On their third album since Andrew Neufeld moved to vocals, Comeback Kid were poised to strike out, but pleasantly, they instead knock Die Knowing out of the park.

Although a few tracks ("Geryon," "Four Gut") suffer from muddy and unfocused melodies, there are far too many great ideas, quirky earworms and sonic peaks to give any critic reason to lampoon the title of this well-conceived, well-executed album.

It's amiable, deceptively dense and, ultimately, rewarding.

Satellite Flight: The Journey to the Mother Moon occupies a space between what is and what's coming, but Kid Cudi's admired originality falls short and is almost lackluster here in comparison to his previous works.

Kire had a vision to create his dream album and War Psalms is true punk rock, done exactly right.

English Oceans, their 12th album in 17 years, confirms they've lost little of their potency, despite major personnel changes over the past decade.

Much like Ross' affinity for mink coats, Mastermind is grandiose in its presentation, but it still only shows the surface of the man behind it.

It's an elusive and subjective notion, but it's impossible to listen to this rich, remarkable album and not be left thinking that this is the sound of Ellis coming into his own.

There's enough here to suggest a breakthrough is coming, but Axxa/Abraxas isn't it.

Tomorrow's Hits sees the band honing the sound of last year's New Moon into a tight collection of pop-minded rock songs.

Rambunctious and irreverent, Oxymoron blasts bullet holes in the theory that gangsta rap can't sound fresh for 2014.

As with most DJ-Kicks comps, this one shows a different side to the group and is as much of an homage as it is a glimpse into the trio's future.

Estoile Naiant works as a satisfying continuation of patten's work, albeit one that moves his sound in a sideways direction.

The only notable shift in balance is a slight tipping of the scale towards the weight of electronic over acoustic instrumentation.

Island Intervals is barely over half an hour, but it's so rich with mood and detail that it stretches out and out and out to the horizon and beyond.

The production is competent, yet very derivative for 2014, appearing stuck between ornately symphonic leftfield pop and Timberlake-brand R&B.

It is unquestionably their finest, and strangest, work to date.

He's probably too modest to just come out and say that Present Tense is where beauty lies, but he should; this fourth Wild Beasts album is a stunner.

Clark has made the beautiful ugly, the ugly beautiful and the difference between them nearly indistinguishable. If that sounds pretty complex and incredible, you've got a pretty good idea what listening to St. Vincent is like.

After 17 odd years of making solo albums, Neneh Cherry surfaces with the force of a jab rather than an uppercut. We appreciate the contact regardless.

While the earlier LP was harrowing in its soul-searching melancholia, Morning Phase is warm and soothing, its tone coming across as beautifully bittersweet rather than overtly depressing.

The dynamics are top notch, shifting masterfully from a melodic tone to a heavy, empowered voice.

The theme of being a descendent in a musical sense is extended to Rashad's familial reality on Cilvia Demo, delivering some of the EP's strongest moments.

Musically, Guilt Mirrors is all over the map in the best possible way.

The record is, ahem, a solid debut that should provide a jumping off point for something great next time ou

Lost In The Trees might not be as distinctive as they once were, but they still make highly emotional music; it's just better disguised than it was in the past.

Those willing to get past their preconceived notions may be surprised to find that Lo-Fantasy is perhaps the most dynamic recording of Roberts career.

The production on Somewhere Else is crisp and clean (though they could have pushed Loveless' distinctive voice slightly more out front).