A stripped-down guitar-forward record that still wraps the music in a solid pop sound.

Ely gets into ballad mode on Ernest Tubbs’ “I Don’t Blame You,” demonstrating a superior command of dynamics, phrasing, and expression that have long defined his storied career. Hancock gets into rollicking mode on Mickey Newbury’s “Mobile Blue” as the twangy guitars fire full throttle while Ely takes Hancock’s “Ramblin’ Man” down a couple of notches with his pals joining on the choruses.

I Be Trying hits the sweet spot and when the players deliver the goods during the smoking hill country blues of “Keep On Pushing” everything else seems to slip away as Cedric Burnside confidently carries on traditions while successfully injecting his own spin on the genre.

Dacus’ lyricism is pushed farther on Home Video than ever before, with each song contributing its own characters and memories and developing a work tight and succinct enough to be called a concept album. ... Even more importantly, she has proven once again that she is amongst her generation’s strongest lyricists.

Though not as upbeat as Getting into Knives, Dark in Here is still a solid release from The Mountain Goats that loyal fans will appreciate.

Seven albums in, Hiss Golden Messenger just keeps getting better with Taylor expressing personal thoughts that resonate with most of us.

A worthy follow-up to Strangers To Ourselves. Though more controlled than the band has been of late, The Golden Casket still has its share of outlandish moments. From its amalgamation of influences to its raucous rhythms to its bizarre lyrics, there is plenty of Modest Mouse to go around.

Throughout, as we’ve come to expect, Armatrading sings fervently and delivers a batch of songs that at first listen, seem fairly simple, but echo with a bit more intensity each time.

Path of Wellness lacks the punch of the groups’ highest points and the more restrained searching style leaves a few of the tracks lacking, but Sleater-Kinney is open to trying anything at this point in their excellent career and continue to craft intriguing songs.

The easy rhymes so obvious in “Smile” end the album as it began, on a relatively placid note that unfortunately doesn’t change much over the course of the eleven cuts. As a result, this album title may refer to the disparity between potential and achievement on the part of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.

Though darker than most Garbage releases, No Gods No Masters is no less catchy than the albums that produced numerous hits in the 90s.

The result, though not as immediately catchy as the band’s earlier, now classic records, is still a solid collection of jangle pop

Her work is built around the truths of her perspective, not just that each song and its themes resonate with her, but that every tragedy offers nuance to life. Zauner has given us her strongest album yet and so far, the best album of the year.

She begins with “Montreal,” singing in both French and English, with a voice so beautiful that it’s difficult to imagine the pain she recollects. “Persephone,” replete with a brief clarinet solo, is positively exultant as Russell sings an ode to her teenage girlfriend whose home provided refuge for Russell during her teenage years. “The Runner” swaggers confidently, spurred by the background vocals and a steady, emphatic beat.

Everything from future horror movie soundtracks, to thrash blasts of rage, to smoky 70’s fuzz flows out of Arrows and while the overall result is a bit hit or miss, Red Fang returns back to their sweet spot; recording together for the simple love of playing heavy music.

Cavalcade, much like its title suggests, is the sum of its individual parts, a great collection of songs, but still, exactly that.

They deliver some gems here (especially the four-song sequence of “Hey Delilah” “Ain’t the Same,” “Lonesome for a Livin’,” and “All Rise Again” ranking with the best in their catalog.

This is a decidedly dark album, which is probably a turn-off for some. But then, artists don’t do what they do to make people comfortable. Amigo the Devil is really adept at creating pictures with his words, even if those words make some listeners uneasy. This is an album where every song is a vivid scene that makes you feel something.

It is hard to predict how faithful Twenty-one pilots fans will react. Regardless, given the time spent by Joseph and Dun on this record, this record is a triumph that marks a maturity that now eclipses their previous albums.

For Hynde the music of Bob Dylan lifted her out of her pandemic morose last spring, this collection is a testament to its power, which is a fount for inspiration as well as boundlessly open for interpretation.

Another winner from Cartwright and the Memphis lineup of Reigning Sound as A Little More Time with Reigning Sound continues the outfit’s success story of delivering modern-day tweaks on retro rock and roll.

