Most of the artists here perform a similar trick, choosing love songs over protests, keeping things intimate instead of anthemic. Naturally, there are exceptions to the rule, but the scales on Chimes of Freedom are tipped toward pretty stripped-down sincerity.

Compared to most releases of its kind, Nostalgia, Ultra is plotted with care, not slapped together with haste.

Every track on this album is excellent in its own way.

The pleasant sheen of these song shines just enough to distract us from how deceptively scattered an affair the album truly is.

Gibson's reedy voice lacks power, especially when she forces the Ella Fitzgerald affectations, but when she dials back the theatrics and exposes the talented singer/songwriter within, as she does on the sweet and soulful "Milk-Heavy, Pollen-Eyed," the results are downright magical.

MU.ZZ.LE sounds like outtakes from the last LP--that is, short underwater dub/downtempo emotronica cast-offs--except it is darker.

For the most part, The Lion's Roar is a mesmerizing listen that--alongside recent releases from the likes of the Tallest Man on Earth and Anna Ternheim--suggests the Swedish folk scene is currently hitting something of a purple patch.

Anyone expecting the bar rock bravado of the Hold Steady is probably going to be disappointed by Clear Heart Full Eyes' subdued vibe, but anyone looking for more of Craig Finn's sprawling tales will feel right at home.

Something is a different beast: wilder than its predecessor, stronger in the songwriting department, and totally, wonderfully weird.

If the intended result for fans is just hearing the combination of Davies' arch lyrics with Matthews' majestic arrangements and occasional breathy backing vocals, then it's mission accomplished.

Ultimately, U&I's brashness is more intriguing than confounding, with a freshness that reaffirms Leila as a thoughtful and challenging producer.

Attack on Memory is another fine snapshot of a band that is growing and playing as fast as they can.

On their seventh outing, Resolution, Lamb of God prove once again that the right ratio of barnstorming riffs and relentless intensity is all you need to make a solid album.

This album expands the very definition of musical collaboration.

Emotional Traffic is McGraw's most ambitious offering to date--the credits list is enormous and the range of styles on display is wide. That said, its balance is impeccable.

It's certainly pleasant either as nostalgia or as high-end lifestyle music.

100 Proof is the album where Kellie Pickler stops being a TV star and turns into a genuine recording artist: it's an album that's not just good when graded on a curve, but good by any measure.

Utilizing his filmic experience, their debut full-length album, Save Your Season, is a lushly cinematic affair drenched in reverb-laden psychedelics, shimmering shoegazing hooks, and floaty ethereal synths, but it's Hollie's detached yet fragile vocals that set this apart from his usual instrumental chillout fare... a valiant and occasionally compelling first effort.

Stade 2 has its moments, but its overall lack of invention suggests that Mr. Oizo is perhaps now channeling his creative streak elsewhere.

Both Ways... fuses folk, indie rock, electronica, and avant-garde pop with unusual percussion including bottle tops, plants, and saucepans.

Baby feels more like a leftover relic from the '90s than the game-changer the genre needs.

Music that is nostalgic but also stands on its own as catchy, moody modern dance-rock.

The album has the kind of off-the-cuff, palpable sense of fun that happens when two old friends lay down tracks together.

The whole of Impossible Spaces holds together as a strong listen, but in many ways it's the individual moments that stand out above all else.

The warm, fuzzy melodies take hold almost instantly.

It's a testament to the always entertaining, sometimes enlightening Murs that the album hangs together thanks to his words.

An even rougher, uglier, and just plain heavier Hull.

A playful, thoughtful, catchy-as-hell pop record.