Working with producer and percussionist Matt Pence, regular collaborator and multi-instrumentalist John Calvin Abney, and incorporating the angelic vocal harmonies of Bonnie Whitmore, Moreland has unearthed a sweet spot for himself, sonically. LP5 is textured, soft and gentle, and then rugged and dirty exactly where it needs to be

Appropriately enough, fun and adventurous are two pretty apt descriptions of Hole In My Head, a stylistically elastic record that covers folk, pop and rock all filtered through the experiences of a lifelong punk rocker.

Year of the Spider continues Shannon & The Clams run of catchy, quirky offerings while dealing with the pain and loss that is everywhere.

Production from Jim Eno (founding member and drummer of Spoon) is top notch as Night Moves have crafted a smooth, lightly rippling soundtrack to the summer with Can You Really Find Me.

Diabate and Fleck, though, are considered the prime masters of their respective instruments so their set is especially impressive.

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.

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.

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.

Chambers is challenging us to hear the connections between the pieces, which are not always readily apparent. Yet, the harmonics, textures, and fluidity of the sound remain appealing throughout.

Though the album is unequivocally emotionally rich, with most songs building to vibrant climaxes after mellow beginnings, as a whole it lacks the power, swagger, and singalong aspects of vintage soul records.

I Want Blood is the best album Jerry Cantrell has released since at least 2002’s Degradation Trip, if not 1995’s eponymous Alice in Chains release. It shows Cantrell continuing to stretch artistically, especially as a singer, while leaning on the musical chops that made him a generation’s guitar hero.

The album is as raw as it gets, simply down-home porch music. .... We now have a vivid reminder of what traditional Black string music sounds like, at a time when those in power want to ignore and even erase such important legacies.

The whole album can easily transport one to those outer realms of the mind. It’s a major step forward for Younger the composer and fits in well with the iconic label’s knack for tapping generational voices.

Making Room for the Light redefines Powell’s writing and vocal range to fit a more soulful landscape. Her melodies deliver butterflies in the listener’s stomach via masterful tone control, but when combined with Parry’s ability to make the simplistic feel stadium-sized, all of these cherished lyrics become emphasized.

With the help of super-producer John Congleton, shame created a new blistering, no-nonsense sound. These 12 songs are face-melting, immersive, clunky in the best way possible, and more than anything, they’re wildly cathartic. .... It is the arrangement behind these words that drills their points into your soul.

It’s also overly self-serious, an album begging to be considered above its pretentions and to be analyzed as art. For the most part, it works. It works as a piece of baroque chamber art and it works like a flip side to Hercules & Love Affair, a testament to the pair’s virtuosity. Still, it’s frustrating that with so many talented musicians collaborating on this project, it can feel like a missed opportunity.

The piano-based songs carry elements of jazz and rock, with Kattner’s keen ear for sing-along melodies matched only by his desire to attack such melodies with unexpected bursts of bedlam. Those tumultuous bursts, occurring frequently and usually without warning, are part of what makes Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between so exciting, with no dull moments even over 17 tracks of content.

Giddens is one of the most important, and as this proves, versatile artists of our times. Certainly the crowning achievement of her three recordings so far, we’re left wondering if there is anything she can’t do.

It is a hard-to-classify effort that shifts genres and influences often as War moves through different motifs.

Glasgow Eyes takes the band’s experimental noise pop further. The expected elements are all there, from the brooding lyrics to the droning guitars to the intricate melodies. Still, incorporating electronic elements adds extra flavor for those who’ve already played Honey’s Dead a thousand times and don’t need another one.

Making A Door Less Open is a worthy addition to the creative evolution of Car Seat Headrest.

The Dharma Wheel was designed to transport the listener away from the pitfalls of the current world via elongated tunes as Howlin’ Rain dramatically plugs in and pushes onward. They don’t always hit their intended mark but no one can accuse Miller and company of dreaming small as the band remains one of rock’s most inventive voyagers.

Slow Pulp keeps those odd touches in place, scuffing up a very pretty album just enough to keep things interesting throughout Yard.

Like all IDLES releases, Ultra Mono’s biggest drawback is its lack of variety. Though the guitarists experiment with different tones, each song still has the same feel sonically. Likewise, Talbot’s vocals are monotone with little variety and his lyrics are sometimes simplistic. But IDLES make up for those flaws with its greatest strengths, the band’s passion, unbridled fury, and raw intensity. IDLES wears its passion and anger on its sleeve, delivering infectious rhythms, filthy distorted guitars, and snarling vocals to drive its message home.

The CRB doesn’t wholly recapture the unified sense of inspiration that earmarked their initial work, but they come close.

