Olsen locates every last ounce of heartache within the song’s tale of someone who’s trapped between wanderlust and homesickness. If these are the leftovers, it’s fun to imagine how tasty Angel Olsen’s next main course will be.

It’s Prince as few have heard him: inspired, unrestrained, playing for no one but himself and the engineer who pushed the record button. Clearly this isn’t for everyone. But those looking for a glimpse into the artist, mostly pre-global fame, working out new and old material, will find it an invaluable and unique addition to his already bulging catalog.

Even with its abbreviated length, there is plenty to chew on, both sonically and conceptually. The 60-year-old Farrell sounds inspired and as edgy as 30 some years ago.

Surprisingly the results are pretty great and even if they won’t make you forget the often charmingly dated originals.

While Stinson isn’t a great singer or songwriter, he exudes a scrappy persona that, like Keith Richards’, encompasses a heartfelt rock and roll strut.

The album has a little something for everyone, from the electronic skronk of "Awake On Foreign Shores" and the Dark Lights' remix "The Stars In His Head" to the gentle, Bachian minute-long dirge, "All The Days I've Missed You."

Band of Brothers is Willie Nelson’s first album of largely self-penned tunes in almost two decades, but on his latest, Nelson mostly proves he’s still as sharp a vocalist as ever.

Sing The Delta is as well-executed as it is welcome.

Competence and creativity are never in question, even though every one of these numbers requires the listener to allow added indulgence.

Kimbrough has a smooth yet vibrant voice, perfect for this melodic and poignant music. Perhaps a few more rockers would have cranked up the fire, and at ten short cuts, more on the level of what’s here would have been welcome.

The mostly original songs capture the gospel spirit in ballads (“The Highest”), funk (“Speaking in Tongues”), New Orleans second line (“Soul Food ll”) and driving blues rock (“Play All Day”) that will satisfy existing fans of any of the participants and win over some new ones too.

He’s a rocker with a folksinger’s soul, or perhaps a folkie with a rocker’s spirit. In either case, both sides are well represented over the course of these 15 tracks that prove Jesse Malin’s creativity is alive and well.

The one-woman production preserves Lynne’s style yet dials down the theatrics to not quite garage band levels, making it one of the most successful outings in her ongoing covers project series.

Jean’s vocals are on the thin side, especially for music that punches and pounds like the majority of these tracks. But she delivers her often dark-edged lyrics with the louche, ice-queen nonchalance of Debbie Harry and Belinda Carlisle which suits this snaking vibe.

The performances themselves are well-arranged and played in virtually all aspects, although as a full listening experience, it gets a bit repetitive by album’s end, even at a scant 45 minutes.

The band has never been less than classy fun and the jaunty, delightful Hey! Merry Christmas! doesn’t stray from that by keeping the season alive and well with a holiday album you’ll be returning to each year.

Aside from his forays into electronic music, Mould is dabbling a little bit here in the sounds found throughout his career. Many of Beauty & Ruin’s tracks have a poppy tinge that’s more reminiscent of Mould’s 1990s band Sugar.

Combs describes the disc’s overall tone as that of a black and white film. Add foreign to that description (one song was inspired by an Ingmar Bergman flick) and you’re a few steps closer to this stirring, decidedly non-commercial music that sounds like little else.

None of this breaks musical barriers. Still, Cocker’s assimilation of some obvious influences noted above hits a sweet spot that makes Beyond the Pale, some of which was apparently recorded live then enhanced with overdubs, impressive, often moving and hypnotic. Hopefully he can follow it up faster than the time it took to get here.

By any measure, this is an engaging, complex, lyrically confrontational and intellectually intense 80 minutes.

Ultimately, although ‘Like The River That Loves The Sea’ flows slowly towards its ultimate destination, it makes the journey worthwhile. The grace and beauty Shelley shows throughout gives reason for a celestial celebration.

An intimate, multifaceted reflection of her always complex, frequently indistinct character. These often inscrutable songs offer kaleidoscopic glimpses into what seems like a complicated persona

Mylo Xyloto is fully realized and instantly revealed on first listen.

Even if little here sparkles as splendidly as House’s prime era, Dreamers Are Waiting is quality, thoughtful pop from the mind of a guy who knows his way around a terrific tune.

This is the comeback album they should have released in '03.

It’s a diverse offering with Weller’s deep soulful voice splitting the difference between Bowie in his Thin White Duke phase on the funky, twisty title track (check out the tasty, offbeat clarinet), jazzy R&B on the flute enhanced “Testify” and the crunchy power pop not far from later period Jam of “True.”

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.

It’s impossible not to be enchanted by one of this year’s freshest, most delightful and all around grooviest releases.