Rarely does a double album (or a quadruple EP?) sound so revitalizing, but Django Django somehow pull it off on their best release in years.

While the thick, churning grind may feel familiar, it never seems staid, not when QOTSA rely on clouds of vocal harmonies to push them onto a psychedelic astral plane, a shift that can amount to the subtle colorings of "Time & Place" or be as startling as the chorus of "Emotion Sickness."

While not the project's most mind-bending or boundary-pushing album, it’s their most stunningly gorgeous, and a successful, timely countermeasure to the symbolic cover art depicting a rainbow in flames.

Even though it was created by enough people to fill a starship, including the HawtPlates, a vocal group heard throughout and granted the spotlight on a moving a cappella piece, this is as intimate as any of Ndegeocello's previous albums. It's almost as varied as any of them in sound.

The pair has assembled this durable catalog almost without interruption, reliably delivering singles, albums, remixes, and EPs almost annually since their debut. Work ethic and quality don't always go hand in hand, but Pet Shop Boys have both in spades.

So much of Russell's work contained a playful curiosity, but that sweet character never felt so apparent as it did with the delicate intensity of World of Echo. Picture of Bunny Rabbit's continuance of that pure spirit is a gift to anyone with a special place in their heart for Russell, and even more evidence of just how peerless he was an artist.

A triumph in its own right, I Inside the Old Year Dying's lively exploration is also a rekindling of something vital in Harvey's art in general. Though its whispers and shadows may not reveal everything, they're more than enough for a fascinating listening experience.

It's moments like this, the staticky intro to "Lightning Comes Up from the Ground," and the distant thunder-like, well-spaced drum strikes of "Conversation Is a Flowstate" that elevate what are already lovely songs to something that feels transformative.

JID018 is an absolutely simmering set, with one of Afrobeat's creators showing us how it's done once again.

There isn't an overriding theme on Sticks and Stones, nor is it nearly as ambitious as previous POTR records, yet that's its considerable charm: it's lean, loose and funny, the kind of record that provides a soundtrack any kind of good time.

An album that feels age-appropriate without being stodgy: it's mature and nuanced, cherishing the connections that once were taken for granted but now seem precious.

Altogether, Evergreen is a masterfully executed maturation that launches Gunnulfsen forward into fresh, fearless territory.

It's a style that evokes the breezy, early '90s rock of artists like Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt, yet still retains all of the ringing melodicism of Best Coast. She also trades some of her cool girl swagger for a refreshing vulnerability and open heartedness.

It adds up to another pitch perfect album by the band, certainly one of their best and most devastatingly pretty works. In a career full of brilliance, that's saying ever so much.

Melodic and heartfelt, Austin surprises at nearly every turn, whether that's by an unexpected sonic detour or the simple fact that Post Malone has never sounded this fearless.

Altogether, Central City is a total riot and fun as hell, the culmination of years of grinding and fighting to place New Orleans bounce on an even larger stage.

Like the best of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's work that came before it, Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You is the kind of record that gets played over and over until it feels like a part of the listener's personal history.

The fine track list, together with the rarity value, should make this a high priority on the purchase list of Neil Young fans or, indeed, rock fans.

Ribot and Ceramic Dog push their vitriol about the state of the world to new heights, crafting an album that balances a sustained punk dread with moments of primal, yawping rage.

Owusu could have gone any number of ways on his sophomore set, but it's a testament to his artistic conviction that he chose to make something so risky and complex. Even better, he pulled it off.

Live in Brooklyn 2011 is a stunning document of a veteran band challenging received wisdom and thriving in the excitement of rediscovery.

The Armed get down to business, delivering a volley of potent noise-punk rockers ("FKA World," "Clone," "Everything's Glitter") that temper their myriad technical complexities with sugary, boot-stomping melodies.

Jaguar II nudges contemporary R&B forward as it mixes inspirations spanning continents and generations.

Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) is both a pinnacle of that bold creative musical vision and a tantalizing spark of what might have been.

Untangling Speedy Ortiz's hyper-detailed words and sounds is always time well spent, but these fierce, surprising songs are some of their most satisfying work yet.

GUTS is emphatic proof that Rodrigo isn't just good for a kid -- she's grown into an artist with plenty of things to say, and the confidence and eloquence to say them her way.

Listening to Bird Machine is a heartbreaking, uplifting experience -- in other words, a perfect tribute to the way he moved so many people.

Although Black Rainbows is a uniquely conceptual work and sticks all the way out from Corinne Bailey Rae, The Sea, and The Heart Speaks in Whispers, it's at least as personal as any of the singer's first three albums.