At its best, "Golden Pollen" is graceful, intricately planned and divinely produced.... On occasion though, the set can be downright boring. [23 Jun 2007]

'Social Development Dance' is an accurate representative of Back and Fourth as a whole--an introspective, guitar-driven effort that's worthy of praise, despite some minor missteps.

The band is now more of a collaborative project than a Jon Auer-and-Ken Stringfellow-with-hired-guns proposition, and it shows in the eloquence of the songs here.

Frusciante channels his creative spirits through a homegrown hybrid of early '80s new wave and late '60s acid rock that sounds a lot better than it reads on paper.

If there were any doubts about how Darius Rucker would fare in the country world, the Hootie & the Blowfish frontman puts them solidly to rest on his genre debut.

Light on filler, "The DEFinition" proves that, after 21 years in the industry, LL is as relevant as many of his contemporaries.

Tends more toward the "dance" elements of IDM than the "intelligent," reducing UNKLE's trip-hop origins and innovative beats to overdrawn synth wank-fests.

A welcome return. [22 Oct 2005]

Sadly, the album is reminiscent of everything he has already done.

Reptile shows the guitar legend continuing to explore classic blues-derived sounds with palpable sincerity and conviction.

Despite these minor flaws, "The Hunger for More" serves its purpose in establishing Banks as a new voice in hip-hop.

While it's still age-appropriate for minors, Breakout is for the big kids too.

Not surprisingly, its 11 songs bristle with an urgency that more closely resembles (but rocks harder than) Travis' 1997 debut "Good Feeling" than 2007's sumptuously crafted "The Boy With No Name," with a decidedly uptempo countenance and plenty of room for lead guitarist Andy Dunlop's riffs, solos and fills.

It often feels sluggish despite itself, and his lyrics show him riding against the same old Michigan wind with a voice that's grown haggard and curmudgeonly with time.

"I Try," featuring Blige and produced by Kanye West, comes off as trying too hard to re-create Kweli's "Quality" hit, "Get By." The album works best when it goes with the flow.

"Guerolito" proves that remixes do not have to work solely for dance crossover: They can give a well-received album new legs among its original fans, too. [17 Dec 2005]

"Per Second..." finds Wheat in the midst of an identity crisis, attempting to balance largely superb songs with an exasperating presentation.

Kelly has an uncanny ability to mix retro sounds with tasty dollops of contemporary seasoning.

Clinic continues to wrap its post-punk jitter around a surprisingly tender core.

For his second solo studio record, the Quannum Projects godfather veers left from his sample-centric background and into something that should be highly pleasing to anyone who enjoyed hip-hop in 1988.

The album is a refreshing mix of thoughtfulness and testosterone.

Dig Out Your Soul, however, is the sound of a band rediscovering its snarl.

The strong stories that Keys spins are complemented by deft musical arrangements that integrate more rock and pop into her enriched old-school vibe.

With Butch Vig producing, there is an extra coat of studio sheen on anthemic rockers ('Big Casino'), finger-snapping dance-y numbers ('Always Be') and such borderline Fall Out Boy-sounding political shout-outs as 'Electable (Give It Up).'

The collection either encapsulates Sonic Youth's most endearing or annoying qualities, depending on how one feels about the band and the spoken-word poetics from Kim Gordon.

One of the most shiny and potent--albeit melancholy--synth-pop albums of the year.

Each song is meticulously constructed, and feels like a musical soundtrack to lush, magical worlds.

The beauty of the record is that even though listeners expect Ween to be peculiar, the band's versatility and strength of songwriting keeps "White Pepper" intriguing through dozens of spins.

Robinson's lyrics get a bit too precious.

On "Machina," the Pumpkins don't sound creatively bankrupt as much as they sound burned out, uninspired, and not living up to their potential.

This surprisingly lively set finds the former disco diva teaming with a crew of young collaborators--including Greg Kurstin, Danielle Brisebois, Ziggy Marley, J.R. Rotem and Lester Mendez--for a series of uptempo forays into stomping dance-pop, juke-joint blues-rock, breezy Latin jazz and African-accented soul.

Mostly, this is by-the-numbers stuff.

Throughout the 19 tracks, the group comes across as confident and capable of charming in varying motifs across the rock spectrum.

