The songs on French Touch are idiosyncratic and free of drama. But they are chock-full of tenderness; Bruni delivers them with keen insight into the lyric meanings these melodies convey.

The only time they stumble is when they get a little heavy, like on "Half Hour," where some of the musical choices overpower Simpson's tender vocals. It's a minor quibble that's easy to overlook, and it doesn't make the album any less enjoyable overall.

Heaven Upside Down is Manson at his most human. If Pale Emperor was a welcome return to form that signaled a new day for the band, its successor is just as satisfying, if not better.

To call I Tell a Fly a difficult listen may be understating it, but within this madcap art-pop song cycle, which is purportedly about two flies in love, are some genuine payoffs for those with the patience to stick with it.

Arty tropes aside, with Undivided Heart & Soul, McPherson continues to pull all of his varied stylistic influences together into his own vibrantly coherent brand of visceral, emotive rock that grabs you by the collar and demands your passion.

The entire album is a stunning work of highly advanced kaleidoscopic new age pop, and is easily Smith's best and most accessible release to date.

Stripped of harsh digital fuzz and angular guitars, Fatherland is an honest, satisfying window into the heart and mind of the man himself.

Pinewood Smile should be all killer no filler, but late-album offerings like the vapid "Happiness" and the infantile no-fatties ballad "Stampede of Love"--Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom" was ludicrous and infantile, but it wasn't cruel--suck some air out of the room, making the whole thing feel a little stale, which is the last thing you want from a project that so fetishizes another era.

New Energy is one of the most accessible, listener-friendly releases in the Four Tet catalog, but it still maintains the creativity and unpredictability that have always made his work stand out.

Sterilize is raw, unrelenting rock music that unapologetically draws blood.

If you're up for a highly creative, exhilarating sugar rush, Neō Wax Bloom will undoubtedly be one of the most joyous surprises of the year.

This collection is full of fine music that merits attention, but as a career summary, it falls short of the mark.

An artful mix of focus and atmosphere, Real High may be Nite Jewel's finest moment to date.

Come All Ye: The First Ten Years is essential listening. For fans, all of this is necessary, for the curious, start with the studio offerings (there are two fine offerings entitled Five Classic Albums, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) or the double-disc Gold from 2008.

There's a fine line between repeating and elaborating on a band's style, especially when that band has had as distinctive and lengthy a career as Mogwai's. Nevertheless, Every Country's Sun has enough great moments to please fans.

While not his most consistent crop of songs, light brushes with Steely Dan-like jazz-rock and bolder synths add flavor to a still distinctive sound that's likely to be welcomed by fans.

It's Mayfield's most compelling work yet.

Double Dutchess couldn't possibly match the commercial success of The Dutchess, and much of it is merely adequate, but Fergie is demonstrably as energized, and having a ball with nothing left to prove.

Now in his middle age, he's a richer, nuanced singer than he was during Oasis' heyday, yet he's retained his charisma and, unlike his brother, he favors color and fire in his records, elements that not only enhance this fine collection of songs but make this the best post-Oasis album from either Gallagher to date.

At the age 60, Almond delivers Shadows and Reflections with absolute commitment. On its surface, it is an exotic encounter with the sound of another era, but this is not merely an homage, but a work of tremendous musical vision and emotional depth.

It's a cozy sound, one that feels as intimate as a front porch but is delivered with the precision of seasoned pros, and having old tunes--including sweet covers of the Everly Brothers' "Walk Right Back" and Tom Petty's "Wildflowers"--threaded in between the excellent new tunes from Hillman helps make Bidin' My Time feel like an understated summation of everything Hillman's accomplished in his long, varied career.

It's hard to say if it's enough to warrant a purchase of this hefty box, but in either its CD or LP incarnation, A New Career in a New Town is a handsome, alluring, and exceptional-sounding reissue that earns its price tag.

A reflection of a young band trying out all its possibilities, Visions of a Life is more scattered than My Love Is Cool, but its best songs hint at even more potential.

Introspective in personal as well as universal ways, Bring on the Sun is an excellent sampler of Laraaji's many strengths.

There's a lot to love here, especially on some of the more idiosyncratic offerings like "Airfield" and "Shinrin-yoku," but listeners expecting to bloody themselves in the electronicore, stadium-screamo assault of past outings might want to take a pass.

Her richest music yet, Fool's Paradise is a beautiful portrait of Hussein's heritage and artistry.

Ultimately, Starsailor have been around long enough to earn veteran rocker status and All This Life, with its perfect balance of emotional gravitas and buoyant lyricism, is an album worthy of that status.

Although there are ghosts of traditional soul threaded through the record, the production is firmly modern, filled with electronic flair and allusions to hip-hop rhythms. It's a sound that suits Lovato, who has never positioned herself as a retro-soul singer but has repurposed older sounds for a fresh audience.