If the first 45 minutes don’t convince you this is the best garage rock album in years, then the closing 13-minute epic “Ghost Cave Lament,” one of two new tunes, will seal the deal.

The optimism of Lust For Life is a pleasant surprise, though the album is still painted in the same shades as Del Rey’s previous releases. At times it’s some of her best material, but it seems like a record best experienced in pieces than as a proper whole.

The 10 tunes fly by in the fastest 40 minutes of your life. No need to pick and choose favorites either, because there’s little filler on a debut that knows the approach it wants and nails it with graceful professionalism and buckets of passion.

Based on Among The Ghosts, the band sounds tighter, more intuitive and incisive than when they started in 1998.

It takes a few spins for the tunes to register as some seem more like provocative set pieces than songs. But once they do, the thoughtful lyrics and sometimes diffuse sonics kick in.

A rollicking set that nearly two decades in, stands as some of the Old 97’s finest and most exhilarating music.

This is a striking, exciting debut crafted with a confident, crackling urgency that makes this music leap out of the speakers.

With or without Olson, the Jayhawks remain one of the lynchpins of Americana, a position they proudly solidify on the impressive Paging Mr. Proust.

No one breaks much of a sweat here. White’s distinctive mumble seems like it was recorded while drifting in and out of a narcotic-induced coma. Nevertheless, this music resonates with the dark, ominous, rootsy authenticity Tony Joe White has always exuded.

It’s still early in 2019, but with the striking, often churchy Painted Image, the half-Dominican/half-Italian southerner Liz Brasher sketches a claim as a breakout Americana soul-singer with crossover potential.

The “friends” may bring more eyeballs, but Dion matches and even surpasses them on these fiery blues originals which, considering the stars involved, is an impressive achievement.

Matthew Sweet is a journeyman musician whose impressive resume speaks for itself. On the nearly solo Catspaw though, his insistence on being a one-man-band, seemingly dismissing input for songs and especially production, would benefit from other objective ears.

Louris is nothing if not a master of melody and nuance, and his articulate arrangements make this album an utterly engaging experience from start to finish. The music is melodic and unfettered, and that’s cause enough to consider the fact that Jump for Joy actually lives up to its title.

Here again, honesty and integrity are the hallmarks of Crowell’s creative urges, and while Triage may seem quietly confrontational, his methods show concern as well as compassion. Credit Crowell for ensuring that honesty and humanity are imbued with equal emphasis.

His charmingly loony and unpredictable qualities are plenty evident over the course of these five hours of music and often unhinged patter. Sound quality varies of course, with the dodgiest not surprisingly on the late 70s tracks, but when you're dealing with this type of raw power, pristine audio is almost a detriment.

At its essence, From Capelton Hill is an album that’s literally brimming over with unceasing delights, making it not only an exceptional comeback but what can justifiably be called, Stars’ album for the ages.

Put aside the historical perspective and just listen to Love From London. From the opening, minor-key piano strikes and repetitive swirls of opening track “Harry’s Song,” Hitchcock catches you--leaves you breathless--with his ability to compel.

The Flaming Lips return with one of their most challenging, yet cohesive records to date.

Ryan Adams as an album might not be uplifting but it sure is outstanding, reaffirming the singular talent of its namesake.

Like most double albums, this one could do with some judicious editing. It’s a logical reason to bring in an outside ear which, with multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Sweet credited as producer, engineer and mixer, hasn’t happened here. Regardless, Sweet fans who are a bit of a cult at this stage, will rejoice with this reflective new music.

As a one-off project, this is an enjoyable romp, especially for Cat Power fans. Chan Marshall applies her stamp on material she loves, the live atmosphere enhances the enthusiasm, the audio is crisp and the show successfully accomplishes what it sets out to do. But it’s no replacement for the real thing.

Everything here captures the classy, sometimes sassy and always heartfelt essence that makes Shelby Lynne one of her generation’s most passionate and determined voices.

If Dream Attic is any indication, recording studios may soon be as irrelevant to Richard Thompson's career as big record companies are.

The revised sound and songwriting on Undivided Heart & Soul isn’t an extreme enough alteration to alienate existing McPherson fans, but it results in his finest set yet and signals that he’s pushing boundaries and staying fresh in a business that doesn’t embrace change.

It’s a terrific and enriching listen, especially with headphones, where the singer’s supple voice and imaginative lyrics along with Martine’s sympathetic production dovetail with an effortless grace.

Unlike other singer/songwriters, she consistently pushes her and her audience’s boundaries with music that’s as catchy as it is intriguing and idiosyncratic.

Everything here is painted in varying shades of gloom and lit by flickering candle flame, but every now and then, illuminates something quite gorgeous.

It’s another pretty great Ron Sexsmith album.