Ever wonder what an all-star band featuring Burt Bacharach, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd would sound like stoned on the final reel of 2001: A Space Odyssey? [May 2006, p.172]

Despite some bummer subject matter, this could be the year's most fun album. [Nov 2013, p.84]

Deerhoof's 13 years of experience have honed their sound to near perfection and is pleasing even to the most critical of ears. [Mar 2007, p.136]

You can hear that rage burning throughout this record’s 11 songs, most notably on “Mourning In Amerika,” “Welcome To The Breakdown” and the untamed aggression of “Bullshit,” on which frontman Tim McIlrath rails against the divisive politics that sadly led us to an orange man in the White House.

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]

Musically, he's a little more conventional than one would hope. [12/2000, p.90]

A gorgeous and welcome display of growth... [#155, p.68]

If Lush hadn't died, it might have wound up in the same solemn, yet provocative, place. [May 2004, p.104]

Fans of extreme metal will find Unearth's latest release a tad too light, but anyone who likes metal in their 'core should go completely bat-shit over this album.

The Ghost Inside are one of hardcore's brightest lights, and Get What You Give is a perfect example of heavy music with a high IQ.

Imagine a pagan Danielson Famile on magic mushrooms, or a folk-rock cLOUDDEAD. [Aug 2004, p.122]

Of these five tracks, only closer "Thrown Right At Me" is underwhelming, plain where it compatriots are--much like the great plains themselves--full of hidden idiosyncrasies despite outwardly appearing flat and one-dimensional.

At times lushly orchestral and at others achingly stark, Migrant is the masterfully actualized first chapter in the true story of the Dear Hunter--the band. [May 2013, p.88]

Sing When You're Winning is as powerful as you want, as lovely as your dreams and as subtle as the best practical joke. [12/2000, p.121]

These six songs are louder, faster and heavier than the first EP. [Jun 2014, p.105]

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]

What makes Fortress much more than just a chain mail-clad sweep-picking clinic is the band's ability to weave bold melodies into the album's thudering riffage. [Feb 2008, p.116]

Real Hair continues down the path set by their first two records and that’s a good thing.

Turner's third solo release shows how versatile he is as he single handedly bridges the gap between Brian Fallon and Billy Bragg. [Oct 2009, p.115]

He's created a bona-fide pop album--smokingly soulful, sure, but armed to the teeth with hooks and refrains, radio-ready and simultaneously transcendent. [#147, p.84]

[Travis have] set aside the drifting atmospherics iin favor of complex arrangements. [Dec 2003, p.154]

He's a poetic if not somewhat mad genius on his own, but Peer Amid makes it clear Higgs is at his best pacing the prow of mighty musical vessel. [Mar 2011, p.99]

All at once tragic, gorgeous and ugly in just the right ways. [Nov 2005, p.212]

Dusk And Summer is proof that Carrabba's ability to drop hugely emotive choruses into three-minute pop songs has become its own form of classic American songwriting. [Aug 2006, p.199]

Though lifeless songs such as "Estranged" still remind you of LeMaster's yawn-inducing past, the rest of Dark Light Daybreak suggests he should've stretched out like this a long time ago. [Nov 2006, p.200]

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]

Through it all, they retain their fundamental hardcore power-chug while vocalist Liam Cormier gives his most diverse screaming/growling/speaking performance yet. [May 2010, p.105]

By sticking to a strict formula of short, frenzied blasts of razor-wire guitars and mosh-inciting rhythms, Cerebral Ballzy have gobbed out an absolutely fluff-free album. [Aug 2011, p.112]

Centipede Hz stretches them out of their traditional organic structures and into a slightly unknown world.

The release does establish Simple Plan as on e of the most consistent acts making music today. [Feb 2008, p.109]

None of these tracks are throwaways. [Apr 2015, p.92]

Through it all, Massive Attack are more menacing than midnight in the darklands. Welcome back--you've been missed terribly. [Mar 2010, p.96]

Rachel's create classical music for people who listen to bands like Boards Of Canada. [Nov 2003, p.100]

Deliciously out of touch, Ladybug Transistor are sly, simpering and irresistible. [Nov 2003, p.99]

The beating heart of Newsom's tales, at turns whimsical and melancholic, enchant with a simple calculus: A woman, a harp and a story to tell. [Dec 2006, p.190]

Scottish popsters Belle & Sebastian neatly embrace and critique the politics of dancing on their ninth studio album. [Feb 2015, p.90]

It's one hell of a ride.

Though each song is plainly predictable, the album is never boring as each track packs a few twists that thrill. [Apr 2015, p.91]

In the indie universe, rarely do groups making such live spectacles have albums to back up the show--but this charming, smart, lush pop is a notable exception. [June 2003, p.97]

The band manage to still sound vital and fresh.

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.

Wilco continues to reign in their experiemntal fuzz, focusing more on pretty melodies, upbeat toe-tappers and sweet acoustic numbers for their seventh full-length. [Aug 2009, p.115]

Bob Mould is no ordinary musician-in fact, you could say he's a pop genius. Silver Age is just one more confirmation of that fact.

