These may be Bird songs, but they are not played the way Bird played them. Lovano and crew tend to slow them down and consider them, as if appending musical footnotes; if Parker was the quintessential bebop player, this is a determinedly post-bop interpretation.

Jaar assembled the disc from several years' worth of recordings -- he's relentlessly productive -- but it has a conceptual unity that makes it feel like the product of a single burst of inspiration.

No Devolución is an album that could easily make converts out of the skeptical, allowing the band to reintroduce themselves to the world over a decade after their first album was released.

Musically, Undun flows easier and slower than any other Roots album.

It's all played with an energy and focus that will impress even the most die-hard fan of '70s prog who claim "they just don't make 'em like that anymore".

A pure speaker-blowing party record, Biasonic Hotsauce is a vast improvement on Bias' previous effort, but it's difficult to see it making any waves outside the South London underground scene.

Some Kind of Hate is an album that is definitely a treat for old fans who will easily assure anyone who was worried about the new direction the band was going in that the old Aiden is still alive and kicking.

Volcanic Sunlight, despite its sharp contrast from Niggy Tardust, is an absolutely fitting follow-up; it's Williams once more wriggling out of preconceived notions by subverting them entirely.

The band's ability to shift tempos and feelings without coming across as prog rock dorks is definitely a secret weapon.

Decas isn't a great place for new fans to pick up with As I Lay Dying, but for those who have been around the block a few times with these guys, it's an album that they won't want to miss out on.

The Dangerous Summer may not be original, but it is available.

Hollandaze is an impressive debut.

Pillado's songs are super-catchy and his vocals spot-on, and the band sounds perfectly shambolic but also full of energy and verve, sort of like a cross between the Pastels and a jangly '60s garage band like the Dovers.

While the double-disc edition is quite a handsome thing in its own right--the Super Deluxe Edition is something special thanks to the alternate version of Quadrophenia, which contains six songs cut from the final album.

Ultimately, Christmas is a warm and inviting album that showcases Bublé's impeccable vocal chops.

The whole idea of Birdy sounds like a transparent attempt to court a more credible audience, but thanks to her haunting tones and a tasteful yet compelling production, it impressively avoids being the try-hard affair you'd expect.

Rio is therefore the new standard by which the pianist's future solo recordings will be judged, and perhaps also sets the bar for any other player who attempts the same.

Can released not merely one of the best Krautrock albums of all time, but one of the best albums ever, period.

It's possible to appreciate just how much Butch Vig brought to Siamese Dream....This set is clearly designed with dedicated fans in mind, but for those diehards, this Deluxe Edition will offer many gems.

He sounds at peace with his past and comfortable with his present, and that casual assurance makes Songbook his best solo offering to date.

A gift for fans who want to dig deep into the Smashing Pumpkins archive.

Beautifully recorded and performed, Live at the Royal Albert Hall conveys all the drama of Adele's music and is the perfect companion piece to 21.

It's a fine introduction to the multifaceted pleasures of Gorillaz.

It may not be a formula designed for critical acclaim or longevity, but pop music has always been exactly like this and HCR would make Bobby Vee, the Archies, and the New Radicals proud.

The funny thing about Western Teleport is how it sounds and feels like a full band creating something multilayered.

The Solitude of Prime Numbers is not only unique to his catalog, it is a singular work that testifies to his growth not only as a composer and recording artist but as a conceptual one, whose expansive vision has evolved to include discipline and refinement as well as ambition.

Treefight for Sunlight's debut is a triumph of sun-drenched ecstatic pop that leaves listeners with an arsenal of hooks in their heads, eager to hear what the band will come up with next.

Despite having many strong songs and a more focused approach, the Duke Spirit's third album is also their most uneven.