With its jarring synthetic brass--which is neither as charming or amusingly ironic as its creators seem to think it is--Someday World starts off on the wrong foot from the very first bars.

Each song feels carefully placed, but many end abruptly, leaving something unfinished.

Luminous is a tremendously dense record, but one that manages to find ample breathing space for each of its studio takes.

The album is an impressive continuation of Tom G. Warrior's often-mighty lineage, addressing each and every one of his strengths while offering something new for those unaware of the history embedded in every note.

The ten songs here threaten at times to up and wander off, but Bare manages to hold everything together with some strong songwriting and unusual, borderline retro arrangements.

Throughout the record, Marley demonstrates that reggae can grow and adapt without losing sight of its roots.

Ought have conjured one of the most refreshing and inspiring rock records of the year.

Picking up where their 2002 self-titled album left off, Oblation is a triumph of doom metal and stoner rock.

Recorded mostly live off the floor, and full of loose, garage rock accents and playfully shambling flourishes, everything about Most Messed Up feels exquisitely messy.

With Bécs, Fennesz achieves the near-impossible, crafting a musical sequel that retains the energy, vision and flow of its predecessor.

Like the murky corners of the city that birthed it, Get Back is filled with interesting diversions, even if those ideas don't necessarily add up to a unified vision.

Everyday Robots is a graceful and beguiling album from an artist that continues to explore, mature and surprise us with each release. Not bad for a debut album.

Sd Laika seemingly bucks myriad electronic music trends to create a body of work that harkens back to the genre's classic beginnings.

For those who like their space-age folk rock with a strong sense of humility, it doesn't get much chiller than this.

Seamlessly weaving complexity into internal rhymes in verses and the overall thematic premise, PTSD excels at both micro and macro levels.

Z is a quality beginning for a beguiling new artist with a fresh futurist sound.

By all accounts, Honest reveals that Future's music was never a "right place, right time" story, but one that's unique and has staying power.

Anyone who can get past the timid first impression will find plenty of fascinating layers and beautiful music to love on Loom.

As a whole, Food is a delight and represents adventurous R&B with bite.

There's no denying the album is catchy.

Filled mostly with retro-cheese instrumentals with a smattering of blue-eyed vocal performances, Weird Drift explores the stranger aspects of love and devotion.

Hard Boiled Soft Boiled hits all the right notes while whetting the appetite for whatever Odonis Odonis have in store next. For now, you'd be hard pressed to imagine a better follow up to the band's debut.

The Mobb aren't exactly reinventing the wheel here, but on album highlight "Timeless," the effect is beguilingly hypnotic.

If you don't love Kweli, Gravitas won't change your mind, but lifelong fans will definitely find a lot to appreciate on this slight but enjoyable album.

Minimum Rock N Roll is a dynamic and vibrant good-time screed; it's not anti-consumption but it is out to have people consume discerningly.

Long-time listeners will revel in the subtle sonic shifts but the rest of us are still waiting for the band to make that major artistic breakthrough we know they're capable of.

This is just vintage Crowell, which is to say that Tarpaper Sky is an essential record by one of the best.

The record is just playing true to form for the veterans, proving that the beast is back with teeth bared and a few more tricks up its hairy sleeves.