Sometimes it works, other times it just sounds bitter and gratuitous. [Jul 2013, p.96]

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]

Kveikur is a masterstroke effort. [Jul 2013, p.104]

There are traces of the Locust, the other band of vocalist Justin Pearson, but these 12 songs are darker and more dangerous. [Jun 2013, p.98]

Everything that has made Boysetsfire an essential hardcore band since they formed in the mid-’90s fits into the right spots on this new album.

Though fast and dynamic, it's just not exciting in the way it should be, and it's impossible to shake the feeling that something is missing. [Jul 2013, p.96]

Thankfully, Damage easily bests the previous two Jimmy Eat World full-lengths, and its high points rival those of Futures and Bleed American.

By smoothing out the rough edges, the guys found new ways to bleed. [Jul 2013, p.104]

The Brazilian party inciters still diversify deftly on their fourth full-length, Planta. [Jul 2013, p.100]

Settle is a rare animal: an EDM album that actually flows like an album should. Listening to it, there's a feeling that as much thought went into the track sequencing as went into the sequenced rhythms.

It's as beautifully patient and thoughtful as anything else in Dallas green's expanding catalog, while carrying the same sort of modest insecurity and self-doubt that's made the project so warm and personable. [Jul 2013, p.98]

The quartet gets a little glammy, turn in a fist pumping epic, and achieve Beatles-esque flights of fancy. [Jul 2013, p.104]

The band's skill with their classic source material remains intact: the chord progressions, melodies and arrangements are familiar, but rarely boring or overtly derivative. [May 2013, p.90]

It’s fast; it’s honest, and it’ll probably make you tear up more than once.

Surrendering to its strange charms could be one of the smartest decisions you make this year. [Jul 2013, p.106]

All told, this is hardly a bad addition to Eisley's burgeoning catalog—their development is obvious, and there are enough quality songs present to improve that theoretical "greatest hits" collection for their live show.

There's nothing here as flat-out beautiful as "Tired Climb" from 2010's Spiral Shadow, but Ultraviolet is both expansive and rockin' in equal measure. [Jun 2013, p.96]

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

With shorter songs and more restrained production it lacks the epic quality of its predecessor, and overall it is weaker for it.

For all of its charms, One Kiss Ends It All sounds a bit sdhaky and unfocused. [Jun 2013, p.98]

The despair in the vocals complements the weight of the music, with just enough melodic hookiness in places (especially “Outside Of Me,” “Sheltered” and “Knew”) to keep you engaged, balanced with some truly epic tangents (see closer “Around The Railing”).

Ungrateful comes off as cluttered and confused. [Jun 2013, p.92]

On One of Us Is the Killer, everybody is firing on all cylinders and DEP sound just as urgent as ever. [Jun 2013, p.94]

With vocals creeping into the closer "Happiness," not once does Cooper put a foot wrong, creating an album that borders on perfection. [Jun 2013, p.96]

On the whole, these are fast paced, highly-charged ska-punk songs, but they’re riddled with musical flourishes and nuances–not to mention impossibly catchy hooks.

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]

Nearly everything that made Fitz And The Tantrums interesting has been thrown out the window for More Than A Dream. Fitzpatrick has run out of anything interesting to say, instead relying on awful cliches. [Jun 2013, p.96]

This is Terror at their very best. [May 2013, p.92]

Instead of cleverness, the polished songs indulge here sentimental broken heart. Bandmate M. Ward is mostly content to stay out of the way vocally, but he builds up a castle of retro-instrumental heartbreak for Deschanel. [Jun 2013, p.102]

The end result is Silverstein's career-best work and one of the best albums of the year thus far. [Mar 2013, p.91]

In the end, Modern Vampires just seems to fade into a dull glow that will still be overshadowed by the band's explosive self-titled debut. [Jun 2013, p.102]

The second half of the album loses momentum due to the overly long, soggy pop of "Crescendo" and "Strangers," although Nocturnes recovers nicely on the flawless synth-pop jam "All For You," where Hesketh shows off her dramatic, emotive vocals. [Jun 2013, p.98

