What Trouble lacks in focus, it largely makes up for with ambition and dexterity.

No matter how many times Dee Dee alludes to heartbreak and ritualistic evil, Too True is a joyful career pinnacle.

Although Köhncke may have released stronger singles in the past, Justus Köhncke & the Wonderful Frequency Band stands as his most all-around complete full-length to date.

The record is much more interested in problems than problem-solving, and that's what marks its maturity.

Here's one of the best records you'll hear in 2014.

Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything is the most personal outcry of righteous indignation they've mustered. The result is something for a broader audience of like-minded people constantly muttering 'What the fuck?' at the world at large to connect with.

As tracks like the bombastic slow jam "Ascension" and the Drive soundtrack cast-off "Disclosure" add a bit of auditory depth to the album, much of Chiaroscuro runs at a dreary autopilot pace.

Overall it's the atmosphere that haunts the album that will stick with you, assuredly.

Once adjusted to the band's change in dynamics, you're left with the distinct feeling that this is perhaps their most engrossing effort since the Young Team's debut.

Though Alcest have left the majority of their metal signifiers behind, they've discovered another kind of heaviness via gorgeous, shimmering melodies.

There are, unfortunately, a few songs that just don't connect, and when the album ends you're left feeling a bit unsatisfied, which is rare for this band. But it's still a great, short, raw blast of a melodic punk album.

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.

This reissue of the first two Bottle Rockets albums from '93 and '94 brings back with startling clarity how in tune Henneman was with the times, lyrically foreshadowing the decline of the middle class amid the rise of urban sprawl and taking well-aimed shots at unchecked racism and political correctness, all while leading his band like Warren Zevon fronting Crazy Horse.

Post-rock, grunge, hardcore, noise-rock; it's all fair game in the eyes of Big Ups, and this album is all the better for it.

Pangaea Ultima is a cleaner, sprawling affair, but one lacking the ingenuity of some of Moore's more esoteric works.

Although Doyle's vocal melodies lack focus at times, Total Strife Forever possesses enough left-turns to satisfy the most adventurous electronic music fans.

Frustratingly, the record seems somewhat sleepily produced by her husband John Leventhal. One wishes for more flourish to distinguish these songs from one another.

Given that these recordings span different eras and sessions, High Hopes does have a cohesiveness, flow, and degrees of greatness, but unlike the career-spanning rarities comp Tracks, there's nothing about these lost or revisited songs that screams out "Jackpot!"

Forever is essentially a pop record, but while there's no denying that some of these songs in isolation fulfill the catchy promise of that genre, there's just not enough to elevate this above being a decent debut and not much else.

Anchored by the cinematic piano compositions of chief-songwriter Hazel Wilde--who seems to have learned vocals from the Bilinda Butcher School for Barely Audible Singing--and the ambient excursions of lead guitarist Paul Gregory, rarely has an album about England's eroding economy and cultural upheaval sounded so exquisitely triumphant.

Over ten tracks and 40 minutes, Post Tropical never picks up any steam, never comes to life. Mere gorgeousness is, it turns out, not quite enough to sustain a record.

Though not his most cohesive work, Marci Beaucoup is undoubtedly a solid addition to Roc Marciano's impressive and rapidly expanding catalogue.

Although Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are brilliant Motown/Stax revivalists, their stalwart '60s soul/funk, at times, hits the inevitable yawn note.

Few of his contemporaries possess a post-important-band solo discography as prolific and consistently great as that of Stephen Malkmus, but each new album firmly leaves his past in the dust.

The overall tempo has slowed, allowing for more instrumental variation and a chance for the band to explore the new musical terrain (which they thoroughly do).

The songs just sounded great, and were played with such precision, at these shows.

With Hardcourage, FaltyDL proves that he still has an endless arsenal of tricks up his sleeve; it's just what he chooses to wear on said sleeve that makes all the difference.

The Behind the Green Door EP contains some of the most comfortably weird grooves we've heard from Laurel Halo.

Burial's tracks have always sounded sentimental, but it was usually contrasted with caustic backdrops that gave them some bite; on these two tracks ["Hiders" and "Come Down to Us"], it's the missing element.

Rather than slow down and chill out, he chooses to mirror our own sped-up reality in his music, with impressive results.

Realistically, Alternate/Endings is not for everyone, but anyone who's intrigued by the dark and unconventional side of things--or thinks that jungle needs a new platform--will devour this album.

