With EP2 having a three-month buffer after the first, we've had time to get used to fact that the Pixies are back in full force. Plus, these four songs are stronger than the first four.

Boring and tedious at times. But tension-filled and cinematic at others, which will leave you drifting into a beautiful abyss more often than not.

It's non-formulaic and filled with a sense of hope and belief. PJ Harvey singing about these things and building to reclamation and salvation is totally worth the trip. For fanboys and those who aren't. We need more of this in the world today.

Love You to Death IS solid. In a way, it’s sort of like those now-cherished, then forgotten, 80s downtempo pop albums ala the first Human League and Modern English LPs.

The Frank Turner side of the record wins the West Coast Vs. Wessex war. Whether it’s due to Fat Mike’s songwriting, or Turner’s vision is hard to say. I doubt this will ever occupy that special place in our hearts that NOFX/Rancid did, but it’s still a fun listen. It’s not a game changer at this point, but there’s still enough good stuff that fans of both acts are going to want to pick this up.

All in all, it's a good album, but I kept waiting for that big, mighty and monstrous climax which never comes.

Fans will be glad to hear the new material and to know that ST is more than just a nostalgia act. This album, like the last, is rock solid.

If you don’t want to listen to it, don’t. Weezer couldn’t care less. But for anyone that likes a good clean pop cover by a band who is very good at cover songs, hey, here’s ten songs for you.

All in all, Swervedriver delivers the goods but with this record, it's safe to say it could have come years ago. I'd love to hear them take a risk and mix it up moving forward.

Some tracks are a tad too long and sometimes, it drags. It lacks life in certain key areas that you know the older sound of the band would have amped things up a notch. These time-stamps though, feel like part of a collective message.

The distant vocals and a plethora of noisy, crashing cymbals keep a frenetic pace throughout the first half of Psychic Mess which tapers out to a slower second half.

This is a slight return to form for Dropkick Murphys. It’s probably not going to occupy the same place in your heart as Do Or Die or Sing Loud, Sing Proud, but you can’t expect 50 year old guys to make the same record they made at 25. Give Turn Up That Dial a listen. You might just be pleasantly surprised.

Meir is a highly enjoyable record from a band who has already carved out their own niche in the metal scene.

A surprisingly fun album in Sister Faith, in which Coliseum channel their metal past while creating their punk present.

If I hadn't heard ROC, this album would have probably gotten a half-star more, but as it stands it's just above decent.

This is a good album and one that is easy to get into, especially if you have even half an ear for some country-based insurgency!

It works overall, but his nasally delivery over such a lengthy drone tune will test some listeners. But no matter how much Miller tweaks his approach, he still nails the finished compositions.

Whether or not country is your genre of choice, it’s hard to knock Stapleton’s ability or skill on Traveller.

One complaint though which does stand out is that a few of the songs are too long and gives way to Further Out feeling a tad front-loaded.

It's quite hazy, quite crowded but it works. It really does.

Here, DCFC cut loose a bit and it's water they're better off swimming in my opinion. Hopefully, there's more energy moving forward but all in all, Thank You for Today is a record we should be thankful has blossomed into existence, especially on the heels of how relatable it can be.

The thought of trying to recreate “Abolish Government” or “Code Blue” a dozen more times for a new record probably didn’t appeal much to him [Jack Grisham]. If that’s the only TSOL stuff you like, you should pass on this. If you can keep an open mind, there’s lots to like about The Trigger Complex.

While not all the songs pack the same punch, Near To The Wild Heart Of Life succeeds on its earnestness.

I think this record has to be taken in isolation and taken in context of needed something to do during the pandemic. But regardless, No Fun Mondays is a pop-rocking good time.

A few songs miss the mark but the majority really stick with the charisma that's attached to Major League.

A couple tracks too long, one or two tracks too bland but overall, it's another album from The Cribs that's more than worth a couple listens.

If one doesn't expect the last great Stooges album and sets aside the hype, Ready to Die is actually a pretty good, satisfying proto-punk rock album.

All the elements that make Ghost who they are in place on Infestissumam; they're just surrounded by the sound of the band trying new things, some of which work better than others.

This album was inevitable, and while it lacks the substance of old, it's still full of.

May have just been two or three tracks too long but in the end, The King of Whys addresses a lot of things that we can relate to.

This is what angst sounds like when it ages gracefully, and this album is definitely worth a listen.

If you enjoyed their last album, you'll likely be game for Too True. If they lost you after their first album, you won't be won back. Maybe this will be a grower for me, but it's not an immediate year-end contender for me.

John Paul Pitts’ melodic prowess is what keeps me listening, even on a more chill album like Snowdonia. Something about his melodies and vocal timbre just hooks me and won’t let go. I just wish they would pump the volume back up!