"Piano Mantra" is ambitious, but he pulls it all off in an epic way--which could be said for MCII as a whole. [Jun 2013, p.92]

Young New England may not define Transit, as it's wildly uneven and sometimes oddly raw, but there's enough good here--the missteps, you'll listen and forgive. [May 2013, p.91]

Sister Faith is rich with engaging depth and an inventive accessibility that should put the band on the radar of independent music lovers everywhere. [May 2013, p.88]

Tears On Tape doesn't reinvent the wheel, but within HIM's impressive canon, it's among their best. [May 2013, p.90]

For some reason, the Stooges decided to get moody on a trio of acoustic-based tracks, letting their singer respond by going into full on crooner mode. That sort of twaddle may fly on Pop's solo records, but when they go up against the slinky, deep pocket grooves of the rest of the album, the songs feel pale and hollow.

Lovely and heartfelt, Wheel is an introspective delight. [May 2013m, p.90]

Thr!!!er is a party for sure, but you';; never really feel it unless you and 200 of your best friends are listening to it in an airplane hanger at 110 db. [May 2013, p.84]

The Postelles flash moments of this talent, but often come off as a pedestrian version of a banal sound.

For anyone who misses the era when Tegan And Sara were still crafting fizzy, folky breakup--and makeup--songs, Say What You Mean is the perfect remedy. [May 2013, p.92]

It might not be the same band as in 1998, but this graceful, elegant record is more than deserving of a place in their discography.

At its core, Tape Deck Heart is the kind of record we've all always wanted Frank Turner to make. [May 2013, p.83]

Their best album to date. [Apr 2013, p.85]

TSSF have created an album that will help young listeners navigate the murky waters of growing up. As for the older listeners? Just appreciate the fact that a band this young are able to write an album this thoughtful and passionate.

What ultimately matters is how vital they’ve managed to sound coming off of a break while pushing the experimental envelope in ways that go beyond a guest appearance by Kool Keith as Dr. Octagon.

It's an alluring listen. [May 2013, p.88]

Thermals don't aim to shock. They don't aim to please, either, and their dynamic punk spirit is as smart and infectious as when they began in 2002. [May 2013, p.92]

There’s enough inventive, Jamaican-inspired music on Free The Universe to make it worth hearing--but here’s hoping Diplo keeps things Kingston-centric again next time around.

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]

Admittedly, it takes a few listens for Save Rock And Roll to click, and some songs (“Alone Together,” “Miss Missing You”) are notably weaker than others. But overall, Save Rock And Roll is a blast of an album.

Though their sometimes generic juddering occasionally dulls the impact, it's still clear the Color Morale are trying to be more than just "another one of those bands." [Apr 2013, p.88]

A sprawling, 17-song, 64-minute monster that is without a doubt the finest music these three artists--vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and bassist Jeremy Davis--have ever made.

Disarm the Descent sees the Massachusetts quintet reinvigorated, leaving 2009's Killswitch Engage in their wake. [May 2013, p.86]

My Shame Is True winds up feeling like white noise more than anything else. [May 2013, p.84]

It's a solid album in an impressive and varied discography. [May 2013, p.90]

Sykes’ increased vocal range also proves a formidable addition to their arsenal, coalescing with the expanded sonic palette for a more intimate, cohesive and engaging collection.

After the wet noodle that was 2011's Mine Is Yours, California indie purveyors Cold War Kids come back al dente on Dear Miss Lonelyhearts. [May 2013, p.84]

Always harmonious and sometimes frantic, the songs on R.E.V.O. have an uplifting feel--perfect for a band who encourage people to listen to the music and forget their problems.

The nine songs ooze out with floating bits of atmospherics and noise appearing and receding in the murk while hypnotizing listeners via insistent synth and drum loops. [May 2013, p.88]

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

They continue to exercise more craft i their work than newbies a third of their age. [Apr 2013, p.94]

It's an LP that finds the band in complete comfort with in their place in the musical universe and willing to stretch out here and there into slightly uncomfortable postures.