Beyoncé is better than good, slickly packaged, created with the best of intentions yet still comes off as a postmodern mash of hubris, sincerity and gloss. It will be a hit regardless.

The risk of keeping things breezy is that tracks can often lack weight.

It's only when he applies his production tricks to his own voice on tracks like "Reflection" when things tend to go awry. But its this experimental bent that makes Rap Album One stand out, and deploying these skills judicially in the future will undoubtedly pay off on the evidence of this solid, eclectic debut.

It's an impeccable compilation.

Apart from a generic cameo from Kurupt on "Ride," 7 Days of Funk is an infectious, modern take on the funk genre--here's hoping that Snoopzilla and Dâm-Funk will collaborate again.

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

Because the Internet is a vast improvement over his debut effort, showcasing an artist who has confidently found a way to coalesce his love for music and films into one hybrid effort.

Ultimately, there isn't much to recommend with Black Panties.

The music lacks the sheer immensity that must have graced it originally, as it's virtually impossible to recreate something so grand at home.

In order to continue to excel, he needs to move past the solipsistic and look outward. He raps better when he does.

The set comes off rather rigid when compared to the almost mutant beats of Perceiver, yet a sense of playfulness manages to reveal itself throughout.

Though precise and at times cold and glassy, the album is by no means a minimalist evocation of a future world of urban decay.

It is minimalist yet lush, hopeful yet rooted in a stark and sometimes grim reality.

The set list here, drawing a bit from 2013's Push the Sky Away and then from throughout their catalogue, features longer songs, each drawn out patiently, and rewards fans before trying to impress novices.

It's a puny representation of a big sound made all the more unlistenable by the nuisance of the vocal lines.

The sense that this project comes from a place of honesty and respect is clear. Unfortunately, as ever, [Jamie Stewart's] voice remains the double-edged sword that cuts the enjoyment of his work in either a "love it" or "hate it" direction.

On SUM/ONE, DeGraw avoids the trappings many first-time solo artists fall to, leaving the listener with a collection of songs that manages to exude its own indispensable personality while staying true to Gang Gang Dance's wild and wooly origin story.

It's that intoxicating blend of late night, tripped-out electronics and melodic psych that is featured prominently on Shine Your Light, and it's a notable improvement.

With Nun, Teengirl Fantasy sound pleasantly restless and resourceful, but there aren't enough transcending moments here to make this EP anything more than a stop-gap.

Though certainly not as compelling as Vile's more recent work, the Jamaica Plain EP is worth a listen if only to dig deeper into the musical past of one of modern indie-rock's most celebrated performers.

Five Spanish Songs is satisfying enough for its 20-minute runtime, but it definitely lacks the heft of his recent work; without his distinctive lyrics, it doesn't really feel like proper Destroyer.

Saint Heron is a statement, a musical manifesto with a collaborative vision for today's R&B.

There will be some very painful moments where you'll be forced to end the song half way through, only to start from the beginning later. That said, if you're in a comfy spot and don't plan on going anywhere, alter your state and listen to this record from beginning to end; it will take you places.

Dark and syrupy in tone, with just the right amount of haze, as if from sacred smoke, Sister is a fine addition to the witchy, ritualistic hard rock that's leaving an ever-darker mark on aggressive music.

The result is Protest the Hero's best effort to date, one where (relative) restraint yields a far more powerful product.

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.

Last Patrol is an incredible display of mature stoner metal from dudes that view aging as more than just graying beards.

While the majority of tracks involved sound more suitable for a late night study session than a singles soirée, like all good DJ-Kicks compilations, this one succeeds by enlightening listeners, not just seducing them to the dance floor.

Spaces is in turn haunting, energizing and overwhelmingly emotive, and a must-have for fans of the young German pianist, whether or not they've caught him live yet.

This eight-song set provides a bit of insight into the evolution of Grizzly Bear's ever-ripening sound.

While some results sound a little too much like a Speak and Spell, the compositions largely survive their robotic mutations, some even gaining new generations of melancholy and grayness via their detachment from the world of simple human emotion.

As a whole, Yours To Discover lives up to its name; it's an opportunity for fans to hear a different side of Sebastien Grainger, one more relaxed than frantic, more interested in forging a new path than rehashing old memories.

With Cupid Deluxe, Hynes has revealed his exquisite vision, one that swells with inspiration from his various collaborators.

