If you are looking to enjoy a continuation of the gals' intriguing blend of Breeders-esque harmony and Tall Dwarves-ish bombast, you may find yourself listening to this otherwise fine record Again and Again.

This is no disaster on the level of, say, a Leonard Nimoy or Don Johnson album, but given Laurie's outspoken love for New Orleans and the involvement of Henry and his crew, Let Them Talk still falls well short of expectations.

Without sounding anything like Pet Sounds, Seeds We Sow indicates Buckingham has absorbed Wilson's lessons well.

Still Living has its share of baroque pop moments, but its strongest songs are the ones that rock the hardest.

It takes a certain like-minded political sensibility to wholly appreciate both the music and the mantra, but rebels in search of a cause will likely share sympathy for Morello's fervent muse.

For much of the album, disparate elements come together in complicated ways that are cerebral, sensual and spiritual all at once. Nicely done.

Hatfield more closely follows the model of her most popular work, with multi-tracked vocals and hooky arrangements to boost the pop quotient.

The Rip Tide is moderate in ambition, and hardly a masterwork, if such things empirically exist.

Skying proves a maturing for the band and unveils a new realm of sonic possibilities.

It is a flavorful fusion as unique as the Yugoslavian Spomenik that graces the cover of his eponymous full-length debut on Fat Possum - and one that stands apart from the seemingly endless barrage of home-recorded acts who have posted their wares on Blogger, Bandcamp and Tumblr these days.

With Sagara, Disjokke splits the difference between late-period Cluster and Alan Lomax, offering a most unique world view on 21st Century Nordic festival music from one of that nation's most open-minded visionaries.

These Merritt wonder-tonics may not curl your hair or cure any ailment, but they act as a salve to a multitude of human conditions. Best to stock up and be prepared.

Seeing this is Grossi's first full-length, it's an achievement, and although it fizzles out near the end, the killer tracks far eclipse the lesser numbers.

This album feels more like a curio of a bygone era rather than an overlooked gem.

With a talented quartet of musicians in tow--Thompson, Shawn Camp, Bryn Davies and Kenny Malone--the acoustic setting provides newcomers with an ideal introduction and gives longtime fans further reason for ongoing appreciation.

Tha Funk Capital Of The World, is one of his best ever records as a front man and one of the most outrageously funky records released in years.

An equally engaging sonic concept entitled Drums Between The Bells.

With the debut, the main argument against Fool's Gold seemed to be that they were appropriating too much African influence, sounds they didn't have a right to, into what was primarily pop. With Leave No Trace, I'd say they've gone too far the other way, eliminating the eccentricities and exoticisms that made them interesting.

Once again, The War on Drugs have crafted an album of the year, built not upon flash or novelty, but a new take on traditional rock and roll that is always pushing forward.

Icky Mettle rocks. Hard.

Giving seems to go on and on towards some distant, perhaps unreachable horizon.

Sky Full of Holes is the perfect sound of a band staying within their comfort zone while not forgetting the power of the almighty hook.

The songs convey a lot of deep ideas without resorting to flowery prose. In fact the words are often fairly straightforward which ends up making the whole project hit a little deeper than initially anticipated.

This is almost background music (think synth meets krautrock meets disco meets industrial), music to wash the dishes to or fold clothes or, simply music to dance to (that is probably what the band wants) and in that sense it is perfect for a darkened club where the only thing to do is dance (no drinking or fucking allowed).

Not intended for the faint of heart, Is That You in the Blue? chides, challenges and relentlessly rocks.

The result is a deeply humane album, it makes poetry out of the disappointments of daily existence and narrative out of the mistakes that people make.

The music will put a smile on your face and make you want to dance - which is what good, timeless pop is supposed to do, in the final estimation.

For all the new sonic waves undulating through this record, however, the band's distinctive identity still shines--there's no mistaking Marble Son for the work of anyone else, and it's the ability to evolve while still remaining true to core values that makes Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter great.