Youngster is only temporarily satisfying. [June 2008, p.135]

The signature '97's twang takes a backseat to finely tuned pop songs. The downside? It falls short of going anywhere new musically. [Jul 2009, p.130]

Even if Oxeneers doesn't move you, it'll surely floor you. [Dec 2004, p.157]

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.

Unfortunately, the tinny stutters and retro keyboards... drag when they're not amped up on desire. [Dec 2003, p.158]

Instead of building on their strengths, frontman Jaz Coleman & Co. have backslid into subdued sogginess of the band's mid-period. [Jan 2010, p.91]

The disc is at least 20 minutes too long, with Slug coming off like he's simply recycling the same lyrical ideas in the last third of the album. [Jun 2014, p.104]

Matt and Kim deserve albums that sound clean and ambitious, but in all of Sidewalk's studio processing, their endearing personalities--decidedly brash, raw and awesome--unfortunately aren't well-represented. [Jan 2011, p.93]

There are way too many cooks in this kitchen. [May 2011, p.91]

The energy makes it feel like there's too much going on, leading to songs blending structurally, downplaying hooks.

At their best, the churning rhythms, swirling synth and vocals suggest Animal Collective digging through a crate of DFA Records. [Mar 2014, p.94]

Walls tends to fade into the background during its instrumental moments, dulled by textures and emotional ebbs that aren't very distinctive. Better are sharper rock songs. [Aug 2009, p.115]

The band takes a few sucessful detours on Chase This Light, but by and large, it's more of the same. [Nov 2007, p.172]

Their newfound nods to pop music... overshadow the expected balls-out rockers. [Apr 2006, p.220]

Where the band struggle is writing memorable tunes. [May 2014, p.91]

These four songs fulfill expectations for minimalist, rhythm-based deconstructions of genre. [Feb 2010, p.93]

There's generally more of the same here, but Doves' alternate influences this time around... don't exactly add up to a great band "stretching out." It's more like they're grabbing at straws. [May 2005, p.134]

Unfortunately, everything is so finely polished on Alternative To Love that his brand of rock lacks any grit. [Apr 2005, p.124]

The Lemonheads is the album Dando should have made 10 years ago, and poppy punk ain't what it used to be. [Nov 2006, p.200]

The Invisible Band has more layers, more moods than ever before, and more tunes as well. [July 2001, p.88]

If he isn't a sage yet, he does sound like a future star. [Feb 2005, p.94]

While Boo! is far less indulgent than JOA's most experimental records, it remains a far cry from Kinsells's earliest work in the mid-90s emo forefathers Cap'n Jazz. [June 2008, p.131]

Considering how strong a songwriter Bazan has proved himself to be on the last few Pedro discs, the results here are mildly disappointing. [Jun 2005, p.164]

While Personality is all masterful and ambitious, nothing really sticks in the end. [Sep 2006, p.232]

A scappy but lovable collection of power pop. [Oct 2008, p.152]

Repetitious choruses and monotonous, middling tempos make the songs blur together. [Oct 2003, p.126]

All too often it feels like the band are ignoring the part of their name that gives them carte blanche to experiment and toy with expectations.

A bit flat. [Jan 2007, p.131]