Overall there’s a principled (but never overbearing) humanism guiding her worldview. And her songs definitely rock, if never in a way that overpowers her words.

Given this combination of tangled travails and expressive voices, it's hard to imagine any way these songs might be better served.

Everything is pushed harder, faster and into more extreme corners on Unsound, and, remarkably, the band seems to get tighter and more impactful as things become more difficult.

Long Slow Dance is a schizophrenic album, at times frustratingly so.

Sometimes controlled, occasionally chaotic, this new album packs a powerful impact.

Gonzalez paints broad strokes on this vast musical landscape, and although a wee long, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming may be his conceptual masterpiece.

While the pomp and sense of urgency may be gone from the band's '90s heyday, this is a solid effort and a worthy choice for rock fans who want something loud to drive fast to.

An album that bears repeated listens, Summer Skin is nothing less than extraordinarily affecting.

The operative term, then, is explosion, and the JSBX effectively conjure the jittery, edgy, colorful vibe of the city they live in.

The Devil's Walks minimal electronic landscape is mesmerizing and perfect for a quiet, rainy day of contemplation.

Side Pony is a solid starting point for anyone who has yet to discover the band.

Wolfroy Goes to Town haunts you quietly, in a private way that is, somehow, all the more devastating.

Unfinished Business doesn't breach new terrain, but then again, there's really no need.

This band seems poised for some kind of breakthrough and Tiger Talk seems as a good a place as any for this to happen.

Music that alternates magnetic engagement with "F...k you" sarcasm.

It makes for a varied bunch if ever there was one, a set of songs that proves both deft and divine.

If Provider was Webb reveling moment-to-moment in a new life, Free Will comes to terms with the fact that the more you live, the less you know.

This is My Hand is one big ball of skill, imagination and love of musical creation.

Simply put, My Foolish Heart is the epitome of an acoustic jazz guitar record.

Wright relies mostly on covers — she’s only credited with co-writing the final track “All the Way Here”--but her choice of classic material--Dylan’s “Every Grain of Sand,” Allen Toussaint’s Southern Nights,” the timeless standard “Stars Fell on Alabama, as well as newer, but equally impressive choices by k.d. lang, Rose Cousins and Ray Charles--testify to her ability to make the material her own.

While it's hard to shake Heartless Bastards' unforgettable prior release The Mountain (2009), Arrow is indeed pointed in the right direction with a fresh sound.

Worden does "brave the war" and becomes quite the victor on All Things Will Unwind, the third studio release and a wowing conclusion to the trifecta of work she has produced since 2006.

Melodic, dark and captivating.

There are some songs that sound like they were last minute add-ons (“Alchemy” is so plodding you can almost watch time stand still), but taken as a whole, Fool still finds Jackson playing some of the best pop music out there, immune to fads and current trends.

On Wonder/Wander Koone transcends such dippy, blog-generated catch-phrasing, displaying a sense of genuine dominion within the art of experimental laptop pop.

Anthemic stuff abounds here but they really hit a powerful stride in the middle with the fast-paced “Lizard Kids,” the funky bottom of “Lunar Phobia” and the girl-group sweetness of “Wrack Attack.”

The Men almost casually demonstrate a mastery of song-based rock & roll that usually comes from decades of work.

This album is just a few hairs (a couple of tracks and/or segues) short of being a transcendent gem, or masterpiece.

The band manages to sound half-inebriated and unbelievably tight at the same time, a loosely strung collaboration that is, nonetheless, completely in sync.

With the ambitious Miracle Temple , Mount Moriah puts its own powerful stamp on a music that's faithkeeping in more than one sense.

It’s quite a gift to fans, too. Live in Memphis—which has a corresponding DVD available separately--finds Chilton, particularly, in good voice, his obvious playfulness all the more engaging given that he’s performing before a hometown crowd.

It’s been an odd and unpredictable mix at times, but Mould’s always made a point of indulging his interest with passion and integrity.

A vigorous, emphatic outing that offers little let up in terms of its energy and intensity.

Much of today’s music draws inspiration from more recent antecedents. Arguably Freedom Jazz Dance: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5--even as a collection of material originally deemed unsuitable for release--is superior to much of what is new.