While it would be difficult to ascribe the term ‘organic’ to the original album, the original bears more melodic qualities and the ebbs and flows are musician-driven versus effects-driven. It’s a preference – dancefloor or couch and headphones. It’s not every group that can deliver both experiences and that makes GGP special.

Mdou Moctar’s Africa Victime is a less out and out rocking affair than past offerings, yet it is a more nuanced and dynamic full length than anything they have delivered before.

Throughout it’s impossible not to feel some goosebumps and chills in his poignant, raw delivery. ... Finley and Auerbach vary tempos and sound and with Finley’s changing vocal treatments, the album does a nice job of blending classic blues, R&B, and soul in an inviting mix. This project will likely receive much consideration for awards and year-end lists.

Jurado easily toes the line between seclusion and introduction, crafting an album where even the most immediate tracks sound restrained and well worn. He took charge of the production for this album himself, and the product serves as one of the more accurate presentations of his sound. As new and refreshing as it is, it captures Jurado’s enigmatic process better than most of his albums.

With a few exceptions, Daddy’s Home doesn’t have the show-stopping, what-just-happened hooks of other St. Vincent releases. Yet it is the most eclectic St. Vincent album, juxtaposing calm soul-searching acoustic ballads with funky dance grooves, frenetic claustrophobia with sprawling psychedelia, fuzzed-out guitar with clean finger-picking. It is a new style for St. Vincent but because of its attitude, humor, and off-kilter compositions, it still feels very St. Vincent.

Weller takes a moment for introspection, his implicit vulnerability rendering him a more sympathetic figure than his occasionally impersonal craftsmanship allows on Fat Pop (Volume 1).

Ultimately, his multi-faceted approach proves intriguing.

This casual record isn’t meant to change the world, it is just a deep dive into the tunes the duo love; less a major release than a passion project but by adding Deaton and Brown to these sessions The Black Keys blues workouts on Delta Kream go down smooth.

This well-conceived, important album unsurprisingly features a wealth of inspired playing both from the band and the guests. It will likely stand as a landmark recording for Shabaka Hutchings, who continues to blaze trails as one of today’s leading music artists.

Seek Shelter finds its success, not in the unabashed vibrancy of the performances, as was the case on the previous Iceage albums, but in the band’s need to experiment farther more than they ever have before.

Devoted fans who found pleasure in recent records like Keep Me Singing should discover this one will hit home as well, whereas more objective music lovers may probably miss the natural spontaneity and unusual good cheer that arose from The Belfast Cowboy’s 2018 collaborations with jazz keyboardist/bandleader Joey DeFrancesco, You’re Driving Me Crazy and (to an only slightly lesser extent) The Prophet Speaks.

With its complex sonic textures, use of repetition, and few standout hooks, The Million Masks of God is Manchester Orchestra’s least accessible work, but it’s an achievement in its own way. It doesn’t have many stand-out singles but is best appreciated by repeated listens in its entirety as the narrator, as a stand-in for the band, confronts his spiritual and emotional pain without a clear resolution.

Second Line is another strong turn from Richard, a successive trip through the different styles that have made up her evolution over the years. ... Her problem is in her execution of Second Line, an album that feels more scattershot the revolutionary. It doesn’t necessarily feel like regression but for an artist who has consistently topped herself, it falls short.

The contrasting arrangement styles create a wonderful variety in the orchestral textures, putting a new sheen on pieces usually performed in the griot tradition.

He’s much happier sitting in a groove and sustaining it while listening to the singer and the band.

Although she admits to being purposely eclectic, it sounds as if there is too much experimentation at play. There are some great songs here, but a more organic, less produced kind of musical accompaniment would arguably strengthen the material.

There are also multiple versions, in markedly different running times, of numbers like “Magic Bus” and “Call Me Lightning,” which may be redundant except for completists and the inordinately curious. How much interest a listener has for that content may well correlate with an appreciation for the overall concept at work. ... But the Who’s leaps of artistry, viewed from the broad vantage point of this Super Deluxe Edition, with proverbial twenty-twenty acumen, appear nothing less than spectacular, no matter how tongue-in-cheek the interpretation of the Sell Out title.

