Public Enemy’s message hits hardest when the lyrics remain open for listeners to step inside. A couple presidential putdowns are enough (no need for another “Son of a Bush”), and the small handful of times the album stumbles are when the focus narrows to micro grievances like calling out Kanye and Kim for being “a spectacle instead of spectacular” (“Yesterday Man”) or pointing out the negative effects of social media on millennials (“SOC MED Digital Heroin”).

Imperial Teen have regularly delighted fans with their recorded material's impish tendencies, and Feel the Sound is no exception.

Opulent, unique, but still rooted in Fanfarlo's original pop-folk style, Rooms Filled with Light is an ornate offering for spring.

It’s a technically sound addition to a well-regarded catalog. But if you’re looking for an album that pushes sonic boundaries, provides new challenges for the artists that created it, or even just sounds fresh, All Your Favorite Bands probably isn’t your best bet.

It is at once as haunting and dreamy as it is harsh and calculating.

The stakes aren’t high on Devil Music, an album that feels less like a career marker for The Men and more like a simple, straightforward gift that they had a blast making, and something they hope you’ll like too.

The LP succeeded such that this set doesn't outshine its older sibling, but it certainly acts as a logical and warm companion, something that Longstreth seems to be insisting upon throughout.

It's a wonderful record of a musician and songwriter in his prime, but one that requires a willingness to go on a ride, with an open mind and a willingness to have some fun.

Headcage begins where last year's Slowdance EP left off, sharing an inventiveness; creating driving, hazy, and atmospheric dance music.

This album is a pure nostalgia play, and it’s going to score plenty of airplay on KROQ as a bridge between that station’s modern alt-rock staples and the ‘80s groups that once served as its bread and butter.

The Album showcases their signature style of blending genres and influences to create songs that are just as classically pop as they are identifiably BLACKPINK.

There might not be a “Poison & Wine” here, but taken as a whole, The Civil Wars is a more consistent collection than Barton Hollow.

Granted, the majority of Pollinator isn’t nearly as compelling as its singles, but it’s Blondie, alright: older, wiser, and confident enough to make music that’s true to their identity.

Romance is a solid, sexually charged sophomore entry that places growth at center-stage and keeps us wanting more without going limp.

Throughout the journey of the Man on the Moon trilogy, which is imbued with many twists and turns, The Chosen captures Cudi as victorious, finally reaching his long-awaited destination.

While Blade of the Ronin doesn’t double down on the trail-blazing vision of its predecessor, it is a more than capable sequel to a genre classic.

At only eight songs, it’s a shame that Gumption seems to only truly find its footing as it draws to a close in its last couple of songs. That said, as a debut, it has a few moments of captivating beauty and shows plenty of promise for more.

Some musical movements and bands age well, and others don’t. For the most part, the sounds that Ferry references here fall into the latter category, though the album does have its bright moments.

Altogether, this is the sound of the former King of the Beach aging gracefully. Or as gracefully as this punk can manage.

Through these tracks and beyond, Sollee keeps things interesting with his sonic creations.

Songbook is more than a worthy addition to any Cornell fan's collection; it's a beautiful showcase of his career that any music lover should have.

Blazing Gentlemen (and many of Pollard’s other releases) are less an album than a suite.

The album unfolds naturally, bouncing around in the background and eventually engulfing the listener.

There are still instances where Young Prisms reaches back to their old method, but the undeniable presence of growth gives their old ideas a fresh spin.

The Felice Brothers seem out of their depth here, reveling in tired imagery and pretending to make it fresh by changing just a few small details.

Angles, The Strokes' long awaited fourth LP, stands as the group's most eclectic album to date.

If there's anything at fault with Brown's latest, it's the trap of lapsing into self-satisfaction with the way in which the band defies labeling.

Even if not all these songs are memorable, many are still damn catchy.