Balloon Balloon Balloon is pure pop music for now-and-then people, skillfully crafted from bits and bobs of the past, then melded together into a sound that is exactly what the smoothed-out, homogenous mid-2020s need.

Even grappling with mortality, De La Soul retain their eternal warmth and optimism on Cabin in the Sky, crafting a fun, jubilant set of tracks as they process deeper shades of reflection, thoughtfulness, and ultimately, acceptance.

He sounds freer than he has in years on Tranquilizer, and within its infinity mirror of transience and permanence, he uncovers the lasting soul within the digital abyss.

The shared lightness of touch among the producers suits Walker's uncommonly exquisite and authoritative voice. While she's still going through it, her artistic power remains undiminished.

It's not a grand-scale homage to Merle Haggard, but it comes from the heart and sounds like it was as pleasing to record as it is to hear.

This juxtaposition of soft-spoken self-examination and cathartic grunge is remarkably effective throughout the album.

FKA twigs may have already made 2025 her own with Eusexua, but Eusexua Afterglow is far from an afterthought.

The existence of all these already issued tracks makes this collection lean more towards the casual fan, though the more dedicated will probably want to hear the acoustic takes, instrumentals, overdub sessions, and rehearsals that make their official debut here. There are definitely enough quality rarities to make the duplication less painful.

The added brightness and clarity given to the songs is a nice upgrade, so is the more compact packaging. Is that enough to justify a repurchase? maybe. It definitely will appeal to Beatles fans who don't have the original versions and that seems like a very good reason for this set to exist.

There have been other Wings collections and they were fine; this double-disc does the best job of capturing all aspects of the band’s career. Anyone wanting to study pop music of the era should make this one of their first stops.

A thrilling glimpse into one of the pianist's most vital periods.

Their entire January 31 performance at hometown club First Avenue makes up half the collection, the rest is a grab bag of recordings made during the rest of the year. The former caught them on a good night for sure, it's hard to imagine another band of the time sounding as revolutionary and alive as the guys do here.

Chin Up Buttercup's opening trio of songs is as powerful as anything Austra has released.

Make no mistake: That's Showbiz Baby! is a must hear for any fan of euphoric, maximalist dance pop.

While nothing can compete with catalog classics Lungs or Ceremonials, Everybody Scream does come close, channeling the same energy and offering similar delights and thrills for the first time in a while.

The only song that seems to come from nowhere is the album ending "Wham Boom Bang," a jolly little knees up full of clarinets, cute guitar licks, and a saucy vocal from Zander. The rest of the album is Cheap Trick through and through, every song a reminder of how their past achievements were truly special, while at the same time letting everyone know they are still cranking out songs with all the manic energy, gleeful abandon, and pure pop songcraft they've embraced from the start.

Fearless, maximalist, and laden with emotion, Lux is a work worthy of both the Heavens and the Earth.

With EVERYONE'S A STAR!, they look back at their early years with an artful honesty, crafting a post-modern boyband album that's as sonically and thematically ambitious as it is fun.

The man has hits, but Baby is his apotheosis thus far.

The gentle push and pull between soft sounds and rich arrangements give the record just enough tension to keep it from drifting off into the clouds, and Sayeg knows just when to inject something interesting when eyelids begin to droop a bit.

Even more so than on the already impressive Small Medium Large, SML have mastered their own musical language with How You Been.

Their combination of on-point messaging, unyielding intensity, and wall-rattling musical power guarantees their future even as I'm Nice Now goes a long way to positioning them as the most important band of right now.

With a couple of exceptions, basically just the reggae and hip-hop songs, Buddhist Hipsters comes closest to recapturing the vibe of the Orb's prime work from the '90s than anything they've done in a while, making it one of their best efforts since Thomas Fehlmann left the group in 2017.

TBWPTH is skeletal, grandiose, and contemplative, a web of contradictions where answers come with questions of their own; caught between darkness and light, the U.K. legend wrings out some of his most compelling meditations yet.

The surplus of ambling ballads, especially during a stretch in the latter half that features the soft voices of Justin Vernon, Yebba, and Hynes, blurs the line between pleasantly languid and laborious. Near the end, there's a slight uptick in intensity.

Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series Vol. 18, 1956-1963 is an epic-scale document on how Bob Dylan became Bob Dylan, both as a persona and an artist, and the abundant audience recordings of his early gigs that appear here are a vital reminder that bringing a recording device to a concert is never a bad idea.

Although the group's early period still packs in the most memorable moments, Night Light is a fine addition to their reliable late-era catalog that keeps it engaging, impeccably produced, and emotionally earnest.

Equally appropriate for heartbroken solitude, low-key hangouts, or peaceful Sunday afternoons, even at its most conflicted Small Talk feels like a warm embrace.