Stripped down and folky... there's no denying Oberst's presence as a major artist who continues to evolve and explore his craft with each release.

The Sunset Tree may just be The Mountain Goats's most poetic, coherent work.

Nothing's Lost is heavier, denser and in its best moments, verges on pop nirvana.

An invigorating mix of spacey dub, seventies funk, eighties big-beat electro, old school hip-hop and even early Prince, Father Divine is Ladd's most lyrically accessible and sonically enjoyable album to date.

This turn for the yee-haw is a bit mystifying but hardly a mistake; Howl is exactly the cry the BRMC needed to make.

The krang of album’s past seems more an afterthought as the band explores the natural textures of layered guitar and lumbering bass tracks.

Aside from the added guitar riffs and post-punk tones, Stars stick with a lush string section and neatly placed horns throughout, and their romantic appeal stays largely intact.

The music is as soothing as a lullaby and as challenging as a modern art exhibit.

This is the kind of album that grabs you on the first listen and doesn´t let go until you drive yourself crazy from playing it over and over again.

While there are programmed beats, ambient synths and samples aplenty to be found here, the overall vibe of this recording is one of a classic swinging session.

The album cherry-picks the best songs from Farrrar's last few releases, and presents them in often superior form.

Lookaftering sees her trading the overly twee vibe of her debut for a darker, more mysterious and mature sound.

Part of the problem with Alligator is that it echoes so many other records, but part of its satisfaction is that it sets itself apart so well.

I Sold Gold is the rare record that can poke fun at itself, the world, and its fans yet transcend simple entertainment.

The Wedding is a worthwhile gamble and a record like no other in the Oneida catalogue. Which, come to think of it, makes it a lot like every other Oneida record.

It's on the sonic departures, though, that Feels strikes its most resonant chord.

The main funk base of E's sound remains consistent but is augmented with harder rock and blues elements, showing he is able to hold onto his signature sound while simultaneously twisting a piece of rose-colored glass into it.

Their sturdy, inventive debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary, draws further, fresh blood from the indie rock stone.

Despite its slowcore pedigree, Fall Back manages to stand solidly on its own haunted ground, forging a yet-to-be-realized level of tender creativity.

Despite the fact that Prekop isn't really pushing himself on this album, it's a near perfect distillation of his art.

May very well be Dirty Three's greatest accomplishment to date.

Suspended Animation, on the whole, is a technical marvel; a kaleidoscopic foray into death metal, Looney Tunes sound effects, and an alarming balance of slapstick and pathos.

By album's end, two coming-of-age stories are complete: the boy has grown into a black sheep man, and the literate musicians have become a hell of a rock band.

Repeated listens... reveal the album's complexity and highlight how far the band has come in the four years since their last release.

But despite its flaws, or perhaps because of them, this remains organic folk-pop at its bewildering best.

The New Year here occasionally let loose with a decidedly unreserved frenzy that is a joy to hear.

Cave proves himself to be a continually fascinating and vital songwriter.

An almost uniformly excellent outing.