Lucky Me is an unquestionably accomplished debut and certainly marks Green out as singularly talented songwriter who isn’t afraid to confront her demons and if not actually beat them at least come to an uneasy truce, and reach a place of equanimity.

The band settled into an Austin studio for the album’s creation, and the rich textures throughout these 15 tracks reflect the time invested in their construction.

Derivative it may be, and it’s certainly overindulgent in parts, but in using old tropes to tell fresh stories The Will to Live manages to be both rambunctious and reflective, resulting in a hearty, heady feast of rock n’ roll.

Wagner seems literally incapable of running out of ideas, and The Bible has plenty of good ones.

A set of compelling, entertaining songs that may not thrill in the way vintage Pixies would, but give a great account of their subtler charms.

Fossora is less engaging than Utopia, Vulnicura, and Biophilia, and except for “Ovule,” “Ancestress,” and “Allow,” cannot compete with her 1990s and early 2000s output. However, it is worth a listen, as the experience is strikingly intimate, often intriguing, and largely natural in its rhythm.

The Aussie clearly has a lot of fun—the title track bounces along rather nicely, and “Thinking of Nina” is a winner. One could quibble over the inorganic details, but that’d miss the larger picture of My Boy’s growth.

Cool It Down may be only eight tracks long but there’s so much to admire that you certainly don’t feel short-changed, in fact, it reinforces just how much they have been missed. It’s great to have them back and in such sparkling form.

While most tracks on God Save the Animals are simply constructed, often built around either a rambling piano or twangy plucked melody, there are stunning moments of sudden sonic shifts and digital surprises.

DECIDE is a record about cycles and breaking them, about regrets and new beginnings, and finding the beauty in change. It doesn’t suggest decisiveness; it commands it.

EBM is a fine album and despite Smith’s predilection for dark portentous lyrics, it certainly sounds like the band had fun exploring the different possibilities the addition of Powers has afforded them.

Striking, passionate, devastating, and, ultimately, revitalizing, MOSS is a breath of fresh air, a stirring vision of young adulthood in blue.

Words & Music, May 1965 slots in somewhere between “for completists only” and “for more serious listeners” of Reed’s works. Having a chance to listen to early renditions of Velvet’s classics and getting a taste for Reed’s knack for writing a compelling lyric are well worth experiencing.

The record is strongest when the band’s bright and spontaneous indie rock acts as a foil to Stokes’ anxiety-filled lyrics. This fusion processes the tangled emotions of lost love and helps make it bearable—something few records can do.

An undeniable triumph, Asphalt Meadows is likely to gain the group new listeners, as well as thrill old fans.

The piano-led “Drive Myself Home” at the album’s midpoint is perhaps the most obvious Suede sounding song on the record for those familiar with the band’s extensive back catalogue. But it’s towards the tail end of Autofiction when the record gathers momentum once more, particularly on “It’s Always the Quiet Ones”—which is reminiscent of Night Time-era Killing Joke—and closing couplet “What Am I Without You?” and “Turn Off Your Brain and Yell.”

Already one of indie rock’s tightest live bands, SPARK gives them a dozen more arrows for their quiver and maybe a chance for Ehrlich to get out from behind the drum kit and soothe our souls straight from the footlights.

How Do You Burn? is uneven though, sometimes clichéd, and there are stretches here more concerned with sound than with song, but with epic, textured production from Dulli and longtime collaborator Christopher Thorn, that’s partly understandable. The diamond may not always shine quite the way it used to, then, but it seems there’s plenty of black gold left in The Afghan Whigs.

Overall, the most appealing thing about Sons Of is that contains depths that are maybe not immediately apparent. It rewards repeated listens, and careful ones at that. Hopefully this duo collaboration is merely the first of many.

With When the Wind Forgets Your Name, Built to Spill prove they have the staying power to remain atop the indie rock heap.

It’s a good entry point for new listeners, as well as a charming and familiar set for those who have been on the ride all along.

“Hello, Hi” is, admittedly, a minor work on the Segall spectrum. He’s in “Led Zeppelin III mode” again—primarily acoustic and chilled-out, like Sleeper and Goodbye Bread before it. If you love the albums referenced, you will love this record too.

Brooks and Durkes (sounds like the money good makings of a bro-country duo) created 10 scintillating instrumental tracks, over which Vick composed lyrics and sings in a similar style to that of her own project. The alchemy of Vick's drolly spun couplets over the primarily synth-based tracks are what gives the project its own brand of "je ne sais quoi."

All of Us Flames feels like not only Furman’s most moving work yet, but also her most authentic portrait as an artist and a person.

In some respects Flood expects less of its listeners, laying much of its charm and sweet melodies on the surface, but it also begs to be discovered, re-discovered, and treasured by those who dare to dive deeper. Those who take that step will find a singular singer/songwriter talent, one whose sophomore effort manages to be just as rewarding as its predecessor, yet in a subtly different way.

Out of compassion, hopefully Jacklin has nothing but sunny days ahead. But her ability to rip out the listener’s heart and stomp it about a bit, on the dance floor or otherwise, will hopefully never leave her.

Your taste for this music will vary wildly, depending on your familiarity with of Montreal and/or your enjoyment of hyperactive, literate, and frankly wacky artistic expression. At the very least, it’s refreshing to see Barnes switching it up once more, and we’re curious to see where he’ll go next.

They are a restless band, yes, but Life Is Yours proves that a narrower focus can bring the most returns.