If she maintains this faith in her abilities, her albums will continue to awe, inspire and provide tough competition for the rest of the world.

While less varied in the style department than its predecessor, Thursday is another intimate look at the Tesfaye and the life he lives as The Weeknd.

While overall House of Balloons carries a chilling vibe, it proceeds to rock the listener with exciting tempos and relaxing melodies that intertwine to form a beautiful piece of art.

There is a sense of urgency and maturity here that few in the genre will be able to replicate. So forget the throne, The Devil Wears Prada doesn't need it to prove that they've released the best metalcore album of the year.

It may not supplant Through Being Cool or Stay What You Are as your favorite Saves The Day album, but you can safely put it in the upper echelon of their discography.

Annie Clark stands out with her work because she is one of the few artists that can take something mournful and make it jarring yet angelic all at once.

However, despite losing a key member, the Red Hot Chili Peppers come out triumphant with I'm With You.

Tripper sounds like Hill and Seim naturally hashed some tunes out--just with some better years of experience behind them to reflect back on.

Their talented musicianship signals they are out of step with their peers experimentally as grindcore architects; likewise, Darker Handcraft will trap you easily in frenetic whiplash mode.

Mirror Traffic, Malkmus's fifth post-Pavement album, is proof that the singer, now 45, hasn't lost an ounce of what made him an iconic figure in the '90s.

If anything, Tha Carter IV feels like a party, one that Wayne is throwing for his contemporaries in the hip-hop scene.

The issue is that it's these screams and actual emotion that could have saved parts of Am I The Enemy, rather than the overproduced instrumentation and insipid vocal delivery that replaced The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' edge. Thus, as the record ends, it's clear that third time proves not to be the charm here, unfortunately, as many of us who were fans of DYFI keep hoping for that band to return.

His latest release with the Black Widows, the pop-tinged, rock-and-roll based The Spade, is a collection of reasons why. It's tough to imagine why any band or artist would pass over a chance to work with Walker after hearing this release.

So sit back and grab a bag of popcorn, because Vacation is chock-full of aural acrobatics rolled up into its withered plaid sleeves. You just have to be daring enough to push that button.

It is all-at-once beautiful, infectious, impressive and brilliant.

Sympathy isn't all cartwheels and picnics. But even in the face of death, there is optimism in Eiseland's songwriting that makes you want to listen regardless of mood.

As long as they keep making records as good as Drifter, they can stop wandering around, and stay as long as they like.

The instrumentation is luscious and variable, the harmonies are wonderful, the lyrics are solid and compelling for the most part, and with such a lovely blend of slower and up-tempo tracks to choose from, Overlook is something you definitely don't want to do in regards to what might just be considered Maria Taylor's finest solo effort to date.

It's nice to have a few good new tracks to add to the collection from one of the scene's finest.

Much like his public persona, Kanye West's presence is hard to ignore on Watch the Throne. Every track is, without a doubt, his and his alone.

Because the band took the songs from Carlile's solo sessions and integrated them with the songs the band wrote during the front man's absence, The Flood's final product lacks some cohesiveness.

The biggest problem with When Fish Ride Bicycles is the overall dull presentation and atmosphere.

Timez Are Weird These Days is the perfect example of what London is capable of, snatching elements of popular music from across the decades to create a sound that's both nostalgic and refreshing.

Timez Are Weird These Days is the perfect example of what London is capable of, snatching elements of popular music from across the decades to create a sound that's both nostalgic and refreshing.

Mind-blowing and catchy, Black Up is an album too progressive to pass up. Get on this as soon as possible.

Of course, it could have potentially been trimmed down and rearranged slightly more efficiently, but for an official debut full-length, it's a wonderful achievement and a more than worthy listen.

The songwriting on Burning At Both Ends isn't nearly up to par with other prominent pop-punk groups, and Set Your Goals only stumbles more in the execution of their sound.

The resulting songs sway in and out pleasantly, but are too often as easy on the brain as they are the ears.