Improvisatory and poetic, Bardo Pond has more in common with avant-jazz and contemporary classical than with most heavy rock.

All for You overflows with Parliament-etched funky beats, orchestral disco flourishes, and rich bursts of sensuality.

In lieu of monotonous dancefloor beats, Cole prefers a more intricate soundscape, one in which pizzicato string flourishes freely caress funk-fortified rhythms

Those looking for peak-hour club music are advised to look elsewhere, but those in search of quirky aural landscapes to play alongside their Groove Armada and Bent discs need to investigate lemonjelly.ky. [Critics Choice]

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

Whole New You easily rises above the din of the sound-alike pop and rock recordings currently crowding the marketplace, offering a plethora of complex yet sweet melodies and lyrics that are both smart and rife with empathetic emotion.

Renaissance finds Richie in an oh-so-contemporary setting, encompassing uptempo dance, Latin-hued and funky pop, and power ballads. It also finds him working with such hitmaking producers as Rodney Jerkins, Walter Afanasieff, and Brian Rawling and Mark Taylor. While this may sound like a farfetched concept on paper, it works surprisingly well on disc -- albeit without breaking any new ground.

A delicious, genre-defying sound

Canto is a passionate mix of originals and material drawn from the traditions of Mexico, Cuba, and Peru.

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

An early contender for the year's best dance/pop album.

An extraordinarily potent recording, one that will likely be among 2001's best.

Sure, there's the occasional melodramatic interlude (despite its lyrical cliches, "Luv Lies" has the potency to be another "Angel"-size smash). But there's also more white-knuckled hard-rock intensity here than on the band's most recent efforts.

Beautifully strange and richly tuneful...

Like its predecessor, the stellar Sleepwalking is steeped in mature songwriting craftsmanship and versatile rhythms that encompass dance, reggae, hip-hop, and left-field ambiance.

Easily its most lushly orchestrated and diverse output yet.

The band seems oddly restrained and processed through much of the album's 12 numbers.

A baker's dozen's worth of featherlight ditties that range in quality from guilty pleasures to already-dated clunkers.

"My World, My Way" shows the continuing evolution of a young MC with a promising future.

Beyond the bookish lyrics, Malkmus has composed an album of brilliant songs, with creative intros, off-kilter arrangements, and well-placed effects.

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.

The fact that "Complete B-Sides" rocks from start to finish speaks volumes about the Pixies' bizarre creative genius, and their focus on output rather than sales.

With the addition of trumpet, trombone, and alto sax to his quartet sound, however, Frisell is on the job with a jumbo-sized sonic palette. The results, tune by tune, are as eccentric as they are intriguing.

His third record with the Catholics, "Dog In The Sand," furthers the ex-Pixies frontman's recent explorations into bare-bones rock'n'roll.

As a singer, J.Lo sounds more confident, as she takes more chances with a voice that is technically limited but well-suited to the material she handles.

Unfortunately, for all the hype surrounding "Restless," Xzibit has lost some of the lyrical ferociousness that made his previous releases underground favorites.

A feisty set of primarily thrash-hop covers of socially and politically charged hip-hop, pop, rock, and punk jams.

"W" does have a few flaws, namely "Conditioner," which features Snoop Dogg and is the only track graced with Ol' Dirty's presence. Despite his trademark voice-cracking inflection, the Dirt Dog's verse sounds as if it was recorded over the phone, detracting from what could have been another Wu banger.

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

On the 14-track "Mama's Gun," Badu mixes a little rock, some jazz, and a whole lot of soul.

In a live setting, Oasis are too often just another band churning out big, bad anthems for the masses.... it remains troubling that a band with so much quality material buried as b-sides or minor album cuts needs to resort to pointless, set-padding covers of Neil Young's "Hey Hey, My My," and the Beatles' "Helter Skelter."

The only disappointment is the one new song, "Music Is My Radar," a rather pallid foray into disco.

