He’s just topped off his winning streak with the most predictable rap album you’ll hear in 2019 that isn’t actually bad in any way. And like everything else about his rise, that’s way too soon.

As an album, it’s effective and objectively good, but somewhat slight in comparison to their previous iterations. That being said, their sincere, youthful reverie combined with well-honed production and arrangement skills that could have only come with age makes for a truly sweet and satisfying addition to the Quin sisters’ catalog.

Opeth’s chemistry feels as tight as it is playful, heartfelt as it is engaging, as they explore a plethora of intriguing and majestic sounds. The instrumentation and vocals, in both versions, serve to present emotion and instrumental wonder. In Cauda Venenum is among Opeth’s strongest albums when it comes to the band’s progressive sensibilities.

With Jaime, Howard proves what many of us already speculated: The magic behind Alabama Shakes was Brittany Howard.

While one could argue Lord-Alge’s mix brought the band their first Billboard Hot 100 hit in “I’ll Be You”, time has proven that hit didn’t really bring them any long-term success. By scaling back then, Wallace has created an album that truly fits with their narrative, and that’s probably worth more now than then. After all, time has been very kind to The Replacements, who continue to build upon their legacy with each passing year, and Dead Man’s Pop is a welcome addition.

Though House of Sugar can be a difficult record, those who take the time to delve into its layers will be treated to a piece that captures the modern psyche in a way few other pieces of art manage to do.

Some reunions suck; others are a relief simply because they’re not embarrassing. Vivian Girls have defied the odds by reuniting for their best album yet.

Blink-182’s second album with Matt Skiba is ultimately subpar, weighed down by stereotypical lyrics and cloying choruses. Producers John Feldmann and Tim Pagnotta’s heavy use of compression makes NINE as in-your-face as possible, not giving the songs the necessary breathing room to develop without overproduction.

Gallagher embraces acceptance on a deeper level with this album than we’ve seen before; he’s game for going all in on “Now That I’ve Found You”, but he also displays the power of reflection on “Once” and “Alright Now”.

The good news is that her songwriting is stronger than ever. Along with co-executive producer A.G. Cook, Charli XCX has put together a delightful album of high-end pop confections. Charli packs in plenty of wow and proves to be more than worth the wait.

A collection of mostly good — a few forgettable and a clutch of very good — songs you have no reason to know. But the last couple albums were reminders not to take your faves for granted, and if they continue on this path, they might even win over some Pixies fans.

There are incredibly emotional moments throughout the record, really driving the anger and sadness of the music. Some songs lack depth and don’t land as well as others, but, overall, The Nothing remains an emotionally potent experience that longtime fans of Korn will enjoy.

The finish is messy, the mixing hops from decade to decade, and the album flow is nonexistent. There are a couple of great moments, especially “Rubberband”. But without those finer touches, it often doesn’t even sound like Miles Davis, just some dude blowing a horn.

It will be a surprise to learn which tracks aren’t singles yet; there’s at least five more hits to be spawned from this thing, and we’ll never hear the end of it.

The music carries the listener throughout each track, making for a meditative experience. With Birth of Violence, Chelsea Wolfe offers a compelling work brimming with emotion and dreamy wonder.

Each voice is allowed to shine here, and through them, the voices of so many women who continually find themselves stifled in the country music format.

It’s a late-career entry that can’t hold up to his priceless back catalog, but it’s also the work of a guy who at this point really couldn’t give a shit what people think. You’ll enjoy some tracks and soldier through others. But Iggy’s still here, and maybe that’s the most important takeaway of all.

Offering sanctuary to anyone with a soul full of longing, At the Party with My Brown Friends is a beautiful affirmation of our common needs and a reminder that love is possible.

Norman Fucking Rockwell! proves (again) Del Rey as a fully-realized artist who has remained true to her obsessions — aesthetic, cultural, and personal — outlasting the misogynist criticisms that could have derailed her early career. Del Rey delivers a gaze that swivels internally and externally, that can simultaneously observe our national existential dread and her own sudden hope for a “Hallmark” love.

Ehrlich and Kakacek are perfectly in tune with each other, evoking ache and yearning on every note. If the record is not as immediately grabbing as Light Upon the Lake, it’s because it’s a slow burn, driven by a deep desire that blooms into a heart-wrenching splendor.

Fear Inoculum lives up to its daunting expectations with songs that showcase Tool in peak performance as musicians and compositional arrangers. For the diehard fan, there’s a lot to consume here. Likewise, the album offers little respite for the uninitiated; its accessibility comes in the form of its vastness and eerie psychedelia, not through hooks or common pop structures. This is deep prog-rock as only Tool can create it.

While Farrar’s restlessness seems authentic, he sometimes gives the impression of someone who’s lost track of himself, barking truths so obvious that they fall flat when said aloud. Still, Spirit World rewards repeat listens, a dense full-length on which a band with an ever-shifting identity finds a firm foothold, at least for now.

Twelve Nudes makes all the moves some of us have wanted from Furman: faster, brisker music, clearer politics, bigger riffs, and impossible-to-ignore shouting. It feels a couple highlights short of a punk classic, but it’s the follow-up that last year’s excellent Transangelic Exodus probably deserves.

Since GINGER contains more fresh ideas than almost every great rap album of 2019 combined, once again it’s hard to pin down why it feels like such a relief when it finally ends, why traditional technicians like Dababy and Megan Thee Stallion and their fellow hype-turning-institution, Cardi B feel like they deliver more satisfying fulfillment of what they promise.

The maturation through Taylor Swift’s career has also shown her react to personal change in real time. ... Maturity for Taylor Swift means shrugging off what isn’t worth a fight, looking inward rather than blaming others, and being able to admit when you were wrong.

While the album may be directly compared to 2017’s Murder of the Universe, it’s arguably the most straightforward material they’ve written in some time. And while it feels like a minor misstep in comparison to much of their catalog, it finds the band crafting forceful and ferocious, mosh pit-friendly rippers that are politically and socially relevant.

The record and its seamless transitions from one heavily enticing, tender, and softly delivered track to the next paints a captivating and enthralling self-portrait.

So Much Fun succeeds in its quest to highlight the success of Young Thug; almost all of the 19 tracks could stand alone as a strong demonstration of what Thug does best, but they also work together to create a cohesive project.