Dirty Gold is certainly a flawed debut, and yet it's not what's inside that's flawed, it's just the container's inability to hold such OCD-ish genius.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Wanderlust is at its best when it's slightly dexterous (as on the girl group homage "Runaway Daydreamer") and it can get bogged down in pretension (as on the ceaseless pomp of "Love Is a Camera"), but it's always exquisitely sculpted and better for its attention to detail.

Describing just what Marijuana Deathsquads are up to on Oh My Sexy Lord isn't simple, but after taking a taste, don't be surprised if you ask for another dose before demanding to know the ingredients.

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.

Given Burton and Mercer's pedigrees, it's hard not to want more from Broken Bells, but After the Disco's strongest moments suggest that their music is coming into focus.

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.

Although it's unlikely In the Silence will have quite the same impact on the charts beyond the shores of Iceland, it does suggest another musical gem has been unearthed from the island's formidable pool of talent.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All told, Innocence finds Pontiak in a place both refined and vividly experimental, reining in their unhinged psychedelic guitar blasts and mind-melting production with some of their most nuanced songwriting to date.

Though truly hypnotic and rich with fuzzy textures, Maui Tears keeps its spacy tendencies from fading into incoherent jamming with both intriguing songwriting and pinpoint production choices.

With The B-Sides, fans are treated to another side of the band with a collection of live tracks, acoustic versions, covers, and unused studio cuts. While you could always describe the band's sound as raw, there's a sense of practiced composure on their albums that's refreshingly absent from the acoustic home recordings of "The Queen of Lower Chelsea" and "Boxer."

There's no filler, which isn't so stunning since this is an EP.

Given its experimental beginnings, Too Much Information might not be the band's most immediate album, but it affords them more possibilities than they've had since their debut.

Dunes is a perfect match of band, songs, and producer that works almost perfectly and should mean that the days of Gardens & Villa being compared to their peers are over.

The artistic playground of modern-day Berlin seems to have had its influence on the gentlemen of Breton as they turn in an extremely creative, yet accessible sophomore effort.

In the wake of crossover dance acts who scored after the success of On a Mission, Katy B remains in a class of her own.

Angel Guts: Red Classroom proves Xiu Xiu can still make impressively intimidating music--even if their real strengths arguably lie elsewhere.