While not a perfect album, Renaissance is pretty damn close. It’s infectious and not overbearing, elegant, but not shallow.

Surrender is the album that Maggie Rogers needs right now. It’s one that shows how much she’s grown as an artist, how much her voice is capable of, and how she can exercise her ability to transcend in only a few notes.

Entering Heaven Alive, along with Fear Of The Dawn, stands as a shining reminder of what White can accomplish when you hand him a guitar. ... Entering Heaven Alive now reminds us of his range, his playfulness, and his deep understanding of the music that inspires him.

Special doesn’t necessarily break new ground for Lizzo or deviate too far from the pop persona presented in Cuz I Love You, but sometimes it’s ok not to mess with a great thing. Amid the undeniably catchy pop are moments of vulnerability that populated her previous efforts as well.

There’s an excellent three track run from “What if…,” an energetic song that samples Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” into mid-tempo standout “Safety Zone” before a touch of Hope World familiarity returns in the optimistic “Future.”

Love, Damini delivers like an 80-pound baby. The Afrobeats album gets into the soul with Burna’s typical flair, but the insights are deeper.

Through it all is a patient sense of comfort and understanding, retaining the playfulness of their previous efforts, the seriousness of being a rock musician in the 2020s, and the approachable air that ties it all together.

Nova Twins bend and blend genres like alchemists, generating a sound specific to them and the undertones of their social movement. ... Supernova is like our generation’s “f**k you” to every version of “the man,” much like The Clash did in 1977 and Rage Against the Machine did in 1992.

Honestly, Nevermind isn’t a bad album, but it is disappointing.

For fans who were sucked in during the time of “Dynamite” or “Butter” and haven’t dug into their back catalogue just yet, they might be surprised to discover just how broad of a range these songs can stretch. ... Disc 3 is a whole different kind of time capsule: there are 11 unreleased demos, two brand new tracks (“Quotation Mark” and “For Youth”), and one previously-shelved track (“Young Love”) that peel back the curtain on BTS as artists like never before.

Twelve Carat Toothache feel thrown together and incomplete. Post Malone did himself a favor by limiting the run time of the LP, but if he’s championing quality over quantity, the quality has to be more incisive, specific, vulnerable, and holistic.

Big Time might be the most direct view into Olsen — at least in the context of a full band. It’s a masterful, emotional body of work ready to fit any mood, and it’s yet another successful sea change for one of indie music’s most consistent artists.

While fans will justifiably find a lot to love, anyone holding their breath for a shift into experimentalism is going to have to go without oxygen until LP4.

Though the music of Face The Wall can be relatively straightforward indie rock, her enchanting voice is what really separates her from the pack. ... Face The Wall is a remarkably assured statement from a 21-year-old artist.

Harry’s House was constructed board by board, and, ultimately, it’s a lovely place to spend time in. Styles is making the music he wants to make.

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is another bonafide masterpiece.

Ultimately, Every Shade of Blue is an easy, accessible listen, and many of its tracks are certainly radio-friendly. There are pleasant pop hooks and a few earworms here and there.

A Light for Attracting Attention revels not in fiery protests, but in the layered, mid-tempo meditations Radiohead’s been crafting since OK Computer.

An explosive expression of unity in the face of strife and an exuberant expression of hope. ... But beneath the pomp and circumstance, Welch is traditionally known for, Dance Fever is a deeper look at a woman who unapologetically bares it all.

No Fear of Time is nine great songs filled with incredible rapping. The album is a logical follow-up to Black Star’s first album and shows some things are worth the wait. The game has changed a lot from ’98 to now; however, Kweli and Bey still stand alone because, like they did way back when, they refuse to compromise themselves or their time for anyone or anything.

Side B is the more adventurous half of the album, pushing Bad Bunny’s sound into new places with collaborations with alternative acts. ... With the sun-kissed Un Verano Sin Ti, Bad Bunny continues to proudly give pop music some much-needed flavor, swagger, and sounds by way of the Caribbean.

We’ve Been… is unmistakably the sound of an artist in their prime, hitting at all the conceptual points that they set out to reflect while remaining true to their strengths. ... We’ve Been… is certainly her strongest, boldest experiment as a songwriter yet.

It’s the sound of a band digging deep, sharing the lessons they’ve learned, and channeling their experiences into something bigger than all its members combined. Even if it’s slightly lopsided and occasionally heavy-handed, this album undoubtedly proves that Arcade Fire have a lot of gas in the tank, and they’ll do whatever it takes to… (I’m sorry) keep the car running.

The actual flow of the record may feel a bit all over the place, but that’s kind of the point. Rammstein thoroughly enjoy keeping their fans on their toes, if not attempting to purposefully irritate them even slightly.

Like a lot of the bands that inspired it, Omnium Gatherum is expansive, assorted, and at least a little self-indulgent, but that’s precisely what makes it brilliant.

Push is in complete control of his flow, his delivery, and his pen game is sharper than it was 20 years ago. ... It's Almost Dry is the perfect complement to Dayonta, creating Pusha's very own gangster saga on wax.

Wet Leg is by all means a daring debut for the duo, demonstrating that the success of “Chaise Longue” was not at all an accident.

White briskly blows through each idea and wraps up the album in a tight 40 minutes.