This is an album that's tough to love but impossible to ignore.

In the end, I am hesitant to say that this is Vanderslice's best album; however, it is undoubtedly his most rewarding. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time with it.

In essence, Male Bonding provides much of the same on its most recent addition, Endless Now. But with their unique knack for incorporating melody while still maintaining the urgency, energy and punk nature of their music, more of the same is just fine.

If there is one tiny flaw on this disc, it's the way some of the songs, after teasing us with intensifying waves of sound, tend to drift to an ending prior to attaining their destination.

The album’s dose of personality and how it transcends beyond its influences is equally impressive and in the end, Elephant Stone is a solid outing.

It is far too lengthy to function as a coherent hip-hop record.

It might be an altogether superfluous release but when the music is as expertly crafted to begin with, it's a solid sensation for anyone to notice.

Happy New Year's only flaw is that the second half drifts a bit.

While they still manage to skronk out with the best of ‘em, Hocus Pocus is still a little too mixed up, eclectic, unfocused, and, at some points, a little boring.

Each track contains elements that sound similar in combinations of tone, texture and melody from previous records, so this album is not necessarily a knockout. However, the band’s artistic hybrid is delivered with a fervent honesty and steeped in an emotional intensity that may make it sound a lot like other Eels material.

Grand Archives is still an impressively modern take on American indie; taking the best from Southern Indie rock and tossing over some modern effects and innovative musicianship to create a genuinely genre bending project.

Musically, it’s far and away ahead of most hip-hop artists, and lyrically, it’s a clever approach that goes beyond the heart-on-your-sleeve indie-rock lyricsheet.

It is a well-written, solid debut that should at least establish the band a fanbase and give them time to work out some of the imperfections.

Whilst Still could certainly have benefitted from a greater cache of stronger songs (a couple of which could have been swapped-in from the largely electric self-produced Variations EP that comes with early CD editions), as a combined entity it holds together convincingly as an amiable summary of what latter-day Richard Thompson is all about.

Otto Spooky is an excellent album, yet sometimes too long for my attention span.

Demolished Thoughts, for what it is - a collection of evocative but slow-moving songs - makes its mark through the repeated exploration of a theme.

Ultimately, Hold Time could have undoubtedly benefitted from some more stringent self-editing, not-so top-heavy sequencing and greater deliberations over the guest list, to make it stand-up as tall as its more meticulously-framed predecessors. Nevertheless, this is still another reliably robust M Ward record with much to recommend itself, especially to the previously-converted.

It's not so much "old sad bastard music," as Barry described it--more like charmingly puerile lullabies.

The Wave Pictures are a band sufficiently self-confident to take enough risks to keep themselves interested but without distancing themselves from their extant character, which Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon reveals is a durable and entertaining combination for the most part, even if a tad more lubrication would have helped to soften-up some of its drier corners.

There's a nagging feeling that Life Coach is a sketchbook instead of an art exhibit, and feels a little insubstantial at times. The album hits more than it misses, though, and makes up for the fact that it doesn't really have too much new to say by trading in an impressive range of styles while managing a moody cohesiveness.

Taken as a whole package though, R.E.M. Live is a flawed but respectable enough addition to the canon of three men who can still conjure up a bit of magic, albeit in spite of themselves.

What Romanian Names lacks in difficulty and depth, it makes up for in restrained creativity and faint tenacity. Though his aim fell short, it goes without saying that even at his moderate average; he’s miles ahead of most of the solo artists attempting to make music.

The songs that are good are amazing, but the songs that aren’t quite as good could end up being skipped over, which is a shame, seeing as how there isn’t a bad song, per se, on the album.

Unfortunately, Haughty Melodic, in its attempt to gain a wider audience, does have some clunkers.

A strong debut.

RYAT takes her technique a step further on album #2, diversifying her sound to include symphonic strings and other instrumentation. She also delves deeper into a more expressive, sometimes vulnerable, vocal delivery, getting to the root of her emotions and letting them take seed in song.

The album never challenges the conventions of a political punk rock record. Because so many political punk rock records have come and gone, Anti-Flag missed another opportunity to at least make The People or the Gun a little more compelling than its army of predecessors.

The lack of truly classic Calexico moments marks the album as a transitory step: too far for some, not enough for others.

Though Eye Contact represents another exhilarating turn from one of modern music's most enterprising groups, many people will likely be turned off by the sound of Bougatsos' helium shriek; that voice may be initially challenging to the ears, but those who arrive with the awareness that this isn't exactly the stuff of sing-along melodies, honeyed vocals, and verse/chorus/verse gratification will be pleased they stuck around.

A transitional yet still solid standalone long-player in short.

