Although new listeners may find this brand of new wave revival frivolous in such an oversaturated pool of sound-alikes, longtime fans, or those who listen close enough, will hear a band who has a little more weight beneath the surface than their contemporaries. Songwriting that isn't always complementary, but bold nonetheless.

The band's albums with outgoing guitarist Josh Klinghoffer weren't bad, exactly — The Getaway in particular holds up quite nicely — but, when listening to Unlimited Love, there's a strong sense of everything falling into place and order being restored.

As an album, >> is twice as great as its predecessor.

Generations feature a magnitude of emotions, both raw and sincere.

There's a comfortable vibe that the project ease into, content to deliver serviceable lyrics over straightforward beats and nothing more.

Black Radio 2 will leave fans hungry for Black Radio 3.

Fans of King Gizzard's earlier material may have trouble stomaching the bubbly nature of Paper Mâché Dream Balloon, but just as fellow Aussie psych band Tame Impala did with Currents, sometimes you simply need to take a chance and put out something unexpected--that the flutes on nearly every track end up working is just icing on this sweet cake.

His latest is an unhurried flow of ambient piano pieces that, despite the implications of the title, are only momentarily dark and far from risqué, perhaps at times more suited for those soft intimate moments made for two, or most certainly personal reflections made for one.

It's unfortunate, really, since without any of that baggage [professional separation], The Civil Wars stands as a powerful and haunting collection that exemplifies Nashville's current fixation with slickly updating traditional themes.

Asmara, Gaika, Bon, Baby Caramelle and Nunu all make contributions to the disc, as do rappers K-$ and K-Rizz. Too often, they're at cross-purposes. The album is so lacking in continuity that it fails to sustain either a groove or the listener's attention.

Romance still relies on a structure that is becoming increasingly irrelevant, which ultimately overshadows many of the album's redeemable moments.

Throughout the record, Romano truly embraces mysticism in his lyrics, and throws the idea of form and structure out to sea. It can be overwrought at times, as Romano stretches the seams of certain songs with oft impenetrable lyrics and perhaps a surplus of instrumentation.

It's a tighter and more motorik album than 2018's Modern Meta Physic, and the band sound as though they've locked more fully into the shape they're meant to take — hooky, harmonic rock that seems to glow softly from within all the noise. It's an enveloping, oddly comforting soundtrack to troubled times.

Cudi sparkles in the first two acts. ... While satisfying, the most endearing and powerful standout moments appear in the third and fourth acts.

While he seems outshone by his flashier co-stars on much of Ronin at first, repeat listens find his well stoked lines smouldering for far longer than you'd think.

Not just for Dave Matthews Band fans, Ryley Walker's The Lillywhite Sessions is a reminder that taste is subjective, timing is everything, and you don't always choose the ones you love.

Besides one failed experiment of a song, You're Welcome's 11 other tracks are not only some of the best songs Williams has ever penned, but some of the freshest, most inventive tunes the genre has heard in years.

The balance between abstract, synthetic noise and soothing, organic timbres is remarkable; it literally feels good to hear, like a conscious meditation.

Ultimately, it isn't the lyrics that stand out but Hamilton's deliberate endeavour to craft intricate compositions that hold the attention of the listener. T R O U B L E is worthy of a second listen, and not only to pick up on the subtleties you missed the first time

TerraForm may not be groundbreaking, but it's an enjoyable album that begs to be turned up loud, and sometimes that's all you need.

On Electric Lines, Joe Goddard shoots for something eclectic and exciting, but settles for something sporadically enjoyable at best.

By incorporating vintage influences with so much skill, Nau channels yesterday's greats without ever lazily copying them. Instead, he transports you to way back when, then makes it sound of the moment.

The fact that each member of the band produced their own tracks comes off like a harbinger to why Endless Dream simply doesn't work, ostensibly ending Peter Bjorn and John's secret winning streak.

The band's 10th album, is basically standup comedy that transcends parody by being so utterly silly that it's almost charming.

Plaid remain enjoyable, if a little stuck in a rut.

Although much of the material has a familiar lustre to it, Something Shines nonetheless finds Laetitia Sadier at her most contented and focused.

The prevalent mood of Life In The Dark is rainy day music, obliquely referencing dark times in America through often-satirical character songs.

Someday Is Today pairs fragmented, stream-of-consciousness lyrics with soundscapes that flow and grow at their own pace, balancing the post-rock proclivities of Do Make Say Think with the lazy drum machines and synthesizers of Beach House (especially on the opening track, "Hold Me In Your Mind").

A pleasant enough album, but when it comes down to it, Toy are much more appealing when they soar rather than tread water.

While the tension between live and synthetic elements is interesting to listen to, Homosapien lacks the kind of grand creative spark that's often born from this.

The Punishment of Luxury continues the band's ongoing reunion without significantly altering their course. A few songs here could end up in the band's permanent setlist, but for an album so concerned with our present-day living, OMD seem too content to linger in their own past.