Enya keeps the comfort factor high with several compositions that are arguably descendants of her 1989 pop hit, "Orinoco Flow." She steps outside of that zone on the first single, "Only Time," an elegant effort that is wrapped in soothing harmonics fondly reminiscent of vintage Beach Boys tunes...

"Sound Loaded" shows Martin walking the tightrope between requisite familiarity and fresh musical ground with remarkable ease.

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.

The sterling set is signature Sade.

Manson proves again that he's one of the most skilled lyricists in rock today.

The Aluminum Group's "Pelo" features the lush production and silky arrangements one expects to find on a Tortoise record, plus a healthy dose of Stereolab-influenced vocal harmonies thrown in for good measure.

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.

Although "Parachutes" brings nothing new to the table, Coldplay seems talented enough to transcend this early identity crisis.

The set oozes with timely funk beats and the kind of well-crafted songs that No. 1 hits are made of.

Picking up the lyrical gauntlet thrown down by such neo-soul sistahs as Angie Stone, Jill Scott, and musical influence/labelmate Rachelle Ferrell, this Houston-bred singer/songwriter sparkles with colorfully imaged songs about love won, lost, and anticipated -- laid against an R&B backdrop rhythmically punctuated with hip-hop, Latin, pop, jazz, rock, and country.

Not to be outdone by the generation of singers he has influenced, he raises the bar with the 19-track set.

Fatboy Slim (aka electronica pioneer Norman Cook) succeeds at the daunting task of assembling material that smartly courts pop listeners, while simultaneously maintaining loyalty to the club underground that's nurtured his career.

"Sounds" sounds great, alternating between driving, percussive romps like "Love Caught Up To Me," "Free To Go," and "Dreams Of Clay" and moments of sheer country perfection in "Time Spent Missing You," "A Promise You Can't Keep," and the wonderfully hangdog Hank Williams knockoff "The Heartaches Are Free."

The chaotic electronic density of U2's last few efforts has been replaced by sticky, bite-size tunes -- sporting candy-sweet choruses that are often underlined by unabashed words of love.

Harvey's first five discs were startlingly complete conceptions. "Stories From The City" shows the same genius -- only in fits and starts.

As projects of this nature go, this is a remarkably cohesive, high-quality set. For the most part, the material is appealing, if not terribly memorable.

"Solitary Man" may lack the immediate impact of its predecessors but is no less a masterpiece.

With his raw, raspy baritone voice, he paints vivid, usually empathetic pictures within an instrumental context that is rife with refreshing live beats and sharply drawn guitar and keyboard lines.

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.

In a sea of trend-conscious releases, "Breach" will wash over the senses like a cool, refreshing breeze. Although it's a completely contemporary and competitive entry into today's market, you won't find even the tiniest musical element that will render this set irrelevant or outdated in 10 years.

The peerless BBC archive continues to yield heaven-sent live performances, and none is more enjoyable than this two-disc set surveying David Bowie's early appearances on the British network.

The always brash, often emotionally affecting Williams displays marked growth as a lyricist, zapping tunes like the fiery first single "Rock DJ" with enough clever twists to make the mind happily reel.

A wonderfully offbeat blend of atmospheric folk and lo-fi rock that never fails to charm.... One of the year's most well-rounded and consistently satisfying albums.

"Kid A" immerses listeners in an ocean of unparalleled musical depth. It is, without question, the first truly groundbreaking album of the 21st century.

The California-based trio continues its exploration of more straight-ahead rock and pop with surprisingly strong results.

TSAC have spun their most lush and intricately produced long-player yet.... "Oui" wisely bumps the electronics to secondary status, giving the album a much more unified, live band feel missing from "The Fawn".... One of this year's most enjoyable albums.

In all, a fine effort...

The former Police guitar whiz surpasses himself with this survey of Charles Mingus as he gives the great man's compositions an utterly individual spin.

