Joseph: I really do not understand the success of The Weeknd. The "breakup" EP from the Ethiopian-Canadian singer/songwriter, My Dear Melancholy, is just kind of.....there. And yet it's already garnered over 100 million plays on Spotify and is expected to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 after its surprise release. (Which I do prefer over the "let's drop 8 singles before the album is released" strategy) None of these songs sound even remotely interesting to me. They're just....fine. Even if you've never heard this style before at any point in your life, I don't understand how you'd do anything more than shrug and move on. It's bland, uninteresting, and dull. But it's fine, and it's a safe and successful formula that will make The Weeknd millions while being nothing more than the "sugar wafers" junk food of the music industry.

Top Track: Call Out My Name

3.5/10

Joseph: It's been almost 2 years since she dropped her first single, but Bishop Briggs is finally here with her first solo LP. I'm a far bigger fan of the British-born singer-songwriter than Derek is, but even I look at this album and can only say, "Finally!" It's propped up by a collection of all her singles over the past two years put on to one LP, so don't expect any coherency between them. However, if you're a fan of Briggs for the soul behind her voice like I am, there's a lot to like in the individual tracks. The closing track, "Hi-Lo," is (accidentally) the perfect summary of her music: dreadful lyrics, no coherency, and yet wildly enjoyable thanks to her unique and mesmerizing voice. And the breakdowns are superficially fun too. 

Top Tracks: White Flag, Hallowed Ground, Hi-Lo

5/10

Derek: Building on the success of their debut self-titled EP, the Australian indie rockers return with Lost Friends. The album, which includes a few highlights from the EP, shows off the full scope of their hook-driven songwriting chops, especially on the first half. "Edge of Town" was the soaring highlight of the EP, but in the context of the album, the real stars are "Mistake" and "On My Knees". The ballad laden second half can feel a little too long for what it's worth, but this album is worth checking out for the three aforementioned songs alone, and Hannah Joy is a star in the making.

Top Tracks: Mistake, Edge of Town, On My Knees

​6.5/10

Derek: The legendary songwriter's first album of new material since 2005 finds him contemplating life, love, family, and what's ahead. Now into his seventies and well versed with the health issues that come along with age, the ten tracks on the album are filled with the uncertainty of time and memories. Yes, the album's subject matter is somber at its core, but the way Prine channels it through his distinct songwriting talents don't make them sound any more dreary than normal. In fact, many of the tracks celebrate a life well lived. The closing track, "When I Get to Heaven" is a fitting tribute (and even briefly features a kazoo) to what lies ahead in heaven (family, cigarettes, and drinks). For our sake, let's hope it's not too soon.

Top Tracks: Knockin' on Your Screen Door, Summer's End, Lonesome Friends of Science, When I Get to Heaven

7.5/10

Derek: For an artist so identified as a leading member of the alt-garage pysch scene, this is a sizable departure. Better production, poppy synths, and inspired hooks are all over this record. Yes, the grooves are all still there, as seen on "Raindrop Blue", one of my favorites songs of the year so far. But for those wanting another riff-pysch rock album, there's none of that here. Instead, a more nuanced King Tuff can be heard, and really takes the stage by storm. 

​Top Tracks: Raindrop Blue, Infinite Mile, Circuits in the Sand

7/10

Derek: If you like driving synth/dream pop with danceable beats, you'll like Wye Oak. The Baltimore based duo is back with their sixth full length LP, and it continues the trend of less guitars, more synths, and better production. Add Jenn Wasner's inspired vocals to the mix and the result approaches magical levels. This album exudes a light, airy vibe that goes perfect with a summer cruise, windows down, surrounded by good company. Last I checked, summer's almost arrived. Buckle up.

Top Tracks: The Instrument, It Was Not Natural

7/10

Joseph: Janelle Monáe is back with her third studio LP, and it may be her strongest album to date. While Dirty Computer is hit-or-miss at some points, when it hits, Janelle Monáe delivers some of the best beats of the year so far, highlighted by my current favorite track of 2018, "Make Me Feel." Sadly, though, the misses are pretty epic in scope, with a track like "I Got the Juice" (which features Pharrell, of all people) leading the way here. However, I'm very willing to give Monáe a pass with these as a lot of care was put into the overall album listening experience, so it's understandable that she couldn't simply remove the weaker tracks. If all modern pop sounded like this, though, the world would be a better place.

