This go-around, it reads vulnerable, and while we’ll never know how autobiographical the record may be, its universal appeal is undeniable.

It's a magnificent accomplishment, the sound of one long night spent waiting for someone, but never being certain if you want them to arrive. [Apr 2003, p.87]

Moves from intense free jazz to gamelan to Boredoms-like (Ger)manic trance rock to fusionoid Tortoise-style meanderings-as played by psilocybin-gobbling aliens. [Feb 2004, p.93]

An album of mature pop that's more good-humored than its moping, acoustic-over-electronic arrangements let on. [Aug 2001, p.86]

It's the skillful meshing of Benjamin Gibbard's part-stream-of-consciousness, part-confessional vocals with melancholy piano and achingly melodic guitars that reveal a fleshed-out Cutie are indeed a band of uncommon beauty. [Dec 2001, p.79]

Lateralus could have been released four years ago, for all the sonic progression that's contained (or not contained) within its 79 minutes. [Jul 2001, p.57]

A smart and occasionally gorgeous country-fried rock effort. [Mar 2002, p.77]

Dense soundscapes that seemingly start in progress and stretch invisibly, yet infinitely, in all directions. [Apr 2005, p.118]

Revelations is Muse's best work yet primarily because of the fluid balance it keeps between excess and restraint. [Aug 2006, p.220]

The most sophistcated punk-pop you'll ever hear. [Mar 2007, p.136]

It's all so accomplished, it somehow comes across as weirdly uplifting. [May 2012, p.77]

Fans of TBR will undoubtedly love this record as much as the last. [Aug 2012, p.91]

The duo's strong suit has always been songwriting, and this still comes through on Heartthrob. [Feb 2013, p.93]

Broadway calls wield a melodic, snotty jubilance that recalls Nimrod-era Green Day--filling an oddly vacant niche for present-day pop-punk. [Mar 2013, p.88]

The songs don’t have the immediate impact of the band’s heavier work, but it’s nice to see The Sword break from their mold.

Remember's strength is in its time-warp atmosphere. [Sep 2006, p.228]

City is a rare thing: a disc that reconciles a band's need for discovery with the familiar characteristics that define them. [Jun 2006, p.171]

There's more energy on Um, Uh Oh than in Say Hi's entire back catalog, creating wonderful tension with the songs' downcast sentiments. [Feb 2011, p.89]

Homme's modern macabre lyricism and experimental, melodic prowess... make this a more complete album that Lullabies. [Jul 2007, p.176]

Pundits say there's too much hype for Def Junkies, but with records like this, there's good reason for it. [Aug 2006, p.224]

There's no denying the quartet know how to work a mighty groove as well as set up atmospheres similar to bands remanded to the faded pages of old record-collecting magazines. [July 2009, p.126]

The Mighty Underdogs are like the Westside Connection of the indie-rap world--maybe a little less threatening, but just as bangin'. [Nov 2008, p.164]

When it comes to ferocious riffs and monstrous melodies, few in the punk world can touch Heartsounds right now. [Aug 2011, p.114]

A swirling, guitar-driven headtrip. [Apr 2006, p.220]

Oxford Collapse cruise effortlessly from shoegazey dream pop to classic college rock to Schilitz-soaked Americana. [Sep 2008, p.150]

Five years later, it's easy to be blasé about [Aidan] Moffat's disgruntled first-person narratives. [#154, p.68]

Folds cracks jokes and spins incredibly sad tales with no restraint or common sense, and oddly enough, we love him for it. [Oct 2001, p.79]

Every unsettling movement is matched by something beautiful. [Jan 2002, p.94]

Sadly, one can hear decent tunes struggling to get out of this mess. [Nov 2001, p.78]

Not The Actual Events is everything we would expect from Reznor and Ross, offering textures we’ve never visited and contexts with conscience.

