Case has proven time and again that she has the songwriting chops to match her earthy, superlative voice, but never with such authority.

Late for Nothing finds the band not missing a step despite losing an integral member, as LaPlante ably fills the rather formidable vacancy left by Cameron.

The results sound more natural than risky and the entire album finds a nice place between the direct and the obtuse.

Between the Day-Glo commercial sounds, the glassy house and disco tracks, and Melidis' penchant for completely disjointed found sounds, Years Not Living becomes a subtle but distinct collage, and a catalog of grooves in a constant state of pleasant disruption by his collection of otherworldly noises and samples.

By the album's second half, Avenged Sevenfold can't help but let loose their guitar shredding theatrics a bit, and their personality starts to shine through as the tempo quickens and tracks take flight to unabashed height

Maintaining momentum with ruggedly catchy pop tunes sticking out among the more spaced-out garage psych explorations, Ages takes its place in the storied Flying Nun lineage without sounding solely like a replica of previous chapters.

It's that depth of detail, combined with the masterful sequencing, that makes Higher! such a superb box set: it tells a familiar story in a fresh fashion.

This is a finely realized album, with a wonderful, you-can-hear-a-pin-drop sound to it, and Fulks' songs are some of the best he's written, showing once again that he has no intention of being anybody's fool.

Era is another solid album; with the laser-like focus Disappears have, it's hard to imagine them delivering anything less.

At its core, Krule is showing all sides of his U.K. environment, and the multiple genres laced into the sparse backdrop are held together by an overlying somber grey fog. Peel that back and you have one of the most vital debuts of the year.

Even when AATM feels like it is coming straight out of left field, it is highly entertaining.

Caligula club music and nothing but, Stay Trippy is a pimp party of the highest order.

Fifteen cuts means this one is fat with an "f" and a bit too cumbersome to convert on first listen, but the sophomore slump this is not, meaning anyone who devoured Sean's debut should re-up with this one.

Warm Blanket is a tiny masterpiece of unassuming modern pop that you'll overlook at your own risk.

For fans, this is more than a curiosity, it's an indispensable addition to the catalog.

Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action is a welcome return, fusing a crowd-pleasing sound with some of Franz Ferdinand's most interesting songwriting. Track for track, it may very well be the group's most satisfying album yet.

Taken together, they're still a bit of a mess but the joy in The Third Eye Centre is that it presents Belle & Sebastian at their most human and ungainly.

While he still peppers his rock anthems with flourishes from an adept jazz-informed horn section, Electric Slave is his most primitive album to date.

Even though Kissaway Trail aren't exactly breaking any new ground here, Breach is executed with enough beauty and feeling that the lack of innovation is pretty easy to forgive.

Yeah, there are electric guitars everywhere, and this is a nice-sounding band, but, given the caliber of the talent, it would seem the songs should be better instead of just bounce-offs for guitar pyrotechnics.

Aerotropolis, her second album, adds even more references to the mix and leaves her fine debut in the dust.

While by no means bad, is definitely more of a missing link for die-hard fans to get a taste of what's to come.

Seventeen discs may be an enormous undertaking, and admittedly some of the road is rocky, but the journey Harry Nilsson takes on The RCA Albums Collection is distinctive and thrilling, whether it's heard for the first or 40th time.

While Allen either wrote or co-wrote all the tracks on the album, it's his stellar and flexible guitar work that is the highlight.

A striking, satisfying album that balances the boldness of a debut with the experience Rocketnumbernine has gained since You Reflect Me.

Although From Death to Destiny might alienate some fans, the album's more grown-up sound gives them a newfound accessibility that is sure to open them up to a whole new audience hungry for some new heavy jams.

e. This all-or-nothing approach makes Deep Trip an exhilarating listen that's just as capable of amping listeners up with its vital punk energy as it is freaking them out with its surging undercurrent of mind-altering sludge, making for yet another feather in the cap of Sacred Bones and their ever-growing lineup of head trip-inducing bands.

This is Saginaw's most colorful and accomplished release, and it indicates a vast range of individualistic possibilities for his next move.