Deaf Havana are certain to set themselves aside from peers We Are the Ocean and Lower Than Atlantis with this release, yet they still have the hallmarks of a young band in transition.

Approach Rap Album One is an acquired taste that's worth acquiring because it isn't for everyone, but it's excellent.

Forty years on, Los Lobos are still one of America's best, bravest, and most satisfying bands, and their skills and their their instincts remain razor-sharp, regardless of their stage volume.

Dotted with intelligently applied sound effects and bits of newsreel narration, From the Sea to the Land Beyond often recalls Rachel's' post-rock masterpiece The Sea and the Bells in its evocative impact and thoughtful embrace of elements outside the palette of most rock bands; this isn't rock & roll, but what it is is something very special, and this is the rare film soundtrack that works nearly as well on its own as it does accompanying another artist's images.

Even if this is Snoop's first album with a single producer since the monolithic, Dr. Dre-helmed Doggystyle, don't call it a comeback, call it lark, and a funky, welcome one at that.

It's the songs that give Sunday Morning Record its lasting power, and its strength in the wake of so much upheaval speaks to the gifts of Jurdi and Quist as songwriters and frontmen.

Alafia is a serious album, and its musical complexity, its rich lyric structures, dynamic textures, and complex rhythmic palette serve to reflect on the bitter fruit of conflict, yet make it Touré's most compelling musical statement to date.

Perhaps Derulo has grown as a person since his previous album, but it's hard to call this one a step forward.

Pollard truly delivers the goods with his album, and he's advised to follow this method more often, since it sure seems to work for him.

There's no mistaking Days of Gold for anything earthy, but this sonic thawing winds up emphasizing Owen's inherent sweetness in an appealing fashion.

Life Love & Hope doesn't, and hearing it might lead a devoted Boston follower to believe that, despite the few moments when things come together nicely, maybe Scholz has finally lost his touch. Check back in another decade for further developments.

Join the Dots shows that instead of limiting themselves, TOY have just gotten better overall--arguably the more difficult, and rewarding, path for a band to take.

Connecting with the album is nearly impossible, understanding it is difficult, and often enough, its inflated ego is irksome, but Because the Internet is too free and fascinating to be dragged down by these complaints, so if a Yeezus with more flash and fun is what's required, Gambino's got the good stuff.

Occasional resemblances to Drake and the-Dream are as blatant as the Isley Brothers and Michael Jackson exercises of Write Me Back. The similarities are so obvious that it's tough to discern if Kelly is acknowledging his younger followers, aiming to beat them at their game, or both.

The often awesome The Second Album is more concerned about opening doors than just preserving the Latyrx legacy.

What follows is a sort of half-comforting, half-sad jamboree with Oberst and a small army of friends at his house playing through Christmas standards.

Hansard and company play it safe on the title cut... while the three original cuts, the evocative "Pennies in the Fountain," the soulful "Renata," and the empowering, completely a cappella "Step Out of the Shadows" should please fans of the Once star's 2012 solo debut, Rhythm and Repose.

The intimacy and raw beauty of Live at the Cellar Door makes it not just a must for super fans, but a valuable companion piece to any of Young's early studio output.

There's an element of nostalgia for times that are long gone, but with songs this strong, it almost feels like a necessary self-referencing for anyone who missed the band the first time around.

The beefy, Steeleye Span-meets-MGMT rocker "The Sixth Wave" are spilling over with ideas, and would probably have fit right in on Terra Firma's ambitious back end, while the amiable title cut, a breezy two-chord shuffle that should please fans of the band's hook-filled debut, delivers the EP's most instantly gratifying moments of pop acumen.

For most of the album, however, Jessie J shows how wide her range is.

[Carcass offers] up an 11-track tour de force that's as visceral, inventive, and grotesque as Symphonies of Sickness, yet infused with the dense, machine-shop precision and chrome veneer of 21st century metalcore.

Good fun for confirmed followers, and not a bad sampler for those needing a taste of Thee Oh Sees' special brew.

Think of A/B Til Infinity as a more mysterious version of the project's 2011 LP Bible Eyes, and all the meticulous production, overall album flow, and attractive song structure rules still apply, but this one can be parted out much easier, offering up about four 12"s worth of late-night dancefloor intoxication that are still rich enough tracks to hold up for headphone listening.

There's a Dream I've Been Saving is a prime cultural artifact documenting a high point in an independent era in pop recording, production, and D.I.Y. aesthetics. It deserves a Grammy for content and design.

By the end, the dizzying and beautiful piece expresses the fury and unpredictability of life while maintaining a zen-like calm at its core, finding clarity just as easily as it rises to chaos.

Harlem River is a journey worth taking and an excellent debut from an emerging singer/songwriter.

Along with celebrating the boldest parts of Stewart and Simone's art, Nina marks the return of Xiu Xiu's uncompromising side at its often exhilarating best.