With Never Not Together, Nada Surf adds more songs destined to become fan favorites to their catalogue.

While previous Van Etten albums, and pandemic albums in general, carried a somber scarcity to them, We’ve Been Going balances the deeply personal diary entries with moments of levity and hope.

This album is especially personal.” Not only that, strikingly, while not a quantum leap, it’s a major step forward in lyrical and musical intensity from its predecessor.

With its minimal instrumentation and bare, veiled lyrics, Eight Gates feels less like a complete record than a part of the creative process that would have ultimately resulted in a more realized collection of songs. In this sense, it doesn’t stack up to the same artistic level as any album from Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co., or even Molina’s 2012 solo album. Instead, it provides a fleeting final snapshot of an artist who was broken and seeking reflection on his sick and troubled state of being. For longtime fans of Molina, Eight Gates offers a sense of closure and insight on where he was artistically and mentally during the last years of his life.

Atlas Vending is a transitional album in the best of ways as METZ has proved they can create piercing noise with anyone around, now they deploy a wider scope without losing their foundation.

The mixtape feel of Side Effects makes for a disjointed overall listen, but the highpoints, smooth midsection and overall frantic nature means there are very few down moments. Longtime fans will find a lot to like as will those new to the White Denim party.

The Lemon Twigs creates a meditative bliss on A Dream Is All We Know. Whether they’re making pop tunes that evoke the serenity of cherry blossom trees or bluesy rock that fills the room with heavy riffs, this project has a specific calmness that found a home in Beatles-inspired pop.

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.

For the first time here, his ideas haven’t quite formed into a cohesive whole. All the other records felt complete works, this feels more like a collection. For all that really works on i,i, there are moments that feel unnecessary or out of place.

The Hard Quartet’s debut is a refreshing gust of slightly peculiar indie rock that sounds spirited and lively while also reminiscent of the individual members’ past successes.

The Beggar is a challenging listen over its two-hour run time, but the sonic soundscapes SWANS create throughout deliver what the band set out to do; juxtapose the beautiful and grotesque while stretching out their droning sound to the breaking point.

Finn’s style has subtly shifted and the increased spoken word with fuller sounds are both welcomed additions, but in the end, Finn will be Finn, and Legacy of Rentals continues his early morning, alone in barroom despair with hopes of redemption sprinkled throughout.

Junior blends a cocktail of urgency and euphoria, delivering a woozy, rosy-cheeked buzz that warms from the inside out.

As is the case with almost all tribute albums, not every track is consistently great but this one is leaps and bounds better than most.

This generous outpouring of songcraft from Wilson is one to savor over many listens. It’s the perfect hot toddy for these winter days, or, said another way, a harbinger of early spring.

This first set that comprises three Lloyd originals and the traditional often performed, exquisite “La Llorona.” It’s a masterpiece of saxophone tone and spiritual playing, punctuated with scintillating solo spots from Lage and Clayton. ... The second set is a clinic in deep R&B and blues.

The album has all of the Ray LaMontagne trademarks, consisting mostly of love ballads shared via gently strummed minor chords, soft crooning vocals, and a soft, tender atmosphere. But what the album lacks in surprises it makes up for in authenticity, Monovision consisting of the introspective musings of a folk singer baring his soul.

It’s clearly a different time now in so many ways that it’s unlikely that any of these tunes, which are as good as any he’s penned (can’t help using that term), will become mega hits. Nonetheless, these songs are a salve for these times and do plenty of justice to Penn’s legendary status.

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.

Private Space is a honeyed slice of the retro-soul with pop leanings from Durand Jones & The Indications as they continue to mine the 60’s and 70’s for inspiration.

Theirs is a very relaxed approach, two longtime friends totally immersed in joyous music. The feel is far more important than precision. ... The gritty, gravel-toned voice of Taj is always a treat and Cooder’s masterful picking and slide skills are always impressive.

2019’s Green Balloon grappled with trying to capture the band’s live exuberance, but the guest augmented Red Balloon just floats along, strutting smooth confidence from the get-go.

Ali is filled with amazing moments but ultimately leaves more to be desired. With two instrumental juggernauts working together the expectations of these songs were high and the ambiance that flows through the album is going to shock fans of either artist. Regardless of the lows, the collaborative album allows Touré to experiment more with his vocals and his slick guitar sections became the star of the show. Overall, Ali is an album that adds to an ambiance instead of creating one, leaving the listener expecting more.

There’s little sense of genuine band unity on Defiance Part 1. But ultimately that’s no serious liability because as the focal point of the project, Ian Hunter evinces a stubborn independence that overrides this album’s slight blemishes.

One can’t help but marvel at Clay’s talent in this ambitious effort which may seem a bit uneven at first but reveals its cohesiveness in repeated listens.

Humility prevails in Before And After especially as it radiates through the ease of Young’s vocal delivery. The weathered quality his voice has acquired over the years only adds to the emotional authenticity, as does the simplicity of his harmonica playing and the vigorous strumming of acoustic guitar.

1 2 3 4 is the perfect companion to 2017’s underrated Take Me to the Trees and a record that continues to solidify the band’s relevance four decades into their career.

This combo of fidgety indie rock and uneasy dance tracks works well on Thee Black Boltz, Tunde Adebimpe’s successful solo debut.