This remains some of their finest work to date, and whether you missed them back in the day or are updating your library, this set is a must.

This remains a stronger and more engaging document of Lone Justice's brief moment of greatness than has ever seen authorized release, and 30 years on, this still sounds like a band that could have taken on the world if they'd been allowed to follow their own path.

Somewhat unexpectedly, Hidden World makes an argument for Fucked Up as part of the thriving Canadian post-rock scene, which the band has previously willfully ignored.

Ultimately, much like riding a surfboard from wave to wave, Fading West moves from earnest ballads to dancey, groove-oriented cuts to breezy, sunshine-soaked rockers with an easy, athletic flow.

At times, this album is nearly exquisite, at all others, it is beautiful.

For all their technical skill, there's something terribly generic about this band, who don't seem to have a fresh or distinctive move in their entire repertoire as they bounce through their cookie-cutter tunes.

Approach this release as album number two and it comes off as a celebration based on past success, so use Up & Away as an intro, then join Ink and all the inspired party people he invited to My Own Lane.

No one doubts the power in Nettles' throaty contralto, but some of these songs feel too calculated or require more subtlety to completely pull off. That said, these simple shortcomings won't--nor should they--deter her fans.

These trips to the dark side add even more depth to an album that's a significant step forward for Blank Realm, and some of their most enjoyable music yet.

You can hear the isolated perspectives that it was made in creep into the finished products, which doesn't take away from the songs but adds a feeling of being stuck in some faraway dream to even the most immediate of the band's glowing pop tunes.

If you're already a serious Mark Lanegan fan, Has God Seen My Shadow covers a lot of familiar ground, but the 12 unreleased tracks amount to an album's worth on unheard pleasures, and if you've never been introduced to Lanegan's music, this is beautiful, challenging stuff for those dark nights of the soul.

Fans of James Blake's Overgrown and Bon Iver's self-titled second album should find this appealing, but this stands apart from both those records. It's not only smart, it's honest, emotionally and musically.

These ten songs sound almost designed to be played on repeat, and keep with the always colorful and ecstatically fun sound audiences have come to expect from one of the best acts going in retrofitted classic soul.

How much Howe Gelb one needs is a question only fans can answer for themselves, but if you're up for a major journey through Gelb's universe, Little Sand Box delivers the deluxe guided tour with the sage himself as your guide, and there isn't a single false or insincere moment to be found in these eight albums.

This album confirms once again that she's matured into a singular artist with the talent and the vision to make these stories of her travels in the South come to vivid and affecting life.

Most of the time, Tough Age make it sound pretty amazing, and to both the head and the heart, these folks stand out from the run of the mill garage punk acts of the new millennium.

Strictly speaking, these 12 songs don't cohere into a mood or narrative but after two decades of deliberate, purposeful albums, it's rather thrilling to hear Springsteen revel in a mess of contradictions.

They've made a good career out of mixing the tongue-in-cheek with the truth, and Stoke Extinguisher is another in a long line of solid releases from a band that's made drifting between not caring at all and caring too much into an art form.

This one is so packed and bold, it even exits on a turned-up club stunner ("Act Right" with Jeezy and YG), so consider it the big longevity payoff after years of rocky Yo Gotti albums.

Even if Wig Out at Jagbags is quieter than, say, 2008's churning Real Emotional Trash, it feels looser than most of the Jicks records; the compositions are tight but the attitude is ragged, which winds up being more infectious and fun than albums where the songs drift but the instruments are tight.

Cobble out the stellar EP inside or consider it a pre-mall mixtape because the puzzling Underground Luxury mixes mack daddy music with mall rat tracks, even if B.o.B's conviction throughout suggests he sees them as equals.

Frustratingly, the quality of Diary does dip in and out, with "What Am I Supposed to Do?" providing an unimaginative guitar bounce, for example. But when it works, it really does produce some memorable moments.

The band has found a nice balance between the more contemporary prog-inflected craftsmanship of Field Music and the retro synth romanticism of bands like Delphic and Naked and Famous.

Ocean Colour Scene are agile within the confines of their wheelhouse so it's enjoyable to hear them play and construct records, even if they rarely give you a reason for a return visit.

In time, it should be seen as a career highlight from a superstar--one of the hardest-working people in the business, a new mother, in total control, at her creative and commercial peak.

Hardcourage is a rich experience that rewards return visits. Add a near perfect flow from start to finish, and this fun bundle of irresistible future garage can be considered crafted, even when the spirit is as easy as Sunday morning.

Mostly though, the album is a successful blending of the past and present, with every new idea working out just right, with the end result being an album that capitalizes on the Liminañas' many established strengths and sends them shooting off in new directions that prove just as satisfying.

Those who possess inside-out knowledge of the Prince and Jam & Lewis songbooks should be thrilled with it.