Top Tracks: Make Me Feel, Pynk, Take A Byte

7.5/10

Joseph: Who woke up today and thought the world would be better off with a Sia Christmas record? Definitely not me, but now that it's here.....I actually kind of dig it. This album is a BREATH of fresh air in a genre that sees painfully little worthwhile material year after year, so thank you Sia! While there's still a lot of dead air in the middle of this LP, and at points Sia made little effort to have some of her hooks not sound like something ripped off of Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas, there are still a few great singles here that will hopefully get picked up in the yearly Christmas marathons you hear on soft rock stations. Look for me to play this LP around the holidays as well, because for a genre that sounds the exact same every year, Sia's addition to it was desperately needed.

6/10

Top Tracks: Santa's Coming for Us, Candy Cane Lane, Underneath the Christmas Lights

Derek: If there was any doubt as to who would win the battle of the Gallagher brother 2017 releases, Noel puts it to rest on this surprisingly great album. Whereas Liam stuck to his usual game that been aging for the last two decades, Noel continues to show release after release who the true songwriter was in Oasis. (Hint: It wasn't Liam). From the overcharged, euphoric opener "Fort Knox", which features an alarm ringing to the horns on "Holy Mountain" this album is full of perfect sonic accents that provide the cherry on top of the driving hooks. And we're talking some great hooks. This album is a blast. For all the silly things the Gallaghers do (see Scissor Lady), at least Noel backs it up with solid releases.

Top Tracks: Holy Mountain, It's a Beautiful World

7.5/10

Derek: On the "B-sides" release from the Do Hollywood sessions, the D'Addario brothers once again jump between all of their 60's influences. While their closest modern comparison is probably Foxygen, that's doing them a bit of a disservice. While their sound is much less chaotic than Foxygen's, that doesn't necessarily mean it's focused. There's no denying that these kids have an immense amount of talent, but they still need to refine their gifts. That being said, these are B-sides for a reason. In the meantime, go back and listen to one of my favorite songs from last year: These Words. Also, is it just me or does Michael play drums like Keith Moon?

Top Tracks: Why Didn't You Say That?, Night Song

5.5/10

Derek: Another month, another KGATLW release. At least that's what it's seemed like this year. In reality, this is only their 5th(!) release of the last 12 months. While a good percentage of these have been solid releases, the band has not been immune from the occasional dud. Luckily for Gizz fans, this is another good entry into the ambitious and ever-growing catalog of the band. Ever better, the band is releasing this album for free. No, really, go download it now. "Crumbling Castle" is the easy highlight of the album, a throwback (if we can call it that) to Nonagon Infinity. "The Castle In The Air" sees the return of the narrator from Murder of the Universe, but thankfully that's her only appearance here. Compositionally, nothing really new here. As I hinted at before, it sounds like the band is learning how to take bits and pieces from their previous albums and, in doing so, doesn't beat them to death over the course of the album. It's a nice evolution, and one that I'm looking forward to hearing more of in future releases. Maybe next month?

Top Tracks: Crumbling Castle, Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet

​6/10

Derek: If you're familiar with Baker's debut, Broken Ankle, you'll know that Baker thrives by creating a stripped back melancholy that few songwriters in music have been able to achieve in a unique way in the last decade. Her sophomore release finds more of the same, but better refined. It's minimalist, yet features ambient picked guitars and slow builds to thrilling, emotional peaks. One of the best examples is on the album's title track, where Baker screams the final chorus into the existential void that she finds herself in for the majority of the 11 tracks. This album is a triumph of willful desperation, and Baker's gift of sharing her pain and doubt through such beautifully melodic songs makes her easily one of my current favorite singer songwriters. 

Top Tracks: Appointments, Turn Out The Lights, 

9/10

Joseph: After loving Mutemath at Bunbury this year, I was excited to hear what Mutemath had to offer next. I wasn't disappointed. Play Dead may be the strongest LP in the band's stellar discography, and features some of my favorite music of the year so far. While the album does slow down a bit in the second half with some weak tracks, as a whole, the album is outstanding. It's just as groovy to listen to in studio as it is live, and thanks to Play Dead Mutemath has slingshoted themselves to one of my favorite bands. Well done, guys.

