FLOOD

The release offers a sense of exhilaration, but focuses on Jimi playing rather than Jimi composing, which will frustrate some and delight others.

With twenty-five years of hindsight, Digable Planets’ “Reachin’” manages to feel increasingly optimistic, perhaps an unintended consequence of darkening times.

Pearl Charles has a deft ability to compose radio-friendly fodder, but her soft-handed approach is so pervasive that it (ironically) renders her elusive.

The Shins’ fifth record exists in a weird, pleasing limbo between Ariel Pink and The Magnetic Fields.

Perhaps it doesn’t rate as a classic, but in “Peace Trail” ol’ Neil has put forward an honest and open series of stories on the state of the day that, instead of inciting rage, offer a gentle listen encouraging self-reflection.

The first new Descdendents album in twelve years might be the SoCal punks’s most consistent to date.

“The Complete Matrix Tapes” tries to take you as close to one of those shows as you can possibly be; it’s up to you to decide how long you want to stay.

Each song has that inimitable middle-pace stroll through descending chords, altered harmonies, and catchy-as-hell melodies.

This is an album of gems, and really, Beach Slang only need to move a little out of their own comfort zone (as abrasive and blissful as it is) to step into the realm of punk rock heroism.

If you took everything that mid-2000s indie rock left behind and put it together in one disjointed package, you’d end up with this album.

It’s always exciting to have anything new with Pavement’s name on it.

Neil Young is at the head of his congregation once again.

For six years, Crocodiles have been regularly pumping out lo-fi psych-pop records to critical and fan acclaim.

This is a very strange album, but that’s to be expected when you look at “Runddans”’ key players.

This is tosh. Well-produced tosh, but tosh nonetheless.

Psychedelic noise-monger Luis Vasquez has an ability to write songs that are hard to listen to, yet somehow beguiling.

The Cribs are the boys with the perennially broken hearts, but we love to hear them ache every time.

The LP cruises serenely, leaving one feeling as if they were floating over a glistening lake with fingers softly pressed into the water.

Whether or not it was the intention, John Carpenter’s “Lost Themes” is petrifying.

“A Lesson Unlearnt” attempts to be sleek and seductive, but as a whole, this is a background album when it could have been front-and-center.