Hey, I'm Just Like You is an emotive and catchy pop record, but for Tegan and Sara, it's more than that: it's a message to fans to let them know they are not alone in their struggles.

Listeners should strap in and brace themselves for some stylistic hairpin turns. Thankfully Simpson is at the wheel, his Teflon tough voice, high torque guitar playing, and vivid lyrics steadying this thrilling journey through a world on the brink, and ensuring the wheels never come off, which would surely happen with a lesser artist in the driver's seat.

Although ultimately underwhelming, Moon Duo still create an enjoyable easy-listening psychedelic atmosphere in Stars Are the Light. It might not be the kind of album you can become deeply attached to, but would never fail to please as background music.

Abundance Welcoming Ghosts is, in other words, not always an easy journey, but its desire to thoughtfully explore the nooks and crannies of the land and the heart do make it worth the effort.

Having only a few minor setbacks, The Talkies is an exciting new addition to Girl Band's discography with its refinement of their sonorous experimental punk style and its ability to stay intensely enthralling, avoiding repetition. Getting deeper and darker than ever before on The Talkies, it will be interesting to see what Girl Band do next.

Heavily inspired by collaborations with Antwerp's Baroque Orchestration X (B.O.X.) and other likeminded artists at the 2018 Berlin PEOPLE Festival, Altid Sammen is a sonic exploration of unique instrumentation that adds to the rich tapestry of Efterklang's canon.

Despite any nitpicky issues one may find with In the Morse Code of Brake Lights, it's refreshing to see the New Pornographers, 20 years into their existence, still trying to swing for the fences.

Although Sunshine Kitty could be shaved down a bit, this album feels like the first time Tove Lo is really situating herself on her own ground. It's sexy, raw, and honest — but above all, Sunshine Kitty is just really good dance music. Essentially, every song on this album would bring anyone to their feet.

One True Pairing is not an easy listening record, despite its pop structures. Fleming is stark in his observations, yet he has woven hope in amongst the despair, creating a body of work that serves as a way through difficult and tumultuous emotions.

Karaoke Angel is a beautiful surprise from Sarlé, whose career as a solo artist has only just begun.

It's on these longer, wide-angle tracks that the album really shines, and fans who thought the stricter pop playbook Gonzalez has been using recently was perhaps too strict should find much to like in these more open-ended pieces. For the rest of us, DSVII should prove a likable enough diversion until the next standard studio release.

Jaime, Howard's first solo album, complements her distinctive croon with R&B, hip-hop and funk sounds, marking an adventurous departure that reveals unseen depths to the vocalist. With some of the most emotive, direct lyrics of her career to date, the dynamic range of her new collaborators — including jazz maestro Robert Glasper — informs the flavour of each track for an eclectic collection stockpiled with loose grooves.

Nine reeks of adolescence — and not in the goofy, humorous way of Blink-182's past, but in a cringe-y attempt at youthful angst. There are no slyly couched bits of wisdom, no life lessons learned between goof-ups and heartbreak, and it's altogether too earnest and self-serious to even be enjoyed as carefree fun. Blink-182 have always been intentionally juvenile, but in growing up and out of punk rock, they've never been more immature.

Breathe is Tiny Moving Parts' best work to date, and if math rock is your thing, it would be a crime to not check it out.

With All My Heroes Are Cornballs, JPEGMAFIA captures the feelings of existing in an era fuelled by mindless scrolling and compulsive tweeting, positioning himself as both a participant and vocal critic of the happenings of the current millennia.

They haven't abandoned their political senses, no, but they have moved into a new gentler phase. The elements that stay the same are their intentionality, their honesty and their vulnerability.

Ma feels a bit like watching the sun slowly set: as it gently dips into the horizon, there are moments where the colours burst and excite, but mostly it's a careful and calm experience.

EarthGang's otherwise lean and careening style has the potential to reach the acclaim earned by their label head J. Cole — even if the stratospheric success of Stankonia remains out of reach for now.

There are mere days until the autumnal equinox, make sure you spend them listening to Lookout Low — the album of the summer you didn't know you were missing — with a loved one.

Despite the disparate styles and messages, there's a seamlessness to the record that can only be credited to Aitchison and frequent collaborator and executive producer A.G. Cook's deft songwriting and production. They've created an Event Pop Record with purpose, pointing the way forward while positioning Aitchison as a pop artist with something to say.

While casual listeners may find this humour flippant, given the topics explored on Miami Memory, closer listens reveal a mature and surprisingly au courant album that grapples with complex social issues in a commendably fearless way.

Corpse Flower has a dynamic sound that is interesting for anyone. The record is another example of the masterful musicianship of Patton and showcases Vannier's capabilities in crafting perfectly balanced pieces of music.

Wrapping The Practice of Love in avant-pop instrumentation, Hval nimbly threads complex sentiments through its prismatic shades of sound.

Overall, the Pixies' seventh album is palatable — the songs are generally likeable — but it lacks excitement.

House of Sugar steps into volatile, subterranean moods not quite grounded in reality, flitting towards soupy daydreams and murky fantasy worlds. Giannascoli's creativity is endless and as he continues his never-ending output of mysteriously disorienting and strangely familiar songs, he's becoming stronger and weirder with every album.

As far as comeback albums go, May the Lord Watch is resurgence done right. But if you're new to the North Carolina duo, listen to their older work first for context.

The juxtaposition of her soft yet strong vocals draws you into her ghostly world, both dark and thrilling. Birth of Violence is a work of art that will please old fans and draw in new listeners too.

Musically, Tool have taken the best of Lateralus's dynamism and the heaviness of 10,000 Days to explore the middle ground with great length on Fear Inoculum. Those who stuck it out through the decade-plus wait won't mind hanging around a little longer until the album's close.