At the very least, Yes New York procures a look at a city churning out (mostly) good bands.

Stone Sour has tapped into its full potential on Audio Secrecy, and it really shows when the album is heard in order, from beginning to end. The flow of the album is gorgeous, made all the better by the aforementioned balance between soft and heavy.

Death metal could very well re-enter mainstream consciousness through Halo of Blood, the most accessible Children of Bodom release yet.

The Bunnymen are just what they should be in 2005: a band comfortable with their own glorious legacy.

O’Connor and long-time producer John Reynolds frame the collection in familiar musical motifs, but carve out plenty of intriguing intricacies along the way. Because of that natural balance, I’m Not Bossy feels almost like the long-awaited response to I Do Not Want‘s still-echoing call.

This faith in the lives lived in the days before the darkness closes in grants Thumpers their transformative power and their unlimited naïveté its unique charm.

It’s exactly the kind of music Peter Bjorn and John have always revelled in, just somewhat more consistent.

In several ways, Campfire Songs is an album that invites the listener to sit as close as possible and to join the circle. The album gets more uniquely intimate with each listen.

When Bear in Heaven's desire for duality-the confluence of ambience and pop-succeeds, it does so brilliantly. Ironically, it only manages these heights half the time.

Yes, the stories told inside can be geographically specific, but the themes of work, joy, paranoia and peace are universal ones. Camper Van Beethoven, in their newfound maturity, addresses them all in a musical manner that reminds you that no one else sounds quite like them. Even still today.

The end result is an album that manages to smoothly integrate a lot of Anastasio's diverse musical interests into one highly listenable package.

It’s a countrified album in the best sense of what was done in the mid-‘70s with records such as It’ll Shine When It Shines to a certain extent, just with more emphasis on the country end of the pop spectrum. Still, there are enough gems to be found here that, while not the sort of thing that might be readily apparent on anyone’s radio dial, hit the mark.

While it may not be the best introduction for the novice, it offers more than a hint of early treasures well worth uncovering.

It’s not perfect, but it never tries to be. It shows Rivers Cuomo disarmed and open, doing what he loves.

Wreckorder is a hand-picked gift reminding us that it's the thought that counts. And to look down your nose at it would make you a snob.

One of the more uniquely listenable albums in some time.

Ultimately, the band move beyond their lo-fi surfer pop origins and deliver an empowering statement about personal growth that hits differently with each listening.

However textured the musical journey The Cost offers, however, the album tends to lapse too excruciatingly into the darkness from which Hansard’s creativity seems to come.

Elephunk drops non-stop hook and hump, an album with almost no missteps and more than its share of undeniable, thumping joy.

He may be the lead in the story he’s telling, but he’s always in the story; his VH1 Storytellers album powerfully reminds us that that is where he’s at his best.

Pure, unadulterated aural pleasure.

Sting the pop singer is clearly not returning any time soon--but for better or worse, he manages to shine on The Last Ship.

The album isn’t flawless, but it’s certainly better than many would expect from a girl her age. Fire Within is actually better than a lot of music that people far older and “wiser” are putting out.

Pagan is a record that adheres to a formula. If this formula intrigues or excites you, then the record is littered with moments of surprising beauty; if not, then it sounds uniform, bare, bereft of anything substantive to say or evocative to suggest.

[A] bludgeoning, corrosive album that is at the same time accessible and strangely melodic.

This is an amazing little pop record of amazing little pop songs.

There are plenty of things left to say and Daniel Lanois has found a way to say them without words.

Listening to this record is something like meeting up with an old friend, one who hasn't developed any bad habits or annoying quirks in the intervening years.

Although Cicero and Light Pollution still have quite awhile to go before they're the ones being emulated rather than the ones doing the emulating, Apparitions is a solid debut album from a band that definitely has a lot of potential.

Dreams possesses the charm of a confident man who understands the beauty of pop music and the serious allure of emotional lyrics.

It might seem like a weird time for an up-and-comer like Immaculate Machine to put out what’s essentially a “transition album” this early in their career, but as High on Jackson Hill proves, not only is this band capable of pulling off any style they want to try, but they do so with good taste and undeniable charm.

With no big time faux pas to be found,The Gifted is an extraordinary ‘gift’ to any hip-hop collection.

Delta Machine is best taken as that 13-song slab, one that is a near-perfect summation of the band those skinny teenagers who regularly showed up on children’s mornings programs have grown up into.

It's hard to gauge now how dated it will sound in five or ten years, but at this moment, it's the neurotic and deafening sound of a civilization whose machines are beginning to break down, and it sounds terrifyingly familiar.

