Despite its brief runtime, Be is an expert snapshot of time and place, a document of a worldwide event that manages to strengthen their connection to their listeners and push their songcraft forward with focus, heart, and humanity.

The Kennington MC puts forward some of his finest work to date, with a bold three-act that dips through the various strands of his career. While the sustainability of such a wide-ranging approach remains in question, Music, Trial and Trauma provides too strong of a tape to dispute, staking claims for the rapper across the U.K. spectrum.

While Bramblett manifests a degree of poignancy on all his records amid rowdy roadhouse rock and R&B, it is a guiding spirit on Pine Needle Fire, shot through with an aching yet grateful heart, abiding empathy, and self-effacing humor. It is exactly the kind of record the 2020s call for.

Napalm Death remain pugilists to the core, and it's in the crucible of that apoplexy that they unearthed the sordidly splendid Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism.

The Symbol Remains is diverse, wildly creative, and expertly sequenced, making not only a consistent return for Blue Öyster Cult but a thoroughly inspired one as well.

On 2020 Magik Markers don't just reflect the chaos of a year that felt more dystopian with each passing month; they make the most of the opportunity that difficult times provide to start fresh while honoring time-tested strengths.

A career highlight filled with well-earned warmth, Night Network is exactly the kind of album the Cribs should be making as they near their 20th anniversary.

Trip doesn't overlap much with Lambchop's original musical vision, but it finds the group picking up on the philosophy behind their early work, and it makes for a satisfying and affecting listening.

Apart from this one song ["Intrasport"], King Gizzard don't break much new ground on K.G., and while that in itself might be something of a letdown, the result is still quite pleasing.

While Megan Thee Stallion presented herself as a force to be reckoned with from her earliest material, Good News finds her triple-X-rated sex rhymes, imposing charm, and ability to make it all appear effortless reaching new levels.

Live Drugs isn't essential for casual listeners, but for fans (especially those who have been following as the band's sound grew more complex) it's another testament to their unassuming but powerful songwriting.

Even though Kirk used a restrained setup of vintage equipment to make Shadow of Fear, his vibrant energy and "don't look back" attitude keep the album sounding fresh and forward-thinking.

Portugal. The Man and the Last Artful, Dodgr crowd the space somewhat with tandem featured appearances on three tracks, but only "Nature of the Beast" sounds like it belongs on another project.

While it might be impossible for them to be as shockingly distinctive as they were back in the day, they've kept up with the times, and Fires in Heaven is a return that's as strong as it is unexpected.

There's some ambling charm to Greendale, but Return to Greendale won't convert doubters. Instead, it'll play well to the album's fans, as this sounds like a leaner, muscular version of the studio set.

Something to Lose is more like a thoughtful early-morning walk through empty city streets. The glistening production and yearning performances don't change too much from song to song, but converge into an album-length mood of reflective bittersweetness.

III is much more concise than other Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas albums, but it still reaches toward the outer limits the way that only their work can.

PLUS seems to meander as much as its predecessor, but its greater focus on rhythm helps it appear to hold together more strongly, and rapt concentration reveals that these pieces are as intricate and thoughtfully crafted as the duo's best work.

The results are mostly knotty and easy to get caught up in, though it closes on a spare arrangement of the traditional folksong "My Boy Willie" -- on which Fogarty still leaves his distinct mark.

The quality control isn't quite as tight. Some songs meander long after making their point. A greater position of the sequence, however, is filled with indestructible art that consoles, challenges, and invigorates with gospel, doo wop, highlife, psychedelicized garage rock, dub, and post-punk funk all filtered with uncommon aptitude through vintage outsider soul. Highlights are abundant.

It's a striking album of hidden layers and plenty of craft that entrances from start to finish.

This is a compelling, satisfying, richly musical statement from a gifted player developing a uniquely individual style.

In terms of both recording fidelity and songwriting, Monument sounds much brighter and more polished, and contains some of their most hook-filled songs to date. It's also more overtly danceable than their earlier records.

It's an impressive, filler-free debut that manages to be both uplifting and poignant, almost from beginning to end.

Roxanne's music is balming and refreshing, yet also reflective of an intense spiritual and physical journey, and Because of a Flower is a quietly powerful encapsulation of the progress she's made.

Jewel Box does have a bit of a scattershot feeling to it, but the title itself implies that it's a place where rarities and gems are collected. That's exactly what this set provides: some cuts are diamonds and some are zirconium, but they all have a bit of sparkle.

It's a vulnerable set steeped in longing and memory, with recurring audio from home-video recordings contributing to its memoir-like feel.

While their sophomore set was great in its own right, Impossible Weight feels leagues ahead, an introspective maturation that allows for both reflection and catharsis.