The fifth long-player from the Leeds-based festival rockers with a penchant for climbing lighting rigs and crafting innocuous, arm-waving anthems that fuse the anthemic scope of classic Brit-pop with the insular, somewhat opaque, progressive cynicism of early-2000s indie rock, begins with the rousing "Factory Gates," a distillation of all of those aforementioned attributes that sounds almost exactly like what is arguably their most well-known song, 2005's "I Predict a Riot." Written in multiple cities and countries and recorded in Atlanta, Georgia with producer Ben Allen, Education, Education, Education & War promises the golden vistas of a new frontier, yet delivers once again the quintessential Kaiser Chiefs album. Even its moniker, a quote from former prime minister Tony Blair, is stuck in the past, but if there's one thing that Ricky Wilson and company excel at, it's being themselves, and this ten-track collection of paeans to permeable dissatisfaction is as much a tribute album as it is a defiant gaze into the abyss. As arena anthems go, you could do a lot worse than the infectious, aforementioned earworm of an opener and the like-minded "Ruffians on Parade," or the propulsive and pugilistic "Misery Company," a wily and willfully melodic ode to self-deprecation that's built around a chorus of maniacal laughter, but they are ephemeral at best. There's a refreshing, devil-may-care cavalier attitude to Education, Education, Education & War that eradicates much of the desperation that was beginning to creep in after 2007's Yours Truly, Angry Mob, but it still doesn't change the fact that you've heard it all before. © James Christopher Monger /TiVo

With a combination of gut instinct and almost mechanical technical brilliance, eight-string virtuoso Tosin Abasi returns with The Joy of Motion, the third album from his project Animals as Leaders. Where the sounds of some of his other Sumerian Records labelmates can sometimes come across as cold and processed, Abasi infuses the project with a sense of beauty and wonder that feels more closely tied to traditional progressive metal, exploring melody while still pushing his musicianship to dazzling new heights. This balance helps to add a sense of humanity to a sound that can sometimes come across as sterile, making The Joy of Motion yet another wildly impressive outing from Abasi and his prog-metal outfit.© Gregory Heaney /TiVo

If ever there was a year to release a political punk album it was 2008, when the U.S. was consumed by the wildest presidential campaign in modern history. It seems like the perfect backdrop for Rise Against to release Appeal to Reason, their third major-label record, and in a way it is -- certainly, the group rages against the moral decay rotting the core of the U.S. on the opening "Collapse (Post-Amerika)," just as they strike out against the slow dumbing down of America on "Re-Education (Of Labor)" and tell Iraqi soldier stories on "Hero of War." The latter showcases the acoustic guitars that helped goose 2006's The Sufferer & the Witness into the Billboard Top Ten but the rest boast the manic rapid-fire hardcore delivery that hearkens back to Rise Against's politically minded forefathers Bad Religion. This balance of plaintive modern folk and carefully traditional protest punk is offset by Rise Against's increasingly strong fondness for heavy, slick production, the kind where the rhythms are too tight and the guitars overdriven and clean, the kind where it sounds more like '80s metal than '80s punk. Rise Against is hardly the only modern punk band to be weighed down by this contradiction -- it's entirely too devoted on chops and gear, Guitar Center punk -- but it stings a little more with them as their ambitions, smarts, and skills are higher than their peers. They seem like they shouldn't have such a beefy, big sound, particularly as it obscures their message, giving the group a weird dichotomy: they are clean, accomplished musicians and sincere, socially conscious rockers but those two halves don't complement each other well, at least not on the well-intentioned Appeal to Reason.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Mon Frère is the debut album of French singer and songwriter Maxime le Forestier. Mostly acoustic, it makes no attempt to hide the major influences of Georges Brassens, James Taylor, and Bob Dylan on his work and world-view. Standout tracks include the autobiographical "Parachutiste," the title cut, "San Francisco," "Comme un Arbre," and "Education Sentimentale"; all of these songs have earned legendary status in French popular music.© Thom Jurek /TiVo

