Perhaps for the first time ever on a Chili Peppers record, it is Flea who takes the reigns as the lead instrument here, going Jaco all over this mofo so to speak, which ultimately proves to be this album's saving grace.

Optimism hasn't always been a hallmark of Doe's endeavors, but it ought to be said that this less-dour Doe is easy to enjoy.

Outside Society serves as an excellent primer for the young person looking to delve into the genius of Patti Smith for the first time as well as an essential addition to the record shelf of any seasoned fan well versed in the catalog of this high priestess of rock 'n' roll.

If Witching Hour was the finest apple the band ever produced, this is their finest orange. But as a whole, it probably is their best and most well-rounded record.

While it has been out in their native land since January and only recently been made available in this country through tiny New York-based What's Your Rupture?, this 12-track typhoon is exactly the kick in the ass our sorry punk community needs in the wake of Jay Reatard's untimely death.

Without sounding anything like Pet Sounds, Seeds We Sow indicates Buckingham has absorbed Wilson's lessons well.

Still Living has its share of baroque pop moments, but its strongest songs are the ones that rock the hardest.

For much of the album, disparate elements come together in complicated ways that are cerebral, sensual and spiritual all at once. Nicely done.

The Rip Tide is moderate in ambition, and hardly a masterwork, if such things empirically exist.

It is a flavorful fusion as unique as the Yugoslavian Spomenik that graces the cover of his eponymous full-length debut on Fat Possum - and one that stands apart from the seemingly endless barrage of home-recorded acts who have posted their wares on Blogger, Bandcamp and Tumblr these days.

With Sagara, Disjokke splits the difference between late-period Cluster and Alan Lomax, offering a most unique world view on 21st Century Nordic festival music from one of that nation's most open-minded visionaries.

These Merritt wonder-tonics may not curl your hair or cure any ailment, but they act as a salve to a multitude of human conditions. Best to stock up and be prepared.

With a talented quartet of musicians in tow--Thompson, Shawn Camp, Bryn Davies and Kenny Malone--the acoustic setting provides newcomers with an ideal introduction and gives longtime fans further reason for ongoing appreciation.

Tha Funk Capital Of The World, is one of his best ever records as a front man and one of the most outrageously funky records released in years.

An equally engaging sonic concept entitled Drums Between The Bells.

Once again, The War on Drugs have crafted an album of the year, built not upon flash or novelty, but a new take on traditional rock and roll that is always pushing forward.

Icky Mettle rocks. Hard.

Giving seems to go on and on towards some distant, perhaps unreachable horizon.

Sky Full of Holes is the perfect sound of a band staying within their comfort zone while not forgetting the power of the almighty hook.

The songs convey a lot of deep ideas without resorting to flowery prose. In fact the words are often fairly straightforward which ends up making the whole project hit a little deeper than initially anticipated.

Not intended for the faint of heart, Is That You in the Blue? chides, challenges and relentlessly rocks.

The result is a deeply humane album, it makes poetry out of the disappointments of daily existence and narrative out of the mistakes that people make.

For all the new sonic waves undulating through this record, however, the band's distinctive identity still shines--there's no mistaking Marble Son for the work of anyone else, and it's the ability to evolve while still remaining true to core values that makes Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter great.

Like 2008's The Living And The Dead, Blood leans on judicious electric guitar solos, most often from Shahzad Ismaily, who co-produced the album, but also from Grey Gersten and, on one track, Marc Ribot.

The album teems with strong songs and performances.

John Hiatt has now released over one third of his career recordings since the year 2000, and seems likely to continue to make good music for some time to come.

With a solid collection of songs and some enormously creative and varied approaches to playing them, Stranger Me is the best work yet of an artist likely to continue growing further.

How sharply Holland expresses his rage, how clearly his disappointment reveals betrayed idealism....Strong stuff.

GOB is heavyweight hip-hop from one of urban England's brightest new talents of microphone mastery.

The album in a nut shell? The Grand Theatre, Volume Two is the soundtrack to a chaotic night at the tavern followed by clarity the morning after--melodiously rowdy, then harmoniously depressed.

The change-up [writing exclusively on the keyboard] proved to be the best thing to happen for the duo, especially for Boeckner, a guitarist by trade whose embrace of the analog synth helped open a whole new world of expression for him as a songwriter.

Taken as a whole, the two-CD incarnation of Life's Rich Pageant makes a case for the album taking its rightful place alongside such obvious classics as Murmur and Out of Time.

Any adventurous soul with both Drake and Sun Ra back to back on his or her iPod will most certainly be able to get down with this truly unique hip-hop experience.

As Yes is now in its sixth decade, the prog rock band shows on Fly From Here that it can still make music that is fresh and lively.

The heart- wrenching emotion is credible and convincing, even though the uneasy undercurrents find Green's brand of the blues seem somewhat tenuous at times. Nevertheless, at this point in the trajectory, City & Colour manages to provide a pleasing musical melange.

As always, the pair wrap their strings and larynxes 'round each other like the intimate companions they are, aided by production so warm and inviting it's like sitting in the room with them.

Akin to For Emma, Bon Iver breaks the listener's heart. And to experience an album (an oft-dreaded sophomore album, no less) that evokes such deep emotion is a welcomed pain.

The most conspicuous element of Last Summer is the simplicity of the music.

As its title suggests, Use Me offers a lesson in how to stay true to one's muse.

Nothing is Wrong is a terrific follow-up for a band that delivers beautiful, powerful music straight from their own hearts and right to yours. Believe.

It's about evenly balanced between original material and covers that show Willner's and Faithfull's deep-catalog knowledge of pop music.

It's not often that an album has this much to offer, intellectually, physically and spiritually. This is not just another sterile bedroom disco experiment, far from it.

Some listeners might run screaming but the band's tenacity is admirable, which keeps it exciting.

Simply said, this Little Bird soars.