A fascinating listen, a psychedelic journey through time and space, where vintage keyboards create a musical dream.

Manners, the debut album from the Boston-based electro-pop outfit Passion Pit, is a charming combination of danceable synth grooves, falsetto shouts and infectious vocal hooks.

There are clunkers, like the half-there torch song "Life Is Hard." But the great thing about 67-year-old Dylan is that even when it's not working, it's working.

[It] doesn't offer many surprises, and as usual that's OK.

His new album is not exactly like the last or the one before that, and is pleasantly surprising in its evolution.

Clever but tasteful arrangements and an impeccable shine make songs like 'Same Old Thing' seem anything but.

"The Good, the Bad and the Queen" seems to be waiting for a payoff that never materializes.

This winning collaborative combination makes "Before the Poison" even stronger than its 2002 predecessor, "Kissin' Time," but with production and arrangements that are minimalist, dark and desolate.

New Zealand supergroup the Clean once again makes a case that the world's most intriguing pop music comes from that small, faraway land.

"Loud Like Nature" is hard to take seriously, but it shows that those old analog treasures still have a few good songs left in them.

Much like KOC's albums, which tend to fade into the background as sonic wallpaper, the IKEA-sterile mood of "Unrest" does grow less distinctive by disc's end.

On first listen, "The Loon" is not as immediate as several key tracks are individually. But after further study, the pieces eventually fall into place, and it becomes clear that this foursome has a solid debut on its hands.

A young, kick-ass band with a dusty, unpolished garage sound, Wolfmother excels in what everyone else has already done.

Hearing a crowd go wild for a kick drum has to do the dance community proud.

The new album's lyrical plotlines feel more organized than on past efforts, and musical twists are easier to follow, with Matthew's piano grounding the recording.

Gone are the meandering Sonic Youth impressions, and in their place are imaginative songs that don't alienate.

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

His most inspired effort in years.

Just as the busking, basement-tapes balladry of Stereo feels wan and undercooked, the rough-and-ready rock of Mono brims with the thoughtfulness and soulful energy of Westerberg's 1993 solo debut, 14 Songs, and his ever-influential Replacements catalog.

Lofty comparisons, sure. But Bingham's not a "new" anything: He's his own man, and a singular talent at that.

It seems that the more comfortable the principals get with Gnarls Barkley, the more haunted Gnarls Barkley gets. And it gets stronger, too.

All sound pretty wonderful in the hands of Peyroux's stealthy, silk-draped vocals, delivered with a winning air of slightly detached mystery.

This "Tiger" is fairly tame, but that's OK. [30 Jun 2007]

A substantive collection of back-to-basics indie rock.

Like bourbon, his voice only gets more seductively potent with age.

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

Shows his growth as an MC.

Costello proves that all the balladry hasn't dulled his ability to rock.