It invites the listener on an atmospheric adventure into an alternate history, in which the hopes and dreams of modern industry remain intact within the tape decks of sleek automobiles racing down crowded highways by night. Here, the heart of a crystal city remains aglow with the possibilities of eternal youth still alive and well inside the vaults of Nippon Columbia.

While there is not much on Fever Dreams Pt. 1 that is daring or new in terms of musical explorations, if you cast aside expectations and judge the music on its own merits, you’ll find a lot to like.

“Buried in the Sun” is another track built on a gorgeous rhythm section groove, whilst “Still Life” has a chorus redolent with beautiful, dissonant power, but to pick highlights from a record of this majesty is to diminish the power of the whole.

Cooper’s Modern Nature hits its career to date peak on the masterful Island of Noise.

Spanning key years for Mitchell as a recording artist, Archives Vol. 2 richly fleshes out the period, providing a worthy companion to her early albums and a fascinating window into her development as an artist.

On the evidence of her hugely impressive output, so far Humberstone is undoubtedly a star in the making.

The differing self-states explored across the KICK anthology are manifested in the overall sonic palettes of each record, whether it be the bombastic reggaeton of KICK ii or the orchestral minimalism of kiCK iiiii, which sees Arca at her most subtle and understated. ... They all work together to support the vision of Arca, whose voice cracks, malfunctions, and explores the flux of its existence in tandem with the music.

The differing self-states explored across the KICK anthology are manifested in the overall sonic palettes of each record, whether it be the bombastic reggaeton of KICK ii or the orchestral minimalism of kiCK iiiii, which sees Arca at her most subtle and understated. ... They all work together to support the vision of Arca, whose voice cracks, malfunctions, and explores the flux of its existence in tandem with the music.

The differing self-states explored across the KICK anthology are manifested in the overall sonic palettes of each record, whether it be the bombastic reggaeton of KICK ii or the orchestral minimalism of kiCK iiiii, which sees Arca at her most subtle and understated. ... They all work together to support the vision of Arca, whose voice cracks, malfunctions, and explores the flux of its existence in tandem with the music.

The differing self-states explored across the KICK anthology are manifested in the overall sonic palettes of each record, whether it be the bombastic reggaeton of KICK ii or the orchestral minimalism of kiCK iiiii. ... They all work together to support the vision of Arca, whose voice cracks, malfunctions, and explores the flux of its existence in tandem with the music.

Truth is that this is now the definitive version of Red. It may also ensure that the good old boys who casually sold her music, seemingly out of a mixture of greed and spite, won’t get one red cent from Red, and it proves you can take a masterpiece and make it sound even better.

While it may not take over the world, it is a perfect record for this moment in time as an expression of collective weariness in the midst of an almost two-year and counting pandemic worldwide, the spectre of Brexit in the UK, and amidst the struggles of the civil rights movement in the U.S. to stop police brutality and mass incarceration.

A genuinely enchanting release, At My Piano finds the musical giant comfortably at rest, while still dreaming as vividly as he always has.

American Dream, an eight-disc vinyl set, spans Nyro’s output from her 1967 debut album, More Than a New Discovery, through 1978’s Nested, along with an LP of rarities and live recordings and a booklet that provides a solid overview.

In Virus Times isn’t going to be anyone’s release of the year, but it’s unfair to judge it by that criterion. The recording is a time capsule, cathartic for its creator and a candid audio tour through the living room of one of alternative music’s best ever guitarists. He just doesn’t sound like it here.

Yes, there’s only so much you can do with an instrumental post-rock formula, but MONO wring every last inch and drop of potential from their formula and they do it with guts and to great effect.

It’s not always easy to listen to, but if you have an appetite to be challenged, and choose to join Rundle on this journey of trauma, grief, and transformation, you will find it an incredibly moving and rather beautiful experience.

The burning energy of A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle is refreshing, its release a major moment in jazz music. ... Jazz fans may rejoice, as this much-needed revelation is everything we’d hoped it would be.

With each rotation of the record, Albarn’s artistry allows for discovering new puzzle pieces in a masterfully crafted way.

CRAWLER is the sound of a band intently looking forwards, even if that means revisiting their demons from the past.

She reunites the fragments of herself into a work that is bold and propitious. For perhaps the first time in a long time, she is complete, and Public Storage is just the beginning.

A few songs drag a little, but even those have interesting flourishes.

Once again, Hopkins invites us to experience the meeting of heaven and earth and be transformed.

Talk Memory is their most compositionally refined album yet, an ode to their maturity as songwriters and their abilities as conceptualists; a form of anti-bombast; a subtle listen that soothes just as often as it surprises; that not only wears its influences on its sleeves but invites them to the recording studio. Don’t miss it.

It’s an album that provides a deft mix of happy/sad songs that run the full gamut of emotions from euphoria to anger to the more reflective and wistful numbers.

