With over a decade of releases to his credit, Elbogen continues to carve out his own distinct world that combines a smart wit, a strong will, and some solid pop songwriting.

Bieber makes all the right, charming moves for a teen, and he covers all the bases. The dance-pop songs are light on the ears yet memorable; the unrequited material sounds deeply felt; the ballads have all the necessary us-against-the-world teen-love dramatics.

This is a Western album where ghost towns stand silent and the stars shine bright at night, but the heroes don't so much ride off into the sunset as sink into a shimmering haze of a late-afternoon mirage.

Into the Future fares better than the stale output of most reunited punk acts and also rises above a weak rehash for the sake of nostalgia. Always true to their original vision, Bad Brains continue sailing on.

As a Belle & Sebastian album, Days Of The Bagold Summer may be a bit slight, but as a soundtrack it is considerably more cohesive and alluring than Storytelling, all due to the group's increased mastery of texture and feel.

Strange Dance is gentle enough to constitute adventurous background listening but complex enough to reward a closer inspection, a curious combination that is not without appeal.

As a debut album, however, Wrecking Ball is a hit-or-miss effort that only hints at the band's potential.

In a way, the album seems like a bit of a farewell to an old friend, with lots of wistful moments to be found under the layers of synths and fuzz all throughout the album, really nailing home the Death Set's method of mixing the old with the new to create something that strides boldly forward as it fondly remembers where it came from.

There are clever parts strewn throughout and some of the more ambient instrumental tracks like "i.v." and "l.i.v." are quite nice, but overall, the songs themselves don't have quite enough going for them to support the album's quirky intentions.

It feels like they could keep making these records forever with no diminishing returns; the level of quality and imagination never drops an inch on LP4.

This is a graceful set, lit with pretty melodies, subtle instrumentation, and lovely singing from both bandmembers. As introductions go, it's a charmer.

He may have lost the plot for a bit, but Page is back and his pop sensibility remains sarcastically, unsparingly intact.

While this decision [to a trimmed down from the five-disc] might disappoint some of the film and film score geeks among Francis' fans, the album still has plenty to offer, not the least of which is Francis' reunion with longtime collaborator Eric Drew Feldman. Feldman's keyboards and Francis' voice and guitar just sound natural--and immediately recognizable--together.

Taylor's chameleon-like always-hiding-in-plain-sight aesthetic gives us a poignant, compelling recording that warrants repeated listening.

Hansard and company play it safe on the title cut... while the three original cuts, the evocative "Pennies in the Fountain," the soulful "Renata," and the empowering, completely a cappella "Step Out of the Shadows" should please fans of the Once star's 2012 solo debut, Rhythm and Repose.

It's the kind of music that will always be polarizing, as some fans buy into it with fervor and zeal while other cringe from the first chord.

The album is all about comfort and steady, forward motion.

Living Legend is a non-stop gangsta party connected to the street, offering a more approachable alternative to Ross' grandiose LPs.

In these songs Maal continues to celebrate his people, his culture, and the Fulani language, even as he presents the listener with challenges to their preservation from inside and outside Senegal.

Moaning is an undeniably powerful debut which sounds astonishingly mature and accomplished for a first effort.

As a whole, Hundred Acres is a pleasing listen with a warm-hearted, pastoral feel, even if its nuances sometimes get lost in the cracks.

Equally raw and sleek, Pinned is one of the band's most cohesive albums--even if change is a constant in A Place to Bury Strangers' world, so is the quality of their music.

Personne d'Autre finds Hardy in full command of her authority as a songwriter and, despite her voice's wear and tear, the full weight and charm of her signature as a singer. If this is indeed her final recording, it's one she can be proud of and one for fans to celebrate.

At a scant four tracks, The Roadside EP hardly marks a major release from the veteran artist, but in lead single "Bitter Taste," he presents one of his better late-career offerings. ... The other two cuts, "Rita Hayworth" and "U Don't Have to Kiss Me Like That," are well-executed, if forgettable tracks that harken back to the singer's '80s heyday.

While As I Try Not to Fall Apart probably won't pull in any new fans, it has a sultry, back-of-the-club intensity that speaks to White Lies' ever-deepening artistry.

While other 1D members might grab more of the public spotlight, Tomlinson proves his strength as a songwriter and voice for fans with more complex, deeper emotions.

LAROI reveals a growing maturity and surprising pathos on Before I Forget. He brings you into his heartbreak and holds you there.

This may be Ladytron's most difficult album, but it's also one of their most cohesive.