Minor slights aside, Acts is a pleasant conundrum among 2012's releases--an album made without concern for anything but the music itself by artists branching out and trying something new.

Alpha Games shows a great band engaging with their sound yet growing and expanding.

Svenonius' cockeyed worldview is much easier to take, and his jokes that much funnier, when he's not lecturing audiences.

If you have never come across Polysics before, this album would be quite a good jumping on point.

All in all, one can only hope this is just a teaser of more to come from the Posies, in whatever incarnation they appear in next. If it's the end, then it's a fair swansong, something unconventional and not quite perfect.

Taken collectively the new tracks here demonstrate the uniqueness of the Gorillaz sound and the vision shared by the group's creators and the musicians who bring it all to life.

From these sluggish ballads to hyper blues rock, Catfish Haven has the best recipes for southern ‘70s rock today.

It maintains the basic tenets of electronic music, but rarely pigeonholes itself, allowing for musical contrasts.

Little Wild One continues to fill out the picture of Joan Osborne as artist, adding new shades of color to the portrait of a confident and exciting songwriter who is comfortable in her skin yet willing to continue striving for excellence.

For those infatuated with her magical voice, this album of work doesn't disappoint.

A political record as grand, explicit, and opaque as Radiohead's Hail to the Thief.

Makes Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare sound like Cats in comparison.

The breadth of Avi’s influences is apparent on her self-titled debut album, but she still creates a unique and extremely charming persona of her own.

It’s a quiet, humble little thing that can pass by almost unnoticed if you don’t pay attention to it. It’s when you do pay attention that its beauty unfolds, and for the first time in a while, it doesn’t sound like he’s pandering.

Let It Be You contains 10 bouncy, jagged tracks that move in eccentric and peculiar ways.

All in all, Duets serves as a triumphant summation of a stellar career now spanning over half a century. Allowing others to join the celebration simply makes it all the more enjoyable, and a treat for those fans of both Morrison and his duet partners.

Kicks certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it has a whole lotta fun copying it.

He finds a happy balance between dark and upbeat and keeps the complexities of his soundscapes relatively toned down without any apparent sacrifice in quality; the result is the most accessible RZA solo album yet.

While this isn't quite the great guitar pop record that they're capable of making, it's still a fun listen, and their best one yet.

This is just wonderful music.

Pagans in Vegas is still undeniably Metric. It might even be quintessentially Metric. It’s just not the top tier work that’s become expected of them in the latter part of their career.

It's certainly one of the better efforts from what has turned out to be a pretty crappy year for R&B music.

Although the record could almost certainly be cut in half in order to make for one killer EP, the flashes of brilliance here are truly exceptional.

Altogether, In Your Own Sweet Time, is a solid effort from a seasoned band, and promises more spontaneous musical performances for the band ahead, be it on tour promoting this record or in any follow-ups. The Fratellis share a lot of fun on this record and it's worth listening to for that sheer delight.

Good news for those who loved the debut’s melodies: plenty of material on The Law of the Playground gives that luxuriant pleasure.

The ballads mostly come at the end, and they’re all pretty not-so-hot.

By the time she comes up with "Old Tin Tray", you are aware of two things. One is that this is a year-end top 10 album, and two, that she is getting better with age.

There's enough previously unreleased material here to make it a good bet even for those lucky slobs who've managed to get their paws on one of those Sub Pop Singles Club 7-inches.

The Brave and the Bold is a melding of the minds, a comic-book collision of musical forces whose mutant powers turn mere simulation into disturbing mimetic magic.

A solid album with a number of beguiling songs and a lot of spirit, it’s the sound of a band well into their musical journey, with many more miles still to go.

On Prisoner of Conscious Kweli once again is working against that way of thinking by adopting unlikely styles, expanding his musical palette and collaborating with folks that people might not expect him to.

At ten songs and just 35 minutes, Make Another World puts its weaker songs into sharp focus, but the best songs and the band’s determination keep winning you over.

There's a difference between being confessional and being self-centered that relate to one's perception of the audience. Sproule presumes we care, but it's not always clear why we should.

Even with that less-consistent Side B in mind, there's still no denying that Take the Crown remains the most wildly entertaining album Robbie Williams has released in years, unabashedly broad in appeal but immaculately well-crafted, at times even rivaling Williams' best work.

Turner's creativity overrides the defects. In a certain way, the album's blemishes highlight its other charms in the way a beauty mark may positively accent the rest of a person's features. The record and its concept should be applauded for their shared aspirations and accomplishments.