This project not only shows the latest iteration of a highly skilled lyricist, but the journey it took to get there.

While not necessarily “solid” and occasionally clumsy. ... Enjoy Optimist for what it is—an honest and insightful bit of commentary from a seemingly centered, obviously talented young artist.

Actually, You Can is a testament to the human spirit and the seemingly endless creativity of four people. It’s also a welcome addition to rock’s most diverse catalogue.

It’s an album that demonstrates that following your artistic instincts rather than what’s “on trend” can lead to work that is much more rewarding, powerful, and enduring.

Long-awaited, Kid A Mnesia is a testament of Radiohead’s phenomenal abilities, and stands as one of this year’s most exciting reissues. Fans of the group may rejoice, while newcomers will receive the full experience of two of the 21st century’s major creative achievements.

While the days of Born to Die have long since passed, Lana Del Rey is still seeking paradise, closer now than ever as she turns her search inward, seemingly recognizing that paradise is ultimately found within the best of oneself. Still, if there is indeed a physical Arcadia to be revealed, it has not emerged in its entirety on Blue Banisters. That said, its intoxicating hints are enough to keep seekers thirsty.

No Snail Mail fans are going to be shocked or shaken by Valentine’s 10 tracks, but they’ll definitely be delighted at their continued elegance.

Reissued for its 25th anniversary by Craft Recordings, R.E.M.’s subtle ’90s masterwork has made a triumphant return, with something to offer listeners both old and new.

In its best moments, all of which come, ironically enough, on the solo tracks of the record rather than the collaborations, this questioning and double guessing of himself really comes through.

I Don’t Live Here Anymore is truly successful as an arena-ish rock record. It’s perhaps their most accessible record, yet never sacrifices the core elements that have made The War on Drugs one of the greatest rock groups of the last decade.

With their most refined work yet, Martin and Taylor cement themselves as acoustic indie pop mainstays, a more playful alternative to Big Thief.

It’s a concept album that fundamentally refuses to engage with its own premise. Instead, the band doubles down on lyrical clichés about love and arena-friendly electropop. ... Frontman Chris Martin was never known as a brilliant songwriter, but his lyrics were never this vapid either.

Do they succeed at evolving their sound? The vote is yes. Does it outdo Wide Awake!? The vote is no, but that hardly matters. They’re such different albums that it’s easy to see those more attuned to electronic music digging this far more than rock guys. These guys are such creative songwriters that almost anything they put out is a pleasure to listen to.

Wayfinder is Taylor Vick at her best: direct, magically ephemeral, and as fragile as a piece of tangible media can be. In order to maintain a strong sense of intrigue, Vick will have to move forward in terms of musical depth and scope. But, for now, a simple follow-up to Free Company is more than welcome.

Like a menagerie of the rickety carnival rides of old, it’s easy to get swept up in the array of what Fun House has on display. That the album also contains a gut wrenching inventory of Duffy working through their past without hammering you over the head with it, is Fun House’s best sleight of hand.

What’s striking beyond the excellent song choices is Isbell’s choice to sit in the background for much of the record, singing lead vocal on only six of the album’s 13 songs. Elsewhere, Amanda Shires brings a mystery, intrigue, and an eerie fiddle hook to Cat Power’s “Cross Bones Style.”

All in all, I’ll Be Your Mirror can be skipped by even the most devoted fans. It may be worth returning to The Velvet Underground’s legendary discography instead, especially for uninitiated listeners.

One of the finest jazz releases in a long while, Love for Sale is a must for fans of the genre, as well as its two incomparable performers. One only regrets that the duo had not received an opportunity to tackle Hoagy Carmichael in the same manner.

Overall, if Costello’s aim here was to not only draw renewed attention to a much-loved album in his catalog, but to also draw attention to singers in the vast Spanish-speaking world, he has succeeded on both fronts.

Cameos from the poet Kara Jackson (“Straight & Narrow”) and Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard (“Plates”) help round out an album that, on the surface, is a pleasant and hypnotic indie pop collection—but examined just a little bit more deeply is a concerted effort by a talented and thoughtful artist who is trying to find the deeper meaning to what their art (and life) is all about.

Bombastic, bold, and vulnerable. It’s easily her most ambitious effort to date: 19 tracks over the course of an hour and yet somehow, it feels as though nothing is wasted.

It’s an album that mixes fun with warmth, tenderness and regret, and certainly demonstrates Tudzin’s growth as a songwriter, producer. and multi-instrumental auteur.

Goldilocks x proves that Genesis still has the presence to command a beat with her atmospheric, sultry voice and natural swagger, but the mediocre writing and production keeps her from bringing a cohesive, compelling body of work to fruition.