While the current lockdown has certainly affected the band, the mix of melancholy/yearning leading towards wonder/delight has always been at the heart of Dinosaur Jr.’s sound. Now those styles inform Sweep It Into Space with a vivid sense of the isolating present while gazing at hope on the horizon.

Endless Arcade serves its purpose – providing longtime fans of the band with new material that both furthers their critical clout and gives the band more room to grow. Their newest album may not rank among their classic work, but when taken out of context, it’s a warm and revealing work, something that most other bands would consider their best.

The result is a great triumph, a living testament to the strength of these songs and the nature of the ongoing relationship between musicians and the art they create. Each track is straightforward in its delivery, but each nonetheless filtered through the guise of the musician covering it. ... epic remains Van Etten’s best album, but epic ten does its best at eliciting the awestruck reverence that countless musicians feel towards it.

While this work may not be as riveting and stunning as its predecessor, due mostly to the familiarity of many of the tunes, that dynamic cuts both ways because there are few interpreters as adept as Giddens for traditional fare. Also, the remarkable musical chemistry between the duo just continues to grow.

At this point in his career, Promenade Blues is a success, even as a disjointed and confused album. The standouts rank among his best, and the filler, for the most part, are easily ignorable (with the notable exception of the frustratingly silly and out of place “B. Santa Ana, 1986”.) Waterhouse has made a genuine artistic shift and focused his attention to detail on his weakest material.

No songs go on too very long here. As a result, the inclusion of improvisational warhorses such as “Cowgirl In The Sand” and “Down By The River” is all the more surprising. But both those culls from 1969’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere benefit from the solitary nature of their stark renditions, as does, to an even greater degree, “Helpless,” Neil’s contribution to Deja Vu.

This album shows Rose’s ability both as a singer and a songwriter. She not only has a way with words, but also a way of delivering them for maximum impact on the listener. Another thing about this album is that it could fit the bill whether you want to dance or just sit and drink by yourself.

Green To Gold is one of the best Antlers albums to date and an album unrivaled in its essential need to exist in both in Silberman’s life and in ours.

Is 4 Lovers has plenty of style and substance. Though the album goes in some new directions, the formula of previous Death from Above 1979 releases is still there and it still works. Is 4 Lovers is heavy and unpolished but full of charm and memorable hooks to go with the rumbling bass and bruising rhythms.

This might be some of the most calming music you have ever heard. It is billed as “a private listening experience.” Put this on before you go to sleep, and it should certainly relieve any tensions or anxieties. Peace.

Spread over nearly a dozen tracks, the band leans more into classic funk and jazz this time around, while carrying over their other influences for one of their finest records yet.

The arrangements here are spacious and dreamy, anchored by rich, righteous organ topped with airy falsetto and mesmerizing four-part harmony. Belying his sometimes-bleak persona, the writing here is buoyant and soulful – geared in every way to offer hope.

With his fifteenth solo album, Sting’s Duets is a fluid journey between other collaborators with touches of inspiration from a plethora of genres, all while boasting that finesse and swagger that’s immortalized in his past work.

The meaty rock foundation with touches of psychedelia and skylark folk that fans have come to love are still here, now with a soulful heft that nods to Muscle Shoals and Memphis, which in one sense, makes it a bit more tangible than his previous work. Yet it remains moody and vast, cohesive and compelling.

It’s destined to be one of the year’s best and a monster reminder of how the simplest music, rendered by two masters, is often the best kind.

As June continues to shape her style, it’s clear she’s zeroing in on her muse. The essence of June’s sound is perfectly captured in the album title. She transports the listener through lush soundscapes that not only leave echoes; they leave a lasting halo-like glow.

Tracks like “Discovering”, “The Balcony” and “Eagles Below Us” are all back porch-based, sunshine-filled entries. The Pet Parade marches on for Fruit Bats, delivering looping easy rolling tunes around Johnson’s distinct vocal approach.

