Toro Y Moi – Anything in Return
The album contains an array of aesthetic flavors that are both interesting and accessible. Some, like “Touch,” simply create a sonic room, just to “fill it with stone.” And while the filling in of an emotional hole/space created by unsuccessful love doesn’t seem all that interesting or accessible, its lounge feel and Nicolas Jaar-like sparsity give it depth far beyond what you might expect from a pop song that essentially communicates the message, “I’m hurt.” The next song, “Cola,” makes brief use of a James Blake-ian synthesizer sound, and then, following it, “Studies” makes use of something which immediately reminds me of Delicate Steve’s distinct, screechy guitars. Read the full Review on Pretty Much Amazing

Bad Religion – True North
Some of the band’s most potent moments have been its most melodic, intricate, and progressive. True North leaves little breathing room for such luxuries, but there are bright flashes in songs like “Past Is Dead,” which begins with a brief passage of bleak, jangling folk, the kind that often underlies even the most blistering and distorted Bad Religion song. Accordingly, “Past Is Dead” carries a deeper, darker weight, as does “Robin Hood In Reverse,” a screed that attacks plutocracy and Graffin’s old punching bag, Christianity, while launching majestic rock solos and lifting a line from punk legend Sham 69. Read the full review on The AV Club

Joy Formidable – Wolf’s Law
Wolf’s Law comes out strong with “This Ladder Is Ours,” which begins with a swell of strings before bringing in Rhydian Dafydd’s fat bass and Bryan’s chiming guitar and voice, creating a feeling of precarious-but-thrilling ascent; and the album ends well with the title track, which starts as a plaintive piano ballad and then gets loud and stormy, like the climax of a blockbuster fantasy movie. The songs in between are just as evocative, with standout tracks “Maw Maw Song,” “Forest Serenade,” and “The Hurdle” sounding grand and ancient, as though they’ve come roaring out of the mystic wilds of Olde Europe. But the most important trick that The Joy Formidable finesses is to take that sense of grandeur and apply it to today’s world, to ordinary people trying to cope with stress and loneliness. Read the full Review on The AV Club