More often than not, even Shadow's most extreme sonic detours hit home.

It's prototypical Warped tour rock - but, to be fair, at the top level of that particular realm, with thoughtful lyrics and tightly crafted guitar arrangements.

Jones roars out of the box with Tommy James & the Shondells' 'I'm Alive,' a sweat-soaked jumpsuit of a song thick with fierce maleness.

Mplsound is sometimes stronger still [than "Lotusflow3r"], with the party whoop of '(There'll Never B) Another Like Me,' the delicious dirty mind of 'Chocolate Box' and 'Ol' Skool Company,' which will have you partying like its 1985.

Although he seems to have rediscovered his panache, the music supporting his narratives is still lacking the originality of his best work.

While the set could be more dynamic with greater variation in tempo, the producers blend their vast range of influences in innovative ways.

His most diverse and musically adventurous solo set to date.

The Grammy-garnering producer certainly shows good taste in his selection (favoring 20th-century pieces) and obviously knows his way around a mixing board, but his make-overs are ultimately bloodless, even banal.

His exceptional new album has plenty of sex and senoritas, but also a higher calling on the uplifting 'It's a Beautiful World,' a duet with Patti Griffin.

"Monkey House" was the band's experiment in '80s synth-rock, and with Elavedo's touch, the razor-sharp, reflective edges of the album's space-age cogs are smoothed and rounded, with the bright-hot electro-pop brought closer to loungey funk.

Frontman David Draiman shows that he is an ample singer, refraining from the quirky vocal squallings that graced Sickness for a more straight-ahead croon.

Bittersweet World is a party worth attending, but not much is missed if your invite got lost in the mail.

Her 12th studio release, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, finds her in full command of her expanded arsenal, creating an overall sound that's as psychedelic as it is classic.

Isn't so much a revelation as it is a ready-made crowd pleaser that delivers on the familiar.

The duo wisely experiments with a wider variety of moods and melodies.

The sexy, solid set is glued together by danceable beats and Minogue's knack for picking great songs and producers.

While the production is good, the divergent styles and lack of cohesion add up to a somewhat schizophrenic offering.

It's the classic, more timeless R&B songs on the I Am portion of the album that seem like a much-welcomed stretch for the singer.

Sweepingly beauteous and mesmerizingly rhythmic, The Isness offers pleasures equally suited to explorers of dancefloors or headphones.

Here's a group at the top of its game.

We may be more entertained at times by Rock's extramusical affairs, but the "Devil" should still be given his due as a clever and creative musical force.

Moonwink is a very good album by most standards, except by comparison to "Nicely Done."

Volume and snappy nods to '70s arena rock cannot obscure empty angst and lazy rhymes.

Gone are the trip-hop-skewed beats, gone are the electronica mood swings, and gone is the band's signature downbeat vibe.... In their place are sunny rhythms, buoyant melodies, and hip-twitchin' beats...

The group seems incapable of integrating these traits into something new. It's either Morello re-writing his old licks for bash-and-thud Rage-style rawk or Cornell's more straightforward tension/release confessionals.

Jim Jones may be rolling out his fourth studio album (and first major-label release) with off-Broadway plays, documentaries and a movie, but don't get it twisted—the Harlem-born rapper hasn't lost his grime.

"Play" is light-years more enterprising than Diddy's sample-happy history might suggest.

As he did on last year's "Mail on Sunday," Flo Rida spends most of these 13 pop-rap confections pondering the finer points of his growing bank account and his incomparable way with women. The best cuts are those that mirror the MC's usual themes with even more familiar sounds.

Free Somehow, which marks the debut of new-ish guitarist Jimmy Herring, is no less of a tease, boasting three or four memorable songs (none mightier than 'Airplane') and the rest serviceable filler.

"The Listener" is a low-key, early morning album, perhaps something Lou Reed would have created had he spent his career playing saloons in Tucson, Ariz.

Unfortunately, he's traded some of his cutting-edge British mergings (R&B, hip-hop, two-step, rock) for a more crossover-friendly (read: formulaic) approach that doesn't fire on all cylinders.

The overall mood is a bit more pensive and solemn. [26 May 2007]

Alphabutt is a children's album, 15 songs in 27 minutes that have a breezy, unconditional innocence and more than a little silliness.

