Places Like This is a fun album that’s difficult to describe and impossible to forget.

With such tight and unashamedly sparse and intimate product along with an emphasis on nicely layered and blended vocals, it’s hard to find a complaint with Magnolia.

Octahedron is most certainly not a wish for Top 40 stardom, but compared to past efforts by this collective, it’s probably the surest means of attracting a larger batch of casual listeners without completely rejecting the heady desires of Mars Volta obsessives.

I'm sure that O'Hagan realizes that his band has made a name for itself in being able to almost take the listener away for an entire album of music. The experience is definitely a good one and a huge reason why Talahomi Way is a success because of it.

When the band operates under more traditional songwriting styles they can be quite catchy, but the more wandering, abstract moments can sometimes wander a little too far into non-structured noise.

The Cost is hardly a poor album - in fact it's a quite good album - but after the release of so many gems, I find it difficult for it to completely measure up to the stiff competition.

Despite all the bleeps and blurbs of this album’s electronic window dressing, it’s still Oberst’s emo-tive honesty and lyrical daring that makes up for the album’s forgettable moments.

When Le Tigre ventures out on an extended wire in a familiar direction with tunes like "On the Verge," "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo," and "After Dark," the ensemble proves that this long-awaited follow-up to Feminist Sweepstakes was not in vain.

There were some hits and some misses on this band's follow-up to a somewhat commercial success.

While Polysics have certainly come into the peak of their sound with Now is the Time, the mindless intensity of the album can be a tad overwhelming.

Otto Spooky is an excellent album, yet sometimes too long for my attention span.

For an artist who continues to mature and expand, Treble & Tremble may not be his magnum opus, but it is a delightful indie-pop album.

An interesting collage of styles.

With repetitive, though bizarrely catchy refrains of failed puppy love and crushes gone awry, Kiss and Tell markets itself to an audience that still borrows money from mom in order to purchase the release.

This is an updated version of Drive Like Jehu, often faster, angrier, and, conversely, more sparse and peaceful.

The more poppy songs here are remarkably good.... But be aware that it's often a jarring listen.

Takes us on a tour of how things got started and where they could be going.

All in all, You Are the One I Pick is a compelling and enjoyable listen which, at 35 minutes in length, is smart not to overstay its welcome.

The guitars and drums machines and electronic selections are a bit unlistenable. There are some redeeming qualities, however, with a solid groove-ridden guitar fashion show with "I'll Sue You" and an eccentric but extremely tasteful European guitar ballad in "Lisbon".

It’s definitely not album of the year (nor would it have nabbed that distinction in 2007 when it was actually released on the other side of the Atlantic), but the Shortwave Set bring just enough innovation with them to make this 45 minute disc worth your while.

Welcome Joy is the perfect, earthy balance of the grittiest and the sweetest splendors that the Pacific has to offer.

On the whole, it's a winner, and you can take the singles and run with them--the play be damned.

Anyone with a love for substantive indie pop that sounds fresh with each listen would be erring by not picking up this affecting, gorgeous album.

The album is quite fun in places, and shows some actual songwriting acumen form Liam Gallagher.

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending is a polychromatic, sweeping collection of gorgeous guitar-pop gems, a clever and harmonious amusement park filled with fun rides listeners will want to board over and over.

Taken as a whole package though, R.E.M. Live is a flawed but respectable enough addition to the canon of three men who can still conjure up a bit of magic, albeit in spite of themselves.

The group's sound is, at times, difficult to simply listen to, so it comes as no surprise that expanding upon it in such a drastic way would produce several miscues.

As a live album, Out West is a fair one.