A compelling album that will more than reward your attention.

Finnerty returns from these loftier reaches unscathed, allowing Honey to swing big without flying off the handle. Spread this one on your toast immediately.

While the sonic textures remain in their typical buzzed out territory, the tracks where tempos ramp to harrowing speeds don't entirely work.

The best live albums are ones that clearly distinguish themselves from their studio counterparts (Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York, for example), and this isn't that. But as a way to cap off 2022 while refocusing attention on their live show, Live at Montreaux adds to (rather than detracts from) the impression that the Smile are successfully carrying the torch for Radiohead during this period of uncertainty.

It's certainly not going to produce the next "Viceroy" or "Chamber of Reflection," but it's an exceedingly pleasant listen — the kind of thing that's the perfect soundtrack for working and studying, or to make chores a little more tolerable.

Despite complex construction that in the wrong hands can drain music of potency and impact, Malone, Railton and O'Malley sculpt otherworldly soundscapes and craft microtonal realms worth return expeditions, where timbres and harmonics flicker, ripple, scrape and hum — always converging and diverging, Does Spring Hide Its Joy is a beacon of possibility.

It's mostly a cheery, upbeat listen — although Murdoch still sounds best in melancholy mode, something he proves with on the synth-anchored "We We Were Very Young." ... B&S only miss when they leave their comfort zone.

A seething but persevering energy flows intensely CACTI.

Prize never overstays its welcome, doesn't stretch on and on, and feels like it should be listened to all in one go. It doesn't demand so much attention that the listener can't use it as a backdrop to doing something else, though it would be a disservice to allow the record's sneakily dense arrangements to melt into the ether.

From the empathetic lyrics to the innovative eclecticism, Margo Price has stitched a musical coat of many colours with Strays. And it's a perfect fit for this troubled age.

Regardless of any minor hiccups, SOS is a spectacular sophomore effort from a star whose ceiling is high as can be. In an era where bloated albums built to inflate streams are increasingly frequent, SZA has delivered a 23-track masterwork on which nearly every song fits, each individual piece made with purpose and feeling.

Stormzy finds balance on This Is What I Mean and delivers a record with clear intentions and messaging. While it's unlikely to please the entirety of his audience, those who find this record in the pits of depression, lost spirituality, heartbreak or falling in and out of love will undoubtedly be moved.

The band's 10th album, is basically standup comedy that transcends parody by being so utterly silly that it's almost charming.

On paper, World Record is a middle-of-the-pack Neil Young & Crazy Horse album, but it's filled with so much personality and passion that it begs to be remembered as one of his most soul-bearing.

While the French artist has introduced a new persona and perspective on Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue), his ability to produce truly unique moments of pop power remains.

While Her Loss houses no immediate street bangers or Billboard hits, it's the sum of it all that makes it Drake's best record this decade. From the comical fake promos during its rollout to the memorable one-liners and aggressive diss verses or the TikTok memes it will generate for months to come, Her Loss has a lot of meat on its bones.

Much like 2017's Ti Amo, Alpha Zulu has a romantic warmth that transcends lyrics, which evade interpretation, often melting into the melody but occasionally snagging the ear with a beautiful turn of phrase.

Changes isn't the most complex album King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have ever made, but it's been gestating in the backs of the member's minds for years, and feels oddly representative of everything they do well. Whether you're a true Gizz-head or just dipping your toes into their psychedelic swamp for the first time, it's worth a listen.

Waiting Game is a smooth and smart shift for an outfit that was doing just fine prior but could stand to switch it up. Whether soft reset or brief respite, it's definitely Junior Boys' most tasteful and interesting album.

Midnights is a slow-burning journey through the labyrinth of Swift's history, groping around in the dim light for the way forward. Sometimes, in the hush of nightfall, catharsis comes quietly.

The Car is a beautiful calling card for this opulent new version of Arctic Monkeys, even if it lacks the immediacy the band built its reputation on.

The band have lost none of the piss and vinegar that's marked every stylistic diversion that came before. They're just taking those component parts to build one barnstorming monster of a record.

Where the drums of Joli Mai were, more often than not, ready to roll one over at any given point, Cherry blossoms as a listen worth savouring as Daphni's melodious detail leads the dance.

The whole fun of a new RHCP album is hearing the ways they grapple with their legacy and push the boundaries of their sound. In that sense, Dream Canteen offers just the right amount of old and new.

The talents of Crutchfield and Williamson cannot be underplayed, nor their deft ability to convey and intuit emotion.

Wild Pink's song structures, instrumentation, arrangements and sound design are their most inspired yet, and Ross's steady, calming presence is almost like a spiritual guide. Altogether, ILYSM is reliably enjoyable but just shy of transcendent.

Its Alvvays least penetrable, most challenging album yet — but one that still preserves the band's best qualities, sounding chaotic and painstaking at the same time.

WILLOW's pointed vision and eagerness to push the envelope allowed her and Greatti to construct songs that consistently take unexpected turns yet culminate in her most cohesive project to date.