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.

At only nine songs in length, Pang! provides a relatively brief encounter, but its brevity is more than made up for in its upbeat attitude and carefully constructed melodies. Its cross-cultural references may require a more concerted listen, but the vibe and variety all but ensure an endearing effect right from the start. There’s no pain in this Pang!, but instead, a wealth of pure pleasure.

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

While it is stripped down in terms of personnel, there are plenty of sonic layers at play, resulting in her most sonically adventurous effort to date.

While this may not become your favorite James Blake album instantly, it is one that toes the delicate line of pleasing the world while staying true to yourself. Playing Robots Into Heaven is a snapshot of Blake’s ambitions while still sounding present and urgent.

To say this album is highly anticipated, is an understatement. Yet, like most supergroup projects, (Trio, Pistol Annies, etc.) has its strong moments and it does carry a strong mission. Yet, its ambitious and inclusive scope creates an enormity that somewhat weighs it down.

Suffice it to say, The 1974 Live Recordings constitutes a listening experience almost as frustrating as it is rewarding. As such, it is very much in line with virtually all of Dylan’s work over the last sixty-some years, thought-provoking in the extreme, if nothing else.

Throughout the nuanced Untame The Tiger, Mary Timony pushes and pulls with experimental wanderings and pop leanings, successfully delivering an engaging album that deals with grief, forlornness, and starting over with a blank slate.

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.

Doves has stayed true to their sound and as the result they have made an album that fans will want to listen to over and over.

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.

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.

Aside from the opening track, How Do You Burn? lacks the raw intensity frequently found on early Afghan Whigs releases. But what it lacks in power, the album makes up for in intricate arrangements, dense compositions drawing upon the band’s unique alchemy of influences, and infectious beats.

Even at its mildest moments, Duffy asserts themself with an energetic catharsis.

Tarantula Heart is messier than most Melvins albums, and it doesn’t have as many great hooks as fans are used to. While it doesn’t hold up to the band’s best albums, there’s plenty to enjoy for those who like the band’s quirkier side.

Existential Reckoning is a gem of a record that reasserts Puscifer’s place not just in pop culture but in the whole Keenan milieu. As their first album in five years, it’s a stunning return for a band that now feels on pace to shine as brightly as its founder and leader. Whether an old fan or new, Puscifer delivers dose after dose of electro-rock madness that all adds up to the best album of the band’s career.

Royce Hall, 1971 is a solo acoustic gig, recorded in January of that year on the UCLA campus, while Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 1971 is a similarly executed performance, with Young on vocals, guitar, piano and harmonica, on the last US show of his solo tour. While these first two may seem redundant in the wake of the aforementioned prior releases, they are also a testament to the consistently high level of Young’s performances (not to mention a sunny state of mind, then and now, to which he alludes in the abbreviated liner notes to Chandler).

Moving in a lot of directions, That Delicious Vice proves that Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds are willing to experiment with sound and scope to deliver their tunes, even if not all their outings are successful.

Despite being their tenth album, Pond continues to push their artistic boundaries, blending innovation with their distinct psychedelic roots. Stung! stands as a testament to their enduring creativity and knack for crafting compelling music, making it an ideal soundtrack for the summer.

The album opens with the tone-shifting, unsettling, pessimistic “Obscenery” which sees modern love as unsentimental and everything doomed around grunge-laden guitars, random classical violin breaks and crashing drums; interesting ideas which never fully lock-in. Better is the driving, straight-ahead rock of “Paper Machete” complete with an excellent distorted solo, the angular “Emotion Sickness” that deploys a catchy FM radio-friendly hook, and “Negative Space” which juxtaposes sexy grooving bass during the verses and big clanging noise breaks for the choruses.

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.

While Isbell may be the driver here, he is more than generous, putting the spotlight on his various guests, and giving his band the opportunity to show their potency and versatility.

The result is deeply evocative music because the production is as restrained as the interplay is energetic.

Blitzen Trapper has succeeded in making a very complex album that is probably quite different than most new albums you’ll hear this year.

While their debut, The Power And The Glory, is not necessarily treading new ground, it is still a remarkably satisfying collection of straight-ahead college rock songs. Mantione’s vocals are solid, but it’s the unexpected lyrical turns that almost all of the songs take that make the band so compelling.

A a culmination of those travels as well as a homage to Houston. Laura Lee’s (bassist) homecoming provided her with the clarity that was needed to create the well-executed diversity shown.

The five tracks on Texas Moon play more naturally to both artists’ strengths and come together to form a more fruitful and distinct collaborative statement.

Ambient yet dense, Space Heavy is an album that requires multiple listens to fully grasp, with each listen revealing a new layer of abstract rock that makes the album such a bold and enticing sonic step for Archy Marshall.