The result is near-perfection. [Mar 2012, p.97]

A gorgeous set of spectral, ambitious and carefully crafted songs. [Jun 2006, p.188]

Envy have been around for nearly 20 years, so calling them the Japanese Sigur Ros feels like cheap shorthand--and yet, Recitation operates on that same plateau, its scale just as majestic. [Nov 2010, p.112]

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

Understated but never anemic, Sunny Border Blue's tales of love, family and growth succeed largely due to Hersh's masterful acoustic guitar. [#154, p.81]

The obvious touchstones here are Gary Numan, Magazine, and Kraftwerk... [March 2001, p.73]

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

Bits of experimentation still poke through, especially on the dissonant, heart-rendering "Rabbit Foot," which neatly stitches up Defeater's past while pointing toward fresh dynamics and future chapter to come. [Aug 2013, p.86]

Dave Hause is a self-proclaimed "rock guy," and he has carefully crafted Devour to remind you of such. [Nov 2013, p.86]

If Magnificent City is occasionally over-friendly-sounding... well, so what? [Mar 2006, p.138]

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

Sweet without being saccharine. [Mar 2005, p.124]

Yet another rock-solid album. [Aug 2006, p.204]

Another instrumental masterpiece. [Jun 2006, p.192]

Building on the intelligent, melodically inventive sounds showcased on 2013's Rescue & Restore, the quintet further distinguish themselves from the metalcore pack in a manner that seems effortless. [Jul 2015, p.96]

II's best moments actually come when the songs sound like nothing either singer has ever done. [Nov 2012, p.90]

The entire thing is a cathartic art project that feels like the moment of forced calm after an exhausting sob. [Feb 2014, p.92]

When these Norwegians try to make more conventional haunted soul-diva stuff, it sounds rote by comparison.... But when they follow their own muses, they come up with genius tracks like "Remind Me." [Dec 2002, p.96]

Far from essential, but... a good jazz starting point for the unitiated. [Mar 2003, p.90]

Sing The Sorrow soars with the kind of melodies hit singles are made of, yet it somehow persists with AFI's esoteric darkness. [Apr 2003, p.69]

Fortunately, the androgynous-voiced experimenter went back on threats of scrapping what is by far his most versatile collection. [Nov 2009, p.106]

Fascinating as it is, Matmos' complex creative process would be for naught if it didn't generate music you want to hear more than once. [Jul 2006, p.208]

These shifting dynamics increase the record's overall potency, and while it makes an abrasive mark on first exposure, it grows more and more absorbing with each successive listen, making Black Breath one of premier heavy bands to be watching in 2012.

Cult at times feels cut from the same cloth as 2007's Walking Wounded. [Mar 2014, p.87]

There's a bit more quiet time on this effort. [Nov 2004, p.149]

Double Figure forms a mysterious narrative filled with enough breaks and builds to keep the most jaded beathead more than satisfied. [Aug 2001, p.96]

But while the swanky compositions on Love can fade into the background like velvet-shrouded ambience, this same passion also makes these songs mesmerizing, allowing them to remain in the gently muted spotlight just as easily. [Aug 2001, p.104]

A lovely, delicate album marred only by a curious vocal idiosyncrasy... Linkous performs several of these songs in a near whisper... [Oct 2001, p.100]