Feist manages to deliver an understated, yet powerful resolution that ultimately defines Metals not so much as a break up album or a make up album, but as a journey to acceptance.

It does feel like the melding Icebird does of electronic elements with blues, soul, and rock is a progressive move.

This is sophisticated music for the adult soul.

Flaunting a smattering of psych rock, glints of fuzz funk, analog tape hiss, and virtually no FFWD moments in sight, it's hard to not warm up to this record.

There is no visible rust on Game Tested, Streets Approved, Rob's first album in six years.

Though it may not be the knock out aural masterpiece one would expect from the likes of a Flying Lotus production, The Golden Age of Apocalypse excels by harnessing the spirits of Pastorious, Sun-Ra, and other left-of-center demigods, dazzling us with FlyLo and Bruner's unique brand of collaborative eccentric genius.

The album certainly works as ambient background noise, but it completely falls apart under close scrutiny.

So Ritual Union may not be a perfect album, but it is charming, intriguing and rewarding enough to ensure that you'll overlook any flaws and keep coming back to give it another spin. And that's something very special indeed.

BlackenedWhite is a refreshingly original album where it counts and it never gets under your skin the way Tyler's albums can.

The fiery spirit of Africa For Africa certainly carries echos of the immortal Fela, and Femi seems quite comfortable carrying on his father's legacy. But, with another powerful addition to an already stellar catalogue, the son is not so quietly building a legacy all his own.

Overall this will be a very divisive record for people: fans of non-traditional hip hop and abstract lyricism will love this record, fans of more mainstream sounding hip hop who enjoy flow and deliveries will probably not enjoy it as much.

Finally Famous boasts enough bouncy beats and catchy hooks that he should have no problem landing a follow up on the charts. Still, the album falls short of establishing him as an artist of a magnitude to match his name.

Unlike the legends of BK past, London doesn't riff on drugs and housing projects, which in and of itself earns him a fair shot. He may be redefining what it means to be a rapper in the 21st century, but it wouldn't hurt if he practiced more rules of the game before changing it.

Their conversational deliveries and every man personas, cultivated in the often self-effacing world of blog rap sometimes feel small atop sparse, up tempo production clearly inspired by the late '80s when larger than life mic controllers brought the color to often minimalist canvases.

Overall Together/Apart is a very good record, and a few minor missteps from being a great one.

The album is a pleasure to listen to, with enough airy energy to fit a summer playlist and angst raw enough to carry it over into the shorter, colder days of winter.

It had that intangible love and passion behind it that so, so many albums these days are essentially lacking. The tone will brighten your day, while the passion will inspire you.

Random Axe don't break the mold on this album, but they are sure to make stalwart fans of each individual rapper happy with a release that's thematically consistent if not repetitive and evocative of the three's surefire chemistry.

Crafty lyricism exemplifies this release by the guys from Portland, with the infectious zeal for hip-hop that's as instantly apparent and possessive of endurance as true as that of another famous Oregonian, runner Steve Prefontaine.

Yet, for all of GaGa's flamboyance, there was a humanity in her most memorable work that inspired a devotion in her legions of fans that went far beyond vigorous dance floor workouts. On Born This Way the quirky vulnerability is often lost behind the massive productions.

It's not a perfect album, nor is it always easy listening, but its imperfections make it even more of a human album from a rapper who's at its best at his most personal.

Just as the two's previous solo projects, the music will probably not sit well with most hip-hop heads, but it's the perfect LP for each of their respective fan base.

The Lonely Island continues to remind us that taking life too seriously isn't nearly as fun as putting bags over our heads during fellatio or shitting our pants during bank robberies.

Overall Killer Mike and Pl3dge is focused, hard hitting, a little pissed off at the way things are, and overall a breath of fresh air.

Despite talk of the non-living, one can say more resolutely that The Upsetter is back at it, town crying and rousing the most lively music lovers among us while keeping great reggae alive.

While it might sound more suitable for spins on a clunky, stereophonic hi-fi, this stone soul picnic is a breath of fresh air in the here and now amidst the throng of techno R&B androids scaling the charts.

While this album definitely has its FFWD moments, the Beasties' lighthearted approach still manages to hand the smack down to crab rappers and school the bratty new kids on the block in one fell swoop.

Ultimately, listening to Goblin feels a lot like reading a creative writing assignment by the kid in the army boots and trench coat who sits in the corner. There are moments of clarity that show a unique talent, if only he weren't trying quite so hard to be unique.