As a whole, though it's compositionally beautiful, Lights Falls leaves the listener deeply emotional--both distressed and saddened. However, this strong reaction is artistic success for Robinson.

Ultimately, variety is good for the album, but here's the thing: Martha's own songs can be completely riveting.

Here the songs unfold with greater purpose, the verses and choruses more defined. It is both physically rousing and emotionally moving.

They've burst out of the confines of "rock" to make something that's legitimately transcendent. angel in realtime is a profoundly beautiful, meaningful album from a band that has decided that every record might as well be a new magnum opus.

Sure, the usual country tropes appear in the form of drinking whiskey, diminishing horizon lines and the "devil [who] don't give a damn" — but Stapleton has long cracked the code of authenticity. Country isn't for everyone, but Chris Stapleton should be.

A much more risky, expansive and intriguing listen [than Long.Live.A$AP].

Anyone who doesn't fall for Depression Cherry's hypnotic splendour probably just isn't a Beach House fan, or didn't live with the album long enough. But those who do will recognize this album as the sweeping, grand gesture they've been working up to giving us for the last nine years.

This album demonstrates that Yukon Blonde can transition and adapt to a change in sound efficiently and damn well.

Retox promised devastation with Ugly Animals and have delivered it again, sharper and surer, with YPLL.

The crashing production and imperfections contrast nicely with the concise rock, creating a dangerous sound not often heard within the realm of such structured music.

The lyrics and arrangements are stellar.

Throughout Free Will, Webb sounds calm and inviting, having seemingly settled into his mid-30s. It suits him incredibly well.

Instant Gratification is the culmination of the band's growth over the years, and delivers a variety of well-crafted songs.

Sum 41 in 2016 is a lot like their early 2000s pop punk peers Blink-182; they're fun, capable of writing at least a few songs worthy of an inevitably forthcoming "best-of" compilation and at their best when embracing their past.

Surrounded by ambient hiss and faint female backing vocals, The Benoît Pioulard Listening Matter shows Pioulard expressing emotion through simple but intensely personal songwriting.

This oscillation between seemingly lighter fare and rich, full-bodied tracks ("Hope" and "A Thousand Skies Under Cepheus' Erudite Eyes," for example) is jarring at first, especially in lieu of any buffer or transition, but ultimately establishes itself as a winning characteristic of A Thousand Skies.

It's an admirably strange structure--one that doesn't make much aesthetic sense, but keeps things unpredictable for a whopping 83 minutes. ... A weird and wonderful farewell from the idiosyncratic project.

Pollard races through each song with all the gusto of the late '90s. His enthusiasm, though charming as ever, falls just shy of justifying what often feels like a collection of chaotic, unfinished demos.

The eight exploratory tracks make VOLUME MASSIMO an instrumental masterpiece that adds to an already incredible body of work by the gifted and skilled composer. If anything, it's too short.

Although there may be a few too many half-baked ideas thrown around, as tracks like the hollow "Ujala" and the clunky "Bushy Bushy" demonstrate, 808 State nonetheless come off focused, confident and delightfully wistful on Transmission Suite.

Expectations is a nearly flawless record; Katie Pruitt will have to work hard to top what she has achieved here.

If you've been following the quartet since day one, Snapshot of a Beginner feels like both a victory lap and another bold step forward in the race.

The music is punchy, with electronic and analog elements, but, in contrast with Fucked Up, there is absolutely nothing abrasive about the vocals, which are sometimes dominated by beautiful harmonies, as the album's title suggests.

Find the Sun is an uncompromising record from an artist intent on mining further depths, one that finds the beauty in unease — and a sense of purpose in the darkness.

Whereas 936 introduced us to a wonderland of dub-infused psychedelia, Lucifer features a much wider scope from the duo.

This is easily Austra's most exciting and fully formed piece of work yet.

On Strangers, Nadler seems to have her perfected her craft, adding even more confidence to keep her winning streak alive and well.

His sixth album, Ambitions, continues to refine this style, offering up a tighter, more focused version of his sometimes sprawling tendencies. Although some may miss his more esoteric touches, this feels like the natural evolution.