Album closer “Found Cricket” is another instrumental track that, apart from the addition of some distant guitar playing, occupies the same territory as the album’s opener. Yet credit is nonetheless due for a musician who, with a 30-year-plus career, refuses to coast with any single sound on his records. It’s clear The Sound of Yourself was a challenge McCaughan took seriously.

She delivers more than enough sunny guitar pop earworms to satisfy those who are looking for her well-honed ear for hooks, all while breaking into some new territory. Green has always been content to follow her own path, and she once again does so in style on Cool.

No Taste is a ferociously uncompromising debut album that certainly doesn’t pull any punches and is all the better for it.

Ultimately, one hand’s intimate song cycle provides for one of the most off center, but utterly compelling listens of the year. That you can read through the lyric sheet without listening along and still come away with a strong sense of Levy’s talents as a writer is an added bonus.

As art begets art, A Beginner’s Mind is both truly inspirational and a testament to what can come out of work-shopping with A-list performers.

The album ends up feeling more like a patchwork of ideas than anything, resembling a puzzle with all of its pieces scattered. In a way, it’s the album’s greatest strength and its biggest downfall. Parker and Ritchie let us in to inspect their psychological state across 11 tracks, providing a sonic amalgam of their lives in these uncertain times, but the real question is whether or not the end result gives us enough room to truly explore.

Like any good work of indie folk, González’s voice and guitar blend together as one, creating a uniquely placid experience. It’s sleepy, acoustically sound, and definitely worthy of its place in González’s already impressive catalogue.

Overall, the frothy melodies, spiraling guitar riffs, and catchy refrains of this newfound aesthetic suits the band well and make Enjoy the View one of the year’s more stimulating aural experiences.

So, whilst it may not boast songs that stick with you for months in the way that Eilish’s first does, Happier Than Ever feels like a project that will age more gracefully and, in years to come, it may even come to eclipse that which came before it.

Definitive in its execution and unrivaled by any of the group’s contemporaries, it’s a masterful exercise in experimentation and one that reveals something new with every subsequent listen.

Although the album marks itself by themes of love and growth, it does seem torn between committing to a softer side or being rambunctious. However, there can be a perfect duality when portraying that if done right, which Amyl and the Sniffers are getting closer to with each progressing release.

On HEY WHAT, Sparhawk and Parker, working again with producer BJ Burton, hone the sonic language they explored on Double Negative into a terrible swift sword that cuts like the Minnesota winter wind against the spectres that threaten their home.

While not necessarily new territory for the band, Texis offers much worth loving, and is not so much a step back, as it is, perhaps, an awkward stumble to one side. Clearly the duo have not yet abandoned the great hills from which they have been mining musical gold for over a decade.

While the record undoubtedly could be a comfort and companion for fans, most of all it was made for Diaz herself. Fortunately, Diaz’s chronicle of healing also makes for her most powerful record, a potent work of cherished folk beauty and open-hearted songwriting.

The balance of star-crossed is full of cringe-worthy lyrics and failed efforts to move further into pop (“good wife”) and dance (“what doesn’t kill me,” “breadwinner”) realms. Produced by the same team as Golden Hour (Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk), it’s hard to assess how that album’s gossamer sheen, that enchantingly revealed subtle hooks and melodies, gave way to almost nothing that stands out.

While not groundbreaking, Into the Blue is innovative in approach and original in delivery and listeners will certainly find some edgy and cool post-punk to latch on to.

Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon’s pet project has become the musical equivalent of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. And unfortunately, barring a few standouts, most of the guests add little spice to the proceedings, assuming they are even detectable at all.

All these connections Lorde is trying to make: her strange pastiche imagination of the ’70s, that random spoken word interlude by Robyn about climate change, and the themes of “sun healing,” never fully reach each other. Often, they come off as disingenuous and out of touch more than they read as brilliant, or comical. Whether the album is one big prank, or just one majorly failed experiment, the gist of having the “privilege to ignore” is lost in translation. All you are left with is just a handful of pretty alright songs.

De Souza charges through Any Shape with an intensity that grabs you by the throat, squeezing out every drop of your humanity.

Overall, Turnstile’s GLOW ON is solid proof that the band’s commitment to being consciously aware of how every song’s detail works out in their favor.

Whereas the original release added strings and synthesizer, this reissue takes off that accompaniment, leaving a spare, gorgeous, spiritual, and otherworldly feel perfect for deep, meditative listening or just relaxing.

This stirring portrait of small town existence in its twilight serves as a necessary metaphor, applicable to many of the major issues currently facing the nation. It is most certainly The Killers’ finest album since Battle Born, and successfully proves The Killers as visionary musicians who shall surely help to define “classic rock” for many generations to come.

Olsen makes the EP feel both familiar and brand new. The singer is keenly aware that the best cover versions are those where the artists put a distinctive spin on the song, rather than producing a straight facsimile of the original. Angel Olsen confidently accomplishes that with this thoroughly enjoyable EP.

