Happenstance is lush and brooding, the kind of record that makes most sense coming through the headphones late at night.

The originals are still the best, but this is pretty fly for a white guy.

Sounds like they had as much fun making it as you're going to have listening to it.

Hummingbird does not disappoint fans who like their R&B buzzing with a side of multitempo hip-hop.

The disc is all over the map, moving from booming dance cuts to gangsta fare, but it satisfies with crunk-tacular gems like "What You Know."

Instead of making any stupid concessions to her sudden celebrity... the Home girl plays it cool, carrying on with the same smooth vibes that made her a star.

Perfect pop fun for short attention spans.

Often funeral-march slow, but there are also flashes of passionate energy.

Whether the songs get a grimy edge or sweet touch, the textured album leaves Shadows as a bright spot in the singer-songwriter genre.

The simpler style allows the tense commentary to come through loud and clear, as the band keeps up.

The sturdy jams--decorated with Moog, powerful guitars and frontman Jakob Dylan's sexy purr--pour out of the stereo and stick in your head.

Singer Jon Bunch's vocals remain powerful and dynamic, while the songs ditch most of the weighty orchestration that slowed down previous efforts.

Per usual, the content is clouded in misery--the kind of soft, sad and touching tracks that'll have Dido fans rediscovering this Greenwich Village adult-alternative pioneer

Merchant has achieved a lovely balance of art and craft.

For a bunch of jokesters, these guys deliver some seriously good music.

Along the way, it scores a lot of points, thanks to Nigel Godrich's earthy but twisted production.

Has a few more production touches than his past crackling work.

The Nashville hottie shakes off some of her past cobwebs for slicker, bawdier rock and a collection of power ballads--most destined for a high school prom slow dance near you.

Julian Casablancas continues to sing as if roused from a deep sleep, the rhythm section keeps the tunes as puckery tight as the band's trousers and guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. balance melodic strumming with some impressive shredding.

The first half is instantly familiar, throwing up the same flurry of guitars and post-grunge drudge the Foos have been hammering home for years. The more laid-back stuff is... charming and warm.

These tunes find him not only reconnecting with his sense of melodic urgency but with his loins, as well.

If it's not his best, it's easier to warm up to than most of his solo releases.

A far more streamlined affair, songs stretch out into dreamy extended jams that make bossa nova rhythms, sizzling electronics and screeching metal guitars seem like perfectly acceptable bedfellows.

Skull Ring delivers some truly pumping generation-bridging rock moments.

Her vocal quirks can take some getting used to, but the oblique melodies and cosmic lyrics in songs such as "On the Radio" and "20 Years of Snow" demonstrate what a remarkable talent is mixed in with all the idiosyncrasies.

Her third album reins it all in to a more palatable place with traditional R&B production and a healthy dose of funkiness.

Best Little Secrets Are Kept pays homage to the fairer gender with punchy glam-rock guitars, winking double entendres and Hill's swaggering Rocky Horror Picture Show-style vocals.

Mann's cranky muse is consistently compelling, showcasing both her wry lyrics and terrific melodies.