4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is a mighty long album, at 20 songs and two brief skits, but K.R.I.T. clearly has a lot to say, and he expresses it with vigor and passion on this ambitious work.

It's all somehow pulled off without coming across as aesthetically erratic.

The Endless Shimmering displays ASIWYFA's unrelenting optimism, and demonstrates their mastery of their singular brand of math-grunge.

Additional songwriters and producers, including but not limited to Timbaland, Stargate, Emile Haynie, and Malay, contribute to one or two songs each, but this album maintains a consistency and intensity that places it slightly above the debut.

Everything comes to a head on "Closure," an extended 11-minute smooth-funk jam that throws all the album's strict structure out the window. Its presence not only draws attention to how Maroon 5 can vamp, it also highlights the discipline behind the rest of Red Pill Blues.

For their part, Sharp and Keith continue to swap guitar licks and lead vocals, uniting in loose harmony and occasionally dialing up the tempo on tracks like the Keith-led rocker "Sally Rose" and the mellow yet jaunty Sharp tune "Strange Insistence." For the most part, though, Out of Range stays in first or second gear as the panoramic landscapes pass languidly by.

The robust rhythm battery of Rönkkö and bassist Rasmus Stolberg really propels 1982 forward and adds a great deal to their bigger picture. An improvement on their debut, this release solidifies Liima as a band.

The project's new direction is unexpected, and it works quite well. Woolford is still more of a master of dubplate pressure than cinematic soundscapes, but this is a promising direction for him.

While by no means a replacement for the originals, this is a fine collection highlighting several of Funkadelic's many aspects, serving as a party celebrating P-Funk and the Detroit music scene.

While likely of interest mostly to dedicated fans due to the eclectic nature of the recordings, it may also pique the curiosity of those less familiar with Olsen's growing, distinctive catalog.

Every number is given a slick electronic gloss that pushes it in the direction of adult contemporary MOR. Far from being a detriment, however, that's the strength of Unapologetically: It remains vibrant and fresh even though it sounds measured and mature.

Blitzen Trapper have always been at their best when the rubber meets the road, so to speak, and highway-ready anthems like "Rebel," "Stolen Hearts," "Dance with Me," and the soaring title cut don't disappoint, delivering a perfect blend of pathos and Pacific Northwest wanderlust, which incidentally is exactly what made Furr so compelling.

It's a solid label debut that finds its own footing apart from the Wilco connection.

It's definitely the warmest-sounding Corrs outing to date, and the austere studio setup lends itself to the band's penchant for pairing pop acumen with Irish balladry, which they do with great aplomb on heartfelt cuts like "Son of Solomon," "Dear Life," and "Live Before I Die."

Wizard Bloody Wizard doesn't break any new ground for this band, but innovation has never been what these folks are about. Instead, their albums are offerings to the gods of the blacklight poster and the bong, and on that level, Electric Wizard appear to have made their masters very happy indeed.

If Introduction to Escape-Ism lacks the punch of some of his band projects, this he is as purely himself as you could hope for, and hearing him work his songs over his own thrift store soundscapes is an engaging experience.

In a world that's turning upside down on a regular basis, the topical EP may be just the right format for Billy Bragg's socially conscious side, and Bridges Not Walls is smart, insightful music from a man who's made such things his business for nearly 35 years.

Langford's songs reflect his fascination with the culture and legacy of the American South, for better and for worse, and if his Welsh-accented voice sometimes seems to run counter to the music, Bethany Thomas and Tawny Newsome are both marvelous, putting their own spin on this music while honoring the traditions of Muscle Shoals soul.

As a debut, it has enough standout moments to pique interest in a future when Smith could stand toe to toe with his many inspirations.

The Greatest Gift works best as a companion piece to Carrie & Lowell, a variation that offers a different spin on its themes, but it's also a powerful and absorbing work in its own right, and fans of Stevens' work will appreciate it.

Not all of his juxtapositions or segues seem to make sense, and the album seems a bit overstuffed, but Jonti's ambition and creativity are undeniably admirable, and the entire album is a delightfully strange trip.

While the B-52's belatedly embraced electronics on 2008's Funplex, Change finds Wilson doing the same, but from a decidedly different vantage point, and it fits her beautifully; it's a successful musical reinvention that presents her talent in a whole new light.

Compared to the debut, this has a little more definition.

This kind of proudly theatrical arrangement would suit Amy Lee well for years, and that's why Synthesis doesn't feel like a holding pattern: It feels like the start of a new chapter.

Sure, the set meanders a bit too far into the woods here and there, but overall, Elizabethan Times is a winner from two great minds of U.K. pop.

Like Ryuichi Sakamoto's async, Finding Shore seems to find magic in everyday objects and scenes.

Overall, this is a strong debut with heart, style, and some nice hooks.

Despite its more collaborative origins, Thanks for Listening plays like a singer/songwriter album from Thile, one with moments of humor, poignancy, dread, and playfulness. Particularly "for anyone trying to hear through the din of a boorish year," it captures the Zeitgeist of the first half of 2017 with a very human touch.