A must-hear recording rich with pleasantly surprising depth.

His fifth album puts the Dutchman in the company of the Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx and Paul Oakenfold: those rare dance producers who have the artistic fortitude to create a fully realized, addictive long-player.

Kweller shines apart from his identically named buddies [Ben Folds and Ben Lee] and proves his songwriting chops.

A revelatory, emotional listen from start to finish, "With the Lights Out" crystallizes Cobain's tortured genius.

Pretty much all John Darnielle's songs sound the same, but that sameness affords a remarkable consistency.

While it would have been interesting to hear a further evolution of the band's sound, the album offers plenty of adrenaline, pheromones and stealthy sophistication, thanks to Bob Hardy's driving bass, Alex Kapranos' expressive crooning and the band's unusual ability to make every song sound like a single.

This second solo album is so strong that a listening moves from why to why-not territory rather quickly.

Made to be played loud on a grand automobile sound system, "Origin Vol. I" is big fun.

Her first mainstream country album in years is an important reminder of the breadth of her singing and songwriting talents.

The dozen tracks on Hush" offer more in the way of tone and texture than they do melody and groove.

Those in the know can attest DF is merely coming into its own after years on the touring circuit.

The veteran artiste holds his ground on a collection that is sure to earn him the respect of not only his old fans but a new generation of listeners raised on sonic provocateurs like Beck, Nine Inch Nails, and Moby.

Saadiq's production is brimming with horns and seriously in-the-pocket rhythm sections, but there are also enough hip-hop touches and contemporary arrangements to keep the tracks in the now. [24 Mar 2007]

A collection of nourishing soundscapes, all of which are just as jagged and defiant as El-P's hip-hop work.

The 16-track set showcases Dilated's combination of intelligent lyrics and mind-blowing production.

Dedicated fans will be pleased with the results.

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]

The epitome of a melancholy winter record.

The Oklahoma singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist raises eyebrows from the get-go on his 16th solo outing, dipping into jazz for the gently swinging 'Who Knew' and the self-effacing 'Former Me.'

Stringfellow is one of the most underrated songwriters of our generation, and while "Touched" may still remain his all-timer, "Soft Commands" could most definitely be considered his textbook.

Quick, breezy and fun.

The album is diverse and slows up where it should.

The result is an album of tremendous fullness: The sound is dense, the lyrics are complex, and the production is top-drawer.

Overall, it's a solid, unashamedly honest portrait.

The label's tendency toward bottom-heavy, fog-thick beats sounds awful nice under Del's syrupy brainiac flow, which goes back to his battle-rap basics here.

A wonderful disc. [3 Dec 2005]

Imagine the B-52's playing a wedding in Siberia and you'll have a loose idea of what's in store on these 14 tracks.

The latest batch of tunes definitely includes some keepers.