With Blink-182/+44 bassist Mark Hoppus producing, Fight does pack a wallop, enveloping frontman Jordan Pundik's angsty relationship paeans on a dozen compact, dynamic and hooky tracks in a mere 35 minutes.

Those who embraced "Fallen" will doubtlessly fall even harder into "The Open Door."

Like so many Young albums, there are the tracks that rise to another level (the 'Ragged Glory'-like 'Just Singing a Song' included) and there are those destined to be forgotten. True to himself, though, Young is inspired throughout.

Beyond ballads, "Black & Blue" crackles with funk-inflected uptempo ditties that are notable for their rough edges.

This record isn't for casual listening, so those checking out the Mars Volta for the first time should take it slow to prevent a sonic hangover.

"American Idol" season six runner-up Blake Lewis' debut, "ADD: Audio Day Dream," is indeed a little all over the map, but, surprisingly, it works.

Nine Lives follows suit with a set whose nine songs display an ensemble sensibility that gives a generous allotment of sonic room to members of Winwood's band.

Much like his predecessors' quick-turnaround debuts, Cook's is fairly generic, but its rock edge is dirtied up with crunching guitars and the artist's tuneful growl.

No matter how hooky things get, the Warlocks tend to bury each song in the same multi-layered haze of feedback and distortion, as if sheer decibels are the sole element holding everything together.

The album as a whole finds a strange homogeny, and Tapes 'N Tapes keep exploring hip, leaving everyone guessing as to whether they meant to make such a confusing outfit or the pieces were just on sale.

Although 2002 is still young, consider Under Rug Swept one of the year's best.

There is enough of the original DNA in the mix to make this a worthy listen for fans. [1 Oct 2005]

Saying that Jack Johnson's fourth record is languid and breezy is a little like saying the Cubs probably won't win it all this year, but Sleep Through the Static takes Johnson's über-chill, barefoot-in-a-hammock vibe to new heights--or mediums, depending on how you look at such things.

An essential experience for hardcore fans and those still not convinced of van Dyk's power.

"The Mix-Up" is thematically sound and feels like a comprehensive piece instead of a self-indulgent scheme. [30 Jun 2007]

Back for round two, sophomore album Here We Stand doesn't quite bring anything new to the table, but does carry on in the same fun, brash rock tradition of the debut.

Lotusflow3r has Prince channeling his Hendrix spirit guide on a cover of 'Crimson & Clover' shot through with riffs from 'Wild Thing;' on 'Wall of Berlin' and 'Dreamer,' he squeezes the Jimi out of his guitar until you can almost see the hologram.

Though one can't help but miss the complementing presence of Stone Roses guitarist/songwriter John Squire, "Solarized" is a strong and enjoyable offering from this Manchester icon.

It's practically something straight out of the United Kingdom for all of its poppy goodness. [14 Apr 2007]

It's defiant like a bad drunk, uncomfortably oversexed and more at home in a seedy after-hours club than a celebrity ultra-lounge.

Like last time, the singles are better than the whole. [31 Mar 2007]

English songbird Polly Scattergood entrances, disturbs and impresses with her debut self-titled album.

Train sounds refreshed and relaxed on "For Me, It's You." [4 Feb 2006]

Always a risk-taker, he remains fearless in his choice of material, evident here on sweeping, observant fare like "Drugs or Jesus" and the ultimately redemptive "Kill Myself."

A largely frustrating set of Saturday morning cartoon electronics.

Overflows with a confidence not always present on past sets.

Musically and lyrically, "Clothes Drop" is more pop-oriented, melodic and restrained, and is all the brighter for it. [24 Sep 2005]

Skeptics might wonder if the sprawling guest list is an admission of fading commercial prowess. So, it's to the MC's credit that Brass Knuckles still feels like a party.

Simon LeBon and company have a lot of baggage, and their latest effort doesn't match the neon-lit glory days of yesteryear.

It's always sort of tough to rally behind an artist dissin' the music industry—I mean, how do you support someone who's living a rock star's life but still complaining, right? But Tom Petty makes it all too easy here, slyly balancing bitter references to modern-day payola, shifty execs, and even the struggles of artists over 40 with wistful imagery of rock'n'roll dreams.

