JJ's sound may be nothing special anymore, but their songs and vibe still stand up.

Cellar Door seems to have given the Underachievers space to breathe, think and spit the transcendental lyricism that set them apart in the first place.

The resulting poignancy of his honest songwriting is an amazing accomplishment.

Hyperdub's decision to keep the material on Hyperdub 10.1 fresh and topical may take away from the commemorative feel of the comp, but the pure excitement the label's latest incites deserves nothing less than celebration.

On their return, they sound wiser and refreshed.

The band has framed Get Hurt as a shift in its Springsteen-meets-Replacements sound, but they're overselling things a tad: only a couple of songs, like the title track, truly feel all that different from their last couple of records.

The overall vibe of the collection is likely to put a smile on your face (hell, even Townes sounds a mite less melancholy, thanks to the spirited accompaniment), making it a perfect fit for your next beer 'n bourbon patio party.

The charm of the disconnected, breezy path that starts the album--seeming interludes punctuated by the odd story of a more solid, structured track--quickly wears thin when you realize said path meanders, the tracks mostly underdeveloped, only occasionally rolling into a bigger sound with tangible depth.

LP1 is a fantastic debut from an artist who is quickly becoming the curator of her own mental museum.

High Noon showcases Arkells' lofty ambitions, and while it might not be their defining record it's another intriguing step in their evolution.

Presented as a new studio album, it only manages to recapture the band's spirit, rather than its soul.

More tempered and melancholy than on most of his Fruit Bats output, Johnson's writing owes some comparisons to fellow rockers turned film scorers like Jon Brion and Nathan Larson.

With thoughtful lyrics, infectious grooves and catchy riffs, Frozen Letter is sure to bring out the air guitarist (or drummer) in anyone.

With his altered, multi-tracked vocals and ear for dynamic builds, Philpots leads Bear in Heaven on a similar sonic path [as My Morning Jacket's Z], surrounding biting verse-chorus-verse lyricism with ambient laser beams and rubbery textures.

The accomplishment is that the sound is unique and understated. The unpredictable becomes predictable quickly, though.

Everything about the album is deliberately simple, but with some inspired production choices added to the mix.

They Want My Soul is a bold and swaggering declaration that Spoon have undoubtedly still got it--in spades.

The only downside to the album's stripped down sound is that while it makes for a solid play from start to finish, there isn't much differentiation, making it easy to forget which track is which amongst the dozen offerings.

These head-scratching moments mean that, despite the collection's successes, it probably works better as a sheet music oddity than a cohesive album.

Sadly, the album can't maintain that pace, and sags near the end.... Still, the redemptive rest of the album--especially the gorgeous closing title track--make The Voyager a welcome return for Lewis.

The self-proclaimed "Genius, idiot" succeeds for the most part in moving out of his sonic comfort zone while toeing the lyrical line between enlightenment and ignorance.

If the Muffs were a drink they'd be cream soda, and while I'd typically prefer it spiked, that would be contrary to the point; the band's aim is to deliver a simple, somewhat fizzy sound marked by prominent vocal melodies and choppy yet clean chords.

Hypnotic Eye may just be a solid middle-of-the-pack release as far as Petty albums go, but only a fool would complain about having another 45 minutes of music from one of rock & roll's premier units.

Shabazz Palaces offer an ethereal conglomerate with a prophetic voice, a gutsy move that's more than paid off here.

The resulting 12 tracks find Freeman both revelling in and lost within this musical yin and yang.

Corb Lund fans will appreciate the new versions of older material, but the album also has a "greatest hits" feel to it, so it's a fine introduction for the uninitiated.

Their sixth full-length offering, Constricting Rage of the Merciless, is yet another step forward for the already venerable group.

While not flawlessly executed, Common arguably regains some of the relevance he may have lost from his last couple of albums with the focus of Nobody's Smiling.