Put simply, Mount Moriah is a compelling debut full of candidness, thoughtfully well crafted and relatable lyrics, beautiful vocals with the ability to mesmerizing, and dare I say it, already an aura and element of timelessness destined to surround it.

It's a decent addition to the artist's already impressive resume, but fails to arrest the same attention his earlier releases are famous for.

Shed is the right album for those who don't want their pop-punk bands opting for breakdowns.

Exmilitary is an abrasive and traumatic ordeal, rife with production that's on-point but completely jarring at the same time.

It's doing more with less, on a level that simply demands attention. That, ladies and gentlemen, just might make Dawes something you'll pass on to your children.

With Leveler, August Burns Red stays true to their sound while remaining fresh. The 12 tracks contain new dynamics and elements that are sure to please old and new fans alike, while Jake Luhrs' performance places him to the very top of best vocalists within the genre.

With brilliant production from the likes of No I.D., Kanye West, and The Neptunes as well as an amazing supporting cast of lyricists, Sean has crafted an exceptional debut album without losing the charm of his comparably solid mixtapes.

From heartache and vulnerability through to acceptance and salvaging a friendship when all could have potentially been lost, who needs a plane to fly low when the detail and scenery on offer here in these forty minutes is already far more beautiful, dazzling, and effortlessly uplifting?

Don't worry about your legacy Beyonce;4 has solidified your already stable position as pop's queen, and I don't think anyone will forget your name for quite some time.

After we leave the forebodingly beautiful place of Little Hell one thing is certain--this is City and Colour's finest, most creative work to date.

Once you let it sink in that this isn't the same band from the early aughts, then you can start to appreciate Taking Back Sunday as a solid rock record – their best in 7 years.

Bon Iver, Bon Iver is Vernon's triumphant re-emergence from those lonely woods back into the world.

Much like Bad Religion, these veterans of the genre have aged well and with Laugh Now, Laugh Later, have proved they can still be relevant well past their more celebrated years.

It's evident from the musicianship, from the instrumentation, from the lyrics, and from the vocal delivery that Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me is a record of progression and refinement; released halfway through 2011, it will go down among the best of the heavy hitters this year.

The record as a substantial body of work comes complete with up-tempo numbers that are danceable but without an enticing hook, a few straightforward pop/rock tunes with tremendous choruses, and an album ending ballad that renders the album slightly indifferent, inconsistent and lacking an underlying direction and purpose.

Lyrically, Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic have never been stronger, and they play off each other with a unique composure that's rare nowadays. The production from track to track varies enough to keep things interesting, but it unfortunately begins to bleed together after multiple listens. Still, Are You Gonna Eat That? is an amazing return to the scene for both artists.

With a few more tracks, Hell: The Sequel would have been a fantastic record. But as an EP, a few of its faults are hard to hide.

Aside from a thin outer veil, This Modern Glitch is a disappointment from a band who most listeners were probably only hoping to get a few catchy singles from.

They create sophisticated and charming indie/pop songs that occasionally have moments of calamity and moodiness. Their hooks are compelling, their lyrics often thoughtful, and because they explore the topic of love and heartache, they're bound to resonate with many who give the intimate, Love Notes / Letter Bombs thirty minutes of their time.

What sets Fucked Up's new album aside from their previous records though is the accessibility and bright tone throughout.

What's fascinating about The Color Spectrum (and easily comparable to a contemporary like The Alchemy Index) is how expansive the quality of the records are in their execution.

With their third full-length, The Wonder Years have made a record that's as timeless as they come.

For near-perfectly executed indie-pop, we the lucky listeners don't have to wait for a "next time." Cults have struck gold the first time out.

They are still a force to be reckoned with and they still write some of the best and most beautiful instrumental music but without a small revolution in sound; their catalogue will (albeit, beautifully) end up blending together like one long song.

England, Keep My Bones is Turner's most emphatic success and the best singer/songwriter album that will be released in 2011.

Go With Me certainly isn't a bad record by any means, but it just doesn't have the originality and lasting value that will keep people coming back for repeat listens.

All Time Low made the catchiest record possible and have their fingers crossed for airplay in the upcoming months. For those who accept it, Dirty Work will be a staple in their summer playlist.

As the record comes to a close, it's impossible not to note the true creativity exerted throughout the entirety of Codes and Keys.

The way I see Torches, it's not so much music as a vehicle to convey their message, but more so just fun music for the sake of fun music, and well, you have to have lyrics, don't you?

Strange Negotiations may take some time to grow on even the most die-hard of Bazan's fans, but the roots of its few standouts run deep with repeated listens.

