The truth is this sounds less like a 50/50 collaboration than a Joseph Arthur album with Peter Buck pitching in. Which is not at all bad, of course; as usual, Arthur's lyrics are bold, clever, and incisive, his vocals are passionate and reveal just the right amount of drama, and the melodies are strong, with Buck adding an extra spoonful of melodic bounce.

Acutely personal--almost to the point of discomfort--and exceedingly fragile, Seedlings All somehow manages to remain resilient, which is a tough balance to pull off.

Mien's experiments are sometimes a little too formless, but the album's standouts prove they weren't keeping all their best ideas for their main bands.

The Dock of the Bay Sessions is hardly essential for loyal Otis Redding fans, but as a compact summation of his final recordings, it's a fine collection that flows with the coherence of a "real" LP, and if you're looking for an album with "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," this is a good way to go.

With the fountain of material springing out of Newcombe's Berlin studio in the first part of the 2010s, the quality level has been rather hit or miss, but Something Else is a solid effort and somewhat of a return to form for the veteran band.

While it's unlikely that Bird Dog Dante will win him many new fans, its curious, intimate, casual approach will certainly appeal to those who have embraced Parish's earlier--and no less idiosyncratic--recordings.

Girls Names do a very good job of keeping the drama, intensity, and twisted emotion in place while taking the music into darker, odder realms. It's pretty far from the poppy place the band started at, but their journey remains one that is very much worth following.

Whether it's the dawning of a new age of retro-looking records or a one-off blast from the past, Kicker is a welcome return and a raucous homecoming for a once great band that still has something left in the tank.

There are not a lot of bands who do what Protomartyr does, and even if there were, the skill and fury of their music would still set them apart, and Consolation is a brief but potent reminder that they're a force to be reckoned with.

While some of his eccentricities can seem affected. Perhaps these stumbles are the side effect of an artist dedicated to capturing all the mess of the modern world, and even if there are moments that grate or confound, there's still something invigorating about an artist who refuses to sit still.

The rebooted Immersion sounds far more engaging than the project's original incarnation, which had a tendency to meander, and Sleepless is certainly one of its best efforts.

As the band looks back upon three decades of pain and rage, Reznor and Ross leave the sonic bread crumbs and callback allusions to the first two installments, advancing with fresh and surprising new possibilities for the coming era of Nine Inch Nails.

No Sounds ends up seeming a bit scattered, even by the Orb's standards, but it's still plenty enjoyable, and enough to distract you from the nightmarish absurdity of current events.

As unconventional as it is relaxing, Zebra is perhaps Arp's most inviting sound-world yet.

Perhaps this doesn't make for a listen that's as wild or adventurous as its companion, but it's ultimately more satisfying, as the internal journey mirrors the evolution of the pop landscape in the 21st century. What was once a rowdy, colorful party is now a soundtrack for bittersweet solitude.

Deeper cuts like "Voices at the Window," "Floating on Water," and the ethereal closer "You Ought to Know" deal in more abstract vistas, delivering different hues culled from the same retro spectrum, resulting in something that has more in common with the spacy, neo-psych-rock emissions of the Flaming Lips than it does crusty ethno-doom metal.

Interestingly, the uneven moments on Vanished Gardens have more to do with the Marvels' reticence on the standards. Otherwise, the pairing of this band with Williams sounds natural, effortless, and holistic. There's definitely room for a sequel.

Straightforward and relatably human, High as Hope may not be the rousing version of Welch from previous albums, but as a document of her personal growth, it's an endearing and heartfelt study of truth and self-reflection.

Not one of their releases is the same as another, and with Year of the Snitch, they continue to break boundaries and expectations. The record is another example of true experimentation with their sound along with an uncompromising work ethic and a thirst for originality.

Rather than chasing trends or aiming for reinvention, the Innocence Mission seem content at this point in their career to carry on doing what they do best and expand on their trademark sound with another fine release.

Across the album's 12 yearning songs, the performances not only breathe but seem to sigh in concert with the main duo, arriving at what is much more an expansion of their trademark sound than a renouncement of it.

Once again, Self Defense Family have created a work that reveals itself entirely on its own terms, and though Have You Considered Punk Music is often evasive, it still manages to draw in the listener, and it's an experience that's well worth your time.

All That Reckoning is a smart, compelling set of songs from a group that hasn't run out of things to say or the ability to say them with eloquence.

Adam Landry, who produced and engineered the project as well as playing guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums, has done a splendid job helping Morris realize this cycle of songs, and while one might hope Morris feels better the next time he decides to make a record, Dude, the Obscure shows that he gained something worthwhile during his journey through difficult times.

While not as spontaneous or weird as some of Torske's other efforts, Byen is unmistakably well-crafted, and works on the dancefloor as well as a soundtrack for zoning out.

One of the best aspects of The Return is how balanced the songs feel, weaving in bits of modern electronic dance and hip-hop flourishes as on the stuttering, breakbeat-infused "Catch the Loop," and the equally kinetic "Broken Theme." While The Return implies, and often delivers on, Williams' clear desire to recapture the plasmic spirit of vintage '70s jazz-funk, the album is less of a return to past traditions and more of a rebirth.

Their Prime is an impressive debut from a group that has already gone a long way toward moving past their influences, and Jo Passed is clearly a band to watch.

Scaling back from the expansive horizons of 2015's T-Bone Burnett-produced The Phosphorescent Blues, Punch Brothers may sound intimate on 2018's All Ashore, but they haven't lost their ambition.