Although the quality of the album tends to range drastically, it does offer a few glimpses as to why his music is so strongly followed. In the end, though, Dwell winds up being somewhat lukewarm.

While the songs on If I Am Only My Thoughts feel gradual and soft, the album nevertheless contains a form of passionate songwriting, catering to feelings of hopefulness and longing.

Likewise checks all the boxes of a "good" album, but it's also a bit boring. It's too much a showcase of Quinlan's lyrical acumen, which is incisive, but the record doesn't strike a visceral chord.

For fans that saw the culmination of his artistic prowess in Gliss Riffer, Mystic Familiar will fulfill many of the same needs, but with even greater balance in execution.

ACCA is showy, drama-dripped and ultimately rewarding. It demands a lot from the listener, but more music these days probably should.

It is a transformative synthpop journey exploring how our worst moments shape us as individuals for when we are at our best.

Despite the glaring transition on El Dorado, there's no identity crisis to be found — King is just as commanding as a crooner as he is with his guitar wailing through a cranked-up amplifier. It's unclear where King will go next, or how much of Auerbach's influence directed the sound of El Dorado, but King certainly has the versatility to make any shift worth listening to.

While I Was Born Swimming never goes into the unfamiliar, Williams' gushing charm is more than comforting enough to feel what it's like to exist somewhere in between destinations.

While Swirlings creates an easy listening ambience with textures that assist in ethereal out-of-body mediations, there is little in the way of innovation, though the final track provides a contrasting tone from the relaxation pieces.

What brings to life the often spacious, simple melodies is Chadwick's deft storytelling. Most evocative, perhaps, are the throwaway details she uses to colour her songs with lived experience.

This odd, emotionally varied collection of songs embraces the fluidity of sexuality and gender, yet acknowledges that finding a stable, strong connection with another person remains an anxiety-inducing task.

At just nine tracks and 36 minutes, Silver Tongue runs the gamut on aural and ethereal moods, leaving Torres with one her most emotionally fulsome and satisfying records.

Whether you can consider this old-school, new-school, or somewhere in between scarcely matters. What we have here is yet another brain-melting album from an artist who refuses to stand still.

Although The Unraveling is a strong album thematically, songwriters Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley do little to push these songs forward sonically, as tracks like the Replacements-lite "Heroin Again" and the nightclub crooner "Grievance Merchants" can attest. Nevertheless, on The Unraveling, Drive-By Truckers deliver another socially charged to-the-bone manifesto that sticks closely to their newfound credo: If the country's still broke, keep trying to fix it.

It makes for immersive listening, even when tracks fail to sustain themselves. ... Despite its digressions, Have We Met is rich and varied enough to offer more than just throwback thrills.

At the expense of sounding more classically "Wolf Parade," the album suffices as a fun listen with some neat nostalgic nods, lopsidedness and all.

If you're a big fan of the band, or if you have been feeling nostalgic for the Reverend, check it out.

Shauf's ability to imbue his characters with plenty of nuance, quirk, charm and flaw in brisk scenes is impressive enough, but his need to craft full worlds around them put him head and shoulders above his peers.

There is nothing unexpected on Hotspot, but to trace the contours of the expected with Pet Shop Boys is never without reward, and they're certainly in fine form. Fans will find much to enjoy here, but Hotspot is best viewed as a victory lap.

Bonny Light Horseman's eponymous debut is rich in folk history and offers a fresh take on centuries-old traditions. For trad-folk fans who like to dig deep, this record is a perfect launching point — there are endless avenues of history to be found here.

For what it's worth, we know Eminem is an incredible lyricist. We know he has punch lines that can pierce your mind and make you laugh. But what we don't know is whether or not he has anything real to say, and to his detriment, Music to Be Murdered By puts that in the spotlight.

Experiencing the music of OOIOO is an incredibly satisfying series of sensations that seems to form an exclusive bond between creator and listener. It's a plunge into unbridled creativity that is the true essence of psychedelia.

While Of Montreal's brand of pop music has often been brainy and verbose, these songs offer simpler pleasures. UR FUN is, well, fun.

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

His gruff vocals hold pain and weariness as he reflects on his struggles and challenges. Yet, however difficult it might be to ingest his candour, there is also a maturity about Miller in which to take solace. There's a sense of growth and lessons learned. These are the marks of a life well-lived, however short.

Manic is her most personal album to date.

It captures the sense of being not here, and not there, but somewhere pleasantly ambiguous — a Land of No Junction, indeed.

A dose of psychedelic pop, captivating hooks, and guitar trembles enhance the listening experience. Exploring the themes of new opportunities, growth, disconnection and hope, listeners can feel frontman Jack Steadman's raw emotions.