Morello shows us that he's a) a facile acoustic guitar player, too, b) a better than serviceable singer and c) an intelligent and passionate social commentator and protest singer. [28 Apr 2007]

Most of the time, however, the band makes a righteous racket that straddles the worlds of prog rock, funk, fusion jazz and world music, with Eastern motifs spicing 'Aberinkula' and a bit of cosmic blues making its way into 'Conjugal Burns.'

It's unfortunate that much of their sophomore effort is submerged in an ocean of heavy-handed production, so deep that the boys' natural talents struggle to break the surface.

Aside from moments where the wackiness gets too overwrought (kid song sound-alike 'Underwater,' the Muppets-y 'Like It or Not'), Places really struts when snarkless electro is in the fore, and a disco high-hat or sunny, guitar-led rock dominates.

This French quartet specializes in bubbly AM indie-pop that gives it more the feel of a male-fronted version of the Cardigans.

Much of "Drukqs" sounds like two different albums competing and thus canceling each other out.... An ambitious but ultimately failed experiment.

This North Carolina-based sextet's major-label debut is as rich and diverse as 2006's "Be He Me," unfolding with layers of piano and string flourishes, crunching guitar jams and vibrant pop melodies.

Call and Response is everything the format could and should be.

The slick, hyperproduced "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" is a set of 12 potential hits, all mashes of groove and guitar firepower. [26 May 2007]

Pop's understated delivery draws even the most skeptical of listeners in, bathing his hushed voice in beds of stark piano and tremolo-washed guitar.

The deafening dialectics often feel contrived, making Test Icicles sound like a fun "project," not a real band. [28 Jan 2006]

Aided by expert musicianship and spot-on production, Bentley translates his on-stage charisma to the studio better than ever before. [21 Oct 2006]

A mostly sassy'n'snotty affair on which she sounds even younger than when her debut album, 2002's "Let Go," went multiplatinum. [28 Apr 2007]

Alone is quirky, but also an intriguing glimpse into one artist's creative process.

The set as a whole lacks variety and rarely shifts tempo. [24 Feb 2007]

The band tries to stretch but trips over its own convictions.

Rock music this substantive is increasingly rare, but "Plans" delivers beyond expectations.

At first blush, Lanois' music is flowery wallpaper, but on repeated listens the colorful textures sink in and evoke a hushed mysticism.

It doesn't all hit home, but at its best ("Heaven/ Where True Love Goes," "In the End," "Green Fields, Golden Sands"), this record is uplifting enough to satisfy even a 30-year thirst. [18 Nov 2006]

"The Search" is Son Volt 2.0, a modern, mature album that might be the group's best yet. [10 Mar 2007]

Whether it is described as danceable rock, rock-infused dance or sinister Britpop, Kasabian has made an excellent debut album.

Touching Down is a fluid set that moves from track to track with little or no delineation. As a result, the album is, at times, redundant.

"Revolverlution" may be little more than a curious career capper, but at least the never risk-averse Public Enemy seems to understand that even failure can be your friend if it ultimately helps you move forward and stay fresh.

This self-assured, illuminating "MTV Unplugged" performance underscores Keys' boundless passion for her craft. [15 Oct 2005]

Smith and her trusty band largely strip arrangements bare, lyrical and emotional content taking center stage. [28 Apr 2007]

Frontman Aaron Espinoza digs deep into the crevice of his broken heart and pulls out arguably his finest batch of songs.

The quintet has never sounded tighter.

One of her finest albums to date.

Although it doesn't always work as a whole, this adventurous collection echoes Jones' catalog thematically and musically...

Try as the trio might to inform its '80s pastiche with an extra degree of menace, the disc ends up sounding like the same old Trans Am: part Rush, part "Miami Vice" soundtrack and part pranksters just taking the piss.

On her album debut, the 26-year-old singer/songwriter lays her vocal and writing skills over boom-bap productions for a set that is delightfully flirtatious, heartfelt and full of diva antics.

This is Moby without his usual bag of tricks; the material rings truer than any of his previous work.

Tori Amos delivers some of the most accessible music of her career, coupled with beautifully obscure lyrics.

While it doesn't have the cohesive impact of "Hot Fuss" or "Sam's Town," it's an appealing set that brings a bit more breadth and depth to the group's catalog.

