On “Hysterical,” however, the lead singer Alec Ounsworth’s distinctive vocals and lyrics have evolved. The band proves as adept as ever at conjuring a joyful swarm of summertime melodies and sweeping instrumentals that are more peppy than the occasionally lugubrious and unfocused mess of “Some Loud Thunder.”

Korea's musicians' methods, though worth questioning, are definitely correlated to the rampant vitality of classical music there, and it would do North American musicians good at least to think about taking a new approach.

On “Creature,” Laura Marling displays her talent at crafting poignant yet abstract lyrics, an eagerness to experiment beyond her traditional folk comfort zone with a variety of genre influences, and stunning vocals that fully accommodate her expansive emotional range.

The new “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” is an absolute masterpiece rife with an unadulterated joy of music; each note on the record is played with a child’s exuberance at learning there is a world, and a whole, expressive language to which there is no limit.

Jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman ’91 never planned to become a professional musician. Redman, who originally used his mother’s last name ...

Except for the slightly higher-than-usual proportion of flannel shirts, it looked like any large Harvard lecture—that is, until Jeff Mangum walked on stage and brought forth an atmosphere of hero-worship that lasted far after his set concluded.

With a stark instrumental palette and a penchant for cultivating restlessness, “Lenses Alien” binds together chaos and cohesiveness in a brilliantly charged opus.

By executing his vision, Palomo creates a complex and cohesive soundscape over which he narrates his story. Though at times repetitive, the album is a compelling innovation in a somewhat staid genre.

Part beer-and-barbecue Americana and part musical achievement, the album straddles the line between simplicity and complexity, and builds surprisingly nuanced songs out of relatively standard components. What emerges is a rare breed of album both catchy and awe inspiring that layman and connoisseur alike can appreciate.