Seventeen years and eight albums into their career; The Grand Theatre Volume One is a welcomed second wind.

It's all about perfect guitar tones, what frontman Rick Froberg doesn't say and the space Obits give their songs to breathe--even though it's evident it's not for lack of technical ability. [Apr 2011, p.115]

Grey Britain sports some decidely non-punk maneuvers in the form of piano-concerto codas and unnerving sound effects that elevate the band from mere street-punk cliches. [Jun 2009, p.104]

The Dolls' music... is as gripping as ever. [Jun 2006, p.188]

Most of the songs... aren't nearly as interesting as the album's title, offering only random snippets of truly engaging music. [Sep 2005, p.156]

Saturated with stark realism, her confessionals and fictions mark the grueling aftermath of pop's lovey-dovey daydreams. [Mar 2007, p.136]

[Turner's] newer sound, along with more layered arrangements, lends itself nicely to Arctic Monkeys' take on pop, balladry and stoner rock. [Jul 2011, p.106]

While not everything works--as with most albums of the genre, Metal Resistance's musical textures and tropes can grow repetitive--Babymetal's aggressive enthusiasm and sincerity are impossible to resist. [May 2016, p.80]

The songs are good, if a tad bit faceless. [Apr 2012, p.99]

This is not the greatest music Trivium have ever recorded, but no one could accuse them of sullying their name with substandard chunder.

Besides a few corny riffs and dated moments, this is far and away the album Saosin's cheesy imitators have been attempting for the last 13 years. [Jun 2016, p.102]

There is so much more offered in this collection of 11 songs than we’ve seen of Whitechapel previously, making Mark Of The Blade an exciting milestone.

Hearing him cut loose on this new project is a welcome change, and his obvious affection for Gordon shines through every note of this charming effort. [Oct 2016, p.88]

What they did do was stick to their guns. And as the old guard of arena-filling hard rockers begin to diminish (physically, artistically), it’s good to know there’s someone dedicated to keeping the bar high.

The tightly wound dance numbers are dancier ("Knights"); the slow sex jams are sexier ("White Mystery"); and new keyboardist Alex Rose gives the synths a much stronger role than ever before, both with brilliant countermelodies and sublime textures. [Sept 2007]

This disc contains some intriguing moments. [Apr 2002, p.74]

The CD's air of politeness pushes this pleasant pop music into the background. [Oct 2002, p.92]

The duo's strength is their songwriting skills, which are being honed to a razor's edge here. [#153, p.84]

There's enough patented 'Pusher weirdness here to tingle your noggin. [Apr 2004, p.100]

A great party record, pop-metal to a splendid degree. [Jan 2003, p.84]

The Beta Band have added muscle to their rickety rock chassis without losing their past work's wood-fairy charm. [Aug 2004, p.106]

Just what the doctor ordered for those underwhelmed by last year's Built To Spill album. [Jul 2002, p.94]

Anyone who saw his performances last summer will immediately recognize the invigorated sound here, somewhere between Merzbow and metal, between liquid and solid. [Aug 2001, p.95]

The haze is fairly one-dimensional, but it's an engrossing path of melancholia. [Oct 2014, p.102]

There will always be casualties when musicians want to change but fans want them to stay the same. That doesn’t stop the Color Morale from adding plenty of pop choruses to their post-hardcore palate on Hold On Pain Ends, while keeping their metalcore tendencies, too.

Not only does the album overflow with stick-in-your-head hooks, but it also boasts contemporary production, from sleek digital programming to airy synthesizers, to go along with more traditional band-based instrumentation.

Fantastic. This is the best new band Sub Pop has worked with in years. [June 2008, p.131]

The Brutalist Bricks is an experimental and enjoyable pop-punk record. [Apr 2010, p.128]

This is no-frills, passionate hardcore with a purpose. [May 2014, p.93]

Parallax II may be the strongest 72 consecutive minutes they have put together so far. [Nov 2012, p.86]

This is the 25-year-old singer-songwriter at his most personal. [Oct 2006, p.208]

Infectiously noisy. [May 2006, p.166]

The results is a rollicking continuation of their previous two albums' unhinged metallic-punk steamroller. [Nov 2012, p.90]

The entire album's honeycombed with intriguing tones and gauzy grace, but the songs' elliptical shapes demand patience. The reward comes in installments, but is high yield. [Jul 2013, p.106]

Where the band struggle is writing memorable tunes. [May 2014, p.91]

Face Tat demands remarkable attention from its listeners; if only Hill would have challenged himself as much during its creation. [Nov 2010, p.112]

Madness successfully articulates where the band’s headspace is right now; SWS put the time in and came out poised for greater things.

