No, it does not rank with the band's best work. But yes, as long as Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey walk the earth in tandem, the Who live on.

Beneath this band's graceful posturing lies a deep discontent and anger, but band lyricist Michael Timmins manages to once again turn that gentle simmering fury into poetic grandeur.

Brit-leaning space-pop that switches rhythmic gears with pleasing regularity from dreamy to driving.

Wildflower moves Sheryl Crow one step closer to Hall of Fame status.

Trouble is, Chesney, who wrote or cowrote all 13 tracks, ended up with enough material for only half a record, and then repeated many of his ideas.

Sprawling, funny, angry, compelling, and entirely unafraid.

Pocket Symphony won't yield any pop hits, but it could be the soundtrack to endless rainy afternoons.

All the Roadrunning--while beautiful--seems somehow underwhelming, and without a true centerpiece.

Unsurprisingly, the lyrics are direct and honest, while they've broadened their sonic palette to allow a tad more dissonance in with their urgent and propulsive pop-punk.

Musically, it's simply awesome, sounding not completely unlike early PJ Harvey... It's a shame, then, that the lyrics frequently don't cut it. [Amazon UK]

Bejar's warm, odd voice does not jibe well with the voice of the former Toronto Children's Choir singer.

This album is bursting with quality. [Amazon UK]

Ripe rides a similar vibe to 2005's "Awake Is the New Sleep": quick-and-dirty pop melodies polished with chiming guitars, piano fills, and Lee's exuberant, boyish vocals.

The disco-rock jitters come back soon enough with the next selection, 'Let Me In,' but there's no denying that the group's horizons have broadened. For every throwback Cure sound-alike, such as 'Give Up?,' there's a lush retort featuring the Abbey Road Orchestra-like 'Outta Heart.'

For fans of Silver Side Up, Nickelback have delivered the goods once more.

One of 2003's best releases.

Despite Clarkson's sublime vocal talents, excessive gloss at times overwhelms the quirky charm and personality she displayed on Idol.

Overall, ADD demonstrates why Lewis blazed his way into AI's final round: He's out there, sure, but he's willing to reel it in enough to keep it real for the masses.

Duff edges ever closer to adult sensibilities; her goofball Lizzie McGuire days seem far behind.

While McGraw may not be the greatest of warblers, nobody in country can touch him at conveying emotions too deep to express in words.

Not as promising as 1999’s Lipstick Gamemight have indicated, but an aggressive, hard-rock effort nonetheless.

The contributions of that tag-team of hitmakers take nothing away from the tightness and characteristic chic of the band--that they enhance the hypnotic sheen of Duran Duran, rather than subjugate it--makes a certain sense.

Out of Nothing is a truly exceptional album.

T.I. is at the top of his game, though, and he makes it heard.

The Art of Love and War, on the re-launched Stax label, is as full-bodied an affair as this old-school-leaning, incessantly self-exploring diva has delivered.

Songs like "Baby Come On" and the spooky "Little Death" show the musicians finally delivering the substance that was promised on Blink 182's self-titled 2003 release.

Flitting between fraught ballads and up-tempo adult pop (the misguided sample-laden singles "Freeek!" and "Shoot the Dog" being the unnecessary exceptions), George here returns to the structure and mood of 1990s Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1. [Amazon UK]

Fans of their live performances will appreciate its wall-to-wall rhythmic thrust and quirky textures, while aficionados and newcomers alike should welcome its surprising, seductive melodies and mature songwriting.