Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was is very complicated lyrically and also very fresh. The trio championed the moody music that college English students sat in their dorms and cried too, and Bright Eyes doesn’t leave that signature out, but they doctor up the sonics resulting in a dense return from a long hiatus.

A move to a more polished sound was desired and clearly achieved, yet tracks like “Moment of Joy” and “The Way” both seem to suffer from this newer clean style. “Moment of Joy” lyrically yearns to break out of its mellow musical world while “The Way” simply has too many ideas getting crammed into one song.

He continues to show why he’s been one of the best songwriters in the past four decades and again, despite what at times feels like a curious mix, he delivers the kind of gems that only he can.

Expect this project, at a minimum, to be a Grammy contender with perhaps historic recognition in the wings at some point.

What makes The Lemon Twigs such an exciting band to follow is that they have maintained a way to be new and still very rooted in what past masters of rock have accomplished sonically. ... For fellow fans of The Lemon Twigs, I’m sure we can agree it was absolutely worth the wait.

Carpenter takes long solo walks around her property to aid in the songwriting process, the fruits of which are evident in the opening “Farther Along and Further In,” about recognizing that something has changed gradually but distinctly. Perhaps with age comes respecting the spiritual over the practical. Empathy becomes the theme of the explicitly stated “It’s Ok To Be Sad” and the standout “All Broken Hearts Break Differently,” which evokes Band-like chord patterns and great dissolving organ-like runs played by Nick Pini on Moog.

Non-Secure Connection is more than just a strong & cohesive collection of well-written material. It also represents a continuation of Bruce’s keen ability to adapt to the ever-changing musical & societal landscapes that shape our world today.

Candid not only keeps their hands in the game but provides the kind of light-hearted recording schedule bands need from time to time. They may be treading water, but if their music remains as well-made and appealing as it is, they may just be able to make a career out of it.

Blonde On The Tracks doesn’t contain any must-hear renditions, but there is a comfort to be found in the contemplative singing of Swift and the clear production/playing of her Nashville backing band.

Gift of Sacrifice finds Osborne flexing the might of his compositional prowess to deliver a new side of his talent that is, above all else, purely and wholly Buzz.

He continues to fuse elements of hip-hop, R&B, funk, soul, and rock ‘n roll into his signature style. ... He’s won both of his Grammy for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” but his music is so different from most other entrants that he’s in a sense carving out his own genre.

It’s just like calling up an old friend you hadn’t talked to in years and within the first few moments of conversation, it seems that the time gap just evaporates.

While not a must-own for non-fans, it is the truest testament possible to the finale of The Stooges original lineup.

While Purple Noon seems to stay fairly level in a dynamic sense, especially compared with Mister Mellow where upbeat and downbeat tracks were fairly distributed, the lyrics take the listener on a journey. ... While not exactly “driving music,” Purple Noon is perfect for lounging around during quarantine.

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.

Sangaré sings with as much if not more freedom and passion as she did on her debut some 30 years ago. She more than upholds the Malian traditions of rebels, undaunted in fighting for causes they believe in. And, in doing so, her voice and the entire musical presentation sounds joyous, spirited, and beautiful.

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.

It’s good news for fans that Crockett was neither slowed down by open heart surgery nor content to sit on an album he released just a year ago. He has a way of telling stories that make his songs something you experience rather than just hear.

Made of Rain manages to be both vaguely nostalgic and groundbreaking at the same time. There are no obvious rewrites of their old songs here, but between Butler’s easily identifiable vocals – vacillating between anger and vulnerability – and the curiously heady mix of hard rock guitars alongside sax, the sound is still clearly built on the classic foundations of the band.

Chatten’s monotone downtrodden vocals with direct lyrics (not going much deeper than their titles) dominate the songs. This style will either pull in the listener or alienate as the woe is me gloom follows each song like a small rain cloud.

The result is a mixed collection; some good, some a little more tedious, but in the end, you can’t deny that Ramirez stayed true to his objective and didn’t skimp on real emotion in the process.

Whether it’s McKenna’s most personal album yet is up for debate. After all, she has ten of them. What’s not debatable are her well-crafted songs and this being another gem that joins her last two.

Seven originals (three from Redman, two from Mehldau, and one each from McBride and Blade) may seem a paucity after so long an interval since the last group endeavor these men undertook, but in this case, it’s a surfeit of riches. Needless to say, as it may be, it’s worth declaring RoundAgain is a top candidate for ‘Best of 2020’ lists.

2018’s May Your Kindness Remain was singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews’ breakout album. Old Flowers, her third for Fat Possum, surpasses that effort. ... Whether you choose to immerse yourself in this emotional journey or not, you’ll be impacted. Andrews has now reached the point where she is one of today’s most distinct voices.

Packed within these ten tracks is a solid and eclectic mix of genres, fresh sounds and vintage flair. Hate for Sale is the band’s strongest in a long while and should give any listener enough to gnaw on and then some.

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.

Brian King and David Prowse traffic in exhilarating rock and roll that fuels climactic moments throughout the course of a live show and on this night, the two musicians pulled tracks from all three of their upbeat studio releases. That stated, this live capturing does not improve on any of the songs presented on Post-Nothing, Celebration Rock or Near to the Wild Heart of Life, yet for the duo’s fans, it will recall fond memories of shows past.

[“Spinning My Wheels”], and the album as a whole, fit these odd times and the excellent song kicks off an album which slots in well with the band’s varied past offerings as Waterfalls II drifts into and out of psych, folk, late-night disco and jam band spiked arena rock.