Epic, excessive, yucky.

I can't decide: does "Love's Crushing Diamond" by Mutual Benefit sound like entering the gates of heaven? Or does it sound like falling in love? Maybe rapture is the word I'm looking for. With a string section that calls to mind the romanticism of Nick Drake and the ingenuity of Andrew Bird, a vocalist with the fragility of Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), plus lush back-up harmonies, an out-of-tune piano, a banjo (which becomes a charming rhythmic element) and wind chimes (wind chimes, for goodness sakes), it's almost like friends playing around a campfire, if those friends were all Berklee College of Music graduates. And it's about the most unabashedly joyous music I've heard in a long time.

"If you fly, do it to death." That lyric could be a message about rising above, or one that promotes excess, at a cost. Give the rest of the content of the latest Pusha T album, "My Name Is My Name," it's easy to see it either way. As the label head and producer, Kanye's influence is evident (think "All of the Lights"), but the snarling intensity is all King Push. There are many guest spots on here (Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar), but all add dimension without overshadowing the main event. What I especially love: the simplicity of the beats and samples on "Numbers on the Boards" and "Suicide." Feels kind of old school, and it sets off Pusha T's voice perfectly.

Funny, they don't sound like they should be named Yuck. What they do sound like: the soundtrack to a Sunday morning that turns into a Sunday afternoon wherein you're maybe still wearing pajamas and it's cool, y'all, just go with it. Their latest "Glow and Behold" does seem to glow, from the glimmering guitars to the reverbed wavering baritone of Max Bloom to the horn section. It should be noted, though, that the last track contains a nearly-exact rip-off of the ending of the Beatles' "Dear Prudence." So close that I'm thinking it must be an homage. That aside: it's lovely, dreamy, a bit 80s, pop in the best possible sense, and miles away from yuck.

Kelela is an R&B singer who brings with her an arsenal of talented producers on her debut "Cut 4 Me." This is not your mom's R&B: it draws inspiration from more recent acts like Little Dragon, layering Kelela's voice on itself and complementing it with crystal-clear futuristic synths. Part of the beauty of this mixtape is the artificiality of the instrumental and the un-autotuned, au-natural-ness of Kelela's voice. In past interviews, Kelela has mentioned how, as a child of Ethiopian immigrants, she often felt like an "other" in America, even though she herself was born and raised here. It's no wonder she's created a sound all her own, and what a sound it is.

 

"Forever Becoming" by instrumental rock (metal?) outfit Pelican is dramatic and cinematic, using textures to great effect. You'll still get your recommended dose of wicked precise guitar work and impressively fast drumming, but not at the expense of gorgeous, expansive melodies, heightened by the perfect counterpoint among the guitars and bass. No lyrics here, either, so the instruments do all the work. And they more than get it done, in a less-than-straightforward way. Unlike the overall orchestral effect of someone like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, these guys are writing songs with distinct melodies. It's just that those melodies are being played, not sung.