She can be both old-timey and contemporary. She’s a master at bringing polar opposites into a cohesive statement. The tension that lives in her songs and album sequences usually ends with a blissful takeaway and, despite a few new twists, the same is true here.

Its obvious replay value hints at the kind of staying power required of truly great albums and while it’s unlikely to dethrone Merriweather Post Pavilion’s status as their greatest album, it is without question the elite artistic accomplishment the world has been waiting for in a spiritual successor.

A new era for Lukas Nelson begins on solid footing as American Romance employs familiar country and Americana sounds and phrases in a well-worn fashion.

Little adds light Caribbean flair to the poppy “Whip The Wind”, but the love song runs on too long, as does the retro soul of “Cherry” and the warbling get down jam “Bottomless”; however, Little’s vocals are always soulful. Things improve when Little moves to more expansive offerings.

By bringing things down to the basics, Khruangbin seemingly reinvented itself yet again without pushing too far into the future and looking too much at past success. The band is stubbornly present and takes its time creating a meditative album lined with moments of instrumental bliss and newfound territories for the band to explore.

An album that places the idiosyncrasies of this band in such a palatable setting, listeners old and new may be rendered captive almost without their knowledge or consent.

Black Pumas created a daring and enticing sophomore album that not only surpasses expectations but makes us feel silly for having any to begin with. .... These ten songs do more than avoid a sophomore slump, they cement Black Pumas as a creative force willing to risk it all if it means their vision comes to fruition uncompromised.

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

Her voice and song selection work well, going over the top at times to nail the tune with all the requisite pomp and circumstance but also experimenting in unique ways.

Lillie Mae is constantly on the move and her tunes reflect that, Other Girls resonates on failed relationships, dull pain and trying to move past the hurt.

The Decemberists return better than ever. As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again is the band’s longest and most rewarding album to date. The Decemberists take the art of the concept album and fill it with as many fantasy tropes as possible, creating a sonic journey that deserves your undivided attention.

The band sacrifices their love for challenging sonics for soaring harmonies that accent subtle nods to Western nostalgia while filling the room with grandiose arrangements, creating a tight and consistently entertaining tracklist that still finds ways to shock and amaze.

The beauty is in the simplicity. If nothing else, this proves that Johnny Cash is irreplaceable. It’s both refreshing and sad to hear him again.

All extraneous matter has been effectively distilled and dismissed. This is tight, in-the-pocket playing, honoring the song, and letting the pure joy of the music flow effortlessly.

Byrne always walks the fine line with his art-pop between pretentious and affecting, but thankfully, he always invests heavily in the almighty groove and some humor. Tracks like “Door Says No” skillfully evoke a range of emotions, and the quirky “I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party” skillfully blends tasty desserts with spirituality and the mystery of life, all set to a cool beat.

History Books is a layered outing from Gaslight Anthem that is as familiar as it is refreshing. Longtime Gaslight Anthem fans will be pleased with the varying arrangements as the band traverses a colorful palette of moods and tones. Newcomers will be taken aback by the band’s unique diversity and lyrical dexterity as Gaslight Anthem pens gorgeous words to drive their latest outing.

Tracked largely in analog, Dylan-style, and featuring L.A. players like Amy Aileen Wood (Fiona Apple) and Wayne Whitaker, For the First Time, Again sounds richly vintage. Though nearly flawless, its loose approach leaves open the question of how Tyler might sound in a more modern, ambitious setting.

This third CATS album is wholly in keeping with the growing confidence of the band (in contrast to the somewhat laissez-faire sophomore outing, appropriately titled Let It Wander) as well as the creative progression of its forebears.

LaFarge somehow manages to make the nostalgia sound authentic rather than gimmicky, which is quite an impressive feat.

He continues to show why he’s been one of the best songwriters in the past four decades and again, despite what at times feels like a curious mix, he delivers the kind of gems that only he can.

There is a comforting steadiness and calmness to Moen’s vocals that draw in the listener regardless of what he’s singing about; the songs have a tendency to be both haunting and melancholy at times yet also reassuring – not an easy feat to pull off.

There’s no better modern bluesman on the scene today than Birchwood. He consistently delivers the goods and Exorcist is his latest adventurous chapter..

It showcases Dream Theater’s status as a collection of musical masters who, forty years later, remain at the top of their games.

Some reimagining and some looking back, ‘Journey Through Life’ is a pleasant reflection on where Femi Kuti has been and where that could possibly lead him in the future.

When one carefully listens, the history of Black American music unfolds over just ten tracks. These two trust their instincts and their artistry is well-rounded and rather boundless.

This lineup offers great potential for the provocative mix of musical personalities, and sure enough, sparks fly from the get-go on “Opal.” .... The very delicate balance the four employ actually elevates their imaginative interplay. In letting his comrades dominate on “Talking Drum,” for instance.

