Using hardly any words at all, Deacon conveys the freedom, triumph and catharsis that can come from a journey across ever-changing yet familiar terrain.

Ascent is still recognizably Six Organs of Admittance, but it's often hazier, heavier and trippier.

Overall, it's an ambitious and beautiful album.

The fractured sounds give us little to hold on to; the songwriting's hidden behind so much distraction.

You can't deny how interesting some of these dynamic post-rock explorations are.

Essentially, Is Your Love Big Enough? is a restrained, technically proficient showpiece for a gifted artist.

It's an extraordinarily consistent pop album.

From start to finish, Researching The Blues satisfies. It's too bad there's no ballad, but the energy that crackles from these rockers makes it easy to forget about the lack of love songs.

After four albums of American girls, dirt roads and fingers in dust with the radio on, it's tough to overlook the clichés.

On MTMTMK, the duo moves through a range of global sounds, from Congolese kwassa kwassa to reggaeton to electro house.

The album's production work is predictable, and its high-concept narratives (Hold Me Back, Diced Pineapples) are painfully over thought.

While there's definitely some anger here, Pujol seems to make equal use of pure adolescent joy, and you soon realize that his nerdier tendencies are what holds all of this together.

The inventiveness in James's vocals draws attention to the lack of that quality in Roddick's production, which grows clichéd after a while.

Some stand up to the violins and mandolins, but others get overwhelmed.

For the most part the newfound earnestness is balanced by quirky arrangements and Chris Connelly's unpolished yelp reminiscent of Destroyer's Dan Bejar.

Musically, songs are altogether pleasant, ranging from languid to downright danceable, with undercurrents of the German art pop that influenced much of the 'Lab's sound.

The latter half of WIXIW has enough to offset their plodding attempts to be experimental.

It's a solid album anchored by The Don, his best single since 2003's Made You Look and so raucous it belongs in raves and on runways.

It's simultaneously of the moment and an undeniable classic.

Sure, it's bloated and loaded with overreaching, pretentious lyrics, but it wouldn't be the Pumpkins otherwise.

An endlessly listenable album.

While Do Things is "easy" music, music that sounds great on a boat in the sun or accompanying front-porch Coronas, it's not likely to stick with you after a listen or two.

A few, like Lion In Winter Pt. 1 and 12-minute closer In The Beginning Is The End, test your patience, while others, like Nova Anthem and Lamb, become so surprisingly transcendent that they vanquish any and all tedium.

Every element is given space to shine--a nice break from the overproduced bedroom-recording sound that's become standard in indie rock.

The result is murky, hazy, psychedelic and endlessly replayable.

Highly listenable bangers like Tapes & Money, Garden and American Dream Part II make Trouble ideal for bouncing around your bedroom or the club.

Live From The Underground is a generous, humble statement record that should ensure K.R.I.T. won't end up another label-scooped lost boy.

It's nowhere near as offbeat as they'd have you believe, but if you're looking for catchy, danceable rock, it does the trick.