There are several milestones in Kidjo's nearly 30-year recording career; Eve is certainly one of them.

The Green EP isn't a release that surprises and demands attention the way that Ambivalence Avenue and parts of Silver Wilkinson did; instead, it seduces listeners into a reverie that's more cohesive and satisfying than the EP's patchwork nature might suggest.

As a collection of unabashedly melodramatic, dear-diary poetic, and tastefully lush happy/sad dream pop anthems, In Roses delivers the goods with the sort of restrained panache that’s sure to win over the NPR crowd.

Moon's classic-sounding melodies and instrumentation have a timeless if deceptively simple beauty that's different in all the right ways from Raymonde's former band, and that's exactly what makes Snowbird such a worthy successor.

The album is like a gentle, sometimes terrifying solitary journey, a walk through foggy terrain with no absolute destination in mind, but one that takes the listener to places of new questions and different possibilities every time.

Miniature interludes tie it all together for that classic album flow, and with no filler or fumbles, Divine Ecstasy is a well-dressed and worthy addition to tasteful lofts, high-end headphones, and excellent album collections.

It's not common for a band to rock this hard and sound this smart at the same time, and the fact they've managed this accomplishment with a mere two people confirms Do Not Engage is both a solid dose of rock action and a model of modern efficiency.

While it would be a shame to let the Mendicants' future impede the progress of any new records by the group's flagship bands, this is a wonderful debut and certainly worthy of a follow-up album.

Peggy Sue may always be a little too quirky to reap the mainstream success of some of their contemporaries, but their versatility is a strength they can bank on in the long run.

Unlike many bands that have tried similar ways to change things up, Hospitality make all the right moves on Trouble, and not only equal their impressive debut but surpass it both sonically and emotionally.

Split between uptempo rockers like "Little Minx" and "Evil Blooms," powerful and hooky midtempo tracks like "Rimbaud Eyes," and streaked-eyeliner ballads like "Under These Hands," the record has a dynamic flow and balance of sounds and moods that previous albums haven't been able to accomplish.

He's aware he's building upon a past he sometimes pines for, yet he's restless enough to forage ahead into new territory, but only when he's surrounded by cozy, familiar settings.

They've found a capable formula that will appeal to many, but some more personality would go a long way to seal the deal.

River of Souls finds a way to economically say everything the artist needs to say, touching on myriad ideas and styles, wasting no words, and making it look so easy.

The quirky and antiquey title track is nothing but a cute lark and comes off as a bit trite in such purposeful surroundings. Think of it as a slight misstep or comedic interlude, but otherwise, this is engaging sweet techno with a smile, carefully crafted and yet seemingly carefree.

Divided & United is vital listening for anyone interested in the history of pop music or the United States, and it satisfies as both education and entertainment.

Completists looking for some new insights to Drake's sounds will come up empty-handed with this collection. Although the music at its best approaches flawlessness, almost all of it has been widely available long before this packaging.

While certain songs definitely stand on their own, the ability to capture a feeling throughout is what makes the album memorable and worthy of repeat listening.

Just as pretty but more purposeful than Jones' previous output, Tranquilizers makes good on the promise of Dog Bite's debut and then some.

When it works, it feels lived-in, loved, and just occasionally lurid enough to satisfy the fans who hold "Golden Streams" as the litmus test by which all Hidden Cameras songs must be judged, but tracks like the slight, early Depeche Mode-throwback "Carpe Jugular," and the seemingly endless, dub-kissed "Afterparty" feel like they were tossed in to make what would have been a solid EP into a filler-laden long-player.

At times, Paisley seems a little beholden to tradition--he prefers tastefully burnished settings to an un-sanded, spiky mess--but he still has enough panache to give this a bit of resonance and that's what makes this record, which feels as if everybody involved wishes it was recorded in a cabin in 1975, rather charming.

While much of Have Fun with God will be reserved for Smog and Callahan superfans, or those who loved Dream River so deeply they'd need to hear it in dub, casual listeners will find something to ponder in the mumbling percussion, deep basslines, and scattershot echo vocals of tunes like "Expanding Dub."

Even in its self-conscious worship of shoegaze it could easily become a late addition in that genre's canon. Shelter is expertly crafted, inspired, vulnerable, and honest.

This album continues the colorful and reaching work of the albums that preceded it, and if this pairing of Swift's deft production and Jurado's risk-taking songwriting continues, even greater things are on the horizon than these already gorgeous songs.

Expansive and enveloping at the same time, this set of songs puts Warpaint's past and future in perfect balance--one of the best things a band can do on their second album.

Rave Tapes takes a while to hit its stride, but it delivers plenty of moments to keep fans intrigued once it does.

It is to their considerable credit that Transgender Dysphoria Blues never sounds like the work of a band falling apart; if anything, they're reinvigorated, playing with a purpose lacking on 2010's softly unfocused White Crosses.

Calling EP2 "serviceable" might be a little harsh; instead, its best moments suggest that the Pixies are settling into writing songs that sound comfortable next to the classics and don't try too hard to reclaim the magic of the band's early years.