Bruner has elevated his game into something worth noting and more importantly, worth following.

Lisbon sounds like your typical Walkmen album. Laid-back and tempered at moments and jarringly stunning at other times, but never dull.

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.

As entertaining as it is, there remains a nagging notion that Grinderman 2 is ultimately another water-testing exercise to decide upon which seas Nick Cave will sail the full Bad Seeds line-up when it next reconvenes – now sadly minus Mick Harvey – in the studio.

A great album from a fantastic band.

The Mouse is back, just as polished and schizo as it ever was.

I think it would be safe to say that while her latest release was noticed with excited anticipation, not many expected it to be quite this good.

These seven pieces invite the listener into an engrossing experience, one that requires attention but in the end, Centralia is a moving album.

With their trademark of talented musicianship, beautiful story-telling and unique brand of rock and roll, Drive-By Truckers are unmatched in every sense of the word. This is a remarkable album and one that is downright near perfect.

Supergroup or not, Wild Flag hits all the right notes, and not much else matters.

That Caribou is still hitting the bull's-eye on a moving target is no surprise, but that he's done it with an emotional heft beyond what he seemed capable of in the past makes this album feel like a personal victory as well as a step forward.

Shine a Light doesn’t defy genres; it defies poseurs. It isn’t fashionable; it’s a staple.

It's a bit of an acquired taste, but at record's end, you'll be extremely satisfied.

Arguably [Cave's] most convincing collection of boisterousness and drama since 1994’s Let Love In.

Now, with Love vs. Money, Nash has been able to not only add a worthy addition but if this isn’t the best album the genre has seen and heard in the past year, I don’t know what is.

Whilst overall Chatma may lack some of the rousing freshness that made its two predecessors such heartfelt pleasures, it still respectably sustains the Tamikrest soul in all its nomadic questing.

I think it’s safe to say that Weber is putting his strengths into fine use and, with Black Noise, it’s utterly fantastic.

While they undoubtedly keep their snarl and sneer (just look at that album cover), this is the cleanest and most melodic they have ever sounded. While those looking for cohesion may find this frustrating, it certainly makes Under Color of Official Right a dynamic and enthralling crossroad.

The Dodos have shaped and formed a superb blend of intricate drumming, remarkable acoustic guitar and touching vocals--this is truly something exceptional.

Scott-Heron's voice sounds just as prime as it did last year, except this time around Smith has adorned the versions with added beats, synths and keyboards for a fuller, richer sound.

While the material is at times uncomfortable and discomfiting, one can't help but be fascinated - and a little touched.

Field Songs, in its utter simplicity, is perhaps Whitmore's finest effort to date.

His slick production and meticulous attention to detail show promise of future mastery, and stand as evidence of his uniqueness.

Black Up is best digested as a whole rather than tune by tune.

The great beauty of the record, though, is how repeated listenings peel back once-unheard layers, how Phillips’ voice develops a deeper resonance with each spin, and how the deceptive simplicity of the recording gradually fades to reveal carefully scripted movements and moments.

One could go on for hours about the qualities of each individual song, but it is the way they coalesce as a whole that makes Blood Mountain an incredible listen from start to finish.

They’ve always been able to create music to pair with this feeling of nostalgia but Beach House has somewhat, in a way, perfected their dream pop with Teen Dream, an album that flows like the beach and cascades with lush melodies, harmonies and fantastic gentleness.

Perhaps the only thing missing to complete the utterly charming and enveloping experience of I’m A Dreamer is being able to play it on a crackly gramophone with a shot of prohibition-era moonshine to sup on.