Despite its flaws, Wonderful Wonderful is a welcome course correction, a relatively personal record from a too-often facile group.

There are country-fried flourishes like "State of Mine" and "Can't Depend," but everything hangs together on one of Sebadoh's most eclectic and rewarding releases.

With its singalong choruses and eminent likeability, New Gods is the kind of album that will only add to his reputation as being one of Scotland's finest.

Nausea is the perfect lazy summer album with a hidden depth that slowly unfolds to reveal a work of sincere beauty.

Tracks like "Your Nostalgic Heart and Lung" and "PF, Day One" find RJD2 exploring the depths of his own synth work, without a sample in sight. Granted, they are actually some of the weaker tracks on the album, but it's a step towards a more mature sound that has room to grow.

There's nothing truly radical about the collection, but it is gratifying riff-based rock, and in an industry littered with sycophants, Starcrawler's brand of exuberant noise is refreshing. The future may be bright for these young guns.

Every step is like the last, every dune made up of the same inconspicuous pebbles. Species can make for an exceptionally trance-inducing listen if you have it in you to push past the monotony.

This is a return to form for Franz Ferdinand; they've indeed retrieved the right thoughts and words to create a dynamic new set of pop hits in-the-making.

Honest, clever and lively, Diet Cig's second record is a great juxtaposition: working through embarrassment and shame all while bouncing off the walls to the sound of sugary, cheery indie-punk. Do You Wonder About Me? turns worry and uncertainty into a celebration of being human.

A dizzying array of sounds and vocals that probably would have come off as a sonic mess if not for Mouse on Mars' crystalline vision.

While Berman's sentiments are sweet, there's nothing revolutionary here. That said, revolution isn't a prerequisite for good music, so if insular, sensitive indie rock is your thing, you'll probably love The Echo of Pleasure.

What was once something to blast on your bedroom speakers is now crying out for a live performance with a nine-piece band, which, if nothing else, shows a maturity in sound.

It's an expertly recorded, dynamically performed and totally fun celebration of some of his best work, especially for those who cherish his earlier material.

The album starts out blazing with Fogerty and the Foo Fighters doing "Fortunate Son," and that pace is largely maintained all the way through to a rousing "Proud Mary," with Jennifer Hudson, which manages to simultaneously pay tribute to the Ike & Tina version and the song's original New Orleans inspiration.

Joke in the Hole is undoubtedly Eric Copeland's strongest release, a cycle of songs that brazenly possess both structural maturity and childlike weirdness.

There's something lacking in this collection of tracks: a counterpoint to the darkened atmosphere to prevent Remember Your Black Day from coming across as just another example of weak-willed EBM.

The Planet works more than well enough as its own insular world, and is hopefully but a taste of more to come.

Tracer is a complete LP that's unified yet fluid, providing a full club experience for those who choose not to leave their bedrooms.

Despite sounding more like Radiohead's wistful indie-pop nephews than the genuine article, alt-J are a group offering moderate experimentalism that'll serve as an effective gateway for younger fans.

I Predict a Graceful Expulsion is not the great record some would have you believe it is, but it is a very good one.

The songwriting is tighter, the hooks stickier and the production crisper as they twist buzzy guitar hooks and driving, rudimentary drum machine beats into seven-minute jams.

The simple production, with Lalonde's untamed vocals clear as a bell and Hamelin's homecoming, lets the joy that played a part in the process of making the short and sweet Uncle, Duke and the Chief shine evidently through.

The accomplishment is that the sound is unique and understated. The unpredictable becomes predictable quickly, though.

Ununiform is an uneven album at best, showing that Tricky isn't bereft of ideas but was lacking the fire to properly flesh them out.

There's no denying the album is catchy.

Innerworld should be their breakthrough album at the very least, and may very well be the album of the winter, a season that fits it well.

Jukka's production style and Boucher's lyrics and singing are strong on their own, but together, their chemistry has led to one of the year's strongest debuts.

We can't help but hope that after eight years, he may have tried something a little more off the beaten path. That being said, fans will surely enjoy more Torske in their lives, and Byen is Bjørn Torske at his most idyllic.

While recent work has affirmed that Tatum's comfort zone is clear, Laughing Gas is a reminder that he is still open to exploration.

Jasssbusters' steady output of blue-tinted melodies make it an exceedingly easy listening experience.

Goodman and Bevan's take does an adequate job of representing the variety that has spanned over the Fabriclive mix series, but unfortunately manifests as being somewhat unkempt.

Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, Antonoff's third album as Bleachers, is at best a heartfelt batch of tracks that are nice to experience in the moment, but rarely anytime after. This doesn't mean there aren't a few glimpses of the full potential of Bleachers' musical direction; they're just crowded by much of the same heard on records past.

Junto is yet another solid album of party anthems to--as promised in "Unicorn"--"get your body jumpin'" this Summer.

As with his previous output, regardless of the myriad influences in effect, you never once have any doubts you are listening to a Zomby record.

