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.

These guys clearly know their roots, and English Oceans is all about getting back to where they came from.

This set confirms she’s a rugged, uncompromising young talent with a distinctive voice and take-no-crap attitude primed and ready to take Americana into the next few decades.

While this is surely not for everyone, those whose tastes aren’t constrained by traditional notions and are willing to go with Ziman’s somewhat oblique, even aloof flow, will find plenty of reasons to spend the requisite time getting comfortable with her unique style and genre expanding approach.

St. Vincent is an overwhelming listen the first, second, maybe even third time around.

It takes a few tracks for the album’s energy to ramp up, but by the time you reach “To Be Young,” the pop craftsmanship and solid performance have drawn you in.

There is lots to enjoy here as long as you keep your expectations in check and aren’t looking for a rollicking new Heartbreakers release.

Layers of distortion and droning feedback pour from the speakers, almost fighting the melodies for dominance (and losing), with everything coming together in an organic, unforced manner. [Mar 2014, p.90]

With newly remastered sound and a second disc of worthwhile rarities including live tracks, remixes, B-sides and the like, even fans would do well to take the plunge on this refurbished, expanded reissue of an album that Frame, despite multiple later attempts both under the Aztec Camera moniker and later his own name, never could build a career on.

For those prepared to hunker down and get immersed in Angel Olsen’s laconic, often downbeat echoes on depressing life events many of us have experienced, it’s a startlingly uncompromising, if occasionally uncomfortable peek into her haunted dreams.

Those who need a soundtrack for a rainy night alone can take comfort in the pure reflective intimacy of this alluring and frequently enchanting album.

Given that Morning Phase reveals similarly raw honesty and engrossing emotion [as Sea Change]--plus bears the mark of superior penmanship gained by a decade’s more patience and wisdom, the album is poised to be revered as one of Beck’s most potent collections.

It shows that a talented, visionary singer-songwriter can comfortably do what she does so well, yet not be trapped by conventionality.

It’s a whiz-bang romp perfect for the Claypool faithful to devour, and may even attract some of the more roots oriented not already onboard his distorted fun-house mirror music crazy train.

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.

This is tough, unvarnished music played for keeps, not for the squeamish or those afraid of the sight, or sounds, of blood.

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

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

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.

Overall the Haden Triplets don’t bring enough of anything special to these songs to make the album an overall success.

From His Head to His Heart to His Hands shows that what Bloomfield did accomplish in his short life was not just sizeable but downright seismic.

It’s an immaculately produced gem and there’s nothing currently out there like it.

Matthews’ ageless voice remains warm and inviting as he winds his way through this hour long set, creating a wistful yet never regretful mood.

Goodnight Tender may not be a radical sonic departure but by recording an entire country album, Amy Ray can check another box on her career genre list, and do it with pride in a job beautifully done.

It’s as strong an album as Cantrell has ever released--even if it took nine years to get here.

While almost all of the music is five-star material, it’s hard to recommend this collection wholeheartedly when anyone paying attention long enough could have easily picked up every item in the set individually.

There’s something rich and nourishing about it. And that’s true of all of Doug Paisley’s music, which is strong on melody and comes from a place of genuine emotion. Whatever you choose to call it, music like this is universal.

Producer Flood (PJ Harvey, Sigur Rós) maintains the band’s raw appeal but lightly varnishes the sound to make the music’s intricacies truly glow amidst the atmospherics.