One needs to spin [the album] multiple times to appreciate the complex but heart-tugging prog-folk dream-pop contained within. [Jul 2007, p.168]

Eight near-impeccable tracks. [Nov 2004, p.140]

You’re Always On My Mind is a cohesive pop-rock album that sees the band in top form.

It's the skillful meshing of Benjamin Gibbard's part-stream-of-consciousness, part-confessional vocals with melancholy piano and achingly melodic guitars that reveal a fleshed-out Cutie are indeed a band of uncommon beauty. [Dec 2001, p.79]

The lullaby-like "Death" feels too on-the-nose, but it doesn't detract much from Carrier's bittersweet power: an atmosphere of loss, contemplation and return. [Sep 2013, p.88]

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]

The pop smarts practically shimmer throughout. [Dec 2001, p.83]

Gone is the rock'n'roll grit reminiscent of '70s Detroit rock, and in its place is a stylishly tailored sound more akin to '60s California pop. [Sep 2004, p.136]

Future self displays enthusiasm without overstaying its welcome, and its daring moments are its most satisfying. [May 2011, p.93]

A gorgeous and moving album. [Oct 2013, p.86]

Grey Britain sports some decidely non-punk maneuvers in the form of piano-concerto codas and unnerving sound effects that elevate the band from mere street-punk cliches. [Jun 2009, p.104]

A short, quiet, and relatively still bit of genius. [#154, p.82]

If you've been moved by Sparta before... you're going to have the same reaction once the roiling "Guns Of Memorial Park" opens this album. [Jul 2004, p.127]

It would have been incredibly easy for them to rest on their laurels and placate the faithful. Instead, they took a huge creative risk, pushing the idea of what--and who--they are as a band while still retaining their identity. And damn, does it sound good.

Rubies is nothing if not ambitious. [Apr 2006, p.204]

The result is a beautiful collection of understated, orchestral roots rock that will enrapture both NPR and Pitchfork devotees. [Apr 2008, p.153]

Pussy's Dead is Autolux at their most intriguing--and was definitely worth the wait. [May 2016, p.80]

It's one of their strongest albums, which is saying a lot for a band who've been workhorses for the past two decades. [Aug 2009, p.106]

An admixture of Stax soul, raw-boned punk rock, and California beach-pop that sounds more focused than their previous outing, 1998's R.F.T.C. [#154, p.84]

The 79-minute runtime will undoubtedly turn some casual listeners off, but those patient enough to stick it out until the end are in for the Used’s most soul-wrenching, creatively daring effort to date.

With Reincarnate, Motionless In White have not only distilled the essence of their influences into an even darker cohesion, they’ve reanimated the creatively bankrupt corpse of industrial rock, disrupted the by-numbers routine of electronic-tinged metalcore and delivered furious rock songs with a widescreen presence that makes an IMAX theater feel like an iPad screen.

The focus on time and its ravages may seem to place this in 35-and-over territory, but Sexsmith's songs are timeless. [Mar 2007, p.136]

While not everything works--as with most albums of the genre, Metal Resistance's musical textures and tropes can grow repetitive--Babymetal's aggressive enthusiasm and sincerity are impossible to resist. [May 2016, p.80]

Catchy, clever, no-frills fun. [Apr 2015, p.94]

Lex Hives redeems them for their previous missteps and their truancy. No skits, no instrumental in-jokes: just rock. [Jul 2012, p.90]

Its peaks make Whitechapel the band's best album yet by a wide margin. [Jul 2012, p.98]

Given the collection's remarkable cohesion, No Virginia works as a proper third album, instead of merely being a companion piece to the previous disc. [July 2008, p.170]

It's all unabashedly bizarre, but that's what makes it good. [Apr 2009, p.142]