In 2014, at the height of his powers, Freddie Gibbs joined forces with one of the most cult and respected beatmakers in underground hip-hop, Madlib, who is 9 years Gibbs’ senior. The Hoosier and the Californian released Piñata, a powerful album that complemented and maximized their strengths. Madlib, for example, had never worked before on such gangsta/thug punchlines. The record features some incredible guests (Danny Brown, Raekwon, Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt, Scarface), while Madlib’s instruments perfectly pursue the contours of Gibb’s soft, classy and deliciously old-school flow, very reminiscent of Tupac. Five years later, on their impeccable second collaboration, not much has changed except the names on the guest list (Killer Mike from Run The Jewels, Pusha T, Anderson .Paak, Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def and Black Thought from the Roots). Madlib draws slightly less from his dusty vinyl record collection and updates and modernizes the production. That said, it remains a mature work that shows a middle finger to our era's norms and opts to refine its own style. An instant classic. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

Released at the peak of Hall & Oates' popularity in the early '80s, 1983's Rock 'n Soul, Pt. 1: Greatest Hits effectively chronicles the time when the duo could do no wrong -- namely, the period between 1980's Voices and 1982's H2O, which includes only one other album, 1981's excellent Private Eyes. While this reaches back to their early-'70s work for Atlantic for "She's Gone," the only big hit they had at the label, and also has their two other big hits from that decade, "Sara Smile" and "Rich Girl," the bulk of Rock 'n Soul, Pt. 1 derives from those three albums: "Kiss on My List," "You Make My Dreams," "Private Eyes," "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," "Maneater," and "One on One." That's a long list of singles, but it still misses some terrific singles from this era, including "How Does It Feel to Be Back," "Did It in a Minute," "Family Man," and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" (the latter two were included as bonus tracks on RCA/Legacy's 2006 reissue). As good as those songs may be, Rock 'n Soul, Pt. 1 doesn't necessarily miss them: with the exception of a live version of "Wait for Me" (good, but not essential), this is the cream of the crop of Hall & Oates' best period, and it makes for a tight, excellent listen, and it's bolstered by the sublime "Say It Isn't So" and the good rocker "Adult Education." Latter-day compilations like 2001's Very Best of Daryl Hall & John Oates and 2004's Ultimate (which was reissued a year later under the title Essential) may cover their entire career in more detail -- and the duo certainly made great music before and after this era -- but as a snapshot of Hall & Oates at their finest, Rock 'n Soul, Pt. 1: Greatest Hits can't be beat.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

As comforting as an old sweater, the Silver Jews return with Bright Flight, another collection of David Berman's witty, poignant, somehow reassuring songs. Though the easygoing sound of this album is in keeping with the rest of Berman's work, the Silver Jews' mercurial lineup affects the feel of each album. This time, Berman's sweetheart, Cassie Marrett, handles the backing vocal duties instead of sometime-Silver Jew Stephen Malkmus, who was presumably too busy with the Jicks to lend his services this time around. Consequently, Bright Flight bears more than a passing resemblance to The Natural Bridge, the other Silver Jews album recorded without Malkmus; though the group is definitely Berman's project, both The Natural Bridge and Bright Flight feel more like solo albums than collaborative efforts. Basking in the warm production and pedal steel guitars of Nashville -- where Berman relocated to record the album -- Bright Flight doesn't try to match the off-the-cuff sparkle of albums like American Water. Instead, the album's polished sound draws more attention to Berman's drawling voice and witty-yet-earnest lyrics, which ranges from silly puns like "Horseleg Swastikas"' "Water doesn't give a damn" to evocative images like "Time Will Break the World"'s "My horse's legs look like four brown shotguns." Many more examples abound on nearly every song (except the instrumental, "Transylvania Blues," natch) but it's not necessary to follow Berman's wordplay to enjoy the music. Songs like "Slow Education," "Room Games and the Diamond Rain," and "Tennessee" spotlight the Silver Jews at their singalong best; the brooding "Time Will Break the World" finds Berman at his most political; and "Let's Not and Say We Did" and "Friday Night Fever" add that slightly goofy sense of humor that makes every Silver Jews album that much more fun. Though it's not as essential as Starlite Walker or American Water, having another Silver Jews album is like having another birthday -- it's better than not having one.© Heather Phares /TiVo

