Girl is an enchantingly lighthearted delusion of crushes and happy hours, composed with an escapist party of a live show in mind (influenced by their own tour with feel-good NYC synth-pop artist Porches). Girl Ray provides a summer fling of an album and makes it feel like an urgent necessity as we seemingly tick off our waning moments in these late-near-apocalyptic times.

Forever Howlong is more of the daring prog-rock Black Country has become known for, and while their growth is subtle, it is far from a non-factor. Across these eleven songs, the band spins fascinating, folksy tales and whimsically delivers them, giving the album’s dark subject matter a soft edge.

With all its content, music, and otherwise, permeated with purposeful attention to detail and focused depth, Legacy Recordings’ Volume 7 matches the previous releases in this archive series, such as Volume 2 Live in Europe 1969.

However much Julian stretches himself, however, he never abandons the warmth and fluidity that distinguishes his playing.

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

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.

The Beths utilize elements of their first LP on their sophomore effort—lyrical depth, catchy hooks, and sonic gems are scattered throughout the ten tracks on Jump Rope Gazers.

Only two small missteps on an album full of excellent new approaches from the evolving quartet. Parquet Courts can also still drop in their post-punk sound, but for tracks like “Black Widow Spider” and “Homo Sapien” the grinding guitar riffs are augmented by inventive dance-laden beats, kicking it all up a level.

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.

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.

There are songs where she’s smoothed out the edges somewhat. That, with the raw instrumentation framing it, makes this one of her stronger vocal outings.

Be assured that Martin’s songs will grow on you. You may even take away a little more insight each time through.

Though Love Songs For Losers has many of the familiar markings of the band, the album finds the trio at their most experimental, diverse in subjects and sound – all while still sounding very much like a Lone Bellow album.

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.

The group flashes its technical wizardry, an ear for the weird/experimental and crushingly powerful headbanging ways, cataloging their past while looking towards their future.

The album is a cohesive collection of tracks, personal experiences, and the broader human condition. While some may find it a bit nostalgic, the album’s raw and real approach, combined with its lighthearted moments, makes it a compelling listen.

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.

Cudi’s ninth outing features the crooning of his first few releases while harkening back even further to his mixtape days with razor-sharp flows. INSANO is effortlessly fun and enticing while still showing Cudi’s artistic progression.

The Murlocs continue their steeped-in acid look back at the 60’s Nuggets-inspired offerings on the convincing Rapscallion.

Don’t be frightened by the spiritual nature of this album. You don’t have to be a regular churchgoer to appreciate the moving, soulful tunes. In fact, you can enjoy this album even if you’ve never been to a church for anything other than a wedding.

It’s much more textural [than 2015's Undertow], drawing a lot from new wave and shoegaze, with drummer Rory Loveless (Eoin’s brother) always luring the song back to those rock roots. The combination works and keeps the album from sounding like an 80’s tribute record.

Tigers Blood album is yet another big step forward in her evolution from critic’s darling to one of the most dependably great indie artists performing today.

While Closure/Continuation doesn’t contain the triumphs of past efforts, it is a rewarding listen from start to finish and adds another medal around prog-rock ambassador Steven Wilson. This dexterous trio appears delighted to deliver for their core audience to whom what they hope is a new beginning.

This is a fun and impressive album showing you don’t have to be a young American to make a killer blues rock album.

Though it lacks some of the standout avant-garde moments of the band’s earlier work, it also eschews the messy missteps that had popped up from time to time. Seeing Other People is also the most focused and controlled Foxygen album and its intricate melodies and infinite hooks will be remembered long after the band is no more, whether France and Rado realize it or not.

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

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.

Ochoa’s music will inevitably have you smiling and perhaps reaching back to the Buena Vista Social Club recording and its various offshoots.