The riff-roaring arena anthems "Racon Eyes" and "The Firebird" are among the most infectious tracks Priestess have ever written. Elsewhere, the band's retro-fuzz machinations don't fare so well. [Mar 2010, p.98]

It's dizzyingly brilliant, and evidence of how tall these Lions have grown. [Sep 2009, p.102]

The disparate pieces of Melvins Lite don't quite line up. [Jul 2012, p.98]

Cemetery Highrise Slum provides 41 minutes of unsettled bliss. [Jul 2015, p.97]

Half this record sounds like a field recording from a daycare play room. [Mar 2002, p.84]

Mind-melting Indian-flavored strings... wispy vocal guest turns... and snarling, droning guitar riffs drench Rising in a pleasing psychedelic haze. [Jul 2003, p.124]

But under the ill-fitting vocals, Deep Down & Dirty has some dubby, dark tracks that work if only because they don't try so hard to be "Connected" sequels. [Jul 2001, p.85]

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.

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

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

The minimalist musical compositions on Situation force the listener to focus on Buck 65's idiosyncratic ingenuity. [Dec 2007, p.187]

As it stands, Barlow has only evolved in his mastery of subtle acoustic guitar interplay and flirtations with pop. [Nov 2009, p.109]

Turns out you can be the next hipster nuzz band and actually be good. [Apr 2010, p.123]

All in all, Levalle's got a solid effort on his hands with Night. [Jun 2010, p.108]

Goldfrapp’s skill at adopting and fully embodying different styles is what makes them distinctive, not necessarily one signature sound. If the album seems somewhat slight, it’s purposefully so: Head First is a love letter to the frothy, fleeting, but very vital joys of pop music.

The net effect is unsettling distance, not pointed commentary. [Apor 2009, p.134]

It's a shame that in those rare moments Lacuna Coil do stick out their necks, the results are the uninspired, tepid radio rock of Shalow Life's 'Unchained' and 'The Pain.' [Jun 2009, p.104]

Ellipse is balanced but doesn't break ground. Fans of her past work will likely find little to quarrel with, but they won't be challenged, either. [Sep 2009, p.105]

With primarily organic instrumentation and warm, low-fi production, nothing is forced--although in some instances, the tracks feel a little too barren, and overall there's not much to distinguish between the songs. [Sep 2009, p.108]

The first six songs include plodding modern rock that sounds like the Offspring's "Gone Away," an attempt at dark disco with clumsy lyrics and cheeseball pop. But if you stick it out, you'll be rewarded: Invented's second half features gorgeous "Littlething," Adkins' top-notch duet with Rachel Haden and Linton's punchy "Action Needs An Ambulance." [Oct 2010, p.112]

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]

At times, Iwrestledabearonce could almost pass for In This Moment. Whether that's a compliment or not is your call. [Sep 2013, p.90]

If you’re in the market for something sullen, you could do a lot worse. But if you’re yearning for any of what likely drew you to Moving Mountains in the first place, you probably need to hope it happens the next time around.

The vicious "We're Not Good People" stuns with a pulsing, near-metal urgency that will lead you to act on your darkest urges - prior to playing the album again. And if you're not stupid, you will. [Sept 2012, p.88]

Dance fans--past and present--will be pleased. [Mar 2009, p.116]

It's something they've done better before. [May 2007, p.158]

The sextet deliver delightfully, dingy, wholly impressible rawk. [May 2012, p.75]

Ably backed by bassist Michael Cotterman (ex-the Loved Ones) and Andrew Black on drums, if there's any flaw to the Title Tracks formula, it would be that they could make a few moments more flawed. But that's just the Q And Not U fan talking.