Some of the songs here are better than others (even with more than four decades of hanging out with everyone from Willie Nelson to Keith Richards, there is only so much cred you can breathe into a Paul Anka song), but there is hardly any track here that hasn’t earned the right to stay.

At over an hour, Instrumentals may try the patience of anyone not already acclimated to Pearce’s mood-driven vision. But fans who can’t get enough of his distinctive approach to composition and performance may find this record to be the purest expression of FSAness yet.

The new album's a stunning return to, and expansion from, seminal Ubu form.

Ultimately, this is a record full of brilliant Richard Thompson songs given strong readings.

It finds her expanding her palette while resulting in her most diverse offering yet.

What's been created across this baker's dozen tracks is nothing short of a poignant, powerful referendum on the state of modern England that cements CG's place as one of the finest and most resilient indie acts to emerge from the UK.

Skyline reads as a series of tiny moments--not major life events but instead the beautiful, insignificant ephemera that falls away in the wake of life's progress.

The constant shifts in tone and temperament ultimately affirm Orton's unpredictable instincts, and give Sugaring Season a sweeter appeal.

Mark Kozelek Sings Christmas Carols is a remarkably faithful, utterly transcendent take on what I will humbly submit is the beatific, unadorned side of Christmas music.... This is the holiday release of the year.

Marrying Beam’s continued interest in keeping the beat moving with some of the strongest folk/pop melodies he’s yet composed, Ghost on Ghost evolves Iron & Wine music even further into the realm of the mystic.

Flumina is an arresting and beautiful work as deep and open as the body of water that graces its cover art.

Perhaps because there’s no bass (Primo! has added Amy Hill on bass since Amici), Primo!’s sound lacks a certain grind and tumult--it’s more Grass Widow than Good Throb--but it’s sharp and fresh and a lot of fun.

Cut for cut, Big Station is as strong a record as he's ever made.

Carlile has that unique ability to convey sentiments that can be both celebratory and circumspect, and on tracks like “Wherever Is You Heart,” “The Things I Regret” and “Blood Muscle Skin & Bone,” her declarations of devotion are sung with both assertion and affirmation.

With twenty tracks and plenty of impromptu circumstance, it may not offer the same potential for pure appreciation that a standard anthology of studio tracks might provide. Nevertheless, there’s an adventurous spirit contained herein, and The Chills show they’re adept at heating things up as necessary.

It's obvious at the outset they create a mighty bold impression all their own.

Who is the Sender? is a beautiful piece of work from a veteran talent that world has finally woken up to experience.

What a remarkable record--weird, yet compelling, in equal parts dissonance and luminosity; a seductive tease that nevertheless exudes the kind of warm familiarity that marks the best indie rock.

Like his debut, 2012’s Clear Heart Full Eyes, Finn’s solo records tend to be a little darker and more-sparse than Hold Steady albums.

The band draws from the members’ mutual admiration and concerted input, but while it’s an admirable first attempt, it never quite gels into anything of enduring interest.

He's a modern master.

Untethered Moon may lack the shiny object-appeal of the band’s debut, or the epic brilliance of their major label debut, Perfect From Now On. But it showcases Martsch’s strengths and suggests an artist who, despite his qualms about universes micro and macro, has reached a comforting détente with who he is.

By focusing more on originality and the aural progression of this album, Neon Indian is clearly honing their craft and proving that the musical trend they helped to create, won't be going out of style anytime soon.

Muffs fans, then, are the ultimate winners here, as it sounds like Shattuck & Co. are having the collective time of their life.

Those unawares of Deer Tick’s five preceding efforts ought to make every effort to catch up. Likewise, those who appreciate the band’s quality and consistency will find Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 to be a perfect pairing, as compatible as their titles imply.

Spend enough time with Lost Time and you’ll find yourself singing snatches of lyrics about the west coast tsunami (“I Love Seattle”) or misogynist trolls (“The Internet”) in the shower. And, weirdly, it’ll be fun.

On the group's third full-length Love Will Prevail, Ragon earns his rightful place alongside the works of the underground icons he flips for profit.

Honky-Tonk is a Country Music album. No Alt required.

Live at Billy Bob's Texas is proof enough that he's still living up to his rep as one of the original Outlaws of Country, sitting firmly beside Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

The tenth Eels studio LP simply presents E's strengths as a songwriter and performer.

