While the tracks are still heavily Black Sabbath-influenced, unfiltered doom, they don't live up to the expectations of what Wino-era Saint Vitus should be capable of.

The lack of development and subtlety is a frequent problem for the album.

Sadly, despite flashes of brilliance, fourth record Radlands more often finds Mystery Jets operating on autopilot.

While the sound of this is pretty uniform the quality is all over the place and very dependent on the song being covered.

It's not an entirely off-putting mix, but it's only after a few songs that one starts to get a handle on what Branan's up to.

Gallery falls short of living up to what Idle Labor promised, feeling more like a case of the leftovers.

While the layers of oddball narrative that Black brings to the table help distinguish it, aesthetically it's at least five years too late and feels like something aimed squarely at hip, divorced dads.

The songs are engaging and incredibly catchy, but lack emotion ― that intangible quality that will take this feel-good record and give it staying power.

There's a comfortable vibe that the project ease into, content to deliver serviceable lyrics over straightforward beats and nothing more.

Alex Winston is capable of writing some excellent indie-pop gems, she just hasn't figured out to do it with consistency.

The lower your expectations, the better it will seem.

Both Lights fails to hold together because of its numerous failed lines of attack, which undermine the goodness.

This isn't poppier than anything they've done over the past decade or so, but few individual songs stick out like good pop songs should.

Sadly, Relapse sounds like an uninspired band ripping off, and attempting to sound like, classic Ministry.

The results sound predictably off-the-cuff, and several tracks like "Jaw Dropper" and "I've Got Money On My Mind" sound like little more than microphone level checks. But when Williams decides to say something meaningful, as on "Dirt," "A Good Day To Feel Bad" and the title track, his sage-like delivery is as devastating as ever.

Beaus$Eros yields some positive results while laying the foundation for some interesting future projects.

In a Dim Light turns out to be a frustrating listen; it's an adventurous outing by a band that plainly need to sharpen their craft.

What this trio from Philadelphia, PA are offering, in spite of their rough-hewn hipster image, is nothing new and can be traced back to Barenaked Ladies through Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash and even the Kingston Trio.

It's tempting to label Beard, Wives, Denim as a tossed off side-project that doesn't stray too far from its more famous parent band. But Pond have something more to offer and both fans and detractors of Tame Impala should give this a listen.

The vocal delivery throughout (care of guitarist Woody Weatherman and bassist Mike Dean) is pretty weak, especially compared to Pepper's attention-commanding style, and that, combined with a somewhat jarring mix of fast punk, smothering, Sabbath-ian metal and good-ol'-boy Southern rock, just whets the appetite for the return of Pepper and the big rock.

Spread over 12 songs, Del Rey becomes so ordinary, even bland, that no amount of little girl vocals or pouting can save her.

The End of That has more outstanding moments than La La Land, but whether those highlights are enough to neutralize Plants and Animals' weakness for occasionally derivative kitsch depends on how much their fans are willing to overlook.

Apart from the uprated production, there's not a great deal to offer to listeners.

Walker is an exceptional blues artist at a time when there are few left, but on Hellfire, despite its volume, he comes off as frustratingly average.

The record still meanders around a bit too much, in the way instrumental music can, not quite sure where it's heading when it should be soaring. When it does soar though, it hits some pretty giddy heights.