[Kevin Barnes] sounds like he’s gotten more comfortable here, and while that doesn’t always make for the best music, in the case of Of Montreal, it resulted in one of their best.

Turn Blue is the most masterful representation to date of the duo’s successful transformation from lost-in-the-milieu garage rockers to game-changing, widely appealing songwriters.

Voyageur improves on its predecessor by feeling both more intimate and more boomingly spacious--it helps move her away from the middle.

As often as White Hot Moon feels like a diary entry recitation, its real catharsis is in the sheer acts of volume that back up Drake and Greaves’ lyrics.

It's a beautifully understated album of personal confessions, wandering thoughts and worldly observations, all rendered with the assurance of a naturally gifted vocalist, one who clearly has no need for auto-tune or other irritating tonal tampering devices.

All in all, Congratulations pushes MGMT in the right direction. Rather than resting on their deserved laurels, Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser challenge themselves sonically, creating a follow-up that will test even the most astute audience.

Far from coming off as a dry and didactic exercise in replicating an ancient style of playing, Carolina Chocolate Drops has instead reinvigorated old-time music for 21st-century ears.

What makes Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now such a harrowing, albeit minor, addition to his catalog is how matter-of-factly Earle presents himself.

By adding little touches like a gospel call and response ("Bones") and a haunting, echoing choir ("Always Waiting"), the listening becomes a more rewarding experience.

Like John Henry, Strange Negotiations is workman-like. It's a grind from start to finish, but an enjoyable one at that.

Van feels fed up and disgusted, intense and focused, on Born To Sing: No Plan B, but unfortunately, the songs, more often than not, end the conversation there, leaving just a few hard knock lessons and some pretty jazz.

If you’re new to Everett’s talents, Extreme Witchcraft is a fine place to start, before working back through a catalog that has no weak entries. But this stands out as a highlight by his lyrical dexterity and the visionary Parish/Everett production partnership.

Much of this revamped version of Psychedelic Swamp is vastly more conventional--even normal--than the record that inspired it, which is as much a selling point as it is a slight source of disappointment.

Mostly though, Celebrants comes across as a bold new venture, one that’s unrestrained in terms of melody, motif, and obvious enthusiasm.

There are no crescendos, no peaks or valleys. It's a straight line all the way through, which, as we all know from watching medical dramas on TV, can only mean one thing--the lack of a pulse.

It’s the personal narratives that are the most poignant.

The harder they aim for radio, the more rewarding the result. Beneath the irony and compact cool, Cake is still a great little pop band.

What The Head and The Heart do best are ballads, even if they can’t help themselves from venturing into other arenas now and again.

The disc, with its 20 page book of notes and details on Johnson’s short life (he was 45 when he passed in 1947), is beautifully packaged, making this a wonderful and longtime gestating homage to one of America’s most treasured, if often overlooked, blues and gospel singers. But, at under 45 minutes, you’re left wanting more.

Ultimately, Back To Land is a little too much “vibe” and not enough “oomph”--a not unpleasurable 40-minute cruise, but one which sometimes feels lo

None of these improve on Russell’s superlative, often raw and profound recordings. Perhaps if fans of these artists are inspired to dig into his albums, that’s a worthwhile outcome for this well-intentioned, yet frustratingly inconsistent collection.

All told, Women and Country is Dylan's most accomplished work to date, and will set the bar for all future endeavors.

The music on Smoking in Heaven is simple, but these songs are also beautifully rendered with a kinetic energy missing in much of today's auto-tuned chart-topping hits.

This is the sound of growing old gracefully while still maintaining a sparkle in your eye.

Whatever its brew, at its core, Danse Macabre is Duran Duran, 40-plus years later, sounding their best.

There is enough talent, subdued enthusiasm and commitment on I Still Do to justify most fans’ money and attention, with the understanding the fire and intensity of the Slowhand days only appear intermittently.

With her new release, Under the Pepper Tree, Watkins excels once again, courtesy of a tender and touching musical tapestry drawn from nostalgic cover songs that bring to mind childhood memories and shared stories etched in comfort and caress.

There's no shortage of catchy, bopping crowd pleasers on The Carpenter, and the Avetts churn them out with gusto and pride.

Stories Don’t End is still a step forward, if only for the moments of off-the-cuff brilliance that result from all the ambitious effort.

There isn’t much new here, and if you’ve heard earlier Lewis releases, you’ve pretty much heard this one already. But there aren’t many acts out there throwing down with this kind of high-energy trashy intensity.

At times this slick party vibe sounds like Hall & Oates at their least soulful, which is to say the music has an inevitability to it that initially feels fresh, but starts to wear thin when it’s clear the entire album is cut from the same glitzy cloth.

It may not be an album most would expect from Neil Finn, but it’s clearly the one he wanted to make.

Obviously this isn’t for everyone. But Trost and Barnes push boundaries on the often inspirational, always interesting, occasionally off-putting Petrichor. Those with open minds prepared to take the leap into this artsy sea will come away richer for the experience.

As a debut for five musicians who are busy with their own careers, let’s hope there is a follow-up sooner rather than later.

