Usher
Hard II Love
Whatever he’s done, it’s worked a treat
The Independent
Pixies
Head Carrier
An altogether more convincing affair than 2014’s comeback album Indie Cindy
The Independent
Bon Iver
22, A Million
There’s an intensely private quality about 22, A Million that makes it initially hard to penetrate
The Independent
Drive-By Truckers
American Band
Thoughtful, engaging and utterly contemporary, it’s one of the albums of the year
The Independent
Bon Iver
22, A Million
Stands out as Bon Iver’s finest moment yet, a cross between invention and beauty that’s delivered without compromise
DIY
Jenny Hval
Blood Bitch
Brilliantly, ‘Blood Bitch’ also has a sense of humour
DIY
De La Soul
And The Anonymous Nobody
It's nice to hear De La Soul stretching themselves creatively, and even the less successful detours are interesting additions to an already eclectic catalogue
NOW
Drive-By Truckers
American Band
American Band's force comes from its unflinching exploration of what it means to be American in 2016
NOW
Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
It may tail off towards the close, but genuine warmth emanates throughout
NME
Pixies
Head Carrier
Sounds far more restrained and lifeless than it should be
Exclaim
Jenny Hval
Blood Bitch
Few tracks work on their own, but together they convey an urge to achieve order through art
Exclaim
Bon Iver
22, A Million
A gorgeous album that, rather than running from it, reflects our fractured world back at us
Exclaim