One of the best records of the year.

True, The High Country doesn't allow for the giddiest of circumstance, but if it doesn't break your heart, it may just steal it instead.

There are times when Wilson's meandering style emphasis on ambiance turns on a twilight sound.

Backed by his acoustic guitar, a fiddle player, a bass and little else, Millsap’s record has a timelessness that will preserve it well years from now.

Not as prolific as some of his peers, it’s easy to forget what a great musician Wolf is. Thankfully, this new one serves as a fresh reminder.

If you like good tunes cranked up on pogo beats, you can hardly do better than Meltdown

The music on this remarkable record creeps up on you, and subtleties abound; with Burns' vocals mic'd very close and much of the instrumental flourishes occurring deep in the mix, it's an intimate affair.

Komba, the band's third album, ups the techno factor from 2008's Black Diamond, pushing Buraka's infectious kuduro-samba-house-rave hybrid into shinier, more modernistic directions.

Albarn has just unveiled quite arguably the best album of his career--solo or otherwise--with Everyday Robots.

There's not an obvious departure from their last few releases, but there doesn't need to be as the band has settled comfortably into their sound.

As always, Mulcahy’s pastoral pop stirs up a delightful brew, both easily accessible and undeniably irrepressible all at the same time.

Calling to mind everyone from Dinosaur Jr. to The Pixies, Boston indie noise rockers follow up last year’s great full length, Major Arcana, with the solid, but frustratingly short vinyl 12” EP Real Hair.

This latest effort is underscored by sweeping arrangements and a turbulent pulse that only serves to accelerate that sense of drama and defiance.

Paul Walker’s not for everyone but will at least get the 40-somethings to quit bitching about Green Day.

It captures an aura of domestic bliss through songs that are unfailingly effervescent and jazz infused to the max.

Modern Creation may not their best collections of songs--that honor is still held by 2012’s Enjoy the Company--but there’s still some damn fine tunes to be found here.

Family functions more like a sampler than as an in-depth insight into their collective prowess.

What might have been a great album merely becomes a good one, due to fact that much needed variation is in such short supply.

This LA-based hardcore band turns out their most consistently solid set of songs yet; a dozen tracks of distorted guitars, machine gun drumming and throat-reddening vocals.

[Williams] remains agile, mobile and hostile as the Sadies choogle, twang and vamp behind him.

Royal Headache's debut begins in a pounding, pummeling riff-based rampage, all double-timed guitar strumming and frantic one-two drumming. "Never Again," the lead off track, runs as fast and hard and ragged as any punk anthem, taking the corners with two wheels off the ground.

Fondness for Jackleg only grows the more time you spend with it.

With its relaxing, wordless waves of pastoral hums and harmonies, LUX rightfully earns its place amongst such classic works by one of the great masters of sonic exploration.

Hatfield more closely follows the model of her most popular work, with multi-tracked vocals and hooky arrangements to boost the pop quotient.

The group's strongest, most challenging and most cohesive offering in years.

It is, obviously, a tribute to Fela’s lasting power and influence that so many different artists want to play his music, and not at all surprising that he was better at it than most of them. Still, no one wants to hear Fela’s fiery grooves diluted, slicked over, chilled out and made more commercially palatable.

Costello, James, Mumford, Goldsmith and Giddens put their disparate origins aside and pull together as a team. They clearly own these songs, and ply them accordingly. Both credence and comradery play crucial roles here, elevating this effort to that of an essential acquisition.

The formula--and the tempo--never really varies, although some of the musical settings are craggier than others.

An admirable effort in terms of daring and experimentation, Choir of Echoes reverberates ever emphatically.

The problem with 4everevolution is that it takes too long to get to the good moments.

This is a very good album, sure, but it adds not so much to the Rangda catalogue.

Darkly defiant, Nothin’ But Blood is turbulent and tempestuous to a manic extreme.

Brousseau possesses a certain spirit and shine, but a bit more spark would give Grass Punks more of a means by which to elevate the intrigue.

Despite all odds, Into the Wide is Delta Spirit’s most driven effort yet, a rousing, riveting attempt to create an indelible impression.