Even as its technically a retread as much as a new release, through its cohesive mood, and the exciting pieces that make up the whole, The Destroyed Room is yet another fresh new statement, one that shines brightly even within the complete, storied discography of Sonic Youth.

The resultant record should reinforce Wolfmother’s eclectic big-tent fanbase while simultaneously shoring up their odd teleological balancing act.

Emphatic yet rarely overbearing choruses, all delivered in a subtle manner, will always bring me back to the road. The Cave Singers have mastered the art of give and take.

It's the songs where King and the band take chances that keep Speed of Darkness interesting. These curveballs make the album another strong addition to the Flogging Molly catalog and keep them from getting stuck in a rut.

Although some may wish for more diversity within the set (these songs contain a lot of the same techniques and styles), as well as more layers to flesh out the core songwriting, there's still plenty to like.

On the song 'Planet Earth,' but also throughout much of the album ('All the Midnights of the World,' 'Resolution'), he hits sincere, haunting notes, his voice fluctuating between his lower and higher registers like a small plane being batted around by turbulence.

Tindersticks create an elegant and unsettling collection of small mood pieces that stand miles apart from anything else you are likely to hear at the local multiplex.

A ragged, cacophonous, raging beast of an album, it's not the most perfect album Metallica has ever produced, and it's a very bumpy ride for listeners, but the album's handful of high points are thrilling to hear.

They haven’t simply created a dance music album, they have created something more adventurous, taking full advantage of the LP format and in the process have released not just one of the best house but best records of any genre of the year so far.

No matter how fraught or heartbroken these stories get, each is gifted with an indelible chorus, and even the few tracks of sort-of filler like 'Soup' are performed with enough verve and energy that El Rey zips by.

For the most, the album shows Minus the Bear tinkering very little with the sound it crafted on past releases. However, in the few instances on OMNI when the group does step away from its tried-and-true formula, the result features less forward-thinking experimentation and, instead, contains a larger does of '90s alt rock.

There are neither risks nor revelations here, but it’s a solid album and the product of an artist with the patience to pursue his vision and the sense of humor to still kiss off to easy classifications.

Detached from the modern country sound to the point of anachronism, Gunslinger is a welcome nostalgia trip for those pining for country music’s early ‘90s golden age.

Different Gear, Still Speeding is not without its faults. But it manages excess and grandeur far more gracefully than Oasis' own overblown collection, Be Here Now.

Not only are these songs about crushes, they feel just like one: emotionally intense, completely beautiful, and above all, fleeting.

[A] solid effort from one of the more consistent acts in electronic music today.

Happy Ending acquits itself nicely by offering a compelling blend of gigantic hooks, sugary-sweet melodies, and textured production.

It’s not perfect, there’s some simplistic pop-oriented moments and muddy, unconvincing attempts at roughness. But there’s also plenty of moments of true vision.

One almost gets the impression that the band wanted to test the waters to see if they could still work together without killing each other, and if they couldn’t, the only ones affected would be themselves. Turns out, they could, and the result is their most intimate, immediate album to date.

All I can really do is keep insisting that there’s something in this music, that for those fortunate/completely screwed few that Excepter hits just right, this stuff is as viscerally thrilling as rock music, as deep as dub, as calming as ambient, as compulsive as techno, as bracing as free improvisation.

Candela is loaded with the kind of bracing, unpredictable pop music that a listener can find something new in again and again.

This is the music to drown out all other stimuli, and have a hell of a time while doing it.

It’s another solid, consistent piece of work that shows the country legend having fun and enjoying herself at this point in her career.

Ultimately, Wanderlust is a beautiful thing to behold: a collection of quirky, lovingly crafted songs brought to life by an artist who sounds like she has found herself.

In an era of canned angst with all the sentiment of a Hallmark card, the Kooks’ parlay their mixed feelings on a myriad of subjects with a strong sense of sincerity, finding the sunny side to melancholy and frustration or a splinter of wistfulness lodged somewhere within a good time.

Though LAX has its debilitating faults, it certainly stands up with any rap full-length released this year, which for this point in Game’s career, might even make it a miracle.

Because so many of the songs are nearly indistinguishable, listeners are likely to either embrace Negotiations as a unit or to dismiss it outright. If listeners resist the urge to listen sporadically on their iPods (and I highly recommend that they do), there's much to be celebrated.

Voyage to India is a continuation of India's musical journey, a natural progression, the reflection of an artist's love for her art and its divine connection to life.

It's a rewarding and accomplished piece of work from an artist who continues to intrigue and surprise.