[It] hints at a more complex approach to songwriting without abandoning the qualities that made us pay attention in the first place.

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

Here, her vocals--less developed and wobblier than now, yet still astounding--and tell-it-like-it-is lyrics ('Fuck Me Pumps') take center stage.

That Lonesome Song is a testament to raw and real, right down to open studio mics catching stray commentary and static from a bad input.

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

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entry into today's market, you won't find even the tiniest musical element that will render this set irrelevant or outdated in 10 years.

Even though Grand is a bit toned down from Matt and Kim's first albums, it maintains the spunk, high energy and carefree attitude that caught people's attention in the first place.

While there are no surprises in its technique or approach, Sigur Rós has succeeded in making a startlingly beautiful record. [17 Sep 2005]

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]

The Stripes have never had so much fun. [23 Jun 2007]

He shows the abandon and confidence of a long-term artist, not just a one-hit wonder.

From the broad, hopeful tone of opener 'Don't You Wish It Was True' to the brisk closer 'Longshot,' John Fogerty at 62 has made his toughest, best-written album since Creedence Clearwater Revival disbanded in 1972.

With a tiny voice, minimalist arrangements and simple lyrics, this Swedish songwriter has crafted what seems like a magical album, where all its small elements coalesce into something quite big.

The album is a refreshing mix of thoughtfulness and testosterone.

Powter firmly establishes himself as a singer/songwriter who sits somewhere between James Blunt and early recordings by Elton John—albeit one who also knows the power of blue-eyed soul. [15 Apr 2006]

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

Kudos for making such a disparate collection hang together as a cohesive, upbeat, infectious whole.

In less than five minutes it's clear the group has a sad edge and sensitivity lacking from its cartoonishly arrogant peers.

The artist is in fine, ever-changing voice throughout, and there's certainly a ton of musical food for thought here, requiring several listens before the nuances are revealed. Worth the wait? Maybe. Worth a few hours of your time? Definitely.

It's one of those rare soundtracks that holds up well independent of its film.

The finest work of this talented individual's solo career thus far.

For the fan of fictional party rhymes, there's 'White Linen Affair (Toney Awards),' where Ghost lines up the current roster of hip-hop royalty and takes his place strong in the middle of it.

This Montreal band's Anti- debut is a far more calculated, robust affair than its first album, 2006's "Return to the Sea."

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.

On this excellent debut by her new duo with programmer Adam Pallin, Imani Coppola sounds no more interested in sticking to a single style than she usually does.

A nicely varied, wholly satisfying collection.

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

It gives fans something meaningful they didn't have before (in addition to token brand-new track "Keep My Composure").