Despite being recorded in such a short burst of time – or maybe because of it – Spiel manages to be as musically diverse as it is moody, offering up a stellar intro to the band.

Sam Evian created a potent LP with Plunge and keeps the album exciting by piecing together his lofty ideas and loosely tying them together via their unpredictable tendencies. By allowing even his loftiest visions to settle into his honed song craft he created a brand of pop music he can proudly call his own.

Things Take Time, Take Time is charming, finding the perfect note for the mood it’s trying to evoke, and even at its smallest and most benign, it’s captivating, the kind of album destined to become a favorite of a very specific subset of Courtney fans. It feels well-worn too, a well-deserved breather after three near-concurrent classics.

A Foul Form does a great job of capturing that fiery intensity for a brief burst of chaos.

Vedder has been open about his struggles with mental health and he seems to be in a very positive place with this record, expressing himself as his love for classic rock comes to the forefront on Earthling.

Rarely Do I Dream blurs the mystique of an artist whose honest songwriting made listeners feel like insiders with the musician and introduces the world to the full potential of Youth Lagoon.

The Country Westerns have given us one hell of a debut, bringing to mind the glory days of bar band alt-country while still sounding bitingly fresh and lyrically relevant to ultimately result in an early contender for album of the year.

While perhaps not a major cultural statement, Every Loser is an extremely secure album for the legendary mercurial artist to deliver this late in his career.

The follow up to 2017’s TX Jelly carries on that loose, almost improvisational jam vibe that made that debut such an anomaly when it first came out.

As a whole Sage Motel is a tone record of restrained, warbling, retro veering, psychedelic soul but there is one standout that should be heard on its own.

Death Valley Girls have softened musically with each release, adding more pop influences, and digging more into the spiritual hippy cosmos of the we-are-all-in-this-together vibe. They also have continually improved, as Islands in the Sky is their best album to date.

Gov’t Mule’s willingness to step outside its collective comfort zone here is clearly not without its shortfalls. Still, that very courage augurs well for the celebration of their thirtieth anniversary next year.

These songs touch on solitude, fading love, trying to grow up and some bleak topics, but their sweet sound together makes listening to them a joy.

Shires displays her reverence for Nelson in her fiddle playing and with some of the most impassioned vocals in her career while showcasing Nelson’s pianism, giving her a fond, tender farewell, Texas style.

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.

Is doesn’t have the same eclectic range as something like Z or The Waterfall, but it’s a solid album with ten captivating songs and no missteps. From the danceable groove rock of “Everyday Magic” to the propulsive banger “Lemme Know,” everything works.

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.

Entering Heaven Alive is a joy to sink into and overall one of the most easily accessible and best of Jack White’s solo career.

These songs have a light-hearted nature to them that is overtly pleasant without sounding like they’re trying to be. While this approach doesn’t leave much room for experimentation, it does leave us with a consistent, exciting, easily enjoyable album that toes the line between spacious ambiance and robust arrangements.

The trend was fairly clear in coming, with each passing record Medford has shifted towards more mainstream sounds. Fully embracing the break-up/hook-up dance-ready pattern (with slight distortion around the edges) Medford’s efforts are ready to be sung out over large speaker stacks instead of smaller indie rock clubs.

“Beye Bu Beye Ba,” may be the consummate track that combines brass, Taylor’s vocal, and his background singers, sounding authentically African as if one were transported to a ceremonial dance in a village. The final track is the other English titled tune, “Feeling,” with Taylor and his substantial accompaniment sailing off in blissful, horn and vocal punctuated glee.

Joyce Manor continues playing to their strengths with I Used To Go To This Bar, going big with microdosed strong songs that blast on by.

Lytle has been here before, ending his main act, but if Blu Wav is indeed the final bow from Grandaddy, it is a solid, restrained offering and a fitting coda to their catalog.

If one were to go to previous Stones ‘Best of’ sets, like 40 Licks, you’ll find most, if not all of these tracks from 1971 through the early ‘80s. It’s the later stuff combined with the earlier material that makes this set perhaps a bit more interesting, although most would argue those later years don’t represent the best of the Stones.

The band – still comprised of all three founding members – singer/guitarist Janovitz, bassist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis – approach this record with the same relaxed, effortless vibe that made the trio such a consistently great act throughout the 1990s. The harmonies on “New Girl Singing” and the effortlessly cool vocals on “Recipes” and “Come Closer” sound like a band that have spent decades working together and anticipating where the song goes next.

Most of the madcap antics work, while other moments are exciting failures. While it’s not an easy album to digest, it’s fun for those who enjoy the experimental process.

The duo’s employment of a more ambient soundscape pairs beautifully with the raw, often hard-to-hear emotional songwriting. Not that Lost Cause Lover Fool doesn’t retain the welcoming warmth of previous Milk Carton Kids’ outings, but this is a particularly vulnerable side of the duo. There is longing in every moment of this LP that forces the listener to sit in the uncomfortable truths detailed in these songs.

With South Of Here and its moments of vulnerability, Rateliff and his band put out an impressive record for anyone who hadn’t been paying attention the last few years. They are clearly still just as potent as they were a decade ago.