Sand & Snow

An idol-pop trio, one producer, nine arrangers and a viral clip. Babymetal's 2014 debut had one new idea for metal, and she sang lead.

Ben Gibbard's solo debut gathers eight years of songs that never fit Death Cab for Cutie. A few rank with his best; too many stay sketches.

Saddle Creek boxed six Bright Eyes albums in linen, on coloured vinyl, for about $150. The remasters went on sale separately three weeks later.

Caroline Rose traded acoustic Americana for synths, surf guitar and satire on LONER, a record that was shelved once before New West put it out in 2018.

Without a label, Cory Chisel moved to Nashville and made his next album on tape with Brendan Benson: twelve songs, under 40 minutes, two voices at its centre.

Matthew Cooper shelved the follow-up to Copia over his own perfectionism, then finished it years later as a double album that ends with Ira Kaplan singing.