Much of the material on the quirky "Show Your Bones" is more intimate and, at times, tentative. [1 Apr 2006]

Overall, "Fishscale" is strong, with archetypal beats creating the definitive Ghost. [1 Apr 2006]

Here, T.I. shows he can still dominate a song given quality production (Just Blaze, DJ Toomp), but the album does little to build on what we have heard before. [1 Apr 2006]

It is such a perfect counterfeit that it feels like the genuine article.

[Ashcroft] possesses one of the definitive rock voices and has an undeniable gift for melody, but he pairs those talents here with truly insipid lyrics and uninspired MOR arrangements.

To be sure, the quiet side is the more powerful.

A modest but consistently satisfying affair, rich in music and message.

A testament to the singer's versatility and musicianship.

Overall, a modest debut from a band that has potential for a mass following down the road.

A largely effective mix of grime and soul. [25 Mar 2006]

[It's] hard not to fall in love with each and every song upon first listen.

Believe the hype: The 10-track set is a real treat, rewarding repeated listens with fun, groove-driven tunes.

It is some of Fagen's finest work to date.

"Stars of CCTV" is that rare British import that lives up to the advance billing.

It's only a matter of time before [this album] replaces Ray Lamontagne's "Trouble" as the best album Van Morrison never made.

With the mesmerizing Alison Goldfrapp leading the way, a glam-rock fierceness reigns supreme throughout this stunning collection.

To be sure, the majority of "Island" could be Pink Floyd in all but name only.

From note one, the listener is hermetically sealed into Chosen Darkness' unique musical universe where overdriven bass leads, pinpoint guitar lines and ominous synths hit with maximum impact.

For the most part, "Mr. Beast" finds Mogwai quite comfortable in a genre they've helped define.

Case has never sounded as vital as she does on "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood."

As a singer, Kristofferson remains a hell of an actor, but there is a lot to love about this record. [11 Mar 2006]

In the studio, Jones and musical friends... distill the fun, down-to-earth spirit of their live shows. [11 Mar 2006]

Brilliance shines throughout. [11 Mar 2006]

The artists seem to have brought the best out of each other, and the result is much better than just hearing them go through the motions.

Fans of Wilco will certainly oblige Kotche's singular visions; fans of "Being There," maybe not so much.

What they lack in ingenuity, they make up for by turning each song into a full-out event. [4 Mar 2006]

Has less twang but more bang than any of his previous work. [4 Mar 2006]

If Hawthorne Heights stopped trying to please several different audiences and decided whether it wanted to be a pop band or a post-hardcore group, it could make a more definitive musical statement. [4 Mar 2006]

Though, at times, the lyrics are a bit too sentimental ("Time") and production is spotty, "In My Own Words" should have listeners clinging to Ne-Yo's every word. [4 Mar 2006]

A landmark work by one of country's singular artists. [4 Mar 2006]

A remarkable debut by a band full of raw energy. [25 Feb 2006]

[An] uneven set.

Davies' first solo studio collection has all the tasty ingredients that epitomized the Kinks--primarily Davies' knowing lyrics and world-weary vocals. [25 Feb 2006]

Overall, listeners will struggle to classify "Rubies," as much for Bejar's blurring of bluesy folk, pop and lo-fi indie rock as his unconventional delivery.

Man Man exhibits a varied flair for macabre theatrics that includes a veritable world's fair of chaos and creation.

The M's and their "Future Women" not only jog the memories of rock past, but are memorable in their own right.

Thanks to the stellar backup band, E's husky voice and sad stories become all the more desperately lovely. [25 Feb 2006]

An erratic mix of messy ambition and indifferent sloppiness that sounds like it's falling apart even before it really has a chance to get it together. [11 Feb 2006]

Exceptional technical ability, lyrical insight far beyond their years and unbridled exuberance merge into one of the most promising rock entrances since Radiohead's "Pablo Honey." [18 Feb 2006]

An intriguing change of pace. [18 Feb 2006]

The gem of this old school-flavored set is its low-key grooves that rely on thought-out storylines and not just sweet-talking jargon. [18 Feb 2006]

"The Life Pursuit" continues B&S' growth into more of a timeless pop act, its wry eye toward U.K. life refocused into tighter, swifter arrangements. [11 Feb 2006]

A lovely set of pop-flavored neo-folk. [11 Feb 2006]

A delicious blend of acoustic guitar, raw grooves and sublime melodies. [11 Feb 2006]

A good-time, classic rock feel permeates [the album]. [11 Feb 2006]

Though far from groundbreaking, "Destroy Rock & Roll" spotlights an artist who has a knack for cleverly referencing music that has come before. [11 Feb 2006]

A disjointed affair on first listen, "Security Screening" eventually reveals itself as the mirror image of main man Scott Herren's multiple musical personalities. [11 Feb 2006]

