A stout first full length from The Heavy Heavy, whose fuzzy retro rock, mixed with So Cal pop charm, results in a winning combination on One Of A Kind.

Another exciting addition to the long-running band’s catalog, Born Horses finds the Mercury Rev stretching out and evolving over 35 years into their career.

Drenched in swirling reverb, the atmosphere evoked by Talkie Talkie is lush and cinematic – whiffs of surf rock, loping Latin drums, and shiny, liquid guitar twangs.

Power introduces us to a new side of Illuminati Hotties that takes the pressure of the guitars and drums and places the weight of the album on its words, creating an enticing juxtaposition that may take a few listens to understand fully. Still, once it clicks, you’ll appreciate that Tudzin stumbled upon hit records while expressing intense emotions.

This record, their most adventurous so far, pairs the band with a new producer, James Ford, who has worked with everyone from Blur and Depeche Mode to Arctic Monkeys and the Pet Shop Boys. The new pairing seemingly pushed the band to expand their sound a bit, making for a strongly compelling evolution.

The first release from these Australian friends finds firm footing as GUM / Ambrose Kenny-Smith Ill Times pumps up the jams and rocks the house.

ALL IN is just another reason to dig back into his musical brilliance.

The band sacrifices their love for challenging sonics for soaring harmonies that accent subtle nods to Western nostalgia while filling the room with grandiose arrangements, creating a tight and consistently entertaining tracklist that still finds ways to shock and amaze.

There’s an emotional investment in play on Moondial by which Pat derives a tangible pleasure that correlates directly to his sense of accomplishment.

This scathingly provocative, intense work is overwhelming to digest in one listen. It well could become a landmark recording.

Jack White’s surprise album retreats from grandiose musical ideas (that could be hit or miss), back into the safety of his bluesy rawk. However, that doesn’t diminish the ripping results, as No Name is a blast of direct six-string aggression that is ultra rare in 2024, which puts it in its own timeless class.

They created a vulnerable album that hints at the band’s past two decades while showcasing a new side of a band whose fearless sonic explorations gave them this longevity in the first place.

Wand loves to play with a variety of influences, touching on everything from psych rock to art pop to noise to indie to jam with equal confidence as Vertigo touches these different subgenres but manages to keep an interesting, cohesive tone for the full, dizzying ride.

Beachwood Sparks hit the cosmic canyon touchpoints and beyond on their short but sweet return to recording Across The River Of Stars.

As Barnes embarks on this new phase, Lady On The Cusp stands as a powerful, multifaceted expression of their artistic journey.

It captures the joy, complexity, and spirituality of mambo, making it both a tribute to the past and a beacon for the future. Whether you are a seasoned mambo aficionado or a newcomer to the genre, Caracoles is a must-listen, promising to lift spirits and inspire dance floors worldwide.

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.

Rather than completely reinventing himself via the new moniker, Sturgill Simpson delivers more of his same idiosyncratic stylings. Passage Du Desir uses a classic Nashville base that allows ‘Johnny Blue Skies’ to springboard to more pop-oriented sounds and slightly tripped-out structures with varying degrees of success.

Like Jon Batiste’s recent effort World Music Radio, by trying to reach out to the masses, the spark that makes Lake Street Dive engagingly hard to classify has evolved into its bold shot at populist appeal.

No wonder this eccentric ensemble continues to make albums like Valley of Abandoned Songs that reaffirm the notion great music is timeless.

Small Medium Large is a must-listen for fans of experimental and improvised music. It showcases the quintet’s remarkable synergy and individual talents, making it an album that listeners will eagerly revisit.

Into The Blue introduces us to Frazer’s ambitions of redefining the modern soul landscape while reminding us he had a hand in shaping it.

There’s a depth to the sonics that belies the skeletal two guitars/bass/drums arrangement even as the mix highlights the aforementioned Nitzsche’s electric piano on “Winterlong”). The latter composition has only appeared before as an inclusion in the 1977 anthology Decade. But that piece of forlorn glory was nonetheless different from this one, as is also the case with a jovial rendering of “Wonderin’,” a Young original that would eventually appear on 1983’s ever-so-quirky Everybody’s Rockin’.

The beauty is in the simplicity. If nothing else, this proves that Johnny Cash is irreplaceable. It’s both refreshing and sad to hear him again.

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.

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 original songs, written by either Gilmore or Alvin, including one co-write, are generally quite strong yet there are only six of those among these eleven. The duo made some astute cover selections but would have been better served with more original fare.

MESTIZX stands out not just as a musical album but as an impactful cultural statement. Ferragutti and Rosaly have crafted a work that is both a tribute to their ancestors and a manifesto for future generations.