A strong sense of flow and cohesion also bolster Dark Adrenaline, giving fans 12 solid reasons to fall in love with the band all over again. [Feb 2012, p.84]

Other post-metal bands may be getting more attention right now, but few are doing it better than Pelican. [Nov 2013, p.90]

Instead of burying their influences in a wall of sound on If Anything, Greys bring them right out into the open. [Jul 2014, p.98]

As it stands, Lowborn isn't as good as Vital, but it still does an admirable job at continuing Anberlin's sonic expression. [Jul 2014, p.95]

Maturity beat[s] out playfulness. [May 2006, p.162]

Cover albums are usually a contractual cop-out, but the diverse scope and amount of thought put into each track on If I Had A Hi-Fi prevents it from sounding superfluous or self-indulgent. [Jun 2010, p.107]

There's a constant sense of forward motion to Menos El Oso that suits the whole metaphor of growing up and growing out. [Oct 2005, p.156]

They sound like Devo playing Nazi military waltzes. [May 2005, p.138]

Their best album since BAGIA, possibly longer. [Apr 2014, p.92]

Warpaint were more consistent before this, but as a comparative misstep, Warpaint still yields an enjoyable, haunting outpouring of whispered emotional damage and spatial exploration. [Feb 2014, p.94]

Performing some of thre best party music for smart people this side of Black Lips, the rest of the band match Reis' powerhouse vocal eccentricities with a perfectly calculated degree of rock 'n' roll swagger, blasting ahead like the Wipers one minute and settling into a slow-burning Bo Diddley groove the next. [May 2008, p.128]

Organic improvisational acts instinctively know which sonic snippets to expand--Lake Trout need to rediscover this ability. [Oct 2005, p.156]

They're not doing anything they haven't done before, but the triumphant unpretentious anthems on The Power Within area as fun as metal gets. [May 2012, p.75]

Finelines serves up Everybody Oriented Rock, sure to be a hit with both the critics and the slamdancing fans who ignore them. [Aug 2002, p.72]

It's the album most bands wish they could make. [Aug 2004, p.101]

Dave Fridmann's grand production touches enhance BMSR's otherworldly aura, adding dazzling glaze to this fruity cake. [Jun 2009, p.108]

It may not be a challenging album, but it's close to pop perfection. [Oct 2011, p.107]

With Burials, AFI are going larger than life to get back into the small of their fans’ hearts.

The best Shannon And The Clams record to date. [Jun 2013, p.98]

The collection as a whole has a transitional feel, as though Jamie T is still finding his way between the two poles of his primary inspiration. Yet with his propensity for both engaging storytelling and hooks, he's too talented not to figure it all out in spectacular fashion.

The Raveonettes sound creatively liberated. [May 2005, p.174]

One day, Darnielle might make a sub-par Mountain Goats record. Pride certainly isn't it. [Apr 2008, p.152]

Once you get past the roller-disco-house vibe of the first single, "One More Time," your ears and booty will twitch just fine to the booming beats and taffy-stretching grooves. [#153, p. 63]

Everybody has something for, well, everybody. [Jun 2007, p.151]

The Distance Is So Big isn't as immediately accessible as previous Lemuria records, but overall, it has far more depth. [Jul 2013, p.100]

Ex Models make the cleanest and most non-metal racket you're likely to find. [Jul 2003, p.113]

Splendid ramshackle pop corniness. [Dec 2002, p.81]

If there's a fault with Ikara Colt, it's that they can't rock steadily for more than a few measures without getting self-conscious about it. [Jan 2003, p.94]

While not as captivating as 2001's brilliant The Ghost Of Fashion, Soft Spot is yet another winning effort from this vastly underappreciated quartet. [Jul 2003, p.120]

Enon proves once and for all that spooky does not necessarily mean quiet, and being goofy doesn't make you a joke. [July 2002, p.80]

After four very similar albums, they seem to be in danger of painting themselves into a corner. [Jun 2003, p.93]

Once again, A Perfect Circle have quietly produced a masterpiece that challenges the very nature of testosterone-fueled angst. [Nov 2003, p.110]

An uplifting, hope-giving affirmation of resurgence from a band who might have been down at one point but were definitely never out. [Dec 2009, p.117]

What Challengers lack in immediacy, it makes up for brain-teasing melodies and majestic orchestrations. [Oct 2007, p.162]

Devil [is] a nusanced album that only slowly reveals its gifts. [July 2008, p.160]

Its pattering Jamaican rhythms and Indian drones well matched to lyrics that ruminate on revolutions both political and personal. [Jun 2012, p.84]

It's tough to find fault with such an inspired collection, but some moments aren't quite as standout as others.