The sound is closer to the Boss' Nebraska--as Will Oldham would have done it--haunting, reflective and drowning in sorrow. [Oct 2006, p.200]

Oddfellows is a multifaceted and consistently fascinating album. [Feb 2013, p.94]

In addition to writing stronger songs, the trio seem much more comfortable and focused in the studio. [#153, p.85]

Better than anyone could have predicted. [Sep 2003, p.112]

Charging rock songs and austere balladry make this album resonate more than the morass of bad music currently plaguing us. [#155, p.80]

The disc is as loose, casual and rollicking as a conversation with an old friend.... across these 65 minutes, his manic energy shines through. [#154, p.87]

Stagnant Pools' combination of overdrive and understated make this a surprisingly alluring album. [Sep 2012, p.94]

Monuments to an Elegy is a stunning return to form, offering concise songs that plumb the vocalist/guitarist's stock in trade while offering new sonic veneers. [Jan 2015, p.93]

The rare moments when Bryant shares the spotlight are Wyoming's best and hopefully hint at Water Liars' future. [Apr 2013, p.94]

The subtle electronic touches give Mogwai's production a suitably enigmatic dimension. [#155, p.78]

Ratatat seem harmless, but these melodies will seep into your brain. [Jun 2004, p.111]

As the title suggests, REAL. is the genuine article.

Intensely bizarre cartoon music. [May 2005, p.178]

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]

Though it unfortunately eschews the dynamic emotive crests and space of past efforts in favor of MO's intensely urgent intent, its results make it a completely worthy addition to an already strong alt-rock catalog. [May 2014, p.89]

While her songwriting is strong enough, it's Hayes' love of smeared guitar noise and other wordless joys of progressive production that are really on her side for this album. [June 2003, p.96]

These five songs show the band branching off into some surprising directions. [Jun 2003, p.103]

Whether it's moving, restrained numbers or jarring, chilling bursts of intensity, it's a hellish journey with heavenly execution. [Jul 2015, p.97]

This is a band with no bullshit, no frills--just consistent, hardworking musicians putting out music that continues to push the boundaries of what the possibilities of punk can be.

Their [Daniel Blumberg and Neil Hagerty's] collaboration resulted in an album that requires close attention to find the golden details hidden in its crevices. [Aug 2013, p.88]

Conjures images of an organic commune in an alternate galaxy. [Jun 2005, p.164]

From the snarling romp of "USA" to the loping crawl of "new Low" or the rockabilly-tinged stomp of "Alive Or Dead", MC Rut are riveting, the rawness of their performance drenched in the pints of sweat they undoubtedly shed at every show. [Nov 2010, p.116]

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 Maine have written another impressive album, proving once again they're a damn good rock band. [Jul 2013, p.100]

While it doesn't flow with the breathless ingenuity of their earlier albums, it's still a cut above 90 percent of today's electronica. [#147, p.109]

Sixteen-tear-old vocalist Lydia Night isn't afraid to speak her mind, and the members of the Regrettes match her gritty vocal delivery and feminist sentiments with raucous rock 'n' roll guitars coated with buzzy noise and distortion. [Feb 2017, p.80]

Sure, sometimes the angst gets too angsty and a couple songs feel a bit like throwaways, but this is a great, memorable and oftentimes moving release from someone who sounds like she has about 20 years and 10 albums more experience than she does.

The New Orleans duo have crafted another epic album--this time, though, it's a more organic affair. [Feb 2009, p.107]

As the follow-up to 1997's III, Effector succintly incorporates that disc's pristine sheen and futuristic atmospherics, while moving into more quirky, funk-laden territory. [12/2000, p.94]

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

A well-rounded album that might be mewithoutYou’s best.

Home Of The Strange adds back their debut’s indie charm, then catapults Sameer Gadhia’s sensational vocals to the front. Keeping those levels in check allows the band to effortlessly explore ambient electronics (“Amerika”), dance numbers (“Silvertongue”) and every other curiosity along the way.

Sounds like a holding-its-own companion piece to Quicksand's 1995 swan song Manic Compression. [Nov 2004, p.142]

Often dark, but strangely triumphant. [Oct 2013, p.92]

Chasing Ghosts won't win any awards for originality, but this is definitive victory for smart songwriting,, heart, and passion. [Oct 2012, p.84]

Their most accomplished and least anxious record yet. [Nov 2006, p.182]

The good news is that in their quest not to make fly-away pop, Air have unearthed a bizarre and dark sense of humor that allows them to subvert and celebrate their new gloomier chops. [Jul 2001, p.59]

Angles ends up being one of the group's more compelling efforts, rather than the casualty of experimentation it could have been.

Every song sounds like background music in an art-house film. [Apr 2006, p.207]

Rather Ripped is the sound of a band no longer setting their distortion pedals on stun, and, as a result, the best songs are as low-key as a small town on Sunday morning. [Aug 2006, p.218]

Anyone with an appreciation for smartass MCs and a little of Fender-tapping would do well to give TSOL a spin. [Nov 2010, p.116]

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]

At times some reining in might have been desirable, but 11 albums in, it’s hard to argue Opeth have earned the right to do whatever the hell they want.

Their songs are categorically contagious and surprisingly smart. [Sep 2005, p.164]

His low-riding G-Funk has morphed into a faster, catchier brand of soul that's often a dead ringer for early Prince. [Jun 2006, p.192]

The bulk of Baby 81 draws from the dark underbelly of the Woodstock generation. [Jun 2007, p.156]

Too True preserves what makes Dum Dum Girls great, while pushing the band to brilliant new heights.

On Habitual Leviathans, the group are more powerful than ever: but it’s a confident power that requires minimal chest thumping.

The tunes are as melancholy rosey as ever, the confessional as soul-stirringly honest and open. [#147, p.83]

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]

The only twang on the record is the sound of strings breaking as Jack attacks his guitar. [Sep 2001, p.104]

The album is a devilishly fun listen when he's behaving liked a genius on the attack [Sep 2010, p.116]

Alternately pounding and pining, it's "faceless techno" at its very best. [Sep 2002, p.96]

These songs are silly without being cloying. [May 2005, p.134]

Frontman Tom Dougall offers guitar distensions, pedal abuse and disaffected vocals, while synth op Alejandra Diez is called upon to deliver gorgeous melodies and sinister noise. [Oct 2012, p. 92]