Shine is simultaneously gentle and forceful, letting its dusky melodies and subtle surface tension shape its relatively less inventive subject matter. [June 2003, p.104]

An impeccable album that makes good on the promise he's shown in the past. [May 2004, p.102]

These 12 songs are far more immediate than the sometimes-diffuse material on 2010's Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky. [Nov 2014, p.92]

It peaks on 'Coffee,' a wonderfully weird, ska-tinged duet with the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle that flat out rocks. [Oct 2007, p.170]

The band manage to still sound vital and fresh.

The anthems still have Morrissey and Marr in their DNA, but they pout more than they roar. [Sep 2014, p.108]

The Humbucking Coil's captivating soundscapes evoke more emotion via machines than most bands can with "real" instruments. [Mar 2006, p.138]

Much more songwriter-based than [his] early discs. [Sep 2006, p.230]

Close the Distance is an album that does not only further separate Lancaster from his past--it also widens the gap between Go Radio and their peers. [Oct 2012, p.83]

Phantogram's electronics and electric guitar alchemy has simultaneously become more infectious and complex than ever before. [Mar 2014, p.93]

Exister serves as a reminder that the thousands of bands aping this style of punk will never be as great as Hot Water Music.

Like vintage B&S, this Glasgow group's sound ranges from full-blown orchestration to tunes on which a lot of musicians make very little noise. [Mar 2004, p.94]

These are songs worth letting your guard down for. [Aug 2013, p.94]

Their continued filtering of '50s girl-group melodies through swelling pop songs that crib equally from the noise/indie/dream spheres captivates in newly charming ways. [Oct 2012, p.88]

Vetiver have previously been a little too left-of-center for any huge acclaim, but with Tight Knit, expect the blogosphere to light up. [mar 2009, p.107]

The band sound bigger and and more self-assured than ever. [Jun 2006, p.190]

It may take a few spins to fully appreciate French Kicks' nuances, but those who give them time will be greatly rewarded. [Jul 2002, p.81]

This collection is a tad less playful but no less catchy. [Feb 2014, p.91]

Whether you're a fan of Pinback or Goblin Cock, you can probably find something worth listening to on Living Well. [Mar 2007, p.135]

As expected, frontman/programmer Rou Reynolds remains urgent and vulnerable. [Oct 2017, p.81]

The first five tracks just feel like the opening act for the stripped-down, twangy acoustic trilogy that closes out the album. [May 2005, p.172]

For Matchbook Romance, Voices is adventurous. [Mar 2006, p.122]

The mood can at times feel oppressive, but is always rescued by either a devilishly great synth hook or Puciato's baleful vocals and heated lyrics. [Mar 2016, p.102]

For new fans, We Disappear is a solid entry point into the Thermals' world; for longtime fans, the new, calmer side of the band emerging is fresh, but still packed with the same spirit and punch that has endured for a decade-and-a-half. [Apr 2016, p.100]

Indictments abound on The People Or The Gun, Anti-Flag's seventh full-length that proves Pittsburgh's politically aware punks haven't lost their bite nor bark. [Jul 2009, p.122]

While on the surface its 12 tracks might seem less visceral than some of his previous work, they’re actually an incredibly powerful, important and thought-provoking glimpse of both his life and mind—and the state of the world at large.