So whilst The Obliterati is certainly not a patch on the seminal Vs. - given that it lacks the same magical combination of cerebral claustrophobia and kinetic psychosis - it’s easily more potent than the over-oiled ONoffON.

This album is both immediately gratifying and deceptively interesting.

Somewhat predictably there are a few misfires--like the distracting “A Swamp Dog’s Tale” (featuring spoken word rambling from guest Lincoln Barrett) and the detuned-skanking instrumental “Dance Of Dirty Leftovers”--but overall the quality control is commendably high for a band still so young. The potential for something even more finessed--though no less barbed--next time around is clearly apparent. Until then though, this eponymous entrée is a stealthily impressive long-form introduction.

There are a few moments of weakness on Keep on Your Mean Side - most notably where V.V. and Hotel get a little too repetitive or too simplistic for their own good – but it's easy to move past these minor instances without it detracting from the album too much.

Sing Along To Songs You Don’t Know is another fine example of how múm is evolving and continually expanding on their already diverse musical pallette.

Despite the extremely strong sonic points, most of the album falls short in the songwriting department.

Much like Slint, Mandarin’s sound is often infused with an eerie coldness that seems to melt when the songs begin to grow exponentially in texture.

While Nocturnes doesn’t have the immediate impact or supremely sticky quality of Little Boots’, AKA Victoria Hesketh’s, high-caliber dance-pop debut, Hands, it does display a slow-growing (Or is that glowing?) charm that rings true to the album’s muted title.

It makes for some delightfully fetching quirk-rock when it’s all clicking, but there are also moments when the songs never quite develop this alchemy and fizzle into the mist, albeit a fine cool mist on a bright, sunshiny day.

Sally Timms has a profound knack for interpreting a song.

On Excerpts, as Ensemble, Alary presents a newly defined sound and with it, a precarious skill in honing in sharp classical strengths for a successful release.

The sonic pastiche of certain songs can be unwieldy and perplexing, with unsubtle shifts in musical styles or tones, an erratic rhythmic pace, and flat aural space. What sounds right though is Caroline’s mutable vocals that run the gamut from the eccentric, exclamatory delivery and word-twisting of Karen O to the soft drift of a subdued Polly Jean Harvey or Chan Marshall on the more serious numbers.

Minor misgivings aside, All I Intended To Be is another assured latter-day Emmylou Harris long-player.

As a whole, To Where The Wild Things Are is very much a headphones-record, as its richest details can only be absorbed with closer-than-close listening.

Whilst the reference points are sometimes more discernible than the strength of the melodic hooks, there is still something inscrutably summoning and stirring about Pink Noise that suggests there is more to Echo Ladies than just picking-up batons from a time just before the Britpop steamroller flattened out the sense of artistic adventure for some.

Takes us on a tour of how things got started and where they could be going.

Taken as a whole, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea stills far short of the Silver Jews’ seminal statements--namely 1998’s "American Water" and 1994’s "Starlite Walker"--but its mix of mischief and melancholy provides more than enough to keep David Berman in the game he continues to reassuringly and unpredictably play on his own terms.

Passive Me, Aggressive You is novel and refreshing, even with overt pop influences.

Spirit Stereo Frequency is an entirely mature album that is not afraid to have fun.

Aptly an entire side-project, rather than a one-off on the electronic producer’s next album, the idea is fully fleshed into a discovery of solid notes.

Compared to the wild noise they made on albums like Milk Man and Reveille, Deerhoof vs. Evil is definitely a different kind of wild noise all on itself. Don't expect the crazed madness of the former's title track but don't expect to be disappointed either.

It's by no means a progressive statement for a band long revered for its innovation and influence, but Earth Division is still a fine compendium of Mogwai's prowess with more sedate atmospheres.

Track for track, From Here We Go Sublime is mired in some of the simplest beats in modern electronic music.

It is refreshing to meander through the songs without any clear lines to cling onto or boxes to fit it in.

So much of the music here — stripped-down mixtures of pop and punk, with a Big Star emphasis on the pop side — merits a listen or two, its forgiveable that you’d get some redundancy in this completists’ collection.

While it may lack the aggressive and occasionally caustic momentum of "Playing The Angel," Sounds Of The Universe succeeds primarily because of its ability to make a nostalgic nod to past successes while still looking to the future.

While the band is always fun and catchy, it can be a bit much after a while.

Akin to AM era Wilco matched with Big Star's #1 Record.

It's unabashedly retro, fuzzwop guitars bleeding psychedelica all over the place, crossing three decades of a never-ending summer of love and hate, but it's not revolutionary.

On its own, it has some great moments, and it is a very good pop/rock record.

There is a heavy Krautrock /post-rock vibe going on with Little Joy, which works for, and against, this album it at times.

