Mercer manages to sing behind the beat, beside it, in front of it, all while tossing out upper-division stanzas that are mostly cryptic, sometimes creepy, and occasionally sublime. [Apr 2009, p.134]

LOTP cram tons of stylistic inversions into 43 minutes. We had no idea attention deficit disorder could sound this majestic. [Feb 2009, p.102]

Nicolay serves it up hot, no matter what musical milieu is on the menu. [Feb 2009, p.106]

Even if this Boat doesn't always stay afloat, Cook's eager-to-please melodic sensibilities can still get jaws a-smilin'. [Mar 2009, p.116]

While Folie A Deux at times feels like the band are showing off the contents of their Rolodex, the album's standouts are so good that they will undoubtedly become standards for the band's live shows for years to come.

While World is simply a fun pop record at its core, the effort, time and most importantly, experience (gleaned both from the members' extracurricular projects and the near-decade they've been together) that went into its making clearly sets AAR apart from newer bands who keep attempting to capture this same sound with much less ambition.

The songs explode with more energy than the whole underground combined. This makes it very hard not to love Los Campesinos!, and makes it easier to forgive the fact this record could have been better served as an EP. [Nov 2008, p.162]

Flowers suffers from lyrical impairment and bloated self-importance throughout the rest of the album. [Jan 2008, p.121]

The Cross of My Calking is far more spirited [than their last album], creating a univese somewhere between Primal Scream's Rolling Stones phase and the Mars Volta's brand of jam science, with an occasional Bo Diddley beat thrown in. [Jan 2008, p.129]

Though some of the songs are more sultry than dark, this overall effect of Lanegan up front and Campbell in the middle distance--angelic, etheral, almost intangible--is the magic that makes their collaboration so memorable. [Jan 2008, p.124]

Earnest and joyful throughout, they don't make records like this anymore, so be glad Anathallo didn't listen and made one anyway.

The Singles is over too quickly. [Nov 2008, p.164]

Sycamore has plenty of upbeat rockers to counterbalance its moodier moments. [Jan 2008, p.128]

The Bronx III shouldn't be perceived as a misstep, because this band's growing pains have more character than the parade of desperate losers saddled with pay-to-play blues lined up in front of L.A.'s Roxy Theatre. [Dec 2008, p.129]

The album nods to "Things'" lush, layered pop, while adding hefty shoegaze crunch, kicky new-wave synths and diffracted drone.[Dec 2008, p.148]

The band flex all their muscles from a decade-plus of experience without hesitation and, more importantly, without overdoing it. [Jan 2008, p.129]

Where the Tokyo-based quintet's heavier side might normally overshadow Thursday's more sensitively nuanced post-screamo, the transitions here are seemless. [Dec 2008, p.130]

Throw in lowered expectations and a few fine fellows, and Surfing becomes genuinely fun and ebullient effort, a toss-off that neither toss nor off. [Feb 2009, p.103]

Fantastic. Yesterday is a breath of fresh air for hip hop. [Feb 2009, p.107]

Poison excels at using retro flourishes without drowning in nostalgia or irony, and it never forgets the future is brightest. [Jan 2009, p.130]

Intimacy is arguably Bloc Party's finest moment thus far, offering sweat and circuitry, savagery and submission, and a captivating energy that's severely lacking in many music scenes on the planet. [Dec 2008, p.144]

Singer Ricky Wilson holds it together with his charismatic personality, demanding you sit up and listen the second he opens his mouth to kick things off. [Dec 2008, p.146]

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

The richly recorded songs spool out with a natural ease. [Nov 2008, p.154]

Ryan Adams asserts a distinctly Americana ethos into dynamic, woven layers of rock on Cardinology, showcasing the diverse range of this prolific songwriter nd his backing band. [Jan 2008, p.129]

He further hones his flamboyant jazz chops while elevating his melodic and rocking abilties to new heights. [Jan 2008, p.131]

Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder sees the Brits at thie operatic best and completely unafraid to fill their songs with orchestral keyboards. [Dec 208, p.142]

For the Malin faithful, these are the seeds from which the glitter in the gutter sprung. [Nov 2008, p.129]

'Bells of Creation (Machete Mix)' confirms they're not budging from their patented brans of symphonic rock....It's a sizzling cauldron of rock magic, grand in sound and scope. The other songs aren't quite as compelling. [Dec 2008, p.146]

Skeletal Laming furthers the notion that Kevin Barnes is, in fact, the Prince of our generation. [Dec 2008, p.138]

True to form, the band deliver yet again on Car Alarm. [Nov 2008, p.155]

Dymphna's genre distinctions are more sophisticated and nuanced. [Dec 2008, p.152]

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

It's a decent disc that'll simultaneously satisfy your cravings for pop music and the avant-garde. [Dec 2008, p.153]

Grainger's vocals, however, hang a little harsh in the mix without the jagged musical edges around them. Still, the essential energy in his performance powers through the awkward spots, making the disc a welcome payoff to a dance-punk dream destroyed.