Johnson has made great creative leaps with every new album he makes, but with Back to Land, he seems to have finally backed himself into a corner.

ARTPOP is a dynamic, memorable album that, while it fails to unveil the girl behind the aura, reveals a performer who finally sounds as invested in her art as she is in her image.

Em's new songs give a facelift to old themes — but thanks to his still-astounding wordplay and creative beat choices (Rick Rubin's work on "So Far..." and "Love Game" is a hoot), you can still get lost in the wrinkles.

All in all, the disses, weird comments, glitchyness, folky bits and ravey big bass — among many other sundry bits and pieces — come together to create something that will make many people dance. This doesn't sound like an album as much as a terrifically curated DJ set—and that's more than okay.

While it's a great attempt at a first album, Pick a Piper's tune could have been a bit sweeter.

By toeing the party line--one that many critics and fans have completely rejected--Made in California paints a false picture of one of rock's most enduring and puzzling acts.

No Blues is precisely the grimly euphoric lift-up it purports to be, validating Los Campesinos! on their own terms as connoisseurs of perversely thrilling, desperately mundane misery.

Surfing Strange feels like a transitional album, as the group look to define themselves with their artistic voice, rather than those of their influences.

Much like forbearer k.d. lang, Ortega just wants to be herself, and the image she's built up over her previous two albums has now fully matured on Tin Star.

This ranks amongst Gelb's most vital albums in an already storied career.

Free Your Mind won't surpass Screamadelica on any lists--it's far too much indebted to both that record and era--but you'll have a difficult time finding an album in 2013 that's as utterly energizing and sublime as this.

Most songs fall into well-worn territory about young love and teenage politics, while there's sameness to too many of the songs. But when it works, and it often does, their charms are undeniable.

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.

Fans will be deeply impressed with the improvement of their songwriting and the record's cohesion, while totally satisfied with the energy and muscle they employed to execute their vision.

It's wilder and brighter than their previous efforts, which is definitely a good thing.

UZU is an album that uproots us and transports us into the unknown, but it's an adventure that we would happily go on again and again.

Wenu Wenu does a decent job presenting the veteran singer, but your desire to return to this disc hinges upon your enthusiasm for that instrument's unique sound.

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

Tall Tall Shadow (the long-awaited follow-up to 2010's Heart of My Own) sees Bulat lifting her voice once again--high above the fussy introduction of electronic elements--to a place where joy and despair mingle in heady measures.

Eight months on, Unknown Mortal Orchestra return with Blue Record, a chilled acoustic EP that grooves down and quietly electrifies.

Their blend of bluegrass, blues and ragtime isn't unique within the current old-timey undercurrent of Americana, but frontman Pete Bernhard's songwriting contains enough contemporary flair to provide a solid backbone for the album's ten tracks

The connection between Hatfield and Caws makes Get There a great pop album that will appeal to more than just fans of both participants.

Reflektor goes after this eternal, existential tension in masterful strokes and is a significant musical contribution by Arcade Fire, who continue to find ways to tap into universal expressions while making music that's refreshingly topical, infectious and completely their own.

He may be hard for most country music fans to take, but there isn't a more vital artist working within the genre right now.

Russian Circles' fifth studio album has a bolder, more polarizing sound than previous efforts.

Halo's music has never felt beholden to nostalgia or thematic consistency, leaving Chance of Rain as a shining example of an artist striving to operate within a creative vacuum.

Krug doesn't let the instrumental limitation restrict him and, while the listening experience jarringly contrasts his past body of work, it exposes a rawer, more intimate side of Krug, to much success.

Guilt Trips is as unclassifiable as it is dazzling, a fine debut from an artist who continues to progress.

You will be hard-pressed to find a fresher-sounding dance LP this year.

Stars Are Our Home is too much of a hodgepodge.

Moon Tides doesn't quite have the same lingering effect as Beach House's Teen Dream, but there's enough here to slide into a wonderful daydream for a half-hour or so.

It's safe to call Outside CFCF's magnum opus; it's an immaculate zenith that represents every brave, leftfield musical choice this young musician has made up until this point.

Fade Away is by no means a backslide--these are some of Cosentino's best songs to date--but rather than pointing the way forward, this EP feels more like the end of an era.

With Shulamith, Poliça have managed to create one of the most confident and assertive albums of the year.