The worst songs make you wish they had more to say. Their best ones make you glad that they don't.

Hairball is their most open, breezy album to date.

Overall, there are some flaws but Pity Sex make them work. Soothingly.

It's not as hard-hitting as their past material but still, it's worth a go.

Arcade Fire managed to satisfy divergent interests. Disc one is the hits. Disc two is the weird stuff.

The album could have done with a few tracks less but apart from the tightening up, it's a great move forward, placing you in the shadows or running through said corridor trying to escape an axe-wielding murderer.

As the band seems to be more and more congruent with its own pieces, they are getting weirder and weirder. Perfect.

Blurring the lines between LP and EP, Crush on Me is nine songs in twenty-six minutes, two of which are reprises and one is an outro. You’ll know from the minute she scream-chants “I changed my hair” on opener “Heels” whether or not this is for you.

As a whole, Pissed Jeans have put out the best, harshest, yet most listenable album of their career.

They move a rung up on the shoegaze ladder by toning things back even more than their 2014 record and what's even more noticeable is that quite a few directions taken here, ring similar to bands Yip worked on over the past couple years. Nothing, however, still have an extra something to their music.

The So So Glos have crafted twelve sing-along punk numbers. The Clash influence is crystal clear in both sound and message. Now though, the production value has been raised, opening the gates to attract new fans.

A New Wave of Violence is a perfectly titled blast of energy made by the best there are.

The closing few tracks aren't as strong as I envisioned but overall, Goodness hits the majority of marks it aims for.

Health's dark musical aesthetic feels as fresh as ever. ... Now, that's not to say there aren't a couple misses like "Rat Wars", but all in all, the androgynous energy of Jake Duzsik on the mic is more than enough to shape another pulsating yet nihilistic soundscape that reminds us how Health ages well like fine wine.

It feels like a few tracks could have been cut to make it crisper and tighter but that aside, you definitely want in on this, what appears to be Hause's diary used as a eulogy.

It's not the most stunning release of the year, but it's a great step up for the band, seeing them push themselves as musicians, rather than rehashing their early EPs, which they could have done and been just as successful.

For the first time in their 11 years as a band, the Flatliners seem comfortable. This is their band; this is their sound.

Cursive has made an uneasy record for their fans that may be too on the nose, which is clearly the intention.

Obviously these tracks are nowhere near as essential as the originals, but it’s two great voices singing a handful of timeless tracks, and fans of any of the artists involved would most likely enjoy at least a few tracks from Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith.

Shane Told's lyrics cut deep as usual but his vocals have too many treatments applied to it here and come off over-produced. If you're looking for vintage Silverstein though, "Mirror Box" has you covered. It gets a bit too poppy later on with "Cut and Run" and "The Afterglow" but by that time you know what you got yourself into. A nostalgic trip that should be enjoyed for what it is--a look back at the salad days.

All in all, Marauder to me are the B-sides from Turn On... not perfect, not weak but with some trimming of the fat, songs that could have fit right in on its deluxe edition.

Admittedly, he plays to his strengths here more than in recent memory but again, some songs do just taper off like the reworked "Silent Key". Nonetheless, if you're a Frank fan, you'll enjoy, and if you're a cynic, well you might just find that there's not as much to hate here as you thought there'd be.

Most of their new venture fits this bill and is actually worth the hype.

All in all, the ten tracks are uncompromisingly honest and bittersweet, but another great chapter written.

It's another commendable effort from Weiss waxing on about life and love, and the changes we're all enduring in these dire times. I can tell it would have had more impact for me if some of the fat were trimmed, or if it were split into two EPs, but hey... IIOI not at their best is still quite better than many bands hitting their heights these days, especially in the indie/emo genre.

All in all, J.M. have churned out a fun record--bouncy, catchy, melodic as fuck--but it lacks the impetus and edge of old.

It fosters a lot of indie-pop, sensibly and gracefully blended into a hazy production that never misses a beat on how catchy, minimal yet smartly technical it sounds.

The fact is, on Black Laden Crown, Danzig seems to have reached the conceptual and sonic epiphany he’s been searching for since the end of Danzig 4. The production issues may dampen this epiphany to a degree, but a production problem in of itself is not enough to buckle the dark message behind the computerized choices.

The vibe of III is purposefully loose but these two thrive with structure. Bad Books remains a way to show Hull and Devine are just as effective with minimal backing but III could have released a series of singles for the same general effect.

The songwriting's still pretty on point and dramatic. More so, you can feel that the spine's present here which made their older music tick. It's just the meat on the bones that's spiced very differently.

I didn't get that rough cut as much as I would have liked on this album, but other than that, this is a front-to-back gem with great replay value and anthemic shout-alongs I wish I could take in live.