This album is a riposte to the doubters as Deafheaven morphs once again, into quite possibly the best version of itself.

While Anika was gritty and prioritized each song having an individual identity, Change leans heavily into cohesion and repetition. There is the potential of overlap for listeners who like both, but it isn’t for everyone.

Whilst the album may lack the urgent politically infused rush of Brickbat, it’s a certainly a more considered affair and one that’s comfortable in its own skin. It’s a beautifully textured body of work that merges atonal guitars, spacey synth flourishes, and sophisticated bass lines with layered vocals and is clearly an album informed by the clarity of experience.

Foxing continues to outdo itself, and Draw Down the Moon is both its most focused and accomplished album yet.

Their latest is a decent entry into their quintessentially Canadian discography that casual listeners will tolerate and fans will like.

What this all amounts to is that All Things Must Pass, the expanded 50th anniversary reissue, is nothing less than essential. It takes one of the greatest works in popular music history (forgive me if you think this is hyperbole but let’s at least admit that if so, it’s only slight), and expounds upon its genius by exposing its creation.

Fans of ’70s soul will find a treasure chest in Get on Board the Soul Train (the first in a reissue series), but don’t sit on the opportunity: it’s limited to 2500 copies.

The record’s second half is a different sort of foggy, due to a baffling bit of sequencing where the miniature songs “Beagle in the Cloud” and “Adorable” alternate with the instrumental interludes “Darmok” and “Bull of Heaven.” Taken all together, the passage drags, and it’s hard not to think these songs would be better served as buffers between some of the longer tracks on the album. However, the pirouetting arpeggios that introduce “Obsidian Lizard” immediately correct course.

It is the most hungry and explosive Scott has ever sounded, blowing her style into a magical fantasia of instrumental bombast and delirious joy.

While lacking the consistency and pure inspiration of Strange Desire, easily among the finest albums of its decade, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night exceeds the value of its predecessor Gone Now.

Stand For Myself hangs together more cohesively than Walk Through Fire, feeling more urgent and existing upon a grander scale than its predecessor.

Even though Animal has some second-half fits and starts, the album’s opening salvo and last half highlights place the album squarely in the running for year-end best of lists.

Banned’s air of experimentation mixed with the artists’ ardent eccentricities fails to materialize into much worth noting.

All in all, this is an absolute treat for old fans or those who just love this style.

Jackson Browne is one of the boldest talents in American music, his first four albums standing as understated classics. Downhill from Everywhere, however, fails to recreate that magic, although the first three tracks come close. Browne is an intelligent artist with valid thoughts and concerns to address, but Downhill from Everywhere does not serve as a strong vehicle for such statements.

On first listen, Gold-Diggers Sound may pass you by like Bridges’ lane changing motorbike and could even be mistaken for being on the slighter side. But it’s the “quiet storm” power of keeping things hovering just above neutral that gives the album its after hours glow and silky appeal.

Throughout the record, Cottrill yearns for a home, a place of final peace and belonging. As Sling unfurls each new intimate detail, the album freely offers that same welcoming refuge to any who desire it, inviting each listener into the world of Clairo’s quiet reprieve.

Hologram ticks all the right boxes and then some, once again proving that A Place to Bury Strangers are way ahead of the field when it comes to creating experimental noise rock.

It just may not be an album for beginners, or for those not patient enough to enjoy its subtle rewards.

Though their “of the forest” mythology and semi-anonymous countenances may be growing as thin as a birch bark canoe, the group’s dance floor rhythms and ever-escalating sense of urgency keep things ably afloat on Forest of Your Problems.

It comes as a comfort that life-long friends are still making music together and Treasure of Love finds them in fine fettle.

After 30 years in the game, No Gods No Masters demonstrates Garbage still have plenty to say. And they do so with style, swagger, and verve.

A wonderfully danceable and euphoric piece of electro-pop that is destined to soundtrack many people’s summers.

Williams’ music once again excels in the small details. Texture and atmosphere rule her world more than earworm hooks. Outside of the moments of gnarled solos and the occasional scuzzy distortion, Williams invites your attention more than demands it. But when that attention is given, new depths to her songwriting reveal themselves.

The pairing is as gripping as it is vulnerable, bringing these characters to life in a way that feels real and authentic. Even if this is ultimately the only collaboration these two will share, their survey of familial pain and heartbreak is powerfully affecting and thoroughly human.

This is an album made by adults still concerned greatly with not just the plight of the world at large but also their own internal lives.

Sabotage is one of the more unique and interesting albums in the Black Sabbath catalog. ... The live show is interesting in its comprehensiveness and fleshes out the Sabotage experience. And while frontman Ozzy Osbourne is not always in top vocal form, there are standouts that are worth their weight in gold.