Pushin' Against The Stone is a rare case when a young artist's natural instincts are spot-on. As both a singer and songwriter, June is a major talent with unlimited potential.

Unlike most of his peers, Thompson is defying the march of time, continuing to write and perform at an exceptional level. Electric easily deserves a place alongside his best solo releases.

It's rare to find an album this coherent and firm in quality. But best of all, a good half of the record will give you plenty of inspiration to channel Herring's sweet dance moves.

An argument can now be made for the significance of Through the Open Window, because it's ground zero. Although large chunks of the material have circulated previously (as, well, bootlegs), the restorative sonic care and Wilentz's chronological contextualization is invaluable.

The album is a gem. Preemo lovingly wraps brand new Guru verses (new even to him) with his trademark production, earmarked with his iconic scratch choruses, without missing a beat.

The 18-song offering is a cohesive masterpiece.

Astroworld shows the evolution of Travis Scott as an artist and is his most refined, imaginative, and rage-worthy project yet.

There's a Riot Going On is an exceptional addition to Yo La Tengo's legacy, a timeless classic.

Purists will always pine for Sonic Youth and their glory days, but with a band and album this good, who cares about the past?

These songs don't sound forced or half-baked, they often beg for the repeat button to be tapped. Melodically, he's never been more engaging or accomplished, because he opts for experimentation from the musicians around him, which include Irglová, rather than revert to the habit of strumming his acoustic guitar into oblivion when the energy fizzles.

The record is strikingly patient and meditative, even to the point of being hypnotic.

While the band challenge themselves, occasionally blindsiding fans too ("Caterpillar" is a demo that only features Edkins), there's also a reassuring aspect to the calm confidence of METZ here, though they find themselves in a lost world.

Auditory annihilation never sounded so good.

Weather pushes the boundaries of Tycho's traditional sound, and in so doing, proves there is something serious to be said about stepping outside the comfort zone.

DiCaprio 2 exemplifies what the ideal student of the game sounds like--someone who's conscious of how a hook presents itself, how to control their delivery and how to diversify their lyrical bonds.

Wide Awake! is a letter-perfect musical contemplation of modern times, where social uprisings are actually affecting positive change. It's urgent and potent music that's thought-provoking and danceable, and whose rage is measured by a pointed optimism.

Whitehorse could easily have played it safe here, but they didn't; as a result, Panther in the Dollhouse is one of the best albums of the summer, if not the year.

Remind Me Tomorrow is not only a reminder of the power of love but also features some of Van Etten's finest work to date.

The sense on this wondrous and haunting album is that he's a man and a songwriter that lives to command life and forge new ways forward, disproving the merits of convention by simply reflecting upon how falling in line is not for him and, damn it, it won't have to be for his family neither.

This is Ghersi in her truest form — which is to say that it is many forms at once. The record zigzags between styles and moods at a breakneck pace, collapsing genre in its wake and crafting new pop forms – never has an Arca album held so many moments of pure songcraft.

Out Among the Stars is, at least contextually, a reminder that sometimes things got in Johnny Cash's way, but there are very few forces on Earth that could stifle his voice and conviction when he set his mind to getting a song across.

Although there are outliers (particularly "Final Rescue Attempt" and "Conversion"), for the most part, the album revels in its own straightforwardness, and the band makes it sound effortless.

The material on Innocence & Decadence is everything you'd expect from a Graveyard album plus a little bit more.

Instrumentally, there's a flare and excitement that was lacking on previous work. Each song is unique, rarely applying the same formula twice. Fortunately, she's ensured every musical choice, structural or instrumental, serves a purpose. ... Stella never beats around the bush, and because of that, there is a magnetism to this album.

Acts like the Cinematic Orchestra are sometimes dismissed as background music. To Believe refutes that completely. Its gentle warmth makes the work accessible. But once you've pressed play, there is no ignoring it.

Maybe Cuz I Love You isn't what Aretha Franklin would sound like, had she made a rap album, but Lizzo created a beautiful sonic journey through different eras of music, and for that, it deserves a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

A spectacular followup to 2017's critically acclaimed Drunk. ... It Is What It Is manifests as a beautiful ebb and flow of emotional states, philosophical musings and plain old comedy. It doesn't drown itself in existential dread or proffer any clear-cut solutions, but just exists on its own plane.

This is Nguyen's strongest work yet, with the aforementioned songwriting taking a leap forward, while gradually perfecting her melting pot sound of country, folk and pop.