Top Tracks: Hit Parade, Pixie Oaks, Stroll On, War ​

8/10

Joseph: Fresh off seeing FF at the Metro, a show which will almost certainly be our top set of the year,  I was eagerly anticipating the band's 9th studio album. Dave Grohl and co. didn't disappoint mostly, dropping another solid, if admittedly safe, LP for their fans to jam along to. The first half of this album is fantastic, headlined by "Run" and "The Sky is a Neighborhood," but after that there are a lot of tracks that are....filler. Good filler, certainly, but still filler. There are a few gems later on, most notably "Sunday Rain," which is a great song featuring drummer Taylor Hawkins on lead vocals, but that's about it. At the end of the day, Concrete and Gold is a fine addition to FF's solid discography, but it offers little beyond safe and enjoyable singles.

Top Tracks: Run, The Sky Is a Neighborhood, La Dee Da, Sunday Rain

6.5/10

Derek: Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend fame left the band last year and released I Had A Dream That You Were Mine, a collaborative album with Hamilton Leithauser which took much more influence from Leithauser's former band, The Walkmen, than from Rostam. Now, on Half-Light, we see all of the Vampire Weekend influences that were a staple of Rostam's sound for the last decade. If you're a fan of Vampire Weekend, I'm sure you'll find something to appreciate here, but I found my favorite songs on the album to be most similar to Vampire Weekend's sound, so at the end of the day, what's the point?

Top Tracks: Bike Dream

5/10

Derek: There's nothing necessarily groundbreaking on Walk into a Storm that fans of The Lone Bellow haven't heard already on their first two albums, although that's not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. The band still has some of the strongest vocals and harmonies that I've ever heard. In fact, I'd put lead singer Zach Williams in the upper echelon of modern singers. With that high praise, you shouldn't be surprised that I very much enjoyed this album. The songs here are a little more pop-forward than their past work, but that's certainly not a dig. I'm still of the opinion that mandolin player, Kanene Donehey Pipkin should never be lead vocals on any song, but we'll give "Feather" a pass. Besides that, this album is solid from top to bottom. "Can't Be Happy for Long" sounds like it could be a Dawes track, and I'm happy to hear they took some influence from them after touring together last year.

Top Tracks: Deeper in the Water, Time's Always Leaving, Is It Ever Gonna Be Easy

7.5/10

Derek: This has to be one of the most frustrating listens of the year for me. On the one hand, there are some great jams on this album. On the other hand, the album as a whole is so completely unfocused and noncommittal that it gets difficult for me to listen to it front to back. Songs like "Habbie Doobie" soar with some great guitar licks, but after "Bondurant Women", the album takes a hard turn south both quality and stylistically. On "Dream Along", the album goes full country (not a bad thing), but the songwriting takes a big hit. By "Superstition", we're sounding like Dark Side era Pink Floyd. "TX Jelly" is a piddling jam that never really goes anywhere worthwhile to justify the four minute length. The sole highlight on the back half of the album is a great cover of the Johnny Kidd & The Pirates/ The Guess Who song "Shakin' All Over".

Top Tracks: Shakin' All Over, Habbie Doobie, Pain

5/10

Derek: At this point in Jack's career, can we just accept that pretty much everything he puts out is going to sound pretty similar to what he's already done? Nice, breezy acoustic tracks with his signature vocal style. It's another album that's great background music for the pool or the beach, but don't try to give it a focused listen because you'll be bored out of your mind after three songs.

Top Tracks: My Mind Is For Sale, Sunsets For Somebody Else

5/10

Derek: In terms of Iron & Wine material, there shouldn't be anything too surprising here. Personally, I haven't been as big of a fan of Sam Beam's project since he added more band members, but in terms of latter I&W material, this album isn't half bad. It's a pleasant listen, and at this point in his career, I think that's about all he's going for.

Top Tracks: Call It Dreaming

6/10

Derek: I could write a book about the band's last half decade+ - their breakup, live box set, and regrouping for two years of festival hopping - but the most anticipated thing since they got back together was american dream, the reunion album. The first single, "call the police", was classic LCD, a driving growing groove that fills seven minutes of sonic space in a way only they can do. Unfortunately, the remaining nine songs on the album fail to come close to that high, and what we're left with is not an American Dream, but a dream of a coherent, consistent LCD Soundsystem reunion album. Perhaps they've finally lost their edge.