It's a comforting, fuzzy listen. [Apr 2013, p.92]

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

Particularly great are a few extremely well executed ballads that showcase OWTH's typically gruff sound and Young's typically gravely vocals in new ways. [Apr 2013, p.94]

While electronic music fans are not always a lyrics-first bunch, the sentiments here will probably sound better shouted at Glastonbury or Coachella than examined via earbuds.

The collection is loosely held together by vintage production, making many tracks feel like distant AM radio transmissions. [Apr 2013, p.86]

The result is a collection of gutsy, grizzled blues that pirouettes with broken-hearted defiance. [Feb 2013, p.88]

Farrar backs up his good intentions with an album's worth of strong material. [Apr 2013, p.90]

The Cave Singers find a way to remove the corniness from a jammy folk album, instead building Naomi with honest lyrics and a soothing ramble of guitars. [Apr 2013, p.86]

Confident, unselfconsciously weird and always engaging, Welcome Oblivion is a strange world that will draw you back again and again. [Mar 2013, p.88]

The high points find the Men melding their overmodulated past with their new melodic obsessions. The low points render the band mere pretenders to outfits like Guided By Voices and Spoon. [Apr 2013, p.90]

The core of any Low album, though, is the unearthly beauty of Sparhawk and his wife Mimi Parker's vocal harmonies, which, after 20 years, have lost none of their emotion-stirring power. [Apr 2013, p.90]

Images Du Futur lacks the structural rigor and focused ideas of [Clinic], which prevents the album from having a strong impact. [Apr 2013, p.90]

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.

Reverbed aggression never sounded so good. [Mar 2013, p.92]

It's the perfect addition to their ever idiosyncratic and unpredictable repertoire. [Apr 2013, p.86]

This group's self-titled album creates a warm and fuzzy slow burn akin to the glory days of weird post-rock bands like Karate, Lungfish, and Regulator Watts. [Apr 2013, p.88]

It might not be Disintegration, but Optica confirms these Swedes as worthy acolytes. [Mar 2013, p.93]

This is some subversive fun. Baffling, however, is a nearly note-for-note sonic reproduction of the Queen hit "Bohemian Rhapsody." [Mar 2013, p.93]

With Gilbert's powerful pipes and his bang-on production values, Shai Hulud have never sounded better than on Reach Beyond The Sun. [Mar 2013, p.89]

Miracle Mile is a danceable record on its own, but also a reminder to revisit STRFKR's previous albums for a deeper submersion into their cosmic dream world. [Mar 2013, p.93]

[A] successful collection. [Mar 2013, p.91]

Conduit proves that they still have that magic, albeit in a more hit-and-miss manner.

Marriage is an album best served by deep listening on a good pair of headphones. [Mar 2013, p.92]

It ain't pretty, but the intensity is undeniable. [Mar 2013, p.92]

Temper Temper probably sounds great played in an arena. But on the stereo, it just isn't enough. [Mar 2013, p.90]

It'll take a while to sink its clawed into you, but once it does, it won't let go. [Mar 2013, p.88]

The Messenger delivers. [Mar 2013, p.92]

While Pond reverts back to his laconic ways toward the album's end, the dazzling tracks leading us to that soft landing make up for the slight regression. [Mar 2013, p.92]

While minor lulls can be found and their habit of zeroing in on daily life's mundane nuances risks self-parody, this s*** still rips. [Mar 2013, p.92]

The pristine third album from UK rhythm junkies Foals is a study in contrasts. [Mar 2013, p.8]

The Bronx (IV) [is] their most infectious record to date. [Mar 2013, p.88]

The Afterman: Descension almost manages to stand alone, but because of one key element, it doesn't. The lyrics aren't literal or married to a narrative--the theme explored through metaphor. [Mar 2013, p.87]

No new ground is broken, but it's enjoyable, cathartic mosh pit fodder. [Feb 2013, p.88]

The Connecticut-based band have truly outdone themselves. [Feb 2013, p.92]

Thrillingly adventurous and tuneful, if occasionally indulgent. [Mar 2013, p.90]