Like many sophomore albums, Ants from Up There serves both as a clearing house for leftover ideas from the debut and a tentative next step in Black Country's evolution. Serving both purposes results in an album that doesn't necessarily have the same electrical charge as what came before and would benefit from a little trimming here and there. That said, the band is still inarguably one of the most exciting prospects in new music at the moment, and here, the highs are head and shoulders above the majority of their contemporaries.

She's tough and confrontational, and on her 11th studio album, Down Where The Spirit Meets the Bone, that toughness initially comes across as even more deeply entrenched. It takes a little while to discover the tenderness that goes along with it.

Though not without its standout moments, Rabbit Rabbit can sometimes feel a bit too stuck in its comfort zone to convert new listeners. Having said that, the band's snarling, no-nonsense demeanour — not to mention Dupuis being unafraid to tackle heavy topics like childhood trauma and violence — often makes up for the relative lack of sonic diversity.

For their sixth album since their 2010 reformation, the tempo has been slowed down. This accounts for a more refined sound, well-rounded lyrical structure and master musicianship.

Although Bedroom Tapes isn't a great jumping off point to demonstrate what Special Request does best, tracks like the throbbing "Thermatropic" and the joyous "Double Rainbow" make this "forgotten" collection a worthy listen for long-time fans.

Numbers proves that MellowHype are capable of making a good album without employing the over-the-top antics or shock themes they initially used to capture attention.

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.

Though their music can be playful and funny, 100 gecs are very much not a joke. 1000 gecs & the Tree of Clues makes it clear that Brady and Les know exactly what they're doing and that they've got an army of highly inventive and creative supporters standing with them.

Save the Gun is certainly Militarie Gun's most "mainstream" record, with synths, strings and studio tricks co-mingling with distortion and Shelton's caustic, confessional roar. Unfortunately, not every song is a winner, with a number of uninspired tracks in the second half of the record plodding along without the energy or muscle of the first. .... Thankfully, the final act is positively anthemic, with Shelton's voice and the band's booming sincerity keeping the songs from entering derivative "stadium rock" territory.

While she tries to impress upon us that the girl we knew is now a woman who reads tarot cards and engages in pure sexual pleasure, bold and brash have never entered the lexicon when it comes to Hilary Duff and her music — and maybe they never will. We love her because she stays earnest.

The Heart is a Monster doesn't quite leave the impression mid-'90s Failure did, but despite less experimental approach and cleaner digital production, it's still a compelling listen.

The segues on Death Jokes prove to be the highlights of McMahon's experimentation. "Joyrider," "Predator" and "Solo Tape" succeed because they are unencumbered by the weight of songwriting expectation. Unlike the fuller compositions, these interstitial tracks lean more on the side of musical vignettes.

Awakening isn't going to change anyone's life, but Sacred Reich sound like they're having fun, and on thrash records like this one, that can be worth its weight in gold.

They've still got a solid ear for dreamy, yet captivating melodies, but with the confidence to push their sound in new directions and see where it takes them.

While it may not be flawless, it's another strong entry in a consistently compelling catalogue. His mom called it a masterpiece, and I guess that's all that matters.

Notes of Blue is a solid effort overall; here's to riding the wave of change and surprise as Farrar's songwriting continues to evolve.

Rebound continues her trajectory as an distinctive artist who's ever-skilful in her sonic explorations.

While there is no shortage these days of songwriters railing against soured relationships, Hackman has finally made it out of her twenties with all her good intentions and bad decisions leaving marks on her heart. She's ready to turn those pages and tell her grown-up tales.

All things considered, this may not be the best album ever made by Kid Koala, but it might be one of his most rewarding experiences.

Khaled goes through his hip-hop Rolodex yet again and compiles a strong collection of MCs and producers to add some shine to his latest musical collage.

Never the Right Time is excitingly different, if inconsistent. The well-known pillars of Stott's sound still underpin much of what happens across the album's nine tracks, yet the way those pillars are occasionally arranged have made way for new kinds of space.

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.

Throughout the 15-track album, he weaves from hip-hop and psych-rock to R&B and soul, proving that artistically, he will never be confined to a single box.

It's certainly BTBAM's heaviest in a while, paying tribute to the BTBAM's watershed record without copy-pasting. It might fall short of wall-to-wall iconic status, but they already achieved that.

Fans of Mastodon's swamp prog and Tool's art-school alternative will find plenty to like.

Clairo's stylistic variability sets her apart from these artists however, and while some more time and resources wouldn't be unwelcome on a sophomore effort, Immunity confirms she's one to watch.

It's a solid, long overdue return of one of America's great rock'n'roll bands.

He may have ditched the grit that got him here, but the glam he's donning now suits him just fine. While the horse remains untamed, the reins have clearly been fastened.