It’s fair to say that songs like the sunny “Dave,” the shimmering “Strange Land” and the album’s final send-off, the alluring “Alchemy,” recall the best of Jackson’s cosmopolitan style, and each succeeds exceptionally well as a result. No fooling, Fool ranks among the best works of Jackson’s judicious career, and that’s a solid recommendation in itself.

It is possible (even likely) that you will appreciate this album the first time you listen to it. But don’t just listen to it once and then file it away because the more you listen to it, the more you appreciate it. Especially if you blast it as loud as you can stand.

Up on High does a fantastic job of combining a multitude of influences and creating a sound that is unmistakably Vetiver. The pared down tracks can be numbered amongst the best that Cabic has produced, making Up on High one of the best albums of Vetiver’s career.

Fearn delivers music back to him that touches on a host of genres, including post-punk, warped electropop, bizarre dub, and minimalist new wave, repeating beats and slowly adding instrumentation to keep things from becoming dull. More than in past records, the songs take time to stretch out, as the duo pulls them along and the words.

This is a no-bells-or-whistles effort from DeMarco, staying true to the Guitar title by tying together string-driven emotional releases with jaw-dropping consistency.

Pollen has a subtle beauty to its short, 32-minute runtime. The layered instruments and crooned vocals are steeped in the kind of love that is anchored in more than a decade of marriage. As such, it might not have the passionate peaks and valleys of a brief fling, but it makes up for that in its mature craftsmanship and shared vision of creating and maintaining the art.

The second half of Downhill From Everywhere reaffirms how Jackson Browne has mastered the art of uniting issues personal and political, then turning the dual meaning(s) universal (albeit not without some difficulty, circa 1986’s Lives in the Balance).

Gift of Sacrifice finds Osborne flexing the might of his compositional prowess to deliver a new side of his talent that is, above all else, purely and wholly Buzz.

Neil Young is having a bit too much fun to sustain anything genuinely intense over the course of these nearly two-hours on stage and in rehearsal with his cohorts. Still, it’s hard not to become caught up in the joy of it all before it’s over, because songs like “I Am A Dreamer” are infectious by their very lack of affectation. Both of these two-CD ‘Official Bootlegs,’ each in its own way, reaffirms that the seeming vagaries of Neil Young’s career are not random anomalies, but rather a pattern of purposeful behavior.

Even without Bejar, there are enough pop hooks and interesting melodies to live up to The New Pornographers’ high standard.

The result leaves the listener the way the best ambient music does, comforted, beguiled, and refreshed, and when the disembodied voice finally chimes in on “Sky Burial” it’s just enough to pull the listener in for the final stretch.

Its seamless collection of earworm melodies and heady grooves make for a pretty compelling argument that it was well worth the wait.

Bear could’ve gone in a million different directions, and rather than land on a singular sound to explore as he has in the past, he employs a plethora of styles that collide into one mesmerizing tracklist that grows on you with every listen.

There are no truly great compositions here. But otherwise, the record does contain most of the essential elements of the band’s inimitable style, including the cracked sense of humor for which Feats are famous.

In the Hour of Dust ends on a note of affirmation and encouragement, a fitting end to a work that, while cinematic and beautifully rendered, remains a protest record at heart.

Despite the otherworldly talent displayed on the album, there is an element of humanity hidden in there. By simply relaying their life story through whooshing production and swooning melodies, UMO created their most personal yet most relatable album to date.

It is revelatory that on such cuts–like the rest, ranging from five to eight minutes in duration–Metheny employs his instincts as much as his technique. The delicate balance of those two elements is nothing less than remarkable on Dream Box.

Even when Local Valley is working as well as his last few releases, it’s hard not to wish for a little more than consistency.

Those dulcet tones of Knopfler’s voice remain immaculately intact. Now 74, every aspect of his artistry remains at its consistently high quality. As with the past few releases, Knopfler waxes mostly nostalgic here again on One Deep River.

Back In Black is a tribute, extension, and reminder of Cypress Hill at its peak, to do this so successfully thirty years after that era is impressive in its own unique way.

The sisters pour out their emotions fearlessly in this effort, making it their strongest album yet as their trajectory continues to steepen.

Baroness has carved out its own niche within the metal landscape. On Stone, that landscape is thoroughly explored, from the depths of the dirtiest sludge to beautiful rootsy vistas to the expanse of the cosmos.

They offer up Fate & Alcohol, ten songs in thirty-six minutes that mostly succeed by wrestling with maturity and life’s big decisions but never reach the heights of their youth.

