Hella is an easy LP to get drawn into and (just like all of his other releases) it's also a joyous adventure to get lost in.

It's bound to thrill longtime fans, and anyone looking for some relief from the suffocating smoothness of most mainstream country.

The maturation of Bridgers' craft, and influence of her peers, is apparent on Punisher. The songs alternate between tightly wound pop-rock ("Kyoto") and a soft concoction of folk-rock ("Savior Complex") and both sides feel focused and sturdy. Bridgers keeps getting better and Punisher affirms this.

Massey Fucking Hall captures Japandroids in this unique (for them at least) setting at the peak of their powers.

As Wire albums go, Wire is very accessible and it contains nods to almost every album that has come before it.

Time has been kind to Thee Oh Sees, who remain proper royalty in the garage rock universe and manage to shape-shift without losing their boisterous and impactful delivery.

Deer Tick are so wonderfully straightforward and stripped of all self-importance that Deer Tick Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 manage to make up for lost time without compromising any of the acute writing or boisterous energy the band are known for. The records aren't epic returns to form that beg to be lauded; rather, they feel like four guys remembering how much fun it is to make good music.

To The Recently Found Innocent explores welcome new directions; rather than messing with a good formula, Presley has opened up to new ways of approaching it.

True Widow's newest album, Circumambulation, does a brilliant job of expressing the network of confused and sometimes dark emotions that make us human.

Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 is a fine introduction to John Carpenter the musician for newbies, and a welcome re-visit for longtime fans.

It's their willingness to fall flat on their face while swinging for the fences that separates them from the focus-grouped inoffensiveness of their pop peers. The messiness of the whole thing seems to be the point, part of its audacity. In most artists' hands, that would be a recipe for creative bloat. Yet more than ever before the 1975 prove themselves masters of the form.

It all amounts to a strong album, one that should appeal to both modern, Editors-loving synth-rock fans, as well as older New Order, Joy Division and Cure heads who remember from whence it all came.

His care and preservationist approach to each arrangement gives everything an authentic vibe that transports you back to a much simpler time.

Between Ant's eclectic, subtle production and Slug's equally nuanced lyricism, Fishing Blues stands out as one of the best hip-hop LPs of the year thus far.

Pollen's deep cuts can't quite rise to the same heights as its singles, though they maintain a similar mood and prowess that gives the album life beyond just a couple music videos or haphazardly-ordered playlists. The main standout buried beneath the surface is the stunning "Gibraltar."

The vocal harmonies on Weirdo Shrine are eerily perfect, fading in and out of the driving instrumentals.

While the echoing melodica used throughout gives everything a sort of "Clint Eastwood"-y sheen, that's not necessarily a bad thing--if anything, it's evidence that Marching Church know how to create an atmosphere on par with far more experienced songwriters and performers.

While it can be a pretty heavy and involved listening experience at times, Undying Color should more than satisfy long-time fans and impress connoisseurs of avant-garde/ambient music.

Man Machine Poem is the Tragically Hip's most cohesive release since at least Music @ Work.

The more cerebral, out-there music fan may find it all too easy, craving the satisfaction that comes with gaining an appreciation of music that's challenging to the ear. Most, however, will rejoice; as should you, because FORGET is overwhelmingly and immediately Xiu Xiu.

All in all, Feel Infinite is vintage Jacques Greene, but you're never left feeling like you've heard it all before.

Chaney moves with ease from nearly operatic to contemporary and casual and sounds equally at home.

Deer Tick are so wonderfully straightforward and stripped of all self-importance that Deer Tick Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 manage to make up for lost time without compromising any of the acute writing or boisterous energy the band are known for. The records aren't epic returns to form that beg to be lauded; rather, they feel like four guys remembering how much fun it is to make good music.

A hip-hop blues record is an interesting concept and in Koala's nimble hands, a unique listening experience.

Psychedelically haunted and spiritually free, Life After Death isn't just an escape from the world we're confined to, it's a multi-dimensional confrontation, compositions conversational as they are challenging.

While it's missing some of the frantic, desperate immediacy of God's Country, Cool World sees Chat Pile exploring their sound and aggressively antagonizing the world around them.

Duterte and Kempner manage to break the mould with Doomin' Sun, proving their chops as singular visionaries as well as synergetic collaborators.

Though less dark than his defining album or his latest soundtrack, Clark's latest balances whimsy and savagery just enough to know it's his.