I won't deny Divine Fits the label of supergroup, if that's what it takes to convince you to listen. After all, they fit the profile if you follow their respective bands. Yet, "A Thing Called Divine Fits" isn't about flaunting chops or propping-up egos.

Perhaps after witnessing the rise of EDM here in the States, and the way Skrillex and others use metal rifts as punctuation, Bloc Party thought they could be the rock band equivalent to ride this new wave to further success.

Over the last six years, Baltimore-based duo Beach House has quietly honed a lovely, enveloping sound. On their fourth album, "Bloom," the band delivers the best music of their career.

The guys in The Gaslight Anthem aren't here to save music. They're just a bunch of dudes playing straightforward rock 'n roll without a lot of fancy bells and whistles.

He is a 24 year old with the voice and music of someone three times his age. When you hear his debut album, Michael Kiwanuka could fool you into thinking that you were listening to a long-lost Bill Withers record.

Despite the similarities to "Manners," Passion Pit's new album has transcended any hint that this band has run their course.

While their sound is familiar, it's not sloppy or dated in any way. It has a grounded feel to it, with just as much passion as before, but with more of the kind of focus that only growing up and having a family can give you.

"In Our Heads" is a thrillingly consistent album, veering from high-BPM stompers to some of Hot Chip's most touching ballads to date.

It's been seven years since Fiona Apple's last album, but a long pause between releases is business as usual for Apple, whose methodical approach to writing music has resulted in a stunning catalog of songs.

In 2012, the artist that is reminding us of what made early rock and roll great is JD McPherson. A former school teacher and punk rocker from Oklahoma, McPherson found his voice when he abandoned punk for the sound of 1958, recording "Signs and Signifiers" in glorious analog.