It's nothing short of their highest point to date. [Nov 2006, p.188]

It's impeccably crafted with a rich selection of subtle sonic touches--executive producer Butch Walker's undoubtedly due some credit--for bringing the songs to life. [Feb 2011, p.87]

Wisely, the quartet avoid the well-trodden road of "epic" guitar rock to deliver textures loaded with lyrical guitar phrasings within over-modulated grit and distortion.

His fifth solo album calls on both his folk and roots-rock experiences, in a bold yet familiar transition for the seasoned performer. [Jul 2012, p.98]

Hella fun. [May 2006, p.166]

Mondo Cane is surprising considering how engaging a listen these visits into grandiose operatic profundity really are. [Jul 2010, p.127]

President isn't just one of the year's best; it's one of the finest efforts to come out of hip-hop in a long time. [Dec 2008, p.153]

Cat finds the band still evoking the Flaming Lips and Neil Young during a journey filled with dashed hopes and the desire to get away. [Jun 2006, p.188]

Peeling back the layers of boom-zydeco and soulcholia on songs like 'El Azteca' and 'Easy Eats Or Dirty Doctor Galapogos,' you'll find a ramshackle genius in the bans's new wave kitchen-rock. [May 2008, p.134]

Gen-Y stoners who'd trade their favorite bong to inhale a hip-hop Pink Floyd, the exchange line starts here. [May 2004, p.108]

A barrage of unfocused fragments that prove this album should have been condensed into a seven-song EP. [May 2004, p.96]

Hazardous and hostile. [Dec 2003, p.152]

Radio 4 evoke the Clash, Wire, Les Savy Fav and neo-new wave, jamming epileptic rhythms with chunks of white noise to get a restlessly eclectic sound. [Jun 2002, p.82]

The results of this experiment is decidedly mixed. [Oct 2014, p.101]

While not a major departure, Valtari adds a fresh, ghostly layer to Sigur Rós' slow-motion sprawl.

Sometimes it's pretty unpleasant, but it's the rawness that makes it so genuine. [May 2007, p.162]

Wig Out is full of so much life and melody that it stands as a refreshing alternative to the increasingly homogenous state of indie rock. [Feb 2014, p.91]

This is a musical beast, in every sense. [Nov 2012, p.86]

Heart On is on par with the band's previous efforts when it comes to ultra-swarthy innuendos. [Dec 2008, p.146]

The Danish duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo begin their fourth full-length, In And Out Of Control, with a satisfying "Bang!" and never slow, even through the darkest of subject matter

The most inventive and sly pop you're likely to hear in 2014. [Apr 2014, p.90]

His sharp lyrics take awhile to sink in, But when he throws all standard rules out the window, it sounds like hip-hop from the future. [Jul 2009, p.122]

Luminous certainly wears its influences proudly; however, the record boasts undeniable energy and urgency. [Jun 2014, p.107]

Lightburn's musings are best met with equal grandeur--such as the low-key but effective sort Missiles usually provides. [Dec 2008, p.138]

With Reincarnate, Motionless In White have not only distilled the essence of their influences into an even darker cohesion, they’ve reanimated the creatively bankrupt corpse of industrial rock, disrupted the by-numbers routine of electronic-tinged metalcore and delivered furious rock songs with a widescreen presence that makes an IMAX theater feel like an iPad screen.

There's no obvious attempt at chasing a single or brass ring, just improvements on a sound the group have been trading in for more than a decade--and upgrades that might very well have resulted in their best album to date. [May 2015, p.95]

Take Them On... repeats the San Francisco trio's bombast, peppered with slower tunes styled after Jesus And Mary Chain's dewy psychedelia, the Verve's noise-drenched moments and even Ride's droning perfection. [Oct 2003, p.134]

The man's always had his tender side: What makes this album different is the lack of input from his other sides. [May 2009, p.121]

They focus too little on well-made songs and too much on creating an angst-ridden atmosphere. [Jul 2002, p.78]

Inventive and highly improvised. [Feb 2004, p.88]

Finds the fearless foursome cruising right along with the same carefree glee that made us pay attention in the first place. [March 2003, p.100]