Far from descending into a pale imitation like, say, a Kingdom Come or late-'80s Whitesnake, however, BCC's offerings rise above and fly true thanks to the unimpeachable pedigree and recognizable musical personalities of all involved here.

She's been in something of a career renaissance ever since the mid-2000s, creating sharp adult pop that's accessible without being commercial, so if fan funding is what's needed to keep her actively recording, this album is a great testament to its potential power.

Lazer Sword are in full command on Memory, an album that finds them coming into their own as well as exploring new territory.

Pure Bathing Culture borrows only the best elements from the Twins, then adds more than enough of their own style and vision to make Moon Tides a dreamy triumph that is both a great debut album and a tantalizing promise for the future.

Ultimately, with Promise Everything, Basement return from the brink of oblivion and deliver an album that more than lives up to its title.

The album ends as it begins, with the smoldering remains of a dying fire, driving home the album's theme of interconnectedness. Another absolutely stellar work from Throwing Snow.

Sodium proves that at their best, Dasher are a truly powerful band.

Here, Tunstall has rekindled the fire with one of her tightest and most inspirational records to date.

Lofgren's originals may not carry the same swagger, but when they're surrounded by these Reed co-writes, they're given a slight lift: the whole affair simultaneously feels like an affectionate tribute to a departed friend and a resuscitation of Nils's gut-level rock & roll.

Like the obtuse artists that LA Priest takes notes from, the best moments on Gene come when these perspectives are deeply inward looking and warmly welcoming at the same time.

While just as brainy and elaborate as Jaga Jazzist's other albums, Pyramid is the sound of the group letting themselves go and following their instincts, arriving at some of their most unbound, easily enjoyable material.

Ozzy sounds hypercharged throughout Patient Number 9, continuing the unlikely late-in-the-game comeback he began on Ordinary Man, and besting that album by taking more chances.

While it sometimes feels like the duo could have done more with the album's concept, it's still a unique experience, and could very well signal a shift in how the visionaries approach their craft.

Midnight Boom is the Kills' most consistent, varied, and inventive album yet, and proof that passion and creativity trump cool any day.

The final part finds a midpoint of sorts between the two, with quick, skittering drumming matched by a series of drone and keyboard loops, rhythmic but not explicitly melodic, ending the album on a calmer but no less compelling note and promising quite a lot for the next two entries in the series.

Come for the rage on Digital Garbage and stay for the rock. Both feel intense and purifying.

As always with Dinosaur Jr., underneath all that sound lie some sturdy bones, songs constructed with expert, unassuming craftsmanship and a sly wit, but it's the variety and adventure that makes I Bet On Sky something more than another excellent Dinosaur record.

Even though Be Your Own Pet were more consistent, or maybe just easier to keep up with, on their EPs, there's still plenty of hyperactive fun (or rather, fuuuuuun) to be found here.

The production (a return engagement from Tucker Martine) remains relatively economical throughout, leaving plenty of room for Thao's distinctive warble/weep to unfold its tales of passion spent and soured.

Murmurations is a standout moment for Deep Throat Choir, while in the Simian Mobile Disco canon it sits as an interesting and pleasant experience but, ultimately, a sideline in their discography.

Red Hot + Fela's unique yet nearly seamless-sounding collaborations offer a deeper hearing of Afrobeat in light of its wide-ranging implications trans-culturally, both in the present era and as it points toward the future.

Burnett and the New Basement Tapes remain faithful to the spirit of The Basement Tapes yet take enough liberties to achieve their own identity, which is a difficult trick to achieve.

As The Light in You's title implies, Mercury Rev are seeking life's brightest moments, and they find them--along with some of their most satisfying music in many years.

There isn't a weak moment here as everything is organized, beautifully arranged, and never feels pushed or forced.

The problem is, because the songs are so dense, and the lyrics nearly unintelligible, it becomes difficult to differentiate Exiting Arm from the band's other work, and because of that, makes the album a bit of a disappointment.

Relatively straightforward compared to the drastically misshapen makeup of 2014's Ghettoville.

Both youthful and novel--Li was twenty-one upon its release, which may explain both her occasional goofy vocal affectations and the hesitant freshness of her sound--it's hard to pigeonhole but refreshingly easy to enjoy.

What makes Outside Love most compelling is that grim sort of optimism, delivered through a well-crafted sound that is as sedated as it is passionate, and simple as it is profound.