There's no denying the quartet know how to work a mighty groove as well as set up atmospheres similar to bands remanded to the faded pages of old record-collecting magazines. [July 2009, p.126]

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]

When it comes to ferocious riffs and monstrous melodies, few in the punk world can touch Heartsounds right now. [Aug 2011, p.114]

A swirling, guitar-driven headtrip. [Apr 2006, p.220]

Oxford Collapse cruise effortlessly from shoegazey dream pop to classic college rock to Schilitz-soaked Americana. [Sep 2008, p.150]

Five years later, it's easy to be blasé about [Aidan] Moffat's disgruntled first-person narratives. [#154, p.68]

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]

Every unsettling movement is matched by something beautiful. [Jan 2002, p.94]

Sadly, one can hear decent tunes struggling to get out of this mess. [Nov 2001, p.78]

Not The Actual Events is everything we would expect from Reznor and Ross, offering textures we’ve never visited and contexts with conscience.

A strong sense of flow and cohesion also bolster Dark Adrenaline, giving fans 12 solid reasons to fall in love with the band all over again. [Feb 2012, p.84]

Other post-metal bands may be getting more attention right now, but few are doing it better than Pelican. [Nov 2013, p.90]

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]

As it stands, Lowborn isn't as good as Vital, but it still does an admirable job at continuing Anberlin's sonic expression. [Jul 2014, p.95]

Maturity beat[s] out playfulness. [May 2006, p.162]

Cover albums are usually a contractual cop-out, but the diverse scope and amount of thought put into each track on If I Had A Hi-Fi prevents it from sounding superfluous or self-indulgent. [Jun 2010, p.107]

There's a constant sense of forward motion to Menos El Oso that suits the whole metaphor of growing up and growing out. [Oct 2005, p.156]

They sound like Devo playing Nazi military waltzes. [May 2005, p.138]

Their best album since BAGIA, possibly longer. [Apr 2014, p.92]

Warpaint were more consistent before this, but as a comparative misstep, Warpaint still yields an enjoyable, haunting outpouring of whispered emotional damage and spatial exploration. [Feb 2014, p.94]

Performing some of thre best party music for smart people this side of Black Lips, the rest of the band match Reis' powerhouse vocal eccentricities with a perfectly calculated degree of rock 'n' roll swagger, blasting ahead like the Wipers one minute and settling into a slow-burning Bo Diddley groove the next. [May 2008, p.128]

Organic improvisational acts instinctively know which sonic snippets to expand--Lake Trout need to rediscover this ability. [Oct 2005, p.156]

They're not doing anything they haven't done before, but the triumphant unpretentious anthems on The Power Within area as fun as metal gets. [May 2012, p.75]

Finelines serves up Everybody Oriented Rock, sure to be a hit with both the critics and the slamdancing fans who ignore them. [Aug 2002, p.72]

It's the album most bands wish they could make. [Aug 2004, p.101]

Dave Fridmann's grand production touches enhance BMSR's otherworldly aura, adding dazzling glaze to this fruity cake. [Jun 2009, p.108]

It may not be a challenging album, but it's close to pop perfection. [Oct 2011, p.107]

With Burials, AFI are going larger than life to get back into the small of their fans’ hearts.