Rebecca Docter’s Review: “Forcefield” by Tokyo Police Club
Grade: A+
If you threw, indie pop, synth-rock and dance music into a pot and mixed it, the result would be “Forcefield,” the latest release from Canadian rockers Tokyo Police Club. I caught Tokyo Police Club at Voodoo back in 2008, and I’ve kept a close eye on the band ever since; after years of the boyish greats having a reserved spot on my playlists, I can honestly call them one of my favorite acts to date. I’ve been waiting for “Forcefield” for years, since 2010’s “Champ” made waves on my radio, and the record does not disappoint. The opening track, “Argentina (Parts I, II, III)” drives the album and acts as an introduction to what TPC has become in the last few years: a band focused heavily on synth with heart-melting, yet relatable lyrics. Though “Forcefield” is a mere nine tracks, each song develops the record’s overall sound more and more, creating a majestic progression that helps the listener understand “Argentina” better and better. Giving the track another listen at the end of the album is definitely recommended.

Will Kallenborn’s Review: “Children of God” by Andrew Jackson Jihad 
Grade: A
The first single off of Andrew Jackson Jihad’s new album “Christmas Island,” “Children of God” shows that, though some things may have changed for the folk punk group, it has remained true to its core. Originally a duo, the band has now expanded to five members, and this record marks the first time the band has left long-time record label Asian Man Records. Yet, this single feels just like the Andrew Jackson Jihad that its fans have come to know and love. No one except band frontman Sean Bonnette could belt out lyrics like these, which include references to cannibals, pregnant mothers and vampire hunters. The band’s legendary crudeness returns as well, with several lines that would not be appropriate to print. This song is definitely not for everybody, but those that know what they are getting will love every second of it.

Gerald Ducote’s Review: “Say Yes to Love” by Perfect Pussy
Grade: B+
Usually, when you’re listening to punk music, your first instinct is to let loose. You feel the music come over you and it becomes a primal experience of movement and violent self-expression. Syracuse-based punks Perfect Pussy stepped onto the scene this week with an album filled with the perfect foil of punk ethos. “Say Yes to Love” delivers punk that has merits in both intensity and content. Rather than making you stand up and scream, Perfect Pussy’s lyrics, though nearly inaudible, cause you to become introspective. After the bombardment of sound in the first seven tracks, “VII” allows a listener to reflect and come down from the adrenaline rush. Subsequently, the album returns front and center with raucous live cuts. All in all, “Say Yes to Love” brings Perfect Pussy to light as an obvious contender for punk glory if its later albums are to be anything like this.

Panya Kroun’s Review: “Awake” by Tycho
Grade: B
The serene, minimalistic ambience of Tycho, the brainchild of musician Scott Hansen, has grown into a more complex sound with the addition of guitarist Zac Brown and drummer Rory O’Connor on the project’s new album “Awake.” Hansen hasn’t abandoned the hypnotic electronic cadences that made him famous on the late night programming bloc Toonami, but “Awake” still sounds distinctly different from anything Tycho has made in the past. The music is somber and pensive, but every rhythm sounds bigger and more expansive than Tycho’s previous efforts. With this evolution, Hansen has taken the foundations of his dreams and realized them in a fully fleshed soundscape, complete with motley melodies layered with natural sounds conspicuously absent from the purely mechanical workings of albums past. The result is a musical story more tempered and balanced than Tycho’s typical electronic lullabies.

Joshua Jackson’s Review: “My Krazy Life” by YG
Grade: B-
YG’s debut album “My Krazy Life” is nothing like his 2010 song “Toot It and Boot It.” The California native pleasantly reintroduces the world to the West Coast sound that has been missing in recent years. The album starts off slow, but songs like “Bicken Back Being Bool” come just in time to grab the listener’s attention. Features from Drake and Kendrick Lamar are placed in the middle of the album and make “My Krazy Life” even better. There is a high amount of glorification toward YG’s gang affiliation, which can become stale, but certain songs such as “Sorry Momma” and “Thank God” show that there is more to this artist than gangbanging. In an already crowded field of West Coast rappers, “My Krazy Life” is enough to make YG’s name worth noticing.

Meg Ryan’s Review: “Supermodel” by Foster the People

Rank: C+
Foster the People’s newest album, “Supermodel”, is nothing super at all. The entire record sounds like one long song. While it’s good the band has a cohesive sound, there is really no variety, making the album dull and repetitive. Even attempting to pick a song that stands out is difficult because there is no difference between them. However, the record does work for a clothing store soundtrack, a road trip or elevator music. The songs are upbeat, so it can be played in the background while distracted with something else. This is an album where one or two songs are picked to listen to on occasion and the rest never leave the online music store.