It's the beats and production that really define an RZA release, and they're as intoxicating as ever on Digi Snacks.

Like a prize fighter coming into her own, Lil' Kim finally realizes her true potential on her third Atlantic effort.

The 11 tracks breeze by in a blaze of exuberant, pop-tinged glory.

The garage band feel of the album—which was, in fact, recorded in a garage—breathes new life into Mellencamp's common-man themes. [27 Jan 2007]

There's nothing here you haven't heard before from Rise Against--or, indeed, from Bad Religion before that. But producers Bill Stevenson (of the Descendents and All) and Jason Livermore keep the music moving at a breakneck pace that gives everything the gleam of urgency anyway.

Tom Smith's emotive vocals and the dense wall of guitars strike the perfect balance between moody, underground noise and more accessible, arena-bound rock.

Bright guitar hooks, expansive piano and Jimi "Jazz" Prescott's driving bass create tracks like "Wiggle Worm" and "Georgia Brown" that are as engrossing as they are stress-reducing.

Whether discoursing about Jesus freaks and thugs, wanting something real out of life or his biracial background, the Angela Davis-fro'd Michael takes the listener on an energetic romp that swerves from lovelorn R&B to playful funk. Keep an ear open.

Songs such as the Rodney Jerkins-produced "Make It Last Forever" and "Get Up"... are surefire club hits, although such ballads as "It's Over" tend to fall flat. [9 Dec 2006]

This sophomore set likewise has moments of indelible pop bliss, but too often veers off track with unnecessarily long songs and dull arrangements.

An enchanting introduction to a talented band's equally solid beginnings.

A one-two punch of radio-ready, rock-tinged riffs and Lavigne's signature defiant yet introspective vocals.

More often than not, Oldham's signature vocalizing keeps Tortoise from falling back on old sonic tricks. [21 Jan 2006]

The all-original Venus in Overdrive demonstrates the strengths that keep Springfield in the game: broad stylistic range and pure emotional energy.

the guests' reverence for Booker T. is clear--the Truckers, as they did when they recently backed Bettye LaVette, know when to muscle up (on 'Pound It Out') and how to hang back (on moving, B3-powered track 'She Breaks,' a sweet, shimmering number filled with references to Booker T.'s awesome past).

That this album could just as easily have come out in 1985 is no detriment to its consistently entertaining songs. [24 Feb 2007]

Overall, worth a spin or two, but one hopes there's a better stash left to sample. [16 Dec 2006]

Twenty years after her self-titled debut, Tracy Chapman remains true to her musical calling: soul-rich folk melodies around a voice of honesty and nuance that nails ambivalence like no other.

Lyrically, frontman Tim Kasher never misses a step (see the men-as-animals 'From the Hips' and 'Donkeys'), proving once again why he's among indie rock's greats.

Even without original drummer Derrick Bostrom, the Meat Puppets' magic is evident. The focused, yet relaxed, music throughout this album is among the best the band has ever made.

While the album doesn't break new ground, there's plenty to like about its mix of pumping rock and old-school soul.

The album's simple, pleasing blend of acoustic guitar-based folk music belies the complex nature of her lyrics, and it's a winning combination.

On "Plain Rap," the decidedly more mellow yet equally appealing follow-up to "Labcabincalifornia," the trio -- Slimkid, Imani, and Booty Brown -- continues to pave its own path.

Two things hold the set together: Mark Bell's quirky, other-worldly production and Dave Gahan's still-haunting voice, which has never been more agile.

A truly welcome return.

By abandoning the gloom and doom and embracing quirky power-pop, the Stills seem to have morphed into a less minimalist Spoon, and your replay mileage may vary based on how strongly you liked what they were doing before.

Rich in melody and mood, guitar and piano; it is more rock than pop.

Attention does seem to wander during some of the post-millennial songs, and the insistent clapping on the wrong beat during 'Drive' is irritating, but the crowd's love is audible and the band more than earns the affection.

Despite having nowhere to go lyrically, he remains a remarkably potent presence.

while the first single, 'All You Did Was Save My Life,' provides some much-needed bite, "Burn Burn" is ultimately ballad-heavy and one-dimensional.

'4 Minutes,' with Timberlake, is already a top three Billboard Hot 100 hit, and harmonious ballad 'Miles Away' might be some of her best work yet. But it feels familiar.