While at first some of Repo will undoubtedly seem oriented towards those with an attention deficit, it is in every sense of the word a “grower.”

A lush, captivating, and dynamically vocalized album on the mellower end of Butler’s usual stylistic spectrum.

Woodsman are at the very least an inventive group of musicians, but the balance between their songwriting abilities and their wilder excursions into improvised sound isn't quite equal, although this creates its own dynamic throughout the album.

The record sounds tailored for mass consumption, which means every song packs a melodic doozie and indomitably contrived storylines about soldiering on while our world threatens to spin off its axis.

Overall, there is a very cloud-like vibe, reticent of stammering into a mysterious blend of genres.

All Harm Ends Here is undoubtedly the band's defining release, a true gem of understated songwriting and melancholy rock.

Mondanile isn't rewriting any of the rules here, but he does show that he can stand on his own as a pop songwriter perfectly well, and frequently does so in an addictive fashion.

Spring Tides is a success partly because it is consistent in sound and structure, but it still manages to slip through a variety subtle mood changes and elicit several emotional reactions from its listeners. Jeniferever should gain some fans with this.

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.

A strong debut.

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.

Craftiness, when it’s this imaginative, can go a long way and for Jookabox, these bizarre ideas seem to work even when they shouldn’t.

Whilst certainly disjointed and disorientating in its execution, this first full Moon Diagrams showcase is an oddly gripping sonic ride that suggests that there is plenty of artistic life beyond the drum stool for Moses Archuleta.

Major General finds us with an accomplished and very steady collection of songs.

Educated Guess is an absolutely stunning creation, although it did take a few listens for me to begin to fully appreciate what I was hearing.

It's almost fate that they've chosen to reveal themselves to me with what is their best work to date, and also one of the most remarkable albums of this year.

This is an album for the patient, who are willing, as the title of the album suggests, to sit through a slide show made by someone you don't really know that well.

A hell of an album that reveals further treasures buried in the mix with each listen.

Overall, as bass-players solo missions go, Right On! fares well in both connecting to and standing apart from the mothership. Admittedly, the record’s best moments could perhaps have been cherry-picked to fold into the next Warpaint album or compressed into a just EP-length statement.

Via Audio are audacious in their attempt to create a wide array of organic sounds, and their efforts pay off; it’s not often that a band can instill so many approaches into an album and get away with it but Animalore delivers the goods.

Hot Fuss is a multi-faceted, consistently interesting and enjoyable synth-rock album with strengths across the songwriting, singing, and playing fields.

Whereas the past experiences showcased Holland much more embellished and free-wheeling with his flow, Hello Cruel World places a focus on the lyrical content with a flow that ends up being much easier to follow and in turn, far more accessible.

It'd be too easy to dismiss Blitzen Trapper for choosing to release an album that more or less stays inside the lines, opting for convention over innovation. Yet, with American life in the 21st century being so frenzied, it's oddly comforting to listen to a record that doesn't challenge you to keep up with it.

A crisp, clean, and undeniably beautiful work.

Instead of evolving out of the band's unique style, Clinic has decided to enhance it and deepen it.

The Bravery treads the same well worn path as bands like The Smiths and The Cure but manages to avoid tripping on its roots by adding a unique personality.

The best Swell album since 1997’s Too Many Days Without Thinking.

I’m not sure what stands out the most about The Cover Up, whether it’s the tremendous production values or the clear confidence the band has with its music.