Gomez ups the musical ante with A New Tide, a brilliant 11-song collection of lyrical jewels embellished by colorful and unusual textural arrangements that a dynamics-loving jazz band could admire.

Darren Hayes' double-disc This Delicate Thing We've Made is a momentous spiritual tour de force, an undressed lyrical exploration of a soul reborn, tucked into a labyrinth of sonic textures.

"The Return of Dr. Octagon" suffers from the classic case of "too little, too late."

A glorious blend of surf-pop and Brazilian rhythms?

Emo fans will be satisfied; dabblers will have their assumptions about the genre confirmed.

The project just doesn't offer as many gems as "King," which pushed T.I. to new commercial heights.

It's complex and distorted, but at times it's not clear why the group's energy is purposely restrained.

Minor flaws aside, these Jersey boys have paid a tribute to their neighboring city befitting that famous New York attitude.

Aggressive yet soulful, "War" doesn't just straddle the line between rock and electronica—it destroys it.

A non-stop industrialized assault that combines grinding guitars, shrill synths, with pulsating bass and drum lines and vein-popping vocals. The 13-track set drives without relent from song to song, leaving listeners spent like a good workout.

While there's not necessarily a bad song to be found, Gough is capable of much more than the pretty yet bland compositions that dominate "One Plus One."

But as opposed to Blink, which powers straight ahead with scatological juvenility, the Offspring bridges punk with change-ups of metal and traditional rock and brings a more sarcastic wit to its observations of male teen angst.

Stone remains impressive as a vocalist, an old-school soul with an understated delivery that's more hushed than histrionic.

It's all a testament to the durable Eagles footprint on the pop landscape.

The acronym that forms the title of their latest stands for "The Energy Never Dies," and they more than make good on that promise, blasting through 15 high-powered rave-rap jams that rarely lack for melodic hooks or rhythmic thrust.

Slower paced and more atmospheric than any of its predecessors, "Dusk" is an ambitious showcase of maturity.

There aren't enough original ideas here to know if Rooney can shine as a relevant, modern rock band.

Dedicated fans will be pleased with the results.

On his sophomore album--the follow-up to 2003's slow-building platinum smash "Chariot"--Gavin DeGraw deftly weaves together rock, pop and soul influences without letting the seams show.

The five Brits waste their major talents on midtempo songs like "Everyday" and "Four Letter Word."

Primarily lackluster.

The melodies aren't always there, and the restrained production makes for an occasionally nagging sense of meandering. [3 Mar 2007]

He talks about the fire he used to possess without rekindling those flames.

Exudes a sense of immediacy and echoes the group's tight live show.

Kenny Chesney does heroes George Strait and Jimmy Buffett proud on his latest set, which has a free-and-easy feel befitting its island inspiration.

Their technically adventurous playing occasionally gathers some spooky steam, but this is definitely a fans-only affair.

Jason Mraz emerges even bolder than before on an album loaded with strings, horns, formidable grooves and a dozen songs dripping with mantra-like positivity.

On 'High Price,' where she takes her vocals to an opera-like pitch, and her collaboration with the-Dream, 'Lover's Things,' whose faint tenor would seem like an ideal match, Ciara seems to go almost unnoticed. Thankfully, 'Work,' featuring Missy Elliott, has Ciara showing fly-girl antics over a house-like, clap-laden production, and the breakup song 'Never Ever,' featuring Young Jeezy, which samples 'If You Don't Know Me by Now,' pick up the slack.

Despite hitmaker Linda Perry co-writing half of the album's original tracks, something is missing.

The music fails to gain any momentum until track seven, and by then, Train's lucky the listener's still spinning the CD.

He doesn't break any new lyrical ground, but Kelly's talent for penning original, infectious grooves remains intact.

A fairly paint-by-numbers affair.

A nice teaser to satiate fans between proper full-lengths.

While her first effort overall carried a darker, somber tone, "It's Me Again" finds a more self-satisfied and confident Tweet embarking on a new chapter in her life, one where her brightened outlook overrides the bad and moves forward.

Thanks to its humorous lyrics and relaxing beats, Songs About Girls is a diverse album that's perfect for that last beach day.