From the opening strains of the first track, Polica make it clear that this album is taking us in a new direction. With songs that are political and personal, singer Channy Leaneagh shows off the full range of her elastic and emotive voice.

The hallmark of any Animal Collective record is a sea of instruments, awash in reverb, with vocals layered over top. 'Painting With' features these signature elements in a consistent fashion over 41 minutes

Lissie's third release is a beautiful album. This is the sound of experience and sacrifice, the sound of growing up, and all the brilliance and brutality that that process entails. Lissie has never been more expert in her ability to convey emotion.

In his foreword to the Cloud Cult book, 'Chasing the Light,' The Current's Mark Wheat posited the band's album 'Love' was their best ever. Mark now takes that back; 'The Seeker,' he says, is their best ever!

Lucinda Williams' second double album in less than two years is inspired by a 190-mile stretch of road near the place in Louisiana where she grew up. If GQ magazine recently called Jason Isbell the King of Americana, perhaps Lucinda Williams is its reigning queen.

Savages' highly stylized image is being used as a symbol of the state of modern music, dressed as they are all in black and looking tough. Savages are everywhere, and everyone seems to love them all of a sudden. But has the sophomore slump been safely negotiated?

Grimes's 'Art Angels' will almost certainly go down as one of the most boundary-pushing Albums of the Week we've ever featured at The Current. It is one of the strongest, strangest and best albums of recent years.

A collaboration among Doomtree producer Lazerbeak, Kill The Vultures' Crescent Moon, and No Bird Sing's Joe Horton, Mixed Blood Majority's sophomore album is far more than a side project; rather, it brings out the best in each member of the group.

Released on his 69th birthday, David Bowie's 25th studio album 'Blackstar' is an uncompromising collection of songs that defy being categorized as any one genre; it's simply Bowie. 'Blackstar' is the final installment in Bowie's innovative and prolific career.

For their fourth studio album, Cage the Elephant recruited producer Dan Auerbach, creating an album the veers from sonic spontaneity to taut spaciousness to lyrical astuteness. These intimate and powerful songs rock -- and Cage the Elephant deliver them with moxie.