Secret Machines is a bit of a misstep, failing keep their languid, explorative tracks from growing dull. [Dec 2008, p.148]

I'm From Barcelona have already moved on from the instantly infectious sense of fun that made the better cuts of "Let Me Introduce My Friends" so endearing. But it's not as though they've turned their backs completely on the quirks that brought them this far. [Nov 2008, p.154]

The vocals occasionally become rhythmic and robotic, as if filtered through a demonic Vocoder, but there's no denying this album's rich humanity. [Nov 2008, p.158]

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]

Though written and recorded quickly, it's hard to imagine how these tracks could have been improved on, as they effortlessly cover a wide musical expanse. [Jan 2008, p.124]

While the album has bright spots, overall it feels a bit dull and without the spark that made 1998's "Midwestern Songs Of The Americas" so fresh and exciting. [Dec 2008, p.132]

In spite of the repetitiveness, Fucked Up Friends comes out gold and crispy and ready, for you to get your hands on it. [Nov 2008, p.164]

What matters is that Everything Is Borrowed is enough of a triumph that despite all evidence to the contrary, you'll be convinced the world is indeed a beautiful place. [Dec 2008, p.153]

Offend Maggie continues Deerhoof's winning streak and displays a band running at peak performance. [Nov 2008, p.154]

It all boils down to the simple question of which songs grab you, so there are certainly reasons to give Appeal a whirl and decide for yourself. [Nov 2008, p.151]

'Always Do' is the pinnacle of this record's minimal momentum; it's a leisurely stroll past the mediocrity of te album's second half (with the exception of the bluesy cadence 'Hair Don't Grow'). [Nov 2008, p.151]

Fucked Up aren't the easiest band to like, but they're worth the effort. [Nov 2008, p.156]

It doesn't quite have the emotional snap their debut so admirably possessed, but the musicians have an apparent precision of craft. [Jan 2008, p.125]

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]

Another World is only for the devoted. [Jan 2008, p.124]

Doomsdayer's Holiday shows a band pushing the limits of psychedelic post-rock and testing the boundaries of post-metal. [Dec 2008, p.142]

It seems that Crooked Fingers have solidified their sound regardless of how schizophrenic Forfeit/Fortune may seem. [Jan 2008, p.124]

This is a great record for staring out the window of a train on a sunny winter day. [Jan 2008, p.125]

The passion and power generated by Messrs Strummer, Jones, Simonon and Chimes make the proceedings feel like 10 minutes. [Nov 2008, p.170]

Doiron's presence and Squire's understated electric guitar imbue the album with haunting, spectral beauty equal to anything Elverum's done. [Dec 2008, p.138]

It makes for a fairly entertaining show if you're willing to put down your hot wings for a second to sep outside to watch. [Nov 2008, p.162]

Even at his most commercial, Jake stays true to his groove. [Jan 2008, p.131]

It's a handy metaphor for the record, and Folds in general: Obsessed with love but with a careful eye for the absurd, humanizing details. [Nov 2008, p.160]

It's as dreamy as Mercury Rev have ever sounded. [Oct 2008, p.161]

Awash with sweet bass grooves, tasteful psychedelic guitar action and the occasional Indian tone, the album nonetheless maintains a mostly melancholy quality. [Nov 2008, p.162]

Arguably anything Morello releases is worth listening to and The Fabled City, while not perfect, is no different. [Oct 2006, p.153]

Even if McMahon's inspiration (lyrical and otherwise) are transparent on Passenger, the execution of his influences is impeccable. [Oct 2008, p.147]

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]

Shogun's assembly and architecture is devoid of the lively attack and emotional elan necessary to make this a true entry into the pantheon of heavy-metal long-players. [Nov 2008, p.158]

Much of the album is comprised of moiody, softly undulating numbers whose beauty is offset by a frictioness drift which prevents them from truly taking hold. [Dec 2009, p.108]

Animals is a raucous and hugely entertaining effort that doubles as a virtual "Name That Tune" game. [Nov 2008, p.164]

There's plenty of classic Mogwai downtempo and hypnotic trance, the likes of which will make you reconsider flippantly using the phrase "epic as fuck" again. [Oct 2008, p.160]

More lively and consistent than 2006's "Rabbit Fur Coat," Lewis's second solo disc builds like a whisky buzz. [Nov 2008, p.155]

Doo-wop-inspired harmonies lend a barbershop charm to the Chicago quintet's earnest and energetic pop-punk sound, though the retro styling of World occasionally comes off as more tired than inspired.

