While Twelve's not an unlistenable record by any stretch of the imagination, it just begs the question: What's the point? [Jun 2007, p.158]

The bulk of Somewhere Gone brings to mind a bummed out, burned out Neko Case. [Nov 2009, p.109]

Beta Love feels too much like the band's token electronic record. [Feb 2013, p.92]

Flowers suffers from lyrical impairment and bloated self-importance throughout the rest of the album. [Jan 2008, p.121]

'Always Do' is the pinnacle of this record's minimal momentum; it's a leisurely stroll past the mediocrity of te album's second half (with the exception of the bluesy cadence 'Hair Don't Grow'). [Nov 2008, p.151]

Another World is only for the devoted. [Jan 2008, p.124]

Pyramids can sound like several songs playing at once, a psychedelic instrumental played backward, or the muffled recording of a session two rooms away. [July 2008, p.155]

Mediocre. [May 2007, p.162]

The Montreal group's full-length debut, Some Are Lakes, frustratingly lacks that energy, as well as "Boo's" memorable afterglow. [Nov 2008, p.155]

It's surprisingly how generally lukewarm the music is on Newman's sophomore effort, Get Guilty. [Feb 2009, p.103]

The collection is loosely held together by vintage production, making many tracks feel like distant AM radio transmissions. [Apr 2013, p.86]

Bad news for fans of either party who'd expected the union to generate something revolutionary. [Dec 2002, p.85]

The biggest problem on Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is that the campy B-movie samples and song titles like "Jesus Frankenstein" and "Werewolf, Baby!" come across as juvenile and lame. [Mar 2010, p.98

Unfortunately, the songs still suffer from the same downfalls as their previous material; the album lives in the safe middle ground between Shadows Fall and Underoath. [May 2011, p.96]

While Apocryphon might be the band's push toward the future, let it also exist as a funeral dirge for the band's more vibrant and rule-breaking past. [Nov 2012, p.94]

Though Sublime With Rome's debut LP is a promising collection of summer songs, under the carefully fabricated surface, it's hollow.

It feels safe and too familiar.

On paper the choice of Jon Brion, a musician and engineer best known for his work in film seemed perfect, but unfortunately it didn't temper Barnes' misguided vision to be the indie-rock Prince. [Oct 2010, p.116]

Secret Machines is a bit of a misstep, failing keep their languid, explorative tracks from growing dull. [Dec 2008, p.148]

Merritt's singularity just feels awkward, and Realism is another album in a catalog more concerned with quantity than quality.

Unfortunately, many of the tunes wear out their welcome, overextending a single inspired idea. [Apr 2004, p.88]

Unlike Treats, Reign Of Terror never feels new, fresh or exciting; it just feels like a chore.

Mo Beauty becomes difficult to wade through as Ounsworth ventures further from his indie-rock roots. [Nov 2009, p.114]

For now, it just comes off like an unnecessary retreat.

They play things way too safe... which makes for a rather boring listening experience. [Mar 2007, p.142]

The album as a whole is scattershot; it's easy to appreciate the boundaries that Zion I are pushing, but the best authors have great editors. [Feb 2009, p.107]

It was probably inevitable, but having raised the bar so high for cut-and-paste music, Shadow spends a little too long here looking up at it. [Jul 2002, p.96]

Too much of Human Hearts feels like a retread of what they've already done on previous LPs. [Apr 2011, p.115]