Though much of Caer is mopey and monochromatic, it suggests new possibilities for Twin Shadow.
Cardi B’s skills on the mic are matched by the deftness with which she leverages her own celebrity.
The album feels deeply connected to the past but also fully engaged with the present.
With Things Have Changed, Bettye LaVette reaches deep into one of pop music’s richest songbooks.
The bulk of August Greene primarily operates in a pensive, minor-key mode.
Meshell Ndegeocello’s Ventriloquism turns commonly held conceptions of canon on their head.
The music on Brighter Wounds is richly detailed and sonically varied, yet its emotions feel strangely stagnant.
By the Way, I Forgive You frames Carlile’s gnarled roots-rock and folksy storytelling in grand orchestral arrangements.
On their supposed swan song, Wild Beasts prove their knack for despondence as well as tongue-in-cheek hubris.
It’s evident that the Steep Canyon Rangers have little desire to go about proving their bluegrass bona fides.
Glen Hansard’s Between Two Shores explores themes pertaining to the personal and the political.
East’s sensual approach invests his performances with a strong sense of emotional connection.
While singer Jim James’s sequel to his 2009 EP Tribute To feels lonely and reflective, it’s not a downer.
The album is a rote and low-energy jaunt by Van Morrison through the Great American Songbook.
Like its predecessor, From A Room: Volume 2 is marked by casual virtuosity.
Bob Seger’s faith in democracy may wane, but when it comes to rock ‘n’ roll, he remains a true believer.
In typical Morrissey fashion, he apologizes for nothing here, and if anything he doubles down on his stodginess.
The album feels more like a fine-tuning than a bold new adventure for the singer-songwriter.
The album is most effective when Cuomo fades into the dusky, melancholy ambiance.
Beautiful Trauma’s neat construction renders the album less than the sum of its parts.