With a dream pop aesthetic and a mood that shifts from depressed to confident, the third album is Medford’s most varied and confident, making up for toning down the noise by dialing up the melody and soul.

There’s no pretension. It comes across here as well as it does in his live performances.

Brijean’s new album Feelings is an exciting lush and layered sophomore effort.

On Yol, Altın Gün merges Turkish folk singing with modern sounds, eighties neon new wave with slinky modern funk, European tradition with a sense of a wide-open future.

None are genuinely essential, but still, the gusto Bob himself displays so often is a revelation: hear the rousing version of Carl Perkins’ “Matchbox” with George on guitar and vocals. Meanwhile, the brevity of many other selections is often in direct proportion to the surprise they may evoke. ... That said, to become truly enamored of 50th Anniversary Collection 1970, it may be necessary to be a devout Dylan fan, a music lover insatiably curious about the recording process or both.

With its mix of punk and metal, thrashing speed with sludgy grooves, off-kilter rhythms and odd patterns, Working with God is a worthy addition to a Melvins catalog that would be equally revered if it had ended decades ago.

This one-night-only piece marks a point where creativity transcends commerce, further preserving what’s unarguably one of the pinnacles in Neil Young’s artistic history.

Sultana has crafted a wide-ranging offering on Terra Firma, appealing to different tastes, eras, and styles.

On the band’s newest release, Open Door Policy, The Hold Steady moves to fully incorporate Finn’s more muted solo offerings, and the result is a disjointed transitional work.

The first half of the record, complete with some of the catchiest work he’s made so far, also stands in stark contrast to the warmer vulnerability on side two.

There is not a single track on the album that doesn’t deserve to be there. Even more so than any of his previous records, Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! is his the most consistently satisfying album yet.

The unrelenting, intoxicating grooves of The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio are everything one would want from an organ trio – a pinch of late’60s, some elements of more modern funk, and a riveting, magnetic swagger that won’t let go.

The galloping “Mango Terrarium” and freakout closer “The Tales of Gurney Gridman” both stick around a bit too long, however, when SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound wraps up, fans of driving psychedelic rock will be sporting a permagrin from consuming this newest dose of the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.

Medicine at Midnight is the most upbeat and poppy Foo Fighters album. While the band has always incorporated elements of melodic pop as far back as “Big Me” in 1995, this is the slickest and most radio-friendly album to date.

The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings will assuredly be a favorite for longtime fans but may be a bit daunting for first timers and is not for the casual listener. However, for those willing to put in the time listening to the whole album, the payoff will be worth it in the end.

On When You Found Me, singer songwriter Ben Nichols and the band stated they were going for a Classic Rock sound, circa the 1980s; the type of music that would have soundtracked their childhoods. Based on the 10 tracks that make up the record, they clearly succeeded. ... Regardless of these tweaks, this is still unmistakably a Lucero record.

He opts for a solidly optimistic take on his circumstances. And right there is the obvious charm of Strawberry Mansion. Over 45 minutes, he doesn’t skirt any of the hard topics. ... Beautifully frank collection of songs.

Produced by Alvin, From An Old Guitar: Rare and Unreleased Recordings, the 16-song collection offers a mix of acoustic blues and ballads to electric bar room blues to folk and country/rock, a great representation of Alvin’s many endearing styles from one of the best songwriters and energetic guitarists of our time.

Two Saviors works as a proper introduction to a musician who has been toiling away behind the scenes of a truly great band, but also as a completely independent opening statement from a talented artist in his own right. It’s likely that Meek’s solo material will never be evaluated separately from his work with Big Thief, but on Two Saviors Meek, at the very least, proves that it should.

Catspaw ultimately belies its title and instead achieves multiple tangible goals for Matthew Sweet. He’s fulfilled his lifelong ambition to play lead guitar on one of his own records, further distinguished the ongoing expansion of his discography, and, last but not least, reaffirmed the eternal appeal of the noisy musicality in pure rock and roll.

Shame’s style clearly display influences from classic post-punk bands like The Fall and Wire on Drunk Tank Pink, while carving their own path in this unknown spastic present while leaning towards an uncertain bleak future.

