Its new album, "Dirty Side Down," plays to all of Widespread Panic's strengths, from the intricate weaving of John Bell's and Jimmy Herring's guitars with John Hermann's keyboards to a stylistic sweep that spans from the epic, prog-like opening suite "Saint Ex" to breezier fare like the title track and the spritely gallop of "Clinic Cynic."

Although Chandra and Leigh Watson don't employ their entire vocal range on the bluesy "Devil in You," they make up for it with lyrical maturity.

Save Rock and Roll contains some head-scratching collaborations, including link-ups with Big Sean and Courtney Love, but even those that fall relatively flat are still positive indicators that Fall Out Boy are back to having fun, stretching their legs and taking risks.

Ingram may be good on his own, but Patty Griffin's sweet harmonies on the enchanting 'Seeing Stars' and Dierks Bentley's growls on Ingram's live classic 'Barbie Doll' are welcome additions.

Annie steals listeners' hearts with her light-as-a-feather vocal delivery and infectious beats.

Full of blues and roots tracks, the new 13-song set lives up to its title.

Packed front to back with lyrical treats and lovely sonic touches (thanks to producer Rick Rubin), I and Love and You may be one of the major labels' best pieces of news this fall.

His highly anticipated sophomore album succeeds in mixing its safer stylistic choices with its relatively bold ideas.

A tendency to let the songs run too long notwithstanding, this 100 Miles is a path Crow was certainly wise to tread.

The fresher feel on the Vancouver group's new set could partially be attributed to frontman Carl Newman's openness to collaborating with his peers.

There are some moments when the mood lightens, usually for romantic fare like the funky Estelle-assisted song "Midnight Hour." But these tracks display neither Kweli's lyrical precision nor Hi-Tek's adventurous sounds. The set also falls short of its opening promise to engineer a "shift in the paradigm of hip-hop."

The result is an album that comes on a bit strong, but has the pop pedigree to avoid any major missteps.

Many of the dozen songs achieve the kind of meatiness that the group approached tentatively on The Fray.

Kingston does widen his scope a bit, as evidenced by the percolating synth/dance vibe of the set's first single and top five hit, 'Fire Burning.'

It's not surprising that his first new album in five years, "Tha Funk Capital of the World," is epic in scale, from its 16 mostly woofer-shaking tracks to the generation-spanning guest list.

This is also some of Tankian's most accessible material to date, whether it's the grooving verses and exploding choruses of "Left of Center," the cascading ebb and flow of "Borders Are . . ." or the fierce charge of "Electron."

By closing the song with unadorned strings, Basement Jaxx seems to be finding feeling in its new efficiency.

The duo backs up its devotion to classic sounds with rich layers of funk, soul, jazz, blues and rock sampling that honor the genre-bending experimentation prevalent in '80s and early-'90s hip-hop.

This Stockholm-based DJ outfit scored a dance hit earlier this year with "One (Your Name)," its hard-hitting collaboration with Pharrell Williams of N*E*R*D. But separately, the men of Swedish House Mafia-Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello-have been rocking dancefloors for years, so here we have a 24-track primer designed to update new fans on each artist's earlier work.

The Weird One delivers the reprocessed goods, though it's his original tunes — done in the idiosyncratic styles of his favorite artists--that truly warrant repeat listening.

While old-school rap nods and blunt lyricism add to the set's allure, its fluidity suffers.

There are enough brains and brawn to make this an "Asylum" any head-banger would be crazy to avoid.

Mostly known for delivering folk-punk anthems, Against Me! delivers a no-fuss rock collection with its latest release.

Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells is loud, raucous and unapologetic. Members Alexis Krauss (vocals) and Derek Miller (guitarist/programmer) prove it on debut album Treats.

Given Kelly's absurdly effortless melodic flair, the result certainly satisfies. But Love Letter could use more of his effortless absurdity.

This rock supergroup delivers by drawing upon each member's talents and creating a sound that's refreshingly singular and remarkably fun.

Britney Jean, her first album released in her thirties, is a subtle shift away from frantic bangers and into more forthright songwriting.

A welcome, long-awaited return after a troubled hiatus, but it hums along comfortably without striking any innovative poses.