Top Of The Pops

On his second full-length for Barsuk, Yellow Ostrich’s Alex Schaaf has the whole band at his disposal and uses it to bare his teeth.

Mark Lanegan teams up with Alain Johannes once more to create a rock album that’s as soulful as any released in the past little while.

Ambient soundscaper Jacaszek strikes an ominous yet wondrous chord on his latest full-length, moody and mellifluous all at once.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is a wonderful record confirming that one of Britain’s finest songwriters still has plenty to offer.

The Soft Moon’s latest EP is a grim and fascinating 14-minute affair bearing shades of both post-punk’s heights and industrial’s gloom.

Primus returns from a 12-year absence without missing a beat, crafting a thoroughly fun and occasionally stirring collection of tunes.

Christopher Owens and JR White eclipse their debut effort with a follow-up that brings new life to comatose styles.

Singular guitarist Loren Mazzacane Connors is at it again with a reverberant new full-length that examines how small we are.

In their current state, there are few bands around as exciting or simply as good as The Horrors. Skying is easily one of the years best.

Alan Palomo may still reside within the chillwave rubric, but he continues to tread it in his own distinct Neon Indian fashion.

Robert Pollard and his Spaceships return with a biting, enchanting critique reminding us of why we loved rock ‘n’ roll to begin with.

Garage-rock vets Thee Oh Sees journey through some strange, trippy, ceaselessly fun cartoon on their best album to date.

Americana singer-songwriter William Elliott Whitmore returns with that grizzled voice, pairing it with his strongest songs to date.

Saharan guitar-led outfit Group Doueh plugs back in on Zayna Jumma for its finest outing since its 2007 compilation debut.

It’s personal, political, and at times even quite lovely — a struggle through ups and downs where life provides a reason to hold on.