.

As direct as a touch and as subtle as feelings, This Is My Hand is exciting in a way that's different from Worden's previous work--when she sings "this is my time" on the title track, it's hard not to agree with her.

As a companion album or on its own two legs, Fears Trending was worth another trip to well.

Ultimately, although colored by personal trauma, Into Colour remains one of Rumer's brightest, most enjoyable albums to date.

The 19 tunes here definitely push well into double-album territory, with an expanded band of players in a mode that borders on jam band territory but always stops short of over-extending the songs.

Waxing Romantic is an impressive blend of top-notch songwriting, inventive production, and strong performances, the kind that vaults Bretzer to the same lofty heights of his influences.

Buddy Guy serves up a straight-ahead platter with Born to Play Guitar, his 28th studio album.

If you want a Christmas album from Smoke Fairies, then you're the target market for Wild Winter, though the previous caveat still applies--you're sure to enjoy it, but the guests at your Christmas party might be puzzled.

The Infamous Stringdusters actually put themselves in the background on much of Ladies & Gentlemen, letting their guests take the center stage while they provide the support, but if the Stringdusters opted to be accompanists rather than the stars of the show on these sessions, their songs and effortless virtuosity make it clear they're every bit as talented as their friends.

Taking into account Whibley's dramatic and life-altering experiences, the hits land harder than ever, resulting in Sum 41's most honest and sincere album yet.

Adding the clarity of experience to his early work's atmospheric conciseness only makes The Benoît Pioulard Listening Matter all the richer.

Ultimately, it's Towner's immense gift for portraying that kind of romantic drama that makes My Foolish Heart such an evocative listening experience.

The result is nourishing, a lulling yet ringing affirmation of Wright's deeply rooted connection to the South and its music.

Not all of his juxtapositions or segues seem to make sense, and the album seems a bit overstuffed, but Jonti's ambition and creativity are undeniably admirable, and the entire album is a delightfully strange trip.

As with their debut, Sunwatchers' second album is sprawling and all-encompassing, but they make their intentions much clearer this time around, and it lends a greater sense of purpose and power to their righteous, freedom-seeking jamming.

Fittingly, this final chapter for the Skull Defekts is easily the most explosive, most elaborately conceived, and still fully realized work in their catalog, and a monolithic note to go out on.