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.

XOXO, while broadening the band’s sound, becomes not a major shift, not even a detour really, but a refocus and sharpening of their hallmark jangly sound – brimming with country, folk, rock, and British Invasion power pop. It’s reinvigoration.

Working with producer Mitchell Froom, Wainwright has crafted 12 melodic artistic pop tunes that are some of the finest of his career.

This is a high octane record filled with hooks, strong musicianship and maybe just a bit too much production. Through it all, Price has some interesting reflections on motherhood and coping with her rising fame. The clincher, as you might well guess, is the unrelenting power of her voice that just continues to amaze.

Willie Nelson willfully imbues First Rose Of Spring with his own brand of bitter honesty, giving the album the sort of emotional resonance that the majority of his contemporary peers forgo in exchange for switchboard instrumentation and hollow lyricism.

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.

Agricultural Tragic is also among one of his best yet in an already inspiring 25-year career.

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 True Story of Bananagun is one of the most inspiring debut releases of 2020 as a host of sounds infuse the musical spirit of these cosmic adventurers resulting in a dynamite and diverse record.

Deleted Scenes as an album oscillates between larger than life theatrical pop numbers and blissful instrumental escapism.

Punisher is a worthy follow-up to Bridgers’ impressive debut, building upon her distinctive style of storytelling while adding a bit more flavor. Though mostly soft and measured, the poetic imagery and occasional bursts of dynamism keep the album from ever getting dull.

In keeping with other self-produced Dylan releases of recent years, the sonics of Rough And Rowdy Ways is as clear as its word sets are dense. ... The musicianship will not steal or detract attention from Bob himself, but rather encircle him as he performs, their fluid interplay functioning like that ideal frame which vividly illuminates a striking painting or photo. ... As with all the best Bob Dylan albums, poetic imagery abounds.

The duration of the record is ultimately out of proportion to its considerable depth of feeling. These dozen tracks all boast impeccable audio, but the clarity of those sonics, the likes of which earmark all recent Neil Young recordings in recent years, is less significant as a commercial selling point than as a direct correlation to the purity of emotion within the music.

The album is one of the standout releases of the year, and also leaves you wanting to experience the Rose City Band live as soon as we are allowed to do that again.

Overall “World on the Ground” is a work of quiet beauty that brims with irresistible melodies and compelling storytelling. These songs showcase Jarosz’s growth as a songwriter as they linger with the listener long after the album ends.

This is unbridled passion, an unyielding declaration of freedom. As strong as it is, however, a little tempering down in a few places could only add to the overall impact.

This lovingly covered collection will not make new fans of either act, but as a loving document to a unique songwriter, it succeeds.

As the album nears its end, it gets more luminous.

It’s interesting that while the previous album had an intergalactic feeling, this seems a bit more acoustically grounded, a deceptively simple yet complex sound that grows in appeal with continued listens.

Muzz is a familiar culmination of previous individual sounds that mesh well together, but Muzz not only blends influences, but they also undertake new sonics to further push the progressiveness of the project. Muzz is nuanced in how it shifts from intimacy to defamiliarization, this indie gray area riffs off the familiar and transforms it into something entirely new.

The album shows growth in every aspect of the music, yet the lyrics seem to be the biggest area of change. ... The production from Jenn Decilvio accentuated the band’s evolution by highlighting the multiple vocal parts and adding a truly masterful touch on the effects chosen.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever delivers a slice of summer with the successful Sideways to New Italy as the band keeps rolling on and smiling all the way.

Wyatt seems to have lived a lifetime in the three years between Felony Blues and Neon Cross. The byproduct is a powerfully affecting album that can speak to just about anyone who’s willing to listen.

As the title suggests, Thompson reckons with the breakup of a real-life relationship but navigates it with an even-handed balance that’s part wistful and part deeply honest.

If you were a fan of their mid-2000’s work, this album would be a very satisfying continuation of their sound while also mixing in enough new ideas for it to be a progressive album for the group.

The distinctly raw sound is a cross between his usual folk-rock sound, and mountain music with generous hints of bluegrass, an area he explored earlier in his career.

Temple captures the band’s unique melding of styles: Asian with American, hip hop with rock, analog with digital, off-kilter with hummable. The band’s influences are combined not as a precise recipe, but as an experimental alchemy that rewards in unexpected ways.

The slow, contemplative songs on Set My Heart on Fire Immediately are hit or miss. Most are moving mood pieces with intricate melodies, while some are bland and skippable. The best Perfume Genius moments are with the dynamic upbeat pop songs, jam-packed with hooks and danceable grooves. Throughout the album, Hadreas forms complex sonic textures out of the thoughts tormenting his psyche. The result is an album that thrills at times, invites quiet reflection at others, but is always interesting.