In signature Björk fashion, the songs are emotionally intense, beautifully orchestrated, sensually sweet, and wickedly exotic.

Barenaked Ladies play it straight with mixed results...

A mostly mainstream pop album with Latin inflections.

To be sure, Osborne proves again she has a wonderfully rich, sensual, and powerful voice that commands respect. But besides a winning cover of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love," she chooses to showcase it among mostly flat and/or generic arrangements.

Fun, thoughtful, and dynamic-

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

This time there's less gimmickry, more sympathy for the words and melodies. Harris... has crafted 11 profound, graceful poems that rank with the best songs she's ever recorded.

An anything-but-predictable collection of songs.

Despite being assembled from such an array of concerts, the album brilliantly captures the continuity of a live performance.

[Tom Tom Club] come this close to surpassing the raw energy, vibrant power, and rhythm-fresh approach of their now-classic eponymous debut.

A melancholy gem of gorgeous, whispery folk and delicate countrified rock.

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 "The Mirror Conspiracy," the duo fine-tunes its deft merging of all things dub, electronica, and bossa nova, creating sweet and savory tracks...

Although not as cohesive as Jean's "Carnival," "The Ecleftic" spins a compelling tale of a hip-hop superstar who defies convention.

Another satisfying collection of quick, riff-happy new wave/punk rock that, while no match for its first album, was nonetheless worth the wait.

LL... seems to have regained the fire that was sorely missing from his previous release, "Phenomenon."

The Maels continue flexing their musical might. Tracks like "More Than A Sex Machine," "The Calm Before The Storm," and the eye-winking title track are just waiting to be embraced by dancefloors worldwide.

Unified Theory -- while recalling the sounds of such bands as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Rush -- offers up a bold and psychedelic modern rock set.

He takes on the American songbook to stirring effect-often without relying on traditional arrangements.

This album showcases De La Soul's more playful side while maintaining the group's intelligent, witty lyrics.

A postcard-perfect summer pop jam, "Don't Give Up" is one of many delights on Chicane's much-anticipated sophomore album, "Behind The Sun."

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...

Everclear's first collection since 1997's "So Much For The Afterglow" is an unabashed love letter to the '70s, when AM radio still ruled and pop music was simple, good fun.

This is a confident, competent new direction from one of rock's most intriguing figures.

While "Golden Greats" features some intriguing tracks and a healthy dose of Brown's trademark bravado, it doesn't come close to ringing in as powerfully as that of the Roses' era-defining sound.

A glorious blend of surf-pop and Brazilian rhythms?

There's an odd allegiance to the overblown prog-rock theatrics of Rush... and Yes... that seems incongruous alongside earnest Beatles homages... and straight-up, gloom-rock confessionals.

But for all the growth, the band's continuing inclination toward a bludgeoning sonic attack and Moreno's violent, impressionistic lyrics make this a tough pill to swallow for most listeners.

"Faith And Courage" is head and shoulders above what came before it. In fact, it is brilliant.

Ultimately, "Moon" may frustrate because it really is a little bit of everything: spastic, Talking Heads-ish funk ("Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes"), campfire acoustic yarns ("3rd Planet," "Gravity Rides Everything"), and Sonic Youth-ish rock epics ("The Cold Part," "The Stars Are Projectors").

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

A wonderfully ambient collection of 10 songs

Along with absolutely stunning MC'ing across the board, "Quality" heralds the long-awaited return of the DJ to street hip-hop.

Steve Earle adds yet another masterwork to his disparate collection of classics...

Repeated spins also find this wonderful, soul-influenced collection to be one of slow, flowering appeal that ultimately ranks among the Glasgow septet's most rewarding efforts.

A very aware dance/pop atmospheric soundscape that is both electronically enhanced and orchestrally enriched.

A balanced, lyrically inspiring collection of songs.

On "Mad Season" the band serves up another slick collection of R.E.M. and Pearl Jam-influenced post-grunge classic rock tailor-made for ubiquitous radio play.