After a few listens, every track reveals gem-like layers in Collingwood’s tunes, often missed on initial listens.

Not everything clicks, though. The spoken word verses and clichéd lyrics of “Don’t Give Up” and the simplistic “Shut Up and Rock” could have been chopped from an album that’s already pretty long. But there is enough of Cooper’s trademarked sleaze and rowdy clenched-fist riffing in “Hail Mary,” a cover of the MC5’s propulsive “Sister Ann,” and the swampy “Wonderful World” to satisfy fans of Cooper’s early work.

Oceania sounds louder, better, and altogether more revelatory than any Pumpkins album in years.

It’s a feisty, dynamic hour long set that does what it sets out to: captures Armstrong’s indefatigable spirit and keeps his music alive for a new generation.

Teeming with melodic hooks and reflective lyrics, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is both hypnotic (the lingering closer “The End of All Things”) and beguiling (Far Too Young to Die” and second single “This Is Gospel”).

The sound is leaner, a little less rough around the edges and solidly in sync as well.

Vetiver's latest record, The Errant Charm, is certainly more folk than freak.

Basically, you know if you want to buy this album already, and if you do want buy this album odds are you will really enjoy it. But if you aren't familiar with either artist don't bother--there are better Orb records and there are better Gilmour records, and even though Metallic Spheres is quite enjoyable, we wouldn't recommend it for newbies.

Even if there are no classics on the order of the ones that so impressed that youngster from Asbury Park, New Jersey, Eric Burdon’s river is far from running dry.

They just make music that pleases them and in doing that also created one of the most adventurous, least predictable albums of the year.

This record is way cool. It may not seem like it upon first listen, but after a couple spins it's hard to forget.

shed. It’s beautiful, intense, occasionally relaxing but most of all challenging music that borrows from a myriad of influences and never feels derivative.

Happy Ending sounds like a bunch of top notch, jittery Squeeze songs dialed down just a notch.

There is something here for almost everyone making this a unique if inconsistently satisfying glance into the mind of one of pop's most fascinating and under-appreciated artists.

It’s hard to imagine that after a few spins, most won’t file this with Williams’ other similarly styled albums that, even with his distinctively wacked-out approach, are starting to sound routine, if not flat out lazy.

The Lone Bellow stands as one of the most consistent bands of the last 20 years. Across Half Moon Light, the trio ventures outside their usual musical box, alongside producer Dessner (the man behind 2015’s Then Came the Morning), to provide richer, poppier, and bolder textures. Yet it is never at the expense of their lyrical bite.

Morrison and his always top-shelf musicians knock out these songs as if they’re hanging around the studio, having a party playing music they love without knowing tapes are running.

On their 5th studio album, North Carolina string band Chatham County Line show no signs of ruining the good thing they've got going. Each album they've cranked out has been a keeper, and Wildwood is a grower, to say the least.

There aren’t any future gems here on the order of “Paranoid” or the immortal “Iron Man” but these songs could have been album tracks on any of the band’s early recordings.

Not only is Handwritten The Gaslight Anthem's best album, but it's also one of the best albums of 2012.

The bulk of these songs feature clichéd lyrics and arm-waving call and response construction.... That said, there is talent and maturity in the song craft, production and playing.

This is another in a long line of quality Chris Isaak releases that optimizes his well-established vocal and songwriting strengths, brings a bit of retro, rootsy cool, and ends up a solid entry into an already impressive catalog.

An excellent example of a sound served up on a vibrant and expressive musical palette. It bears an air of familiarity that could easily lead one to believe these songs have been lingering in the ether forever.

The album is a winning mix of traditional and contemporary: her arrangements are often performed with pedal steel and electric guitar, and the age-old problems of infidelity and heavy drinking are represented with modern twists.

With After The Disco--Broken Bells’ second full-length album--Mercer and Burton up the ante with a set that builds on the promise of their debut and fleshes out that aesthetic into an even stronger set of songs with loftier ambitions.

What might be surprising is that, in spite of the sober lyrical themes and the laid-back music, this all sounds so vibrant.

With its passionate embrace of multiple genres and sheer musicianship, Inheritance places the The Last Bison on the cusp of much bigger things.

As its' title suggests, this record is not what it seems at first listen, but one that's worth the extra effort to decipher all of its introverted intricacies.

The Athens-based multi-instrumentalist is joined by an assortment of similarly rootsy musicians who help flesh out some of these generally atmospheric yet always moving pieces, many of which only reveal their subtle allures after repeated playings.

At its most upbeat and salacious, it's a glorious thing.... At its slowest and most soulful, the band's music finds a warm inspiration in the soothing sounds of gospel.

This is the work of a mature artist, comfortable in his skin, creating insightful, brilliantly recorded and performed reflective music he knows will never find favor on the radio.

This commercial shift seems a deliberate way to attract a larger audience, sell more albums and raise her star profile. In doing so, it often, but not always, dissipates much of what made her talents so distinctive to begin with.

It’s another home run for Lamarr’s trio who hasn’t made a misstep yet. Get on board and bring a friend as these guys generate the fiery funk/soul/jazz heat.

