Lipa’s music, when it’s at its best, can be as interesting as it is fun; so while Radical Optimism might not be quite as radical as one might have hoped, Lipa’s story is far from over. She’s ready to soak up the sun and dance, and the path is laid for us to join her, if we so choose.

It’s as good a rock record as The Black Keys have in them in 2019, and odds are that will satisfy most fans.

These songs dance around themselves, swaying with confidence, before getting lost in a grey area between jaunty and confused.

The Next Four Years marks their latest attempt to figure out what makes punk “dangerous,” and the results are mixed.

His legacy was going to live on whether The Diary was released or not. This just broadens the scope of the legend and gives us even more to appreciate.

The trio continue on that trajectory, the mystic chanting and ceremonial trances dancing through the scattering ash. Due to that cratered impact, everything on the album sounds urgent, an exhilarating feeling that takes a while to escape.

Justifiably lacking that exuberance, Falling Off the Sky is tame and predictable.

III is a slow, methodical record that commands listeners’ full attention, but it rewards the investment.

Rolling Blackouts doesn't move away from what the Go! Team is known for. Instead, this is a snapshot of a band both honing their skills and creating a fun piece of music.

Clearly Biffy Clyro see themselves as strivers, a band that charges relentlessly forward. But at times, listeners might wonder if they’re headed in any interesting direction.

If you're willing to dig around a little bit, you'll unearth a small handful of moments showing Hiatt at his very best. You just have to get your jeans a little dirty.

They've created for themselves a unique soundscape and vibe to explore in future releases. In short, they've proven that knowledge is great, but a rocking album trumps all.

It’s the sound of a band digging deep, sharing the lessons they’ve learned, and channeling their experiences into something bigger than all its members combined. Even if it’s slightly lopsided and occasionally heavy-handed, this album undoubtedly proves that Arcade Fire have a lot of gas in the tank, and they’ll do whatever it takes to… (I’m sorry) keep the car running.

It doesn’t do much to suggest any new insight into the iconic band or their sound. The collection is a pleasant reminder of their covering prowess, something that was likely fun to make and enjoyable for serious fans, but not much else.

Where other releases traded in musical complexities, Joan of Arc strips the process down only to affirm Kinsella's forceful narrative intricacy.

While TLI never rival the best of those bygone styles in terms of memorability, this is the first album of theirs to make clear how well they’ve grown to understand the dynamics of making rap songs, fake or otherwise, beyond basic song structure.

He doesn’t finesse his points; he douses them in gasoline and blows them up. And that’s great! We could all do with more fiery explosions in our music. Sometimes Cole gets wacky, but thankfully he’s never dull.

This LP is loud, clanging, and communal, but also, in its own way, dreamlike. There’s something warped at the core of these songs, as if they’ve been yanked through some kind of wormhole and have reemerged into our world as aliens. And, for the most part, that makes for some fascinating listening.

Coma Ecliptic clocks in at over an hour, but most discouraging is the band’s failure to translate the album’s conceptual themes to the listener in that timespan.

St. Catherine shows a far more delicate, subtle, polished version of his bedroom pop.

For those who already believe, it represents a promising comeback that, while never fully hitting the marks set for it by time or the band’s own peers, points to even more inventive, invigorated music on a horizon that likely isn’t another two decades away.

With the release of his 11th studio album, Write Me Back, Kelly has found a balance between both sensibilities, and forged an album that's a definitive career landmark.

They’ve produced an album that is a highly entertaining asset perfect for coasting out of summer.

Despite standout moments within most of the songs, nothing on this album except perhaps the closing number, "Till the End", truly stands out as recognizably Raveonettes.

While wild, boisterous garage rock is hardly hip in mid-2011, the breakneck speed and balls-out ferocity of Tan Bajo would be welcome at any time.

It's an improvement, and it reveals a band with plenty room to grow. In the meantime, these Jackpacks will continue coasting.

There are special moments to be found in this disjointed musical grab bag, so if nothing else, the record at least gives enough reason to keep an open ear for what comes next.

Earle further proves that taking the straight and narrow and settling down can reap the most rewards.