Its cover inscribed with "In loving memory of Nipsey Hussle," 4REAL 4REAL would be the most subdued YG album even without that stirring reflection.

Overall, Where the Action Is is another reliably interesting and well-written addition to the band's latter-day renewal.

The best moments of Rainford prove that Perry's creative flame is still burning bright, more than five decades after he first began making music.

Stray Cats spit out allusions to their idols and classic oldies, nod at surf rock and country mythos, play a few blues shuffles, and generally have a whale of a good time. It's notable that these high spirits are evident on a reunion album because they were largely absent on the trio's previous reunions: this time, it sounds like the group is in it for fun, and that makes a huge difference.

The rich palette of soulful musical styles he draws from is often at odds with his strangely plain American diction. Yet, the vivid tones of his African heritage transmuted through his Ohio upbringing are a major part of his story, and with his melting pot of styles, influences, and cultures, Sinkane sets out to prove that we can be many things at once and still find acceptance and love.

Mixing a sophisticated amalgam of melody, sound, and poetic lyrics, Hawley's artistry lies in his ability to communicate a deeper vulnerability that openly engages hard questions about identity, and the often overlooked yet profound benefits of romantic love.

The album drifts by with a bittersweet solitude, like a more innocent reading of Satie or a less distraught take on the piano ambience of Eluvium contemporary Goldmund, reflecting on the most dream-like aspects of childhood with these warm but distant piano pieces.

Kind Heaven is every bit as ambitious an album as we've come to expect from Farrell, but it's more in line with the eclectic hard rock energy of his most popular work.

Both confounding and compelling, Office Politics, like much of Hannon's work, feels a bit like a magnificently rendered lark, but as per usual, it's hard not to admire the craftsmanship.

While Lust for Youth proves that the duo is among the best acts updating synth-pop for the 21st century, it also suggests that it might be time for Norrvide and Fischer to broaden their horizons once more.

Throughout the album, the duo maintain a balance between daring production tricks and direct feelings, producing futuristic experimental pop that builds on the two producers' combined histories while pushing things further.

Streamlining arrangements and song structures more so than in the past, the album's pop-leaning blend of dance-funk and the softer side of classic album rock is their most accessible yet.

2019's Age Hasn't Spoiled You introduces a multitude of influences and sounds into Greys' palette and makes for a challenging but overall worthwhile listen.

While uneven, it's an album that sticks, both for its theatrical melodies and uncommon benevolence.

If Prince intended these songs to be released under his own name, they'd be given richer, bolder arrangements and his singing would've been sharper, but he meant these as guides toward a finished product. Keeping that caveat in mind, this is an enlightening and illuminating listen.

The rollicking, Rivieras-evoking organ-rock tune "Berlin Weekend" is just one of several other worthwhile stops on a 12-track album that ups the ante on an already attention-grabbing debut.

With Widow's Weeds, the band hasn't necessarily reinvented their wheel, but there's a deep sense of change and growth, both in personal perspective and potential direction. While it takes time for the album to really sink in, it ends up being one of Silversun Pickups' most emotionally satisfying and cathartic listens.

Swimmers is a flowing, peaceful listen that doesn't need to be broken into small bits; it works best as a unified 35-minute diversion from the stress and struggle of the daily grind.

Time will tell if Perfect Version is a fascinating anomaly in Julia Shapiro's catalog or a bold step into a new phase of her career, but either way it's brave, powerful music that speaks from the heart and the mind. Anyone who has liked her work with Chastity Belt or Childbirth should investigate this study of the emotional flip side of Shapiro's songs.

Immersive, joyous, but sometimes insubstantial, A Bath Full of Ecstasy lives up to its name in more ways than one. Even if it's not as consistent as some of Hot Chip's other albums, it's still a welcome, well-intended, and timely respite from the world at its worst.

This effort lacks the element of surprise that enlivened their previous album and the songs aren't all quite at the same level, but for sheer smart-punk action, Dumb are clearly still something special. Club Nites suggests they have plenty more albums worth hearing left in them, and this album deserves a spin on your listening device of choice.

Appropriately titled, the album is packed with feel-good, summery nostalgia that breezes along at a clip with Greedo's varied delivery, which switches between auto-tuned crooning and wordy bars.

In opting for a ruminative approach, Parry has crafted more of a guided meditation than a cosmopolitan fun house, resulting in a collection of songs that often feel less tangible than those that populated its antecedent. Still, it's an ambitious work that is undeniably widescreen, but far removed from the grandiose chamber rock of his meal-ticket band. It celebrates family, self, friendship, and the existential pain and wonder of life.

The production throughout Daughters of the Sky seamlessly melds mallet percussion, trippy effects, and enticing synth textures, maintaining an atmosphere that's both organic and otherworldly. A handful of somewhat darker instrumental interludes are present, but there's still a cautious sense of determination to them.

All these sounds mean ANIMA sounds superficially similar to its predecessors (The Eraser, plus 2014's Tomorrow's Modern Boxes), but Yorke and Godrich are craftsman, offering a different perspective on a familiar subject. That subject is, naturally, a distrust of the modern world and a fear of a creeping dystopia, a paranoia that suits the troubled times of 2019.

Kicks feels like a lesser statement from Jones compared to the more ambitious original material of 2009's Balm in Gilead and 2015's The Other Side of Desire, but as a performer, she's still a unique talent, and the best moments here are a true delight.

While its charms might take a few spins to unpack themselves, Andersson and Dornauer have applied their own unique set of filters and experiences to the dreamier side of post-rock on this solid debut.