Brother Sister feels bigger than just the siblings, but it is essentially a gentle folk record with lovely instrumentation and gorgeous harmonies. With Sean primarily on guitar and Sara on fiddle, and both sharing vocals, the sound comes across at times like a full band but it’s usually just the two of them making stirring music.

My Morning Jacket, for the most part, succeeds as the album fuses My Morning Jacket’s more polished moments with their fuzzy jam band origins into a successful brew.

Inside Problems is a warm collection of quirky, catchy tracks that capture a sense of aloofness assuaging listeners during these troubling times.

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.

Another exciting addition to the long-running band’s catalog, Born Horses finds the Mercury Rev stretching out and evolving over 35 years into their career.

The long closer of “The Real Thing” is drawn out as the group goes for a big and cathartic finale, yet never fully breaks on through. That said, there is a lot to like on Emotional Contracts, as Deer Tick returns to the indie rocking fold, proving that they will travel wherever the song takes them.

The eight tracks produced by Tucker Martine (Sufjan Stevens, The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket) in Portland, OR include some music that, while it is legitimately based on a formidable tradition, nonetheless doesn’t sound quite so personal or powerful as the best Parr performs elsewhere here (or on the pinnacles of his past like his eponymous album of 2019). .... Fortunately, the moody likes of “Bear Head Lake,” call to mind Charlie Parr at his most scintillating on 2017’s Dog.

Food for Worms features shame’s strongest music in the pantheon of their short discography. They hit a new creative stride through the album’s dense textures and complex structure, allowing them to shape otherworldly arrangements for their evolved songwriting.

While not peddling anything particularly new, Matsson’s legion of devoted fans will nonetheless find what they want and more in I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream. The skeptics will likely stay that way, but then you get the sense that’s the least of Matsson’s concerns.

A less-cluttered and more intimate take on “Remember You” might well have increased its potency as the closing cut. Nevertheless, the ‘less is more’ premise remains in effect just often enough on Blue For Lou to certify the record, name associations aside, as a memorable entry in the lengthy discography of Nils Lofgren.

She covers emotional and relatable ground with a fun blend of Americana and pop music. She also weaves personal experiences throughout the songs. ... That mix of the deeply personal with the relatable is a powerful combination.

There’s a literary elegance to Cole’s compositions rare in the pop field—the late great Warren Zevon was one of the few contemporary songwriters who shared that quality—and these arrangements mirror that nuanced formality.

Lonesome Drifter is a no-frills effort from Crockett that harkens back to his blues roots while staying stubbornly in the present. Ironically, Crockett’s nostalgia trip created some of his career’s more urgent and present music.

Featuring a formidable and typically eclectic tracklist that showcases Bruce’s innovative and forward-thinking compositional and instrumental strengths, Indigo Park stands as one of Mr. Hornsby’s most inspiring efforts in years.

Migration Stories is a bright sounding album that draws on Ward’s skills in creating a warm and beaming atmosphere, even if the lyrics are the direct opposite. Gentle songs and tender vocals transport the listener to a world where anything is possible. While the production of the album might sound a bit more polished than past releases, it is still unmistakably M. Ward’s sound and bound to be a favorite with fans.

While the overall tone and style fits him and the band well, the majority of songs are fine yet not particularly memorable. A Productive Cough looks like a mid-career outlier now as Titus Andronicus settle back into their pub rock punk hybrid on An Obelisk.

An album that would benefit from more such stripped-down performances. As such, it renders the LP’s title a word of encouragement for Samantha Fish to maintain much this same elemental approach when she records next.

Francis built these tunes to be taken to the stage and jammed out and while In Plain Sight can become a bit repetitive at times, Francis’ efforts provide solace in making the most out of difficult situations.

While the album is generally melancholy, he is able to squeeze in a full spectrum of emotions around the same topic, allowing the album to flow naturally lyrically while Mann’s arrangement work provides new dimensions and textures, creating an undeniably smooth listening experience.

Ritter delivers a thoughtful, impressionistic work that is almost abstract and direct in equal measures. Yet, it’s difficult to absorb in just one listen, or to even single out individual songs. His well-crafted work is in essence a symphony with subtle treasures, both musically and lyrically, within the movements.

His soft voice and natural sense of melody give these songs enough musical prowess to keep up with the best while still seeming innocent and green to the world around them. Maltese’s vulnerability makes him one of the more relatable and pure artists working today and his fourth album further proves that we are far from hearing the last and best music Maltese has to offer.

It ["May I Never"] brings the album’s journey of self-examination and introspection to a powerful close.

Irreversible builds on that foundation of classic New Wave and modern indie pop to create a sound that feels both timeless and distinctly their own.

Though not exactly a stunner of an album, it is a solid return for these foundation layers that serve as an awesome reminder of who they are and their place in the wider scene.