Welfare Jazz is a major progression for a band that has already been blowing minds with a sound unlike anything else out there, not to mention truly brilliant music videos. Their serrated and offbeat approach to rock and roll balances dark humor and unexpected thrills with the kind of dangerous edge that is sadly missing from most music these days. As one of the first album releases of the year, the Viagra Boys have set the bar high.

Plastic Bouquet is a uniquely satisfying mix of both William’s country leanings and Kacy and Clayton’s more folk-based sound. Whether this merging of talents was a one-off experiment or a Fleetwood Mac in the making (minus the drama), we’re still left with a powerful record.

Earth To Dora is very much a turn up the volume, open the windows and let everyone enjoy it type of record.

While many, such as the swirling pop of “Blue Moon,” and the melodic ballad “I Call It Art,” don’t fit the general tone of the average Kills album, none of the songs sound like filler. Each of these Bastards earns its spot on the album as a fine representation of the eclectic influences of the band.

Savor this one.

Murdoch and company have done a great job in creating a live album that includes a little bit of something for everyone. What to Look for in Summer does a fairly good job of capturing the magnetic energy of a Belle and Sebastian show and since we have been starved for live music this year, this is a welcome release to help tide us over.

We Will Always Love You, their third album, is just their latest achievement in flawlessness, a record that continues the sound that is undeniably The Avalanches.

This gentle, lilting album is a totally relaxing listen, somehow devoid of the deep sensual bluesy moods that Holiday can evoke but instead invoking a flowing, other-worldly (to use his term) romanticism.

With Luca, Maas has managed to stay in that happy medium where it’s different without being too different. There is enough of what fans of The Black Angels want to still be familiar but different enough to be something completely his own. Maas’ first foray into solo territory is definitely a success.

Managing to get any kind of new music during the pandemic has been rewarding and die-hard Sigur Rós fans that have waited 18 years to finally hear Odin’s Raven Magic, will no doubt find something to chew on. For most casual listeners however, this project, while undeniably beautiful remains messy and unfocused.

Campbell chose to embrace his personal sound, owning it, and refining it. It’s not an easy task but Campbell and the Dirty Knobs take it seriously.

Live in Maui is an average show, with below-average sound, which has taken on a higher standard coming so close to Hendrix’s untimely death and the hippie nonsense surrounding it. However, Live in Maui is still an interesting listen for long-time fans and completists just not a place new listeners should start. In truth, any Hendrix concert is worth hearing, but this one doesn’t contend with many other fantastic releases already out there.

Corgan’s attempt at making a contemporary album was mostly successful, though, with the band delivering hook-laden music that is full of great pop moments with enough experimentalism and gritty moments to keep it interesting.

He has a catalog of consistently strong albums and Pine Needle Fire is the latest to join this esteemed list.

Along with K.G.’s quality and the return to a more classic King Gizzard sound, help K.G. stand out as more than just another entry into a dense discography.

The lighthearted moments here offset the pedantry even if they also muffle a more provocative impact (as did the strident tone of 2006’s Living With War, including “Let’s Impeach The President”). Neil is preaching to the converted here and this offering isn’t likely to convince the skeptical.

As with all great musicians, Wagner embodies each track on TRIP the way he would any other album, and in the end provides another strong entry in Lambchop’s ever-growing discography.

While The Makarrata Project is, overall, more of an exercise in maintaining rather than innovating, it is nevertheless a work replete with the customary philosophical and musical intelligence the Oils have displayed throughout their history.

While the rest of the Power Up is still the same medicine, it remains a grade of B or better. No ballads and no “rock” titled songs on these 12 shakers. Call it now –Power Up is the strongest AC/DC lp since 1990’s The Razors Edge: Well done boys.

Unlike the 2017 pair of albums which were rather short, Stapleton delivers a generous heaping of 14 songs here. He has nothing left to prove, but somehow, he just gets incrementally better as he takes more control and confidence in his own songwriting.

All of this adds up to mana from heaven for Pylon fans.

The funky hip-hop moments sit beside some truly gorgeous passages, especially Kuroda’s flugelhorn on the Hancock piece.