I will simply say, if you are a young person who is unsure or drifting by in any way, give Holy Shit a chance. Scream along. Feel better. Live your life the way you find most wonderful.

They have taken what they knew they were at good first time round, shed some of the cliche post rock elements and pressed on in a direction which at this stage in their career was perhaps a safer bet as opposed to trying something completely new, but it was the right bet.

For all of the baggage that comes included with Helplessness Blues, it is still a relaxing, folk-y Fleet Foxes record.

As a whole, Life Fantastic is the band's most accessible album yet, full of memorable hooks while retaining the eccentricity and theatricality that have become synonymous with the band.

Burst Apart retains all the band's compositional prowess and aural splendor, but it's also a record we can truly celebrate.

Helplessness Blues is one of the few things reminding me that behind the liquor stores and condominiums is a little freedom and a lot of hope.

While the production may not be as exciting as the first serving, it helps to connect Goblin's deeper meanings with their formation on Bastard.

In a year that's produced an overwhelming amount of great music, Simple Math is another outstanding painting worth the public's attention.

Frank Turner definitely does whatever he wants, and he's a lot better at it than I am at pretty much everything.

The regression in complexity seems to underscore the band's endorsement of arrested development as the secret to eternal youth. Their perpetual glee suggests that maybe they're onto something.

It's not that All at Once isn't a likable record; it just seems rather scattershot, and none of it captures the hard-hitting intensity of their debut's best cuts.

I've expressed a fair amount of negativity toward Euphoric Heartbreak, but Glasvegas are an endearing, though a bit try-hard, band, and Euphoric Heartbreak is an endearing, though a bit try-hard, album.

If you're looking for a solid heavy record to give a spin, give The Hollow a chance.

With tunes this infectious and an overarching aura of well-being, Forever Today is a favorite to be the feel-good album of the spring.

Rescue is certainly highlighted by its quality tracks, but there is unfortunately a fair amount of filler in what proves to be a merely decent release by this band.

In and Out of Youth and Lightness is not going to be an album for the impatient. A few listens are needed to soak in every layer this album has to offer.

So make no mistake, Rolling Papers is unquestionably slick pop-rap candy, and there's nothing substantive to be found beneath the choking shroud of weed smoke.

As far as comebacks go, you can't ask for much more than the sturdy set of vibrant pop songs The Feelies have bestowed upon us.

If you want to relax and mindlessly sing along with some super fun pop-punk tunes, Safeways Here We Come has got you covered. Just don't expect anything more.

Once the initial shock of hearing this Mazes' brand of distorted but highly melodic rock wore off, it gave way to pure delight.

We Do What We Want is far from perfect – the track sequencing is awkward and doesn't feature the technicality of previous albums (this is where they really miss Shelton) – it is still unlike any other Emery release.

Wasting Light isn't perfect, but its flaws are essential to its being.

Light, more than anything I've heard lately, sounds complete and self-contained, and like most of the TV on the Radio catalog, it largely transcends genre. No other context is necessary. Nine Types of Light simply is what it is.

Human Hearts, their new fourth album and first release in almost four years, is no exception, and in fact may be their best work to date.

From the onset, it's apparent Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang is meant to be a nostalgic look back on the Wu's glory days.

There will surely be those who really want to hate Pedals, and they won't have any difficulty finding justification for their scorn within the album's ten tracks. Nonetheless, it's a winning return, though perhaps not entirely worth the wait.

No Devolucion is inventive, remarkable, and the first true masterpiece of 2011.

t may take a few albums for him to perfect the new sound, and we should expect that, keeping in mind that when he does, the results may very well be awe-inspiring. At the moment, however, Kiss Each Other Clean just isn't there yet.

As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth doesn't just sound good, it grabs hold of every intricate audible sense in your nervous system for the entire journey of the album.

If I had to describe Scurrilous in one word, it would be indulgent, and that's not a bad thing. When you have this much talent, I want to hear it.

Each and every song is a living, breathing entity, separate in their own way even as they meld into a single cohesive collection.

Awesome As Fuck captures the intensity of a live Green Day show while giving you a nostalgic throwback into what made you fall in love with this band in the first place.

Angles is the best Strokes album since their 2001 debut, and they still sound just as fresh and youthful as they did when they released that record.

When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes isn't Yellowcard's best work, as Paper Walls still retains that title in my mind, but it's exactly the album that fans should be hoping for.

The only thing I want to do at the end of Vices & Virtues is hear it all over again.

They have dared to venture in the loud, the textured and the big sounds, instead of the more minimal, tangy and clean indie rock we are hearing far too much of these days.

