For all the varnish Feldmann applied, Hurry Up and Wait still sounds like the Dune Rats, which is good news for all concerned, except perhaps whoever bankrolled the sessions.

Polachek further distills her approach with a collection of deeply emotive songs that showcase her delicate vocals and intricate pop sensibilities.

The production, sequencing, and performances on Chaos and a Dancing Star reveal Almond at his most sophisticated and ambitious, at the very top of his game; these songs are beautifully written and arranged, and they arrive as deep emanations from the singer's personal well of passion, pleasure, heartbreak, sin, and loss.

Like Torres' previous album, Silver Tongue takes some time to unfold, but it's well worth it; by fluently expressing the resilience it takes to bounce back from hard times, she comes into her own.

When We Stay Alive captures every nuance of Leaneagh's journey with unflinching honesty.

While Have We Met doesn't sound quite like top-shelf Destroyer, it's a fine testament to Bejar's talent and his gift for having things both ways at once, lyrically droll and musically cool and on point.

Overall, Dwell is a stirring album best enjoyed at home during the middle of winter, when the weather renders venturing outdoors a fool's task.

Keeping Up Appearances is tuneful and exciting, morose and beautiful, noisy and sweet, and it should have heralded the triumphant arrival of Patrick Doyle as a solo artist. Sadly, he didn't live to see its release. The album is a fitting tribute to Doyle's music and also a tragic reminder of the great songs he will never write or play.

While Darkness Brings the Wonders Home finds Smoke Fairies toying with a new and different approach, it also reinforces what they do best; it's a detour that happens to take them someplace worth visiting.

If I Am Only My Thoughts is the work of a band already at the top of their game, and anyone looking for music that wraps them in a warm blanket of intricate sound and a calming embrace of restrained emotion could do a whole lot worse.

The Unraveling is a dire yet vivid depiction of the American zeitgeist at a crucial time in the nation's history, and a decisive collection of songs these musicians clearly wish they didn't have to write.

While Likewise still features the singer's peculiar, leaping vocal melodies, one of the album's biggest surprises is its sweeter, softer demeanor. That quality is partly manifested in lyrics and vocal performances that channel strong currents of compassion.

Even if the songs on Walls aren't the most distinct or memorable, they come from a place of authenticity that's genuinely heartwarming and enjoyable. Like any other settled adult, he's perfectly content to stick to the reliable and Walls winds up being the most mature and natural of the ex-1D bunch.

The soft, subtle tension between the deeply felt songs and the smooth, sophistication of the execution is quite rewarding, since the album can alternately play like a plea or a balm, depending on mood or timing.

Perhaps the album doesn't sound like country music, but Corgan has assembled the album with country ideals, keeping the music and emotions direct but also relaxed, and that rigorous stylistic aesthetic makes Cotillions one of his better solo albums.

Deacon reassures the listener that inner peace "starts any moment you'd like." Mystic Familiar's triumphant victory lap is "Bumble Bee Crown King," a dazzling instrumental featuring Dustin Wong's unmistakable, spellbinding guitar work.

Slow-moving and thoughtful, I Was Born Swimming thrives on its central idea of rootlessness, roving through moments of heartache, joy, wistfulness, and the myriad pangs of melancholy that accompany personal growth. Brimming with personal observations and subtly dynamic performances, Williams offers a strong debut.

After several records of heady composition and high-concept music, Be Up a Hello is refreshingly direct. Without simply revisiting a bygone golden era, Jenkinson reconsiders some of his old ways, taking some of his more familiar ideas to new, strange places. As always.

El Dorado might not boast enough shredding for King's usual audience, but if their interest in roots music goes beyond barroom blues into vintage soul, they should find plenty to enjoy here, and he's a more capable vocalist than some would expect, making this worth a spin for listeners who enjoy modern-day soul.

Quite simply, there are precious few indie songwriters who can impress as easily as Andy Shauf, and Neon Skyline is the work of an artist delivering on their significant promise.

Recalling contemporary debuts by names like Anna Burch and Madison Cunningham in terms of its polished sophistication, consistency, and fault-finding lyrics, Trophy introduces a songwriter fully formed.

At the album's wildest and dirtiest moments, there's a sense that her heart isn't quite into the revelry. Still, those moments are few and they're overshadowed by the sheer joie de vivre of Kesha feeling the freedom to be so silly she doesn't care if she falls on her face.

Swirlings is another prime example of his brand of gorgeous, multi-dimensional sonic-shaping. Both lush and interstellar, his compositions contain drifting, spacy melodies that unfold at a natural, leisurely pace.

All in Good Time is well-rounded and balanced perfectly between punk energy and poppy songcraft. Though Eddy Current Suppression Ring may not have wanted people to make a fuss about their return, it's kind of a big deal and this record is proof of that fact.

For those familiar with Chadwick's previous work, in addition to the lyrics' especially low lows, noteworthy is the album's tunefulness, especially in the case of the soaring piano pop entry "Please Daddy" and reflective "Make Hey." Though there are plenty of her trademark semi-melodic, improvised-sounding tirades as well.

In concept and execution, Thin Mind is Wolf Parade in their classic form, but with a force and a sense of purpose that makes them sound fresh and vital. Losing DeCaro seems to have goaded Krug, Boeckner, and Thompson into showing their fans they still have the goods, and it works on Thin Mind.

Though the closest Godin comes to the excitement of Contrepoint is the jazzy, suite-like finale "Cité Radieuse," Concrete and Glass is still a fine example of his distinctively smooth style.

The issues Wire grapple with are evergreen, and as they persevere in the face of stupidity and apathy, Mind Hive's unflinching, poetic songs prove maturity is a weapon they wield just as deftly as outrage.