If Younger Now seems slightly scattered as it flits from song to song, it nevertheless adds up to a portrait of a pop star so confident of her swagger, she doesn't bother with such niceties as old-fashioned flow.

His mix of wistful tenderness and cerebral darkness plays out in the songs' twists and turns as he pits Bon Iver-ian robo-soul and folk gentleness against sometimes menacing basslines and frigid atmospherics. It's an approach that agrees with him on this strong sixth effort.

Far from seeming aimless, the spaciness is controlled: guitars and bass build to occasional crescendos that then fall back to earth, and the prolonged periods of murmuring electronics do not lack texture or tension. It's this almost cinematic pacing that gives IN///PARALLEL its unique appeal.

Although there are ghosts of traditional soul threaded through the record, the production is firmly modern, filled with electronic flair and allusions to hip-hop rhythms. It's a sound that suits Lovato, who has never positioned herself as a retro-soul singer but has repurposed older sounds for a fresh audience.

Distilling discomfort into something more palatable is never easy, but with a name like the World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, the band probably knew that going in.

While not his most consistent crop of songs, light brushes with Steely Dan-like jazz-rock and bolder synths add flavor to a still distinctive sound that's likely to be welcomed by fans.

This collection is full of fine music that merits attention, but as a career summary, it falls short of the mark.

Sterilize is raw, unrelenting rock music that unapologetically draws blood.

Stripped of harsh digital fuzz and angular guitars, Fatherland is an honest, satisfying window into the heart and mind of the man himself.

The only time they stumble is when they get a little heavy, like on "Half Hour," where some of the musical choices overpower Simpson's tender vocals. It's a minor quibble that's easy to overlook, and it doesn't make the album any less enjoyable overall.

The songs on French Touch are idiosyncratic and free of drama. But they are chock-full of tenderness; Bruni delivers them with keen insight into the lyric meanings these melodies convey.

As You Please can sometimes come across as overly dour, but Citizen are masters of uneasiness and wield that power like a sword.

While that might mean Colors doesn't offer the depth and intrigue of most Beck albums, it does mean it's a fun confection. It's a record that's designed to be nothing but a good time, and that indeed is all that it is.

Wide Open is a more polished affair than its predecessor, but Weaves haven't lost their gift for pairing knotty sonic architecture with gale force charisma.

Eternal Recurrence is a fine, thoughtful piece of ambient drone-folk that is as challenging as it is assuring.

Longtime fans will find plenty of grist for the mill, but for the uninitiated, Haines will likely remain a singular but elusive character, which is probably exactly the way he likes it.

Add it up and it's an impressive display of indie rock knowledge and ability, enough to make anyone thinking they should give the band a pass (despite their unfortunate moniker) some deep second thoughts.

The Selecter may still be best remembered for their part in the U.K. ska explosion of the early '80s, but Daylight shows they don't have to rest on past glories; they're creating a new body of work that's smart, energetic, and powerful.

No matter the setting, Corgan peddles heartfelt prog rock and here, when his songs are shorn of solos and kept at a human scale, his imagination feels immediate and bracing--and also a natural way for this once angry young man to ease into middle age.

More tonally diverse and thoughtfully arranged than the Bottoms' previous output, Going Grey is still wily enough to please longtime fans while adding new layers to their sound.

As a Wu-Tang album, The Saga Continues is good but not great, but it's a fine calling card for Mathematics, and makes the case that he should be given an album of his own more often.

In all, Boxing the Moonlight is a solid follow-up, offering a bit more of the variety that fans of this indie supergroup might have expected the first time around.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are still working out their game on this EP, but if you want to know if this band has promise, the answer is an insistent yes. Talk Tight has plenty of fine tunes, dry wit, and chiming guitars, and how much else do you really need?

This is a set of great songs from a master tunesmith, and Williams performs her material with greater intelligence and soul than anyone else could muster.

Though Ware co-wrote all the songs and is in full command from start to finish, the album has a stitched-together quality that starts to slowly unravel during the second half.

Cathartic and wrecked, Turn Out the Lights is the type of album that will be uncommonly relatable to some and unbearable to others. For those who are receptive, the songwriter's ferocious authenticity connects in spite of, rather than in concert with, the more dramatic accompaniment here.

Beneath its glossy surface, there's not only plenty of melody, but a perverse sense of humor that keeps the record from sounding too smooth and settled.

With engaging basslines that act as the hooks and the glue to Maus' carefully contrived sound, Screen Memories succeeds by basking in its murky splendor.