Top to bottom this album feels like a classic; a show stopper. No thrills, no cheap tricks and gimmicks.

while the 7 or so songs on What A Pleasure have different names, it never really feels like anything ends or begins. It just kind of is, much in the same way that after listening to Beach Fossils, you know something happened but you can't remember why it did so or what it meant.

On their second go-around, the production is a lot cleaner and the transitions move a lot smoother.

While fans of the band's previous albums might find fault in Last Night on Earth's less cluttered, electronica-tinged songwriting, it is Fink's simple songs and flexible voice that carry the most enjoyment.

The record isn't bad, it's actually enjoyable. But the band has continued in its trend toward becoming more of a hard rock band and less of the punk icon it used to be.

Fiasco has since gone on record as saying he both loves and hates this album. After all he went through to get it released, it's hard to blame him. But all the hard work he supposedly put into making sure Lasers remained true to his vision seems all for naught.

Almost two decades later, and they prove why everyone continues to keep tabs and standards for not only the band, but everyone around trying to live up to the influence.

Pyramid of the Sun not only remedies the sporadic deficiencies of Inventions for the New Season, it does proud the legacies of Jerry Fuchs and Manuel Gottsching; it also serves as both a challenge and heuristic experience for the alarmingly proliferating post-rock contingent.

The Valley is equally intimate and gorgeous as it is rough and realistic.

It's good to listen to a record like The People's Key, if for no other reason, just to appreciate a songwriter who knew exactly what he wanted to do and executed it perfectly.

Although The Greatest Story Never Told almost never saw the light of day, Saigon is an artist that needs to be on every hip-hop head's radar if he isn't already.

The final outcome of this is an extreme lack of consistency. The high spots are high, but the low spots are even lower.

Welcome to The Low Anthem's Smart Flesh, where folk music doesn't need to be reinvented for it to come alive – just performed. If you're looking for a solid folk spooker to open the year, your search ends here.

The themes present on Killing Time aren't too in-depth or out of the norm for what you might expect from Bayside, but this band has steadily improved on the lyrical front as it has released more music and Killing Time is no exemption from that rule.

Much like the band's discography in general, Little Joy is new pair of shoes you have to comfortably break into. Best played as background for a while, you'll find yourself losing track of your tasks and picking out some beloved tracks and parts in time.

Hardcore Will Never Die has a good amount of brawn to it but ultimately falls into the category of breathtaking music that isn't made too often.

Gutter Rainbows may be the most accessible and varied album in his discography.

Shad's most recent album, 2010's TSOL, builds right where The Old Prince left off, and is even more impressive.

This is The Get Up Kids years later folks. The familiar nuances have been rearranged and built into something stronger, but the attitude and depth is all the same, if not more adhesive and much more endearing than before.

Full of heart and soul, it's clear the band is putting in a daily grind and continue to impress in terms of ability & energy - it simply lacks the hooks, the feeling and everything we've previously seen in stellar fashion from a legendary band.

On The King is Dead, The Decemberists decided to fully immerse themselves in a style they've flirted with for years.

Showroom of Compassion, is an amiable disc, even somewhat pleasant, but entirely too much of the effort feels tepid, ho-hum and downright uninspired.

They may not be quite as distraught as Smith was, and they certainly opt not to strum as fast as he did, but the shared sentiment is still there. And on The Unfazed, that sentiment carries a savory beauty.

So even when he's writing winning pop anthems, Page One, ultimately becomes a mirror to his personal life: brilliant, impassioned and articulate, yet undeniably hinged to hiccups, pitfalls and moments of sheer idiocy.

Paperboy has done it. I mean, I don't really know what he's done. He's made this album, Come and Get It, that truly stands in its own category in 2010.

With Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, it seems he's on the road to finding what works, with varying degrees of success.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is exactly as advertised: it's a journey through West's deepest thoughts, showcasing all the facets to his persona (from his bravado to his insecurities) over a pristine collection of all his signature sounds.

Nothing continues the trend of unique and fun music the N.E.R.D. name has become synonymous with.

The elements of the band complement each other instead of over-powering, thus making Ø (Disambiguation) brutally beautiful and instantly memorable.

Overall The Fire is the essential Senses Fail record to own. Time and time again, Senses Fail proves that whatever doesn't kill only makes you stronger.

With Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird EP, he does more than just add to his collection of tunes--he reaffirms his commitment to expressing the human spirit. And as identifiers with that spirit, we lean forward, eager to hear more.

Musically and lyrically, The Age of Adz is exhilarating, challenging, and thought-provoking.