Rest assured, The Thermals is back and as tight as ever.

Though not sure what to make of it, it is viscerally enjoyable and mentally wondrous nonetheless.

Nothing much changes from here on out, but it’s this form, absorbance and consistency that always prevails in Willner’s music.

Static Tensions is the fourth album from Savannah, Georgia metal mavens Kylesa and it may well be the best damn album the band’s released and one of the finest of 2009, metal or otherwise.

Akron/Family II might be too scattered with divergent concepts to capture the attention of the masses, but in this still very young 2011, it should rank among the most ambitious and rewarding listens of the year.

It’s really hard to find anything wrong with the way Case has presented everything and it’s evident that she is only beginning to reign in all of her strengths. It’s an exceptional trait when you’ve been able to combine so many tremendous aspects into one supreme collection of songs.

It’s the core songwriting beneath the band’s rich sonic layering that needs the greatest sharpening.

Although most of the songs are good individually, the record is fairly monochromatic, and it can get a bit tiresome listening to it from start to finish.

These two guys are good on the turntables and production, and they've got some stellar hip hop and rock guests. Check out this collaboration, one of the few hip-hop albums that I truly think is a must-have.

The dozen songs on here make for a brilliant affair of subtly great electronic music that blends a fresh brand of styles into one compelling presentation.

Like the band’s 2012’s Tucson LP, Heartbreak Pass is perhaps a tad too long to digest easily in one sitting. Yet its warmth, scope and consistency makes for an album that defiantly and enjoyably belies the age of Howe Gelb and his most-loved brand.

Admittedly, this two-headed beast, however benevolent, isn’t a flawless creation. There’s the inevitable White Album-style filler to bulk up the tracklist. [combined review of both discs]

It’s not that the album suffers too much from being stuck in traction that it won’t still be appealing to fans of the first album. It’s just that, in terms of expectations, it isn’t the game changer that many of us were expecting.

A stunning achievement and the first exceptionally great album of 2006.

Lungs showcases Florence's dramatic voice as an instrument that the other instruments follow, from the urgent, rhythmic drums on "Drumming Song" to the fluid harp runs on "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)."

Ultimately, The Wild Hunt is anything but a disappointment; instead it's a smooth progression that departed exactly where he left off: it's still affecting with countless moments of brilliance, it still showcases a musician that is everything we could want in a songwriter and on a more contextual look, it's still a man making simply honest music with nothing in the way but his heart and soul.

This album is not only the band’s most solid and consummate release to date, not merely one of the most veritable albums 2007 has delivered to us--but also, truly, one of the top albums in the past five years of indie rock history.

So while the subdued vocal harmonies and acoustic folk influences of 70s pop bands Chicago and America can be heard, there is enough intricately layered dream-pop floating around the fleshed-out orchestrations to keep indie-rock fans contented.

Government Commissions is a must-have for any Mogwai fan, as the live version of “Like Herod” alone is worth the price of the full CD.

For the uninitiated though, this is essential listening for any member of the iTunes set; crafting your next playlist will likely turn into a transcendental experience after you hear how uncannily Drake goes along with Flock of Seagulls.

After the vibe he seemed to be going for, it seemed awkward to end the album on an upswing. That being said, this is a startlingly mature and accomplished album.

Though there were hints of branching out before, none were ever as intrepid as the songs presented on Starry Mind, making Gubler's music something to surely take note of.

While the rest of the album fails to live up to the breadth of “City” and “Crumbs,” and while it takes serious missteps on the shockingly bad “Man and a Woman” and “Yahweh,” this is, by and large, an album to be thankful for, regardless of your demographic.

Although this is one of the most linear and easy-to-navigate Giant Sand records, some might be put off by the album's lapses in noisier and raucous dynamics.

A demented, twisted, and exuberant journey through a hip musical funhouse.

Hawley has made an exceptionally perfect album with Truelove’s Gutter: it’s endearing, uplifting and absolutely beautiful, what else could you ask for?

Props to McGuire for making an album exuding love, humbleness, and gratitude which didn't sacrifice any of his compositional complexity or overemphasize its conception. He should be proud of living with himself.

Each song sounds like a distinct ray of light and although it’s packed into something both concise and brief, it’s the strength of each song that makes the whole album stand out.