As a follow-up to 6 Feet Beneath the Moon, ANPTD lacks the charm that made his 2013 record amiable. This new work finds Marshall revealing himself through the sound of his combined musical sensibilities and artistry.

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.

All the elements that have made for their most enjoyable material are still here, and the band shows they are just as capable as they have always been on captivating listeners.

Unlike the conceptual rock opera project that was Nostradamus, Redeemer of Souls is pure metal joy, full of surging anthems, martial stomps, unbridled passion and huge, crunchy production values.

Phantom Island is a mature reflection on grappling with success. Musically, King Gizzard may never step foot in the same stream twice, but it's clear they're here for each other wherever the current takes them.

Too often, it is more than halfway boring. It isn't uninspired or weakly performed. Rather, it is boring in spite of the overwhelming bombast, the booming bass and pounding drums, the huge vocals, the wailing guitars; it is boring because rather than electrifying you, it distances and anaesthetizes.... The good news is that those songs are, most of them anyway, pretty great.

Despite the lesser tracks on the record, Forward Motion Godyssey is a strong sophomore attempt from Post Animal. The band still have yet to truly define their unique identity, but as they are now, they are one of the stronger genre-bending psychedelic rock groups around.

The Art of Hustle has vision, but it's occasionally weighed down by Gotti's efforts to recreate the success of his biggest single yet.

Seven albums in, Stars may not have very much left in the way of surprises, but the subtle pleasures of these songs offer considerable rewards to those of us who have stuck with them.

Born in the UK, based Stateside and of Sudanese descent, Sinkane has been able to draw his worldly experiences into something that's at once relatable, abstract and pertinent.

While EG.0 holds Goulding's mainstream radio hits, it's Brightest Blue that has evolved Ellie Goulding as a songwriter. She's created two distinct spaces on this record, which allows her to continue her musical evolution while simultaneously maintaining her pop throne as pop royalty.

In joining the "real world," he's crafted his best album yet.

I Like Fun remains a strong, if not exactly noteworthy album, simply because TMBG are a strong band that can pull off anything at this point, and although newcomers looking for examples of their late-career excellence should probably start with recent gems like Glean or Nanobots, longtime fans will find much to like here, crunchy guitars and all.

Though their unwavering embrace of pop on this record might seem antagonistic in and of itself, they still manage to sound convincingly earnest and (for the first time) fun.

On II, Moderat have created an evolving piece of art that manages to both reference and reinvent their respective musical blueprints.

Doubtless, the boy from Troy, NY has given his audience a lot to chew on with Madman; some of it folk, some of it rock, all of it good.

Prong have outdone themselves here, proving that they are still a force to be reckoned with and, ultimately, respected.

There's nothing too farfetched or strikingly new here, but Still Life of Citrus and Slime is without a doubt a pure example of rock'n'roll.

Jay II is a mysterious, endlessly enjoyable collection of songs that reveal more and more with subsequent listens.

Big Box of Chocolates, like its name suggests, can favour quantity over quality and a mix of good and not so good, but if you take it as it is--an easy-going record made by '70s rock enthusiasts--it packs enough good vibes to keep you listening.

As anarchic as it may seem on first listen, No_One Every Really Dies smoothes out a little more with each play. It's a strong comeback for the daring trio.

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

On Through a Wall, Single Mothers have managed to preserve something old and mix it with something new.

Medium Rarities isn't essential. A few tracks stand out, but the real excitement lies ahead. Mastodon's last few albums have crept up the top 10.

Alfa Mist weaves masterfully from threads of nostalgia, but Bring Backs, when you unravel it, is more of an ode to faith and resilience than a mournful remark on what is gone.

It's when producer the Alchemist trims and arranges that Bronson becomes a salable bouquet.

Clark can do it all and it's entirely likely that Blak And Blu will be recognized in the future as a moment when American music suddenly got a great deal more interesting.

He remains unchallenged when it comes to his ability to create organic sound that is at once full-bodied, warm, and filled with textures from around the world. Bonobo's growth, too, across the past two decades has seen a natural and consistent progression; each record building beautifully on the last. Fragments is no exception.