Ladyfinger (ne)'s second disc finds a sweet spot within the jagged, mathematical riffs to hide wellsprings of melody and harmony. [Apr 2009, p.132]

Full of power and their trademark delicate storytelling, Shipping News' latest is their greatest. [Dec 2010, p.116]

Black Hours [is] loaded with familiar falsetto swoops, cutting middle range and observation mixed with self-reflection. [Jul 2014, p.98]

While Mogwai once seemed too ambitious for their own good, Mr. Beast perfectly distills the essence of the band's raison d'etre. [Apr 2006, p.214]

What keeps these 10 songs honest is the audible influence of another genre: shoegaze. [Mar 2014, p.92]

Past Lives seem poised to avoid various aesthetic dead-ends and the subcultures that foment said traps. It's a trend for listeners to get behind. [Mar 2010, p.94]

While too many co-writers are often detrimental to an album, Red is pleasingly diverse-and more often stays true to the homespun, creative vibe of Frampton's previous releases.

In the end, Antiphon feels like it should be enjoyed in one piece, preferably wearing headphones. [Dec 2013, p.98]

With the track order shuffled entirely, it almost plays like a greatest hits album: Closer examination reveals cohesive new context for the collection, one that's more satisfying than anything we've heard from the trio before. [Mar 2014, p.88]

On paper the choice of Jon Brion, a musician and engineer best known for his work in film seemed perfect, but unfortunately it didn't temper Barnes' misguided vision to be the indie-rock Prince. [Oct 2010, p.116]

Unbelievably catchy hipster synth-rock. [Sep 2004, p.136]

An ambitious record that pays skillful tribute to teachers like Pink Floyd, but shows off its ambition too much. [Nov 2001, p.94]

Home Acres is rooted in stunning energy that tells the tale of a Midwestern dream falling apart. [Apr 2010, p.122]

These Brighton lads are smart and clever, as evidenced by the creative leaps they exhibit on Visions. [Jun 2007, p.148]

Musically, IX is less threatening then previous albums, but that doesn't mean it's any less potent. [Dec 2014, p.104]

Where Starsailor failed at morphing Britpop with orchestral flair, the Veils soar. [Aug 2004, p.118]

Gutter Tactics is another collection on which fans of rap radicals Public Enemy and drone-metal heavies the Melvins can find common ground. [Mar 2009, p.116]

Exotic without ever being self-conscious, dreamy without ever missing the beat, and serious without losing the capacity for serious fun, Black Sun is a rare and heavenly event in the crowded universe of EDM.

The Portland, Oregon, trio trade their micro-fragmented structures for indie-pop opuses drenched in linear tensions on the meticulously crated Mines. [Aug 2010, p150]

Sounds more like Bad Religion than any Bad Religion album has in years. [Mar 2002, p.71]

It sounds like, well, another solid Mission Of Burma record. [Nov 2009, p.110]

Sway is a noticeable sonic upgrade from SSLYBY's previous two albums, which can be somewhat off-putting at first, Still, the progression suits the quartet rather fine. [Sep 2010, p.113]

Arguably his most solid collection of folk-based tunes. [Apr 2005, p.116]

LOG maintain all thise essential elements and more, yet still venture into uncharted territory. [Apr 2009, p.136]

An album as dense and uncompromising as his native New York. [Nov 2003, p.116]

If you read The Wire, you probably already own [Kesto], but if you don't, don't bother. [Jul 2004, p.148]

Takes a step back to the crossroads of the accessible and the head-scratchable. [Oct 2004, p.148]

At once daring and danceable, The New Romance is the best Talking Heads record Bikini Kill never made. [Oct 2003, p.120]

The Montreal group's full-length debut, Some Are Lakes, frustratingly lacks that energy, as well as "Boo's" memorable afterglow. [Nov 2008, p.155]

brakesbrakesbrakes are as eclectic (musically) and clever (lyrically) as ever on their third album. [June 2009, p.98]

Thanks to a vintage church organ, a sizzling saxophone and a little recording expertise, Pickin' Up The Pieces' deceptively analog sound has all the crackle and warmth of the music pouring out of an old AM radio. [[Sep 2010, p.109]

The Human Romance shows an experienced band trying new things and succeeding. [Mar 2011, p.92]

Gimme Some is grounded in a guitar-based directness it seemed PB&J had left behind. [Apr 2011, p.118]

IWABO prove there's some actual technique beneath their gimmickry. [Aug 2011, p.118]

Mountaintops is still well-crafted (if overwrought), but lacks the punch that'll make you sit up and take notice. [Oct 2011, p.109]