Redolent of the sound of Spiritualized's Pure Phase. [Nov 2001, p.94]

There's plenty of killer talent to be found here. [Jul 2003, p.108]

Anyone who saw his performances last summer will immediately recognize the invigorated sound here, somewhere between Merzbow and metal, between liquid and solid. [Aug 2001, p.95]

Music doesn't get more devastating than this. [Dec 2012, p.90]

Splendid ramshackle pop corniness. [Dec 2002, p.81]

Their flows are slower, their observations more profound, and their subject matter drifts further inward. [#154, p.83]

Volume 2... is an equally resounding success.... [it] draws on darker material, and thus yields more aggressive vocals and frequent minor keys. [#146, p.86]

These 12 songs are far more immediate than the sometimes-diffuse material on 2010's Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky. [Nov 2014, p.92]

As with previous Evens efforts, the urgency flows out through MacKaye's precision-like guitar tones, and the emotion that drips out of his and Farina's harmonies. [Dec 2012, p.90]

The Dropkick Murphys don't fuck with a good thing on The Meanest Of Times. [Oct 2007, p.156]

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

The band flex all their muscles from a decade-plus of experience without hesitation and, more importantly, without overdoing it. [Jan 2008, p.129]

While not as captivating as 2001's brilliant The Ghost Of Fashion, Soft Spot is yet another winning effort from this vastly underappreciated quartet. [Jul 2003, p.120]

An adventurous, forward-thinking collection.

The recordings have the warmth and pop of a vinyl record, creating a perfect environment for Adams to honor his influences.

My Brother's Ears/My Sister's Eyes is warm, engaged and driven by subtle, but forceful, optimism.

Volume Two, as its title announces, succeeds Volume One's charming, old-timey sensibility, relying again in Deschanel's sweet croon to augment the already inviting tracks. [Apr 2010, p.130]

Flies In All directions is a pleasing, grand buffet for Weatherbox fans. [Jun 2014, p.108]

VV naturally still resembles PJ Harvey prepping for a catfight in spots, but her vocals on standout pop nugget "Rodeo Town" reveal vulnerability reminiscent of the original tough cookie, the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde. [Apr 2005, p.126]

Most of [the remixers] subtly tweak the originals into charming facsimiles of Beck's clap-happy, orchestral folk-blues funk ditties. [Mar 2006, p.138]

The folk direction of the group's past few albums still lingers, but it's mostly buried behind immense decibels and frightening intensity. [Nov 2012, p.92]

Tracks like “Balance The Odds” and “No Love Lost” dip cautiously into the metal sphere, breaking the EP out of its more rigid beatdown vibe.

MC Rut are riveting, the rawness and intensity of their performance drenched in the pints of sweat they undoubtedly shed at every show.[Nov 2010, p.116]

The result is an album that's equally pissed and poised. [Apr 2012, p.92]

Bemis may have grown up, but he's still a master at crafting poignant lyrics that take a sharp look at his fears of becoming irrelevant and thoughts about God. [Jul 2014, p.97]

The duo-especially Urie, who turns in some of the premier performances of his career-sound absolutely recharged, likely a result of the lineup shuffling, but also perhaps a realization that the '70s were a nice place to visit for a couple years, but life in the 21st century is much more fun.

The result is a vivid, nostalgic traipse into what good rock bands ought to sound like. [Mar 2008, p. 144]

Though nominally house music, Unreasonable Behavior's tracks expend as much energy on engaging the listener's mind as they do on moving the body. [Dec 2000, p.86]