There’s no grand concept other than Bonamassa returning to the music that initially inspired him, playing it with the maturity and talent that 20 additional years brings. Whether it becomes as popular as the first volume remains to be seen, but the guitarist is best when he’s most comfortable as he is on this impressive set.

The Diving Board proves that Elton John is on the right musical path once again, sounding so energized by the familiar trappings that a career renaissance, which seemed a long shot a few years back, now seems thrillingly possible.

With Earth to Dora, Everett adds another emotionally edgy chapter to his artistic and spiritual journey that existing fans will appreciate, even if he still does need Novocaine for the soul.

Give Collapse a few listens. The potential is there.

Coming in at six songs and a lean 22:30 run-time, Blake Shelton's All About Tonight is what I imagine being in the studio audience for an average sitcom would be like.

Thankfully the somewhat imposing concept never gets in the way of moving, often raw, always organic rock and roll as Malin adds another impressive entry into his already inspiring resume.

The pair deserve credit for an adventurous attitude and for not allowing their reverence to deter their intents. These are, after all, interpretations, and in any such circumstance, creativity counts. Granted, it’s an unorthodox tack for a tribute, but it’s one that still resonates well.

Underneath slicker production and diminished guitar usage, are the same melodies and introspective, angsty songwriting, only this time the band may come off as occasionally happy.

Divine Providence, music that the Creator Himself may have sent, is the best, funniest, most detailed, thrilling blast of rock and roll since The Hold Steady's Boys And Girls In America.

Because the sound is so jam-packed with instrumentation, and Martin’s voice so often bouncing about in the same patters, the sound can sometimes get a little muddy--a little salt to cut the sweetness would have been welcome here and there.

If this underwritten, over produced debut for Capitol (after being affiliated with Columbia since 1973) is the best he can muster up in six years, it’s sad to say, it’s time to consider retirement.

What could be a raucous mess is smartly written, well produced and arranged hard rock/power pop with slight prog and punk tendencies.

With age and maturity, she’s found her fit with an audience that’s happy to gave grown along with her. Few artists are so capable of making music that allows intimacy to emote so expressively.

Most of the extraneous contributions are little more than negligible. ... Any live album that showcases their classics—and, as in this case, makes room for some newer offerings as well (“All and Chain,” “Tea and Theatre,” “Hero Ground Zero”) is, by degree, an essential additive to the band’s continuing catalog. So too, both Daltrey and Townsend are in fine form, and clearly up to the task of presenting the group’s catalog in the best light.

Not only have Two Gallants returned refreshed and revitalized, but they push the boundaries on their groove, marrying subtle shadings and pounding intensity into a terrific set that will excite existing followers and should find plenty of new ones.

This a powerful, uncompromising release and one that doubles down on her established style while pulling no punches.

All Your Favorite Bands is an inspired record full of space, swagger and warm, analog glow.

The Civil Wars is a testament to the power of their undeniable musical chemistry. It’s even better than their Grammy-winning debut, Barton Hollow.

With a release as consistently robust as Pollinator, the remaining trio has tapped into past glories without sounding stiff, or worse, desperate. At this late stage, we can confidently call that a comeback and hope they still have a few more albums as strong as this in their tank.

Inclusions is a thoughtful and thoroughly imaginative album about what a huge and complicated undertaking it is to truly relate to other human beings, what with all our mismatches in expectations and differences in background, experience and belief.

A nice summation of Chris Cornell's career up to this point, Songbook makes for a fine springboard into the next creative chapter of his life.

One Man Mutiny does a great job of balancing Stinson's pop-punk sheen with a bittersweet dose of aching ballads.

Your enjoyment is decidedly dependent on how you appreciate her sweeping, multi-octave singing and tunes that reflect the give and take of relationships in ways that make soap operas seem subtle.

Both respectful to rustic tradition while energizing and expanding it, the Supersuckers semi-humorously declare themselves “the greatest rock and roll band in the world.” And, even in their less forceful country guise as here, few would dispute that claim.

Heavy? Sure. Wrenching? Yep. Soul searching? Big time. The pureness of Gibson singing almost wincingly personal words along with magnificent and above all creative production makes for a stunning album you’ll want to spend time with.

On Life In The Dark, the Felice Brothers continue their decade-plus quest of chronicling our crooked national pathologies with quirky humor, slacker indifference and guarded folkie optimism. Never before has the Felice Brothers taken in their country with so much wide-eyed wonder.

When all is said and done, Angles could make for an exciting introduction to a new chapter for The Strokes, or it could be a disappointing swan song.

This is music for relaxing and enjoying the good times, after all, delivered with just enough abandon to make sure you know these guys can really play--and more than enough hooks to keep the hit songs coming.

While it might not be breaking any new ground, Buddy & Jim is hard to top when it comes to supremely enjoyable Americana music.

Born This Way isn't the landmark record it could or should be.

Asher’s deft work provides breathing room between the instruments, Martin’s subtle playing leaves the showboating behind and the trio delivers a modest gem.