The first two songs eclipse any other songs on the album, but I'm not saying the rest of the material is weak.

This is an updated version of Drive Like Jehu, often faster, angrier, and, conversely, more sparse and peaceful.

A little less density and a higher level of self-restraint might have made for a more balanced collection admittedly but the irrepressible refreshed conviction is still impressive.

Its occasional awkwardness and complex narrative arc may deter true devotion. However, there are still many miraculous highpoints within, which should give Joey Burns and John Convertino a sturdier and braver platform for Calexico to step-up from next time around.

Keep Your Eyes Ahead is certainly a rewarding venture as it contains enough amiable and alluring dream-pop, with ample atmospheric charm, to overlook it's few weaknesses.

Watch The Fireworks is undoubtedly a determined and brave step-outwards for Pollock.

Despite all the bleeps and blurbs of this album’s electronic window dressing, it’s still Oberst’s emo-tive honesty and lyrical daring that makes up for the album’s forgettable moments.

It’s not much of a pop record, but it’s very catchy in spots. It’s not experimental in the least, but it does have it’s own specific sound and feel. When it welcomes you in, Hotel Morgen can start to impress you.

The fuzzed out riffage and ethereal interludes are in place, but Swoon lacks the diverse textures, clever lyrics, and emotional depth that the Pumpkins honed over a 10 year span. And this is as it should be.

The Cost is hardly a poor album - in fact it's a quite good album - but after the release of so many gems, I find it difficult for it to completely measure up to the stiff competition.

Under the Boards, still doesn’t quite live up, it is their best since that timeless classic, "Stay What You Are."

This album makes the case they deserve our attention and our own hospitality.

Ultimately Bitte Orca is definitely a pleasing follow-up; it just isn't necessarily the supreme breakthrough many had hoped for.

The music is bold, intelligent, and quirky--maybe a little too quirky, but that’s up for debate. If Peanut Butter has a fault, it’s too much consistency.

He has composed devastatingly clever lyrics to go with music that completely rocks out, tugs at your heartstrings, or both.

Neck of the Woods may not be album of the year material, but it's the best album in this band's catalog by a long shot.

This is the most engrossing American Analog Set album in six or seven years.

This album has something for everyone and will appeal to the kids who like ambient drone pieces and folks who love songs with great pop hooks - and everyone in between.

He covers an impressive amount of ground on Lucky Shiner, and the variety works in his favor. Perhaps he's missing a degree of originality, but what these tracks might be lacking in idiosyncratic branding will likely be made up for with a longevity of listenability.

Post-Nothing is an album that deserves listens and that will definitely gather support with this re-issue.

While it may lack the dense orchestrations and insular connotations of previous efforts, Animal Joy packs a powerful punch all of its own, typified by an artfully sequenced set of songs that capture the human condition with panache.

It is the product of a septuagenarian survivor ceaselessly exploring a self-made world without conceding to compromise; which is sometimes frustrating yet frequently still compelling in execution.

An above-average nouveau-garage punk record that blends the elements of disjointed noise, R&B-inflected punk and a post-modern pop sensibility into something interesting and enjoyable, but not quite groundbreaking.

There were some hits and some misses on this band's follow-up to a somewhat commercial success.

With one foot rooted in tradition, and the other free to roam where it likes, Asleep on the Floodplain is a quietly great effort.

A testing album like Boo Human is in due course enjoyable because of Kinsella’s impressive musicianship and work ethic.

Dekker has always seemed to me more metaphysical than mystical, but on this outing some of the lyrics are starting to edge closer to the easy contentedness of finding salvation through natural beauty instead of finding existential insignificance in the similarities of all matter. That said, there’s a good mix of elements here, and the increased focus on the diversity of the musical side of things takes the spotlight off the lyrics to a certain extent.

Having been away from being a working band for a half decade, the Strokes have returned with a more polished take on their classic sound. Different: yes. Disaster: absolutely not!

While Era Vulgaris is not cohesive in tone (Could it be a reflection of today’s fragmented, compartmentalized world that pulls in all directions?) and doesn’t fire consistently on all cylinders, the album is still chock-a-block with complex instrumental arrangements, stop-and- start rhythms, gracefully refined harmonies, cranked-up choruses, and pointed commentary on the modern world.

It’s an album unlikely to reign in anyone who’s on the fence about adding a folk album to their catalogue, but sure to delight those who like their melancholy sentiments sung by a voice that is as dexterous as it is vulnerable

Although their own thickness seems to get a bit cloudy at times, it's never unassuming or presumptuous. Instead, the noise that creeps in and out of Constant Future is always consistent and never over-abundant; in turn, it's very simply a solid release.