Where their last record, Black Masses, sped, this record swings.

Lysandre, while far from being reviled, received only a moderately positive response, one that was tainted with apprehension and frustration at its lack of ambition. A New Testament is even less ambitious, yet still enjoyable.

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.

Once again, Lee Gamble has managed to produce an effort right in PAN's wheelhouse, pairing idiosyncratic experimentalism with dance floor styling, and it totally works.

Music can be therapeutic, and Hildebrand's music is a perfect example of this.

One gets the sense that as an artist, PND has yet to even scratch the surface of his potential. Two serves as evidence of such; perhaps the third and successive instalments will see continued artistic progression. Or not.

Although much of the material has a familiar lustre to it, Something Shines nonetheless finds Laetitia Sadier at her most contented and focused.

While these "in-between areas" are not always sonically pleasant, you can't accuse them of being dull; they make Tyranny the compelling album that it is.

There is craftsmanship here, but its genius lies in letting the raw quality of his sound speak first rather than arranging it into something new.

While King Tuff has skilfully honed his '70s shtick here, Black Moon's appeal reaches deeper, transcending the novelty with well-written tunes that are fun even for those impartial to the decade.

Encyclopedia finds the Drums throwing everything at the wall, seeing what sticks, and then releasing the results as an album.

Perfume Genius has begun to spread his wings, delivering a breakout release that relies on much more than his manic/mopey persona.

It's surprising, deeply moving and occasionally stunning.

The trio are playing together better than ever, even capturing some of the power of economy that their earliest music commanded with grit and grace and thunder and lightning.

For an indie record, the sound of We Loved Her Dearly works nicely, but Lowell's ambitions--and her songwriting chops--are at another level, and better production would make them more emphatic.

This is another worthy addition to a wonderful discography from a genuine roots music hero.

The compositions here are solid, but it's sonically where Vessel holds his own. In that regard, Punish, Honey is close to perfection.

Granted, many of these songs were written while members of the band were between the ages of 16 and 18, but it might have been a better idea to hold off on the release of Be Slowly to hone their songwriting skills and define their sound a little more.

With this EP, Krug demonstrates that less is more, but that it also doesn't hurt to go big, even if "big" in this case is an expertly timed digital synth here and there.

Another Language is another good record that takes some risks, some more successful than others.

If U2 was ever cool or exciting, that spark has been absent for a good 20 years, and with Songs of Innocence, they've never sounded so ordinary or cloying.

In A Dream is brand new, but has the feel of a timeless dance record, the kind of record that is pulled from the crate on the most special (and danceable) of occasions.

Even if, at 72 minutes, it overstays its welcome a bit, there's no denying the vital talent on display at every turn.

The only real disappointment here is that it arrives just as summer ends, because few albums have been better suited for beach life as this one.

Commonwealth offers a little something for everyone, no matter what you're looking for.

Souled Out is an intriguing record from an intriguing artist who has tapped into the zeitgeist and delivered something that is both reflective and forward-looking.

Ritual in Repeat is an elegantly constructed and crafted piece of pop music art borne from rigorous, exacting songwriting.

A few duds abound, like the wearisome "Eat The Rich," but the album ends strongly with the sci-fi-flavoured "Colonize the Moon."