Top Tracks: call the police, tonite, oh baby

5.5/10

Derek: On what's probably their best record since 2007's Boxer, The National continue to be one of the best contemporary indie rock bands in the world. For a band that's expected to produce a certain sound - droning, melodic, complex songs with lead singer Matt Berninger's distinct baritone vocals - Sleep Well Beast is filled with surprisingly great hooks, like on "Day I Die", a guitar solo (!) on "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness", and the most punk rock song the band has released in over a decade, "Turtleneck". These twists nullify the usual one or two dud tracks The National has the tendency to release per album, in this case. But all things considered, Sleep Well Beast will go down as one of the better albums in the band's discography.

Top Tracks: Day I Die, The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness, Turtleneck

8/10

Joseph: Hey, remember when I really liked Nothing But Thieves last year at Lolla? I've been eagerly anticipating their follow-up to their self-titled debut, but what we got.....man. This just might be the most disappointing album of the year for me. A complete trainwreck of an album from a band without any semblance of an identity, Broken Machine sputters from track to track as Conor Mason and co. try and throw as many ideas as possible against the wall and only one track, the album's debut single "I'm Not Made by Design" even remotely sticks. The band is just trying to do too much here, as they refuse to accept the fact that the best thing about them is Conor Mason's incredible vocals. One track, "Live Like Animals," sees Conor pull a Twenty One Pilots and try and rap just like Tyler Joseph. It's terrible. This album should've been completely scrapped, but as is, it worries me tremendously that their debut LP was just a fluke. Please guys....tear it down and start again.

Top Track: I'm Not Made by Design

1.5/10

Derek: This new (old) Neil Young album, recorded in one night during the summer of 1976 but only released this year, is right in the wheelhouse of Young's creative peak and it shows. Unlike his recent work with Promises of the Real, this is strictly Young, singing about Native Americans, nature, inequality, and revolution. And like the rest of his records during that decade, he does it so very well.

Top Tracks: Powderfinger, Captain Kennedy

7/10

Joseph: THIS is how you do a country album. Between Chris Stapleton and now Zac Brown Band, the genre has had a lot to cheer about recently. But WOW is this a damn good album. The album finds a balancing point between bro-country and old-school country in a way only Zac Brown Band could. While there are some lyrically boring songs (songs like the opening track "Roots" are good examples of this) the instrumentation here is just so much fun. And there were some lyrically great tracks, most notably "My Old Man" which actually brought me to the edge of tears. But, as with most of Zac Brown Band's work, the calling card is the instrumentation, and once again the group does not disappoint. This is definitely one of the most fun albums of 2017 so far.

Top Tracks: Real Thing, My Old Man, Trying to Drive

8/10

Derek: If there's an argument to be made that Chance The Rapper is the godfather of the new gospel infused style of hip-hop coming out of Chicago, look no further than Sir The Baptist. Besides the laundry list of great collaborations on this album, Killer Mike and Brandy to name a few, this album has an energy that makes it worth putting a number of tracks on repeat. At sixteen tracks, the album starts to lag towards the end, but for a debut album, Sir The Baptist shows a ton of promise.

Top Tracks: Raise Hell, Deliver Me, Heaven

7.5/10

Joseph: Hey! Remember when Paramore was more punk than pop and introduced many to the world of punk? I do! Well, with After Laughter, their transition to straight pop band is, unfortunately, complete. Many are calling this one of the best pop albums of the year, it's exactly that: a pop album. What made Paramore, well, Paramore, was their punk influences which are all but (finally, if you ask the band) gone with their latest album. While there are some enjoyable pop hooks, and this is clearly Hayley Williams comfort zone and one of her stronger vocal performances to date, I am just too disappointed in this band's transformation to appealing to the lowest common denominator to care. It may appeal to the masses, but I'm not one of them.

Top Track: Hard Times

3/10

Derek: The sophomore self-titled album from Canadian country singer-songwriter Colter Wall does a good job showcasing his beautifully unique voice. After seeing him live this year opening for Margo Price, I was looking forward to hearing the same magic captured on the album, but unfortunately some of the energy was lost in translation. The worst offender of this is on "Kate McCannon", a classic western murder tale that blew me away live but was missing more than a few pieces of the puzzle on the album. There's no doubt that's Colter's voice alone is enough for him to be a star, especially as old school country is seeing a resurgence, but with that talent brings high expectations that I'm not sure are met here. Also, what is the point of "W.B.'s Talkin" interrupting the entire flow of the album? Ugh.