"Run the Road 2" does not live up to its crack predecessor, but that observation is neither a surprise nor a slam. [18 Feb 2006]

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

The trio has fine-tuned its sound, making it more complex and compelling. [14 Jan 2006]

A song or two with a bit more oomph would have been nice. [28 Jan 2006]

There is an easy-listening elegance to his songs, but the album plays out like a soundtrack to sipping coffee. [28 Jan 2006]

She is grappling with issues of faith, but she is charmingly skeptical. [28 Jan 2006]

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

"Compound Eye" is difficult as a complete listen but works well in smaller chunks. [28 Jan 2006]

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

As personal as the album is, there is a universal quality to Cash's songwriting that will make listeners embrace the intimate feelings here as their own. [18 Feb 2006]

It is P.O.D.'s lyrics, which are stuck in adolescent neutral, that doom "Testify" to feeling like a relic. [28 Jan 2006]

A strong effort that trades sunny-sounding rockers and breakup songs for weightier concerns of war and family, "Lights" conveys that maturity without seeming strained. [28 Jan 2006]

Fans of Queens Of The Stone Age, and to a degree Death From Above 1979, will probably be attracted to "The Indian Tower," but from the get go, there are noticeable differences that make the album a unique contribution.

Songs of losers and loss tempered by only a taste of wry humor.

It's hard to take the band too seriously, but the songs are debaucherous fun. [14 Jan 2006]

Despite undeniable similarities to other bands that arrived at this party earlier, this album lacks pretension and self-importance. [21 Jan 2006]

Sia's songs are quiet, intimate and melodic. [21 Jan 2006]

Too frequently on the band's third album, the fun gets lost in difficult song structures and chord changes that deliver less than we have come to expect. [14 Jan 2006]

"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]

For the most part, the producers simply add audio garnishing to Korn's signature sound via loops and Pro Tools trickery. [10 Dec 2005]

A wonderful disc. [3 Dec 2005]

The utilization of American hip-hop scenarios in the context of the English slang is exactly what makes "Coming On Strong" such a unique listen.

Not that the band's blend of metal; world music; jagged, breakneck rhythms; and non sequitur lyrics don't still connect, but it is nowhere near as dazzling as it was on its first two go-arounds. [26 Nov 2005]

This album is calm and relaxing almost to a fault. [26 Nov 2005]

Leans more toward conscious than commercial. [26 Nov 2005]

Like instrumental masters Tortoise, the new Tristeza is much like the old, offering subtle variations on a pleasant theme.

This is a live album the way it ought to be produced: sincere and surprising, a true alternative to your well-worn copies of the studio recordings.

Swirling, throbbing and altogether great. [19 Nov 2005]

One of America's greatest bands has never sounded better. [19 Nov 2005]

Despite her prolonged absence, Bush sounds as vital as ever.

While the all-original material is not strong enough to qualify this as the instant classic some have suggested, heartfelt tracks like the jubilant "Delirious Love," the rousing "Hell Yeah" and the string-tinged love song "Evermore" are outstanding. [12 Nov 2005]

7 This is Chesney doing what he does so very well, and his legions of fans will eat it up. [12 Nov 2005]

Easily the radio-friendliest set ever from the Phish camp.

Stronger than not and off-kilter enough to remain engaging even when the skits come on, "Theloneliest" might not have been worth a five-year layover, but it's weird and wide open.

Too often Santana sounds like a guest on his own show.

Flecked at every turn with Kozelek's unique interpretive bent, "Tiny Cities" is a triumph.

Think of a visit to Nana's house reimagined as alt-Broadway musical theater. [29 Oct 2005]

One of the year's best. [29 Oct 2005]

"Feels" is by far the most agreeable Animal Collective yet, but whether or not that's a good thing is for you to decide.

It is a testament to Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin's production acumen that the songs here sound so organic despite their computerized origin. [22 Oct 2005]

Revels in dirty guitars and fuzzy distortion while maintaining Depeche Mode's familiar electronic sound. [22 Oct 2005]

Weird, and often wonderful. [22 Oct 2005]

With constant acknowledgement of imperfections, Simpson separates herself from the peppy Lindsay Lohans and Hilary Duffs. [22 Oct 2005]

A welcome return. [22 Oct 2005]

A hauntingly beautiful album with tender, melodic pop arrangements that really make a lasting impression.

Lyrically, Doom hasn't sounded this vital since Viktor Vaughn's "Vaudeville Villain."

It still has the signature guitar-drums-violin approach, but there are subtle variations that make this a different record.

Time has not dulled the group's scarily tight musicianship. [15 Oct 2005]

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

But if t.A.T.u. represents the tippy-top of the marketing universe, it also represents the bottom third of pop songwriting.

With a less confessional and more confrontational attitude, this long-gestating album has lost the tenderness found on "Tidal" and some of "When the Pawn . . .," but her execution still commands attention. [8 Oct 2005]