Maybe if Keith had spent more time on his lyrics and less time watching reality TV, this would be a better album. [Dec 2008, p.152]

The reason Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down works here other "buzz band" albums don't is because theirs just feels natural--NATW aren't trying to buy into any trend. They're just writing great music. [Sep 2008, p.151]

This disc is more fun than leafing through a schizophrenic's case history and twice as loud--and this reviwer can't wait for the sequel. [Oct 2008, p.158]

All That Remains maintain the progression demostrated on 2006's "The Fall Of ideals," further exploring metal taboos like hooks and melody. [Oct 2008, p.156]

A scappy but lovable collection of power pop. [Oct 2008, p.152]

The infectious All Or Nothing takes all the right things about their debut and improves on them. {Oct 2008, p.161]

Calexico is back in the desert with Carried To Dust. Which is not to say it feels like a retreat, Dust is far too confident. [Oct 2008, p.152]

The pair of albums don't feel at all like a gimmick, but more like a labor of love that gives each of frontman Will Sheff's characters the appropriate amount of time to shine. [Oct 2008, p.152]

The Quilt expertly stitches together art and commerce. Every song has an insistent hook, but despite the high-profile hip-hop guests, nothing feels calculated. [Oct 2008, p.162]

For the target audience, such education lines as "K is for kid fart/L is for long and loud farts" will leave house apes wondering what the fuck they ever saw in "Wheels On The Bus." [Oct 2008, p.153]

A lovely example of how acoustic-based music doesn't need to be limited by its sparse nature. [Oct 2008, p.153]

Although it could easily pass as B-sides from 2007's "War Stories," it's actually a sprawling, atmospheric effort with enough interesting tangents to appeal to even jaded "Never, Never Land" fans. [Oct 2008, p.170]

Shall Noise Upon is the first album to consistently contain songwriting equivalent to their technical prowess. [Oct 2008, p.152]

Lost In The Sound Of Separation is truly 2008's first perfect record. [Sep 2008, p.145]

Slime gives good reason to say Roots is winning. [Dec 2008, p.152]

For what looks to be a one-off, it's remarkably fleshed out and intricate. [Oct 2008, p.151]

Ultra Beatdown is a relentless explosion of power metal serving as a superb master class for fledgling shredders on any instrument. [Sep 2008, p.152] [Sep 208, p.152]

A record bubbling with fresh sounds and creativity, one that proves Alias has not only not lost his touch--he' s improved upon it. [Oct 2008, p.162]

There's something simple and true about The Rhumb Line--and Ra Ra Riot--that draws you back to both again and again. [Sep 2008, p.150]

It's the sound of three musicians playing to their strengths while challenging their songwriting style, resulting in a cohesive listen that holds your attention to the end. [Sep 2008, p.156]

You & Me is a consolidation of strengths, intensity and pathos with enough '60s echo-chamber reverb to singe synapses. [Oct 2008, p.153]

It's by far the most readily accessible release in the A&C catalog and heightened the Stills anxieties to pathological levels, like setting bullet points from "An Inconvenuient Truth" to upbeat tunes. [Sep 2008, p.150]

Either way, previous Academy Is... fans will surely dig the tunes, but Fast Times is probably not the album that will see the band expand their scope too far out of the high school/Warped Tour crowd.

We're fans of Thorburn's day job, too, but this actually wins out when it comes to Sunday relaxation tunes. [Oct 2008, p.153]

This should be among Perry's higher-profile efforts in some time, with production by Andrew WK, and guest appearances by everyone from Moby to Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt. [Oct 2008, p.150]

Fallon's lyrics continue to embrace the Americana ethos that is sucessfully married with a soulful punk sound as timeless as the sentiments that inspire him. [Sep 2008, p.148]

Hill's first solo outing is a 450 bpm bonanza with 13 tracks of slasher-jazz that are surprisingly catchy and cohesive. [Sep 2008, p.162]

Without the extra bells and whisteles--which alwways saved the weakest Faint songs in the past--most of Faciinatiion is largely dispoable. [Sep 2008, p.160]

The Rumble Strips are often seen as Two-Tone ska revivalists when truthfully the sound is more like Wreckless Eric doing Memphis soul with occasional stops in Michigan to raid the vaults at Motown. [Sep 2008, p.159]