Part of the sinister fun of Turbonegro's best work was that you knew they were joking, but you weren't sure just how much. It was obvious that the band that made Apocalypse Dudes and Scandinavian Leather had tongue in cheek, but they put enough relish into their tales of industrial-strength decadence (and displayed enough knowledge of their more perverse obsessions) that you could easily imagine they were at least acquainted with a fetishistic biker gang that had come to take your sons away. In the year 2018, Turbonegro still know how to rock, but they're no longer the glistening parade of sin they once were, and Rocknroll Machine feels a bit more like the TV edit of 50 Shades of Grey than a Tom of Finland diorama come to life. A noticeable hair metal influence has crept into the band's fusion of lean metal and junkshop glam, and though Rocknroll Machine still kicks out the jams, the impact isn't as strong as it once was, and the plentiful layers of keyboards suggest this band might have been aiming for radio airplay if there were still a station anywhere that would still play something this unapologetically rock. "On the Rag" and "Fist City" possess flashes of classic Turbonegro (especially in the latter's shameless homage to AC/DC), but overall Rocknroll Machine sounds good-bad, not evil, and that makes a difference. Turbonegro remain a very smart and funny band, but the wink and nudge of "Let the Punishment Fit the Behind" and "Special Education" feel merely kinky and not the high dive into squalor that made their name. Coming from many bands, Rocknroll Machine would sound like a tough, tuneful, and wickedly funny hard rock album, and it still does coming from Turbonegro. But it feels a bit pale and watered down in contrast with their most powerful music. It's a bit like John Waters making a PG-rated movie, though like Hairspray, there's still fun to be had with Rocknroll Machine.© Mark Deming /TiVo

Prior to releasing their third effort, Stereophonics endured brief controversy under the album's title, Just Enough Education to Perform. Already having dealt with the critics' views of this being a country or acoustic record, frontman Kelly Jones wanted the album to go by the abbreviation of J.E.E.P., which captures the band's opinions of the music industry. Of course, politics played the game and Daimler-Chrysler objected to the use, claming copyright and usage of the word "Jeep." Despite the media drama, Jones isn't entirely disenchanted on Just Enough Education to Perform and the album isn't heavy with needle acoustics or twangy licks either. It's another glassy cast of rock & roll rawness (with slight acoustics) that's made them indie darlings since their inception in the mid-'90s. Performance and Cocktails (1999) was more abrasive with Jones' signature scratchy vocals, and the rough poetics on 1997's Word Gets Around were impressive; however, Just Enough Education to Perform illustrates a more mature Stereophonics. It's a monolith of 11 detailed narratives, each playing with areas of soul, aggro rock, and moody pop/rock. The band from Cwmaman, Wales is trying to be more comfortable with the gradual process of feeling out their own place. The debut single "Mr. Writer" scowls at music journalists for their quick-witted opinions, and twitching riffs carry Jones' heartfelt aggression. The gospel-tinged "Vegas Two Times" is one of the album's more ruffled tracks, but it's the old-fashioned "Step On My Old Size Nines" that makes for an enjoyable transition from rock tune to classic ballad. It's quite endearing, similar to older cuts such as "Hurry Up and Wait" and "Traffic." The Stereophonics appear to be achieving a much-welcomed calamity. Changes within their personal lives shaped the sounds found on this record, most notably "Maybe" and "Watch Them Fly Sundays." Crafted around blues-rock guitars and shimmering percussion, these swan songs reflect the demise of Jones' relationship with his longtime girlfriend. They're gorgeously haunting with emotional depictions, and the Stereophonics are okay with that. No longer into the destructive side of rock & roll, Just Enough Education to Perform exudes a peaceful sect; a charming side is more visible even though Jones has had his row with the press. He can laugh about it while wholeheartedly believing that the Stereophonics have shaped their latest work into their most stunning material yet.© MacKenzie Wilson /TiVo

Grand Corps Malade's second album, Enfant de la Ville (2008) is the follow-up to the French rapper's Victoires de la Musique award-winning full-length debut, Midi 20 (2006). S Petit Nico, who produced the bulk of Midi 20, has less of a hand in the beatmaking here. He produces just a handful of tracks. Highlights include "Je Viens de Là," "Comme une Évidence," and "Du Côté Chance."© Jason Birchmeier /TiVo