Dropping two or three songs would be enough to turn this very good record into a brilliant one.

99¢ is an album buoyed by its sonic playfulness, but which fails to shake its playlist sensibility--entertaining, engaging but only occasionally leaving a lasting impression.

The craftsmanship of the album is impeccable, synonymous with the Cologne sound Kompakt has become so well known for.

Gershwin features a number of quirky, intriguing turns from Cyndi Lauper, who on paper couldn't seem further removed from this longtime country outlaw but in execution sounds just right.... Better still are the moments in which Nelson goes it alone, pushing his famed high voice in unexpected directions.

Their self-titled debut LP packs a mighty wallop, matching a brutish, derisive attitude with whip-smart songwriting and compelling hooks.

The highs aren't quite as high as they might have been ten years ago, but Nada Surf are dependable purveyors of indie rock, and on YKWYA, they are as solid as ever.

If The OF Tape Vol. 2 proves one thing it's that Odd Future aren't just a product of the Internet hype machine.

This is outsider music that manages to remain accessible yet endlessly provoking.

Nosaj Thing isn't just a brooding, melancholic minimalist, but an interior designer finding the perfect shade of white — not for some high-fashion contrivance, but for the psychological and emotional effects a colourful sunset will bring to it.

At eight tracks, some might criticize it on grounds of length, but these are robust, well-crafted songs that, even after multiple spins, reveal fresh details between the more obvious hooks.

As their most viscerally intense release thus far, Kiss My Super Bowl Ring has the Garden screaming as much as they are singing, and transitioning between the two within a matter of seconds. Somehow, the Shears brothers are able to make it work.

Despite how thunderous Thatcher sounds behind the drums or how dirty Kerr's bass tone is, unfortunately there isn't a pedal for more robust and compelling songwriting.

The heavily distorted, fuzzy wall of sound from previous albums has been replaced by lead guitar jangle here, but while that may seem off-putting to fans who are accustomed to the relentless punk bludgeoning of their previous material, at its core the songwriting is solid, and familiar enough for old fans to learn to love.

If you'd cooled on the duo for this reason, now is the time to jump back in. Justice have purified their sound on Hyperdrama, largely for the better.

While 9th & Walnut ranks among Descendents' best work, circumstances have made it more of a capsule in time than a harbinger of future classics from the band.

It's difficult to avoid self-parody when you're mining a genre that largely defines itself by tacky sonic flourishes, but somehow White Hills have continued to do just that.

Whales & Leeches doesn't see Red Fang veering far from their signature, grooving sound, but they deploy all the tricks in their musical arsenal extremely effectively, refining them into a terrible, sharpened point.

There are moments of suffering, self-pity and, eventually, redemption throughout the nine tracks, and although there are some missteps, Luke Winslow-King's I'm Glad Trouble Don't Last Always is admirable in its undertaking, and definitely worth the listen.

Pure, Beyond Reproach feels lost and directionless at times.

Thanks to the lack of coherence or variety though, nothing on Die Lit really sticks. It's fun enough but, save for a few keepers, has the lifespan of a mayfly. Rock to it for the summer and forget most of it by September.

Lady deliver a definitive bright spot for those who remember when female R&B was great, and believe it can be again.

The Pale Emperor is downright ambitious when it wants to be and lazy when it can get away with it.

Hardcore Bronson fans may need a little time to get into SAAAB Stories, but it's worth it once you do.

On Sept. 5, dvsn establish themselves as the cutting edge of post-millennial soul music, electrifying, absorbing and, at their best, downright mind-blowing.

While there are some audible growing pains, Just To Feel Anything holds a great deal of promise and first-rate material.

1989 fans will breathe a sigh of relief when "I Did Something Bad" kicks in, though, which starts off a string of shiny pop songs that not only feel like a more natural progression from the last album, but improve upon each listen in that sneaky way Swift songs tend to do. ... The moments on Reputation that Swift stans appreciate the most are likely the ones casual listeners will be quickest to dismiss.

so sad so sexy is an unusual blend of pop and R&B inspiration, but it's not a memorable album. Lykke Li scratches the bare surface of the talent she possesses, making you wish there was just a little more ener

Deathless Master is all tight, sinewy riff structures--songs that succeed by virtue of their grip and tensile strength.

Even when the pulse ends up becoming more of a question mark than an assertive statement, the music still speaks as directly to the body as to the mind

On a surface level, these tracks form a more tempered piece of work, but multiple listens unveil layers of sound that make Weird Work the most fittingly titled album of the year.

While it may lack the sustained ear-catching excellence of Kings and Queens, South is another solid addition to what is now one of the strongest discographies in Canadian roots music.

Those willing to get past their preconceived notions may be surprised to find that Lo-Fantasy is perhaps the most dynamic recording of Roberts career.

The thing is, despite the strength of the band (which also includes bassist Todd Sickafoose and guest Ivan Neville), much of the 12-song album feels like filler.