Top Tracks: Kate McCannon, Thirteen Silder Dollars

5.5/10

JOSEPH: The sophomore album from the American synth pop band MisterWives, Connect the Dots is catchy and fun. The album plays to the strengths of lead singer Mandy Lee, complete with easy to understand and sing along to refrains, (even if they are shallow AF) and there are great instrumental hooks along the way as well. While the album definitely places heavy emphasis on singles, as there's basically nothing tying together these tracks, it's still a very fun album to listen to. And this album also makes me want to see them live at a festival somewhere, as there's no doubt this album would be a fun one to see live. I wasn't sure if MisterWives was going to be able to follow the success of songs like "Reflections" and "Our Own House," but this album proves it definitely wasn't a fluke. Welcome to the big stage, MisterWives.

Top Tracks: Oh Love, Coloring Outside the Lines, Machine

7/10

Derek: At this point Jamiroquai's funky beats are nothing new, and despite their greatest attempts, disco is still not coming back. Yes, these songs are all about dancing and grooving and partying, but the problem with the neo-disco movement in general is that all of these sounds were already beaten to death by the original disco movement. Nothing new added here, from glitchy computer sounds to autotuned spacey vocals, bring anything of value to the overall sound of the project. If you want a great, grooving bassline, isolate the bass in the mix. There's really nothing else that's worth listening to at length.

Top Tracks: Cloud 9

3/10

Derek: The progressive sludge metal icons are back with another attempt at making their unique brand of metal more approachable. After their first foray The Hunter was met unfavorably (although I enjoyed it for the most part), their return to roots Once More 'Round The Sun was met with better reviews. Emperor of Sand finds the band trying to find some middle ground between the two, with varying degrees of success. Cohesive, but also a bit monotonous. If Mastodon is going to continue to push the envelope, they need to figure out what exactly they want to do. The back and forth might start getting old.

Top Tracks: Word to the Wise, Show Yourself

6.5/10

Joseph: I am not as high on this album as Derek is. I simply could not get past the monotony of this album, and as the album progressed every song started sounding the exact same. You don't want that on any album, but on a metal album? That's about the worst criticism you can have in a genre that's all about complexity. Tear it down and start again. Please.

3/10

Top Track: Roots Remain

Derek: The ironic king of indie folk returns with his most bizarre, hilarious, and depressing album to date. There's no end to what Tillman has to say about life, society, and pop culture. The problem is, he sometimes has too much to say. I want to hear him channel his societal angst without rambling on for so long. When he does ("Leaving LA" in particular), it can get extremely boring and monotonous. When he keeps it shorter and sweet, the results are great. The instrumentation on this album explodes with rich sounds and Tillman's vocals are as great as ever, but it's pretty mellow overall, filled top to bottom with acoustic ballads. I'd love to hear more upbeat songs like "Total Entertainment Forever," but I'm satisfied with what we received here.

Top Tracks: Pure Comedy, Ballad of the Dying Man, Total Entertainment Forever

8/10

Derek: I was about ready to give up hope on San Fermin. Their last album, Jackrabbit did nothing for me musically and Allan Tate's vocals were as dull as ever, a B movie version of The National's Matt Berninger. The real magic for me has always been when they featured their female vocalist, Charlene Kaye. She mixes so much better with the compositional work of band leader Ellis Ludwig-Leone, and I was so happy to hear that she is featured much more on Belong. Speaking of Ellis, his songwriting on this album is masterful, with swells of beautiful instrumentation and stylistic changes. Definitely his best work to date. Tate's vocals still lack the personality to match the musical complexities of the band, but at least on "Better Company" the juxtaposition makes it interesting.

Top Tracks: Open, Bride, Better Company

8/10

Joseph: You know, I'm actually kind of torn on this album. On the one hand, there are a lot of good hooks scattered throughout. I think fans of Cold War Kids, the bros out there that think liking Cold War Kids makes their musical tastes "diverse" will find a lot to like here, but for the rest of us.....I just couldn't shake an overall feeling of pretentiousness on this album. As if the band was going "This is a good album, and we are gonna remind you every chance we get," throughout the entire experience. I think a lot of people will say this is their best album to date, but it's still not my cup of tea. Let's see some civility, ya?

5/10
 
Top Tracks: Ordinary Idols, No Reason to Run

Joseph: Gotta love high profile releases. After months of hype, The Chainsmokers have officially dropped their first full-length LP. Which, like most of the rest of their music, is terrible. When a song featuring Coldplay is the highlight of your album, you know you have a flaming pile of poop. The album is full of generic hooks, lazy instrumentation, and anthem after freaking anthem. Jesus every song on this album sounds the same. This album will get millions of plays, but because of overdone lyrics, overproduced instrumentation, and overdone, well, everything, it'll just get one from me. Honestly, I never want to think about this album again. Please.

