Universal Beings E&F Sides is, therefore, not only a fine follow-up, but a visionary outing of its own that also stands as required listening for post-millennial jazz fans.

Cut live to disc without the possibility for edits or overdubs, mistakes get made, but none get in the way. Make no assumptions, though: Night Dreamer is not a free-for-all jam; the music and charts here may be uncomplicated but are also tightly arranged and sophisticated -- everything is in its proper place, including the grit and grease -- placed in service to the almighty groove, with no room for overplaying or peacocking.

It's a thrill to hear Martin stimulate hip and neck movement again. His juddering drums and cone-toasting bass frequencies are dispensed with more clarity and crispness than ever, while the swarming ambient FX are in full effect, never quite overpowering Dis Fig. Only on the closing "End in Blue" does the voice of Martin's partner dissipate, and once it does, it's already missed, prompting an impulsive rewind.

From the sweeping "Surrender" and "River Song" to the gospel-tinged epic hymnal of the title track, Birdy outdoes herself with Young Heart, a pensive journey that offers some solace and a shoulder to cry on.

It's a solid and rewarding set of songs that sounds a bit different than his usual work but finds him working with some excellent and sympatico musicians who understand his craft and give him what he needs and more.

Outlaw R&B suggests Danny Lee Blackwell hasn't completely turned his back on the Myth of a Man experiment, but he knows the right amount of dirt can give music some valuable texture, and this music is all the more enjoyable for its increase in grit.

Any Young completist will need Carnegie Hall 1970, but it's a special performance that can be appreciated by more casual listeners as well. Alone at the microphone, the purity, simplicity, and one-of-a-kind magic of some of Neil Young's best songs come into view in a way that's undeniable.

The band injects their own perspectives -- both lyrical and compositional -- into Modern Fiction, giving the songs personal angles and emotional color that place them very much in the now.

It's never sappy but offers a message of spiritual succor to those who need it, and it's a great, rewarding listening.

You Get It All does practically everything a Hayes Carll album should do just right, and its unpretentious excellence makes it one of the best and most satisfying albums he's released to date.

Heavy Load Blues is raw, heavy, and immediate, the sound of a band unfettered while pursuing a deep blue groove that never quits.

The BBC Sessions emphasizes both the connective threads and creative evolution of Green Day during the first act of their career, which makes it a worthy historical document in addition to a first-rate live album.

Delta Estácio Blues is easily the most experimental outing Marçal has yet released. The rhythmic genre fusions across rock and afoxé, glitch, samba, and pop experimentalism combine with seams and scars showing as one of the most ambitious musical projects released this year.

It all comes together as a beautiful and honest reflection on self-acceptance and the passing of time. Bell invites us into the deeper reaches of his perpetual but ever-evolving dream state, and in the process creates some career-best highlights.

Track for track, Crown is flawless, the most consistent, musically ambitious, and satisfying album Gales has delivered in a long time, if not ever.

This could've been a cloying direction if it weren't for Night's sharp skills as a songwriter, the palpable chemistry of the Regrettes, and the sleek shine of the production, each contributing to the exuberance of Further Joy.

Making a joyous noise helps ease the pain of troubled times and that's precisely what happens here: the good and the bad intermingle like the past and the present, resulting in a lively, heartfelt record.

Nelson's guitar and voice have intertwined and complemented each other throughout his career yet it's still a marvel to hear him find sustenance and surprises within his music, and that's what makes A Beautiful Time so rewarding: it's no small achievement that Willie Nelson is still deepening his artistry at the age of 89.

Here she fronts a septet with dreamy acoustic guitars, shimmering layers of percussion, and a sweeping flügelhorn, putting the tune to rest as if it were her own. If You Will is a revelatory exercise.

Like Neptune offers a glimpse into one man's heart and soul while reminding us how he got where he is today, and it's an impressive LP from an artist who has some stuff to get off his chest and can still powerfully entertain as he does so.

Ocean offers a document of spontaneously created music-making of a very high order. A snapshot of a moment in time, the energy, creativity, and surprise offered here are a delight.

The Bordeaux Concert is not for the Jarrett beginner, but for seasoned fans of his many solo recordings, that are, after all, responsible for a sizeable portion of his legendary reputation. The dialogue he engages in with the piano here challenges its own assertions with an unassuming, even reverential authority. This is not only masterful, it soulful, interrogatory, and virtuosic.

By the end, the album both feels like an inevitable destination from prior albums and represents an excellent entry point for the uninitiated.

Phoenix's most immediate work since Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and their most varied since United, Alpha Zulu does indeed range from A to Z, but the band are always in control and the results are frequently brilliant.

While Where I'm Meant to Be is a logical follow-up to Ezra Collective's debut, it's a soulful, musically advanced, rhythmically infectious one, too.

Even though The Metallic Index feels sparser and less developed than the first Fenella release, which was longer and a bit more dynamic, it's still a captivating effort, and well worth exploring.

Live at the L.A. Forum, April 26, 1969 is a superb reminder that most of that music is still vital, rewarding, and well worth hearing.

Sharp, incisive songwriting remains at the heart of her music, allowing Price to weave different sounds and rhythms into her probing, emotionally open songs.