With the distractions of Flynn's burgeoning acting career and the birth of his first child, Country Mile may not have been the great creative leap forward that some fans were hoping for, but this beautifully written album stands up to anything in his catalog.

Ultimately, no matter how heated the exchanges between Martyn and his fans could be during concerts, the respect between audience and performer was total and it was loyal--the same punters who would complain the loudest would be at the very next show. It is for these people, those who knew his true worth as an artist who The Island Years was created for and will appeal to most.

Everything seems to be malfunctioning on the album, and yet, Rashad loves the genres he borrows from so much, he can't ignore the solid grip of acid house ("Acid Bit") or the sweet slide of R&B ("She a Go"). These sparking satellites all remain in their respective groove's orbit, making Double Cup footwork's most sensible and revisit-worthy album to date.

Guest shots from Paloma Faith, Emeli Sandé, Dizzee Rascal, and others make this one crowded album, but figuring out what to drop is nearly impossible as everyone hits the mark.

An album that's only predictable insofar as you know it's going to attempt to take you on a vicious, 30-minute hell ride through some of the darkest parts of the metal world.

If there's anything superfluous going on, it's simply happening too fast to worry about it, and while this means that it takes more than one listen to really take in what's going on, the album is solid enough that a second pass is a welcome proposition.

More than just musical footnotes, these reworkings add extra depth to Mount Eerie's already complex body of work.

Ultimately, Live from KCRW feels like an addendum to the larger work of Push the Sky Away, but the musical and emotional force of this music is more than strong enough to merit its release; this is a striking reminder of the excellence of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds as a live act, and Cave's maturation into one of the most extraordinary songwriters of his day.

Semi-decent, rainy Sunday morning records are a dime a dozen, but when they connect, it's like a Bloody Mary-bruised brunch with your best friends, and Lily & Madeleine Jurkiewicz have crafted a moody gem, and one of the most achingly comforting albums of 2013.

Halo's voice is never heard--likely a relief for those who found Quarantine too unsettling--but this is about as jolly as the cover illustration, drawn by her father.

Breathy R&B vocalist Jhené Aiko fleshes out her character on Sail Out, a relaxed debut EP that suggests that this girl is on permanent vacation.

Ultimately, Some Things Never Stay the Same is a classic second album: it's not as consistent as Starting from Nowhere, but its highlights suggest Heidecker & Wood will deliver even more convincing and subtly funny songs next time.

Third time’s the charm for horrorcore rapper Hopsin, as the angry and often awful character balances his aggressive, violent vocal style with more pop and approachable music during the rewarding Knock Madness.

This isn't meant as a dismissal: Barlow has a knack for mildly ambitious piano ballads that gain strength from their hazily arty design as well as his studied melodicism.

As a bridge between that album and whatever comes next, Wish Hotel works perfectly, hinting at only the slightest changes to the formula, but with differences enough to keep things from getting stale.

Sure it's mature, soulful, and often beautiful, but it's also mostly forgettable.

It's hard not to find something to like here no matter where your tastes may lie.

This is an ambitious, cohesive effort from the Sheffield band, and its complex and spacious sound is both beautifully engaging and highly rewarding.

My Friend Fish is a really promising debut and a nice jolt of weirdo pop that should tides fans over until the next Foxygen album comes out.

Who Is William Onyeabor? may not answer many biographical questions, but it does paint a superb portrait of the musician as a highly original creator and pioneer; it adds depth and dimension to the picture we have of African music during the era.

Deaf Havana are certain to set themselves aside from peers We Are the Ocean and Lower Than Atlantis with this release, yet they still have the hallmarks of a young band in transition.

Approach Rap Album One is an acquired taste that's worth acquiring because it isn't for everyone, but it's excellent.

Forty years on, Los Lobos are still one of America's best, bravest, and most satisfying bands, and their skills and their their instincts remain razor-sharp, regardless of their stage volume.

Dotted with intelligently applied sound effects and bits of newsreel narration, From the Sea to the Land Beyond often recalls Rachel's' post-rock masterpiece The Sea and the Bells in its evocative impact and thoughtful embrace of elements outside the palette of most rock bands; this isn't rock & roll, but what it is is something very special, and this is the rare film soundtrack that works nearly as well on its own as it does accompanying another artist's images.

Even if this is Snoop's first album with a single producer since the monolithic, Dr. Dre-helmed Doggystyle, don't call it a comeback, call it lark, and a funky, welcome one at that.

It's the songs that give Sunday Morning Record its lasting power, and its strength in the wake of so much upheaval speaks to the gifts of Jurdi and Quist as songwriters and frontmen.

Alafia is a serious album, and its musical complexity, its rich lyric structures, dynamic textures, and complex rhythmic palette serve to reflect on the bitter fruit of conflict, yet make it Touré's most compelling musical statement to date.

Perhaps Derulo has grown as a person since his previous album, but it's hard to call this one a step forward.