2/10

"Top" Track: Something Just Like This

Joseph: So, I'm in the group that thinks Future Islands is one of the most overrated groups in the music industry right now. Though I think that's 100% because I haven't seen them live yet. Now that that's out of the way, I like this album. There's a great amount energy present as the album speeds through 12 songs at an absolutely blistering pace. There are some great hooks throughout the album and there's no doubt it will see a TON of arguably deserved airplay. And while I absolutely love the instrumentation and mix of 80's synth lines......man. I still just cannot get behind Samuel T. Herring's vocals. They just don't go with my ears. Hopefully seeing them live will change my perceptions of the band.

6/10

​Top Tracks: Shadows, Day Glow Fire

Joseph: Ahhhh good music! Nice to see you again! Nashville singer-songwriter Andrew Combs drops his best album yet with Canyons of my Mind​. Featuring several of my favorite tracks of the year so far, this album flawlessly blends country and indie rock with wonderful instrumentation and great vocals from Combs. I got serious chills listening to his beautiful refrain in "Hazel," and you will too. It's haunting. Not to mention the absolutely awesome horn line in "Heart of Wonder." While the pacing does get a little weird towards the end of the album, this is a small complaint. This album is a wonderful listen and definitely my favorite of 2017 so far.

9/10

Top Tracks: Hazel, Heart of Wonder, Bourgeois King

Derek: "Banjotron" expert and Kishi Bashi bandmate Mike Savino returns with his third LP under the name Tall Tall Trees. The group thrives at creating dreamy folk rock songs that brighten even the dreariest days. I wish more of the banjotron percussion would come through on the album like it's featured live, but it's a small complaint for what is a very good album. The last three songs, starting with "The Riverbend" really stand out.

​7/10

Derek: Tim Showalter returns with more crunching, raw guitars on Hard Love, the group's 5th LP. Blending garage rock, hard rock, and solid songwriting (often chronicling the pain of infidelity and marital strife), Showalter crafts an engaging 40 minute listen. Lead single "Radio Kids" and album closer "Taking Acid and Talking to My Brother" are highlights for me.

7/10

Derek: Acclaimed blues-funk slide guitarist Robert Randolph returns with another album filled with his distinctive playing and guest artists, highlighted by Darius Rucker. This album is filled with energy and life, and Randolph's playing is brilliant throughout. Got Soul most certainly has got soul. In fact, I'd place this album as one of the better blues albums that I've heard in recent memory.

7/10

Derek: Gritty blues driven garage rock is the name of the game on the new album from Son Volt, the project of Jay Farrar, former bandmate of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco fame. While Son Volt never reached the heights of Tweedy's band, there's some solid songwriting here, and I love the riff breakdown on "Lost Souls". Unfortunately,  much of the album is pretty restrained. I was waiting for them to really break off into a great extended jam, but they never really do, and it gets a little boring because of it.

5/10

The unending saga of forgettable of Montreal releases takes yet another turn for the worst on their first release on lead singer Kevin Barnes' indie label. "Stag to the Stable" is another neo-Beatles rock song done in the quirky style that the band is famous for. Barnes has often tapped into that influence in the past, but with varying degrees of success. In this case, it's probably the highlight of the EP, but it's a low bar comparatively. My problem with these newer of Montreal releases is that it's becoming increasingly obvious that Barnes is the weak link. And considering the group is basically just him now, it's not a good sign. 

3/10

There comes a point where the Irish punk gimmick kind of runs its course, yet the Boston legends continue churning out great party anthem after great party anthem. 11 Short Stories is nothing different than what the group has been doing for nearly twenty years, and that's not a bad thing... they're giving their fans exactly what they want: something to yell about while they drink and party themselves into oblivion in the company of friends. That's how stories of pain and glory are made, right?

6.5/10

I am continually impressed with how John Mayer, such a great and talented guitarist, can write such boring pop music. In his first EP of new music since taking time off for medical reasons, it's clear that he has yet to be inspired to write music worth listening intently to. He will forever be easy listening, agreeable background music, and that is an incredible waste of talent.