Assembly shows that while Strummer solo may have more nuance or more room for interpretation, the raw power of his early work had been washed over with music that, was frankly, quieter. ... It also proves that Strummer solo can stand on its own, even if that stance will always be in the shadow of an earlier band.

Not their best, not their worst... but something that'll move you as usual and help you appreciate life for the gift it is.

A few tracks run a bit boring and slightly monotonous but you've got the synth-traced "Shapes I Know" paying homage to acts like Conor Oberst and Max Bemis, "Buttercup" for fans of John K. Samson, and songs like "Phoenix" for when Ewald wants to explore his inner Elliott Smith or Sufjan Stevens. In these 10 tracks, you get a lot closer with him than you do in Modern Baseball's narrative which feels much more wholesale as opposed to Ewald's new musical therapy sessions.

Reyes who sounds even better than he did on Jealous Again, his voice deeper, richer, and stronger but still with that manic surfer edge. But, he seems to constantly be trying to squeeze into these songs.

Better Nature tows the fine line between artistic and product and walks the right side quite well.

Some tracks fall short and come off bland but when Silverstein make a splash, it definitely sticks.

Hesitation Marks is a solid, if typical sampling of NIN's sound presented through traditional means.

This is a good album, but it’s one of those albums that either has too much or too little of something.

So many of their pop-punk characteristics have been shed but despite that, safe to say their music will always be anthemic and fizzing with vibrancy. Ready for radio airplay.

This album is 48 minutes long, and Hause musically repeats himself just a little more than is necessary. Still, Devour has more than enough quality moments to elevate Hause toward the top of the genre.

Kill the Lights is pretty, relatable and doesn’t have time to overstay its welcome.

Surfing Strange has a bit more substance and variety [than its first LP]. Neither betters the other but they complement each other nicely forming the bulk of the band’s discography.

It sounds like everything has been sounded down to the point where instruments tend to melt together and it can actually be hard to hear what is going on at some points. It doesn’t ruin the release, but it does make it sound vastly different on different unites. (i.e. the EP actually sounds really good – if not a little too slick- on my home stereo, but on my car stereo, it sounds watery).

WHY? remains an ever-changing experiment. Moh Lhean pays off for the patient listener.

You Deserve Love from its title onward is a sweetly sincere effort made for the masses, which nowadays means it’s not for everyone. But hopefully You Deserve Love continues White Reaper’s constant rise toward the arenas. It sounds like it should.

Not the best Queens of the Stone Age record, but a respectable showing with a few absolute gems.

Going Grey isn't gold but it's definitely bright in terms of their future.

Iceage are showing more growing pains here than those acts did, but Plowing into the Field is still a big step for forward for Iceage, and a generally interesting listen, even if it's a bit much to take all in one sitting.

Reverie Lagoon: Music For Escapism Only feels like a well-walked bridge for the band but as a gauge for them, it's unpredictable to say where they'll go from here. It's not a bad thing.

Say What You Mean is eminently listenable and thoroughly appealing.

This is a cohesive unit firing on all cylinders.

The record's a bit front-loaded for me and some of the songs don't latch on as filler but overall, it's definitely worth the pick-up. Great stuff, as expected.

Be More Kind is another slight evolution in Frank Turner’s career. He takes some big steps and bigger lyrical swings, but ultimately you end up with reliable Frank Turner.

Another cerebral and emotionally compelling trip. It's haunting, moody and contemplative.

The back half of Admission goes the more traditional route. While sure to please long-time fans, after such an exploratory top half, it feels slightly more weighted down. But don’t worry, “Infiero” rips out of that murkiness, dirtier and angrier than anything else on Admission.

"Hum" has a wedding feel to it, and while the aesthetic picks up a bit on "Low Slow" the overall vibe of the album just feels a bit monotone at times. But don't get me wrong, the worst Laura Stevenson is way better than 90% of the crap on the radio today. And that's testament to how good and how golden she really is.

The album's trying at times, a bit too long but trudge on and give it a chance. There's something very different here that's worth the time.

Long and loses steam at times, but it delivers.

For now, call it a calculated risk that mostly works.

Crying’s progression into a new territory is an impressive one. The band truly shows how they have graduated from a chiptune band into a much more mature band still able to use elements from their old sound to form their new sound.

For an album with so many disparate styles and a longish 49-minute running time, Burials feels surprisingly quick and cohesive compared to other, latter-era AFI albums.

The filler tracks don't resonate at all but still, for what it's worth, this record doesn't say just anything... for fans of Max and the band over the years, it says everything.

Tigers Jaw have evolved but they're not going to drastically turn the corner. It's more of a slow bend around a hill. spin acknowledges the past, tipping its hat at it but that nod is an honest goodbye signaling a move to newer pastures.

A lot of sounds to take in and some head-scratching here and there, but overall, Bemis takes a brave step in a good direction.