There are experiments with ambience, risky beat switches, theatrical and hook-free pop, and orchestration that Scott has never attempted before. The multi-platinum guest features might set the album up for global conquest, but the most exciting moments come when it sounds like Scott is discovering a new way to push his craft forward.

Consciousology is the work of an artist who has tapped into something mystical and true, much like she did with Heart-Shaped Scars. Allison has made a record that stands not only with her best work but with that of experimental and inspired singer/songwriters of any era.

Ribot and Ceramic Dog push their vitriol about the state of the world to new heights, crafting an album that balances a sustained punk dread with moments of primal, yawping rage.

Old Ian Tyson and Hoyt Axton tunes do a better job of articulating his aesthetic than Wall himself, which suggests that all his period flair and plainspoken delivery are just affectations.

While nothing here increases the pulse like EP standouts such as "Dream Story" and "Infinite Wisdom," the sustained and unusual sense of solace is heartwarming enough.

A breakneck blend of craft, experience, fun, and excitement, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons is the most concentrated dose of the band's magic since Tyrannosaurus Hives.

Like the best of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's work that came before it, Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You is the kind of record that gets played over and over until it feels like a part of the listener's personal history.

The fine track list, together with the rarity value, should make this a high priority on the purchase list of Neil Young fans or, indeed, rock fans.

Altogether, Central City is a total riot and fun as hell, the culmination of years of grinding and fighting to place New Orleans bounce on an even larger stage.

The serene hum of nature in harmony leads her to realize that "the care I neglect so often is mine" on "In Gardens," while "Science and Art" is a glowing love song to the creative instinct and humanity's undying need to express itself, whether in a song or video game. On RPG, Me Lost Me continues that tradition brilliantly.

Regret, longing, and grief fill the other songs, but Lusk's soaring, whole-hearted articulations of hope and reassurance prevent this transfixing album from being an unqualified downer.

This is as strong anything they've recorded in their forty-plus year history.

Crashing Dream ended the Rain Parade's first era on a note of disappointment, while Last Rays of a Dying Sun begins a new chapter in their story with impressive strength and vision, and finds the Paisley Underground heroes still as gifted and capable as one could hope.

[A] cleverly devised and skillfully performed album that's pleasingly nostalgic, happily (for the most part) danceable, and best of all perhaps, represents a return to form after their ill-advised foray into radio-ready modern pop.

Shires has a relaxed, natural rapport with Nelson that gives Loving You a genuine sense of warmth: this wasn't intended as a tribute or a goodbye, it was merely a relaxed session between two kindred spirits and its inherent modesty makes it quite satisfying.

As with so many similarly powerful film scores, this one offers an enveloping listening experience that doesn't rely on the images it accompanies.

Melodic and heartfelt, Austin surprises at nearly every turn, whether that's by an unexpected sonic detour or the simple fact that Post Malone has never sounded this fearless.

The EP isn't a game changer, but it bears enough of Aphex Twin's unmistakable personality to be worthwhile.

As the creator and master of his own distinctive palette, he delivers another nuanced and well-crafted album.

It's a wonderful document of an unparalleled artist still radiating creativity, thoughtfulness, and power well into her late seventies. Like most everything else Mitchell has touched in her storied career, At Newport is inspiring, moving, and manages to also be a lot of fun.

Throughout, these ghostly and propulsive rhythms communicate, divide, and commingle, and are woven through with deep dub effects, avant-jazz, global pop, hip-hop, and woven rhythms drawn from several global traditions spindled, reshaped, and presented anew by the creators.

Tuttle and company have released another assured collection of songs that pair virtuosic musicianship with relatable and erudite songwriting.

Days in the Desert is a spiraling, hallucinatory experience, blurring the boundaries between studio-crafted ambient soundscapes and an engaging live jam.

While not among her more tuneful material, A New Reality Mind is a detail-oriented work that engages with its balance of sonic inventiveness and pop reference points. Lyrically, it may also connect with its steady stream of readjusted expectations.

It's a style that evokes the breezy, early '90s rock of artists like Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt, yet still retains all of the ringing melodicism of Best Coast. She also trades some of her cool girl swagger for a refreshing vulnerability and open heartedness.

Nobody expects him to go back in time and deliver another classic album like Too-Rye-Ay, but it doesn't seem too much to ask for him to make a record that has more zip than this. That being said, it's always good to get another transmission from the heart and soul of Kevin Rowland, even one lacking the sweat and excitement he usually delivers.

It adds up to another pitch perfect album by the band, certainly one of their best and most devastatingly pretty works. In a career full of brilliance, that's saying ever so much.

While Lanza has never come across as diffident, she is at her most poised and direct on Love Hallucination, another serving of bubbly avant-pop only she could have made.