4/10

In their first full length release since guitarist Thomas Fekete lost his battle with cancer and bassist Kevin Williams left the band, Surfer Blood capitalizes on the emotions of this turbulent period by...generally sticking to their upbeat pop rock sound? That's right. For a reviewer that was expecting a brooding, emotionally charged album facing these issue head on, the band instead sticks mostly with their tried and true formula. Which, in the opinion of this listener, is a missed opportunity. But everyone grieves differently, I suppose.

6/10

​Unofficially released on Bandcamp back in November, the official release of Adandoned Mansion this week finally brings it to my ears, and something that I've been looking forward to since I saw them live last March. While this is definitely a return to the more folk inspired albums of the band's past, no song on the entire record really stood out to me. "Survive" is probably the most memorable of the bunch, a light-hearted Grateful Dead inspired jam song. The rest, for me unfortunately, is background music at best.

5.5/10

Derek: What will go down as Cohen's Blackstar, the legendary songwriter released one last album before passing away this month. A haunting reminder of what makes Cohen's writing so poignant to so many, Cohen indeed makes it darker, the last chapter of a long life lived. Reflections on the end of life, memories shared over wine, stories told around a slowly dimming campfire. It is a beautiful testament to the impact his music has had on generations. Sleep tight Leonard. Find your Marianne and hold her tight. We'll see you soon.

​8.5/10

Derek: Jazzy Norah Jones returns on her best album since 2007's Not Too Late. Filled with the thoughtful mellow songs that shot her to stardom in 2002, this album is not to be missed for any fan of the Grammy winner. Lead single "Carry On", positioned towards the end of the album, is a wonderful throwback, and "Flipside" is groovy train riding track with a funky bass line that explodes with piano and keys on the chorus. The queen of jazzy pop retakes her throne.

7.5/10

Joseph: Metallica returns after an 8-year hiatus and the world just kept on spinning. While the band is certainly a pioneer of the thrash metal genre, long gone is the magic that got them there. All we have now is some very standard run-of-the-mill thrash. While it is nice to hear some new Metallica, the band can be described now as the old-school rock-heads who simply don't want to let go.

​5/10

Derek: Bruno continues to bring the funk, and people continue to eat it up. Is it original? No. Is it fun to listen to? Absolutely. It's not a question of if this record will sell, because it will. It's a question of how many copyright lawsuits will stem from the generic hooks and songwriting. But for a pop album, Bruno is at the top of the genre. No doubt about that.

6/10

Derek: Outside of the singles, there's nothing to be desired on this album, and it's another disappointing installment in Justice's discography. It leaves me scratching my head and wondering if we'll ever have a front-to-back listening experience like on their full length debut Cross. Songwriting really lacks on the vast majority of this album, with the exception of a few songs. Listen to "Alakazam", "Randy", and "Safe and Sound". Skip the filler. Especially "Fire", "Heavy Metal", and "Chorus" Fuck those songs.

​3/10

Derek: Ever since Sleigh Bells came on my musical radar in 2012 with their album Reign of Terror, I've had mixed feelings. There's no doubt the band can write a catchy hook, but their songwriting is terrible and oftentimes their dance beats and crunchy guitars come off like nails on a chalkboard. This album is no different. Opener "It's Just Us Now" has no transition between verse and chorus. It's not awkward, it's nonexistent. The rest of the album is about on par with their past work. Thumping drums, charged arena rock guitars, and Alexis Krauss' vocals, which are surprisingly less abrasive than they normally are. A few songs are fucking bleeding-out-the-ears terrible. A few songs are good. Overall: Meh.

3/10

Derek: Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino proves why he is more than just an writer/actor/comedian. Exploding with soul and funk, this album has more growth and maturity than I ever expecting, especially coming from Because The Internet, an album that I was not particularly fond of. This definitely isn't a casual listen. Instead, Glover orchestrates an immursive storytelling experience. It's something that may take a few listens to fully understand, but it is certainly worth the plunge. 

​8/10

Joseph: Talk about a pleasant surprise. The Stones surprised everyone with their first "new" album in 7 years, and it is an old-school blues covers album that's actually pretty darn good. This album was clearly a labor of love from the group and not just an excuse to go on tour and make millions again, (as if they need a reason to go on tour) and it lovingly harpens back to their early days in the 60s when most of their albums were composed entirely of blues covers since Mick and Keith didn't know how to write their own music yet. Even though they're 100 years old, they still got it. And who needs new original music when you have already amassed the catalog The Stones have?

​7/10