One of the issues with Euphoria is that it’s very pretty, almost oppressively so. The beats and the synths are rounded and smooth like baby-proofing edge guards. The vocals are fetching, as Georgia has a delightful voice. However, she has chosen to sing most of these songs in a demure, modest delivery. So, even though the title promises euphoria, it rarely reaches that high of a peak.

The Loveliest Time is a sharp, upbeat, and sonically diverse companion to its predecessor.

As displayed in Loving You, Amanda Shires and Bobbie Nelson shared a profound connection. The result is a tribute to the artists’ talents and essential listening for piano-based country music fans and Americana listeners.

We get some huge heavy hitters who do very good-to-great work. But the record sinks into pink slush during the so-so-filler tracks. Although there are some fantastic high points and some tacky low points, Barbie: The Album still manages to pull through with a cheeky victory, even if it’s qualified.

Supernatural Thing may not be the best album M. Ward has ever created. Still, it’s a highly enjoyable musical journey that, like a novel with unique twists and turns, is greatly aided by its sense of darkness, mystery, and exciting characters.

In Times New Roman… is classic Queens of the Stone Age in all its grit and posture, but with a newly found lyrical resonance, making it a worthy late addition to their consistently upstanding catalog.

The Greater Wings is sublime and difficult to fault. Fans of Byrne will be delighted and moved to hear her grow even further as an artist and songwriter, not least in her coming to terms with grief and pain. New listeners to Byrne will surely find an artist of great pathos and empathy whose talents may now get the wider hearing they deserve.

“Tumbling Dice” and “Easy Falling” also feel a little indistinct. The former has a pleasing descending melody and uptempo drum beat but isn’t particularly memorable. Meanwhile, “Easy Falling” is a floaty, washed-out ending track that, while peaceful, isn’t an especially strong closer. Slugs of Love is nonetheless a great return to form from Little Dragon.

It’s hard to say if this is Lofgren’s finest hour or just another fine hour in a long line of them, and in the end, it doesn’t really matter.

Guajiro is nothing too cutting-edge in terms of sound; its strength is in the band’s understanding of musical roots. Still, it feels fresh, endowed with a collaborative spirit that makes for something wonderfully new.

["The First Time I Fell in Love" is] a confident personal expression to close a record full of travel and grand events and unleashed energy. It's the perfect finish, a close-up after a run of characters and frequent rowdiness that calmly settles one of the year's best albums.

The lyrics seem to be its weakest part. Although the words can be clever, the singer-songwriter seems to have nothing to say. Sometimes, this works to his advantage.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is a nod to one of life’s central truths: you can’t go back in time, and you can never perfectly replicate your youth, but there are always new paths forward.

The Dirty South is an absolute gem, and The Complete Dirty South is an upgrade over the original version. However, it may be that this edition only appeals to Drive-By Truckers’ hardcore fans. The physical two-CD set is wonderful and the best available version of the record.

Oddisee more than holds his own while weaving his nimble lyricism across his diverse soundscape.

Animals pushes jazz and hip-hop further. Kassa Overall, through his own performance, arrangements, production, and enviable talent with bringing together a broad but complementary roster of collaborators, has created a record worthy of your time, and that of anyone interested in free-thinking music.

“How do you say goodbye forever?” she asks on the heartbreaking finale, “Chain of Tears”, before reminding everyone how raw, personal, and painful these songs can be. But then, unlike some of her contemporaries who might overthink the landing after uttering such a powerful phrase, she nails it in the plainest way possible. “Sincerely asking advice.” Here’s some: More of this, please.

Ultimately, simplicity and genuine vulnerability are rarities, especially in today’s shallow and superficial musical landscape. This Is the Kit again holds listeners captive with one of the unique voices in contemporary indie folk-rock.

She clearly announces that she’s not going gently into that good night. She may feel burned out, but she still wants to get higher. She refuses to give up without a fight. She’s the same as she ever was, goddamnit. All hail the queen.

Having all that experience between the three and letting the moment take precedence is a life-affirming listen. There is no coincidence in how well this turns out.

Even by Isbell’s lofty standards, Weathervanes is a big swing, and the band hits a home run.

Eight boasts too many potential singles to be written off as another wishful reunion. The record proves that they’re not only back but also thriving.

While it might not be her most eclectic work, Chemistry grapples with this condition in the most human ways.

The Good Witch isn’t just a breakup album with attitude and vigor. It’s a continuing saga of what it means to be a 20-something female musician in an era where people come of age on social media, which can be toxic and empowering at once.

On Formal Growth in the Desert, Protomartyr have ever-so-subtly evolved their sound into something not quite mellow and not quite as expansive as its titular reference – and yet also not as claustrophobically volatile as previous efforts. It’s something gloriously in between.

The less you know about how unfun Bognanno’s life sounds like it’s been while she wrote and recorded Lucky for You, the more pleasure there is to be had here.

Produced by Tassa and Greenwood and mixed by Nigel Godrich, Jarak Qaribak (translating from Arabic as “Your Neighbor Is Your Friend”) constantly and refreshingly brings together a variety of styles – not just in terms of country of origin but also eras and genres.

A selectively expanded instrumentation that enhances, rather than negates, the sentiments of Monterey. This record is the culmination of the band’s work up until this point, and it is as transcendent in sound and feeling as it was in the process.