On the first part (Elephants), she sticks to brooding breakup ballads with long, languid piano chords and lush string arrangements, the perfect soundtrack for the lovesick....The mood changes radically on the second part, when Yamagata emerges with gritty, garage-rock tunes a la PJ Harvey, delivering defiant hooks with the energy of someone taking revenge.

While some songs don't click ("We Ain't" featuring Eminem), "The Documentary" still shapes up as one of the best rap albums of the year thus far.

Throughout, Cole leaves behind her staple vibrato, which is refreshing.

Depressing but arresting.

The Vocoder on the a cappella track 'Woods' puts forth a robotic wooziness that's more about technical expression than personal sentiment. With full-band backing, Vernon also seems more social on the title track and 'Babys.' What remains from "For Emma" is a dizzying and ethereal beauty.

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.

By turns playful, sexy, soulful, funky and passionate, Evans showcases the full range of her talents on her most consistent effort yet.

Shows a sure production sense to match the ever-perceptive singer/songwriter's observations on life and love.

The entire package hangs together gloriously: The renditions bear the sensuous heat of Dulli's self-penned work.

Where the Faint falls short, though, is its lack of daring; even with the welcome addition of strings (apropos of its cinematic live show) and varying styles, "Wet From Birth" sounds contained and merely likeable.

To save themselves from the sneaking accusation that they were fizzling out, the quartet self-produced and -mixed "Swimming," and the result is an album notably more laid-back and truer to their wistful personalities than 2006's "Two Thousand."

Far and away the group's most determined work of its 15-year career.

While there are certainly some forgettable moments here... the refreshing news is that "Normal Happiness" can stand proudly amid the Pollard oeuvre.

Marshall's reinterpretations reveal a welcome intimacy.

More than 40 years into their career, the Stones sound raw and dangerously alive.

Buck may not be as charismatic or as lyrically compelling as his cohorts, but he still makes a strong impression.

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

The first-time pairing with Rubin has resulted in a surprisingly cohesive mix of country and rock tunes.

While this album does not break new ground, it focuses on a fun and playful Prince whose turn of phrase and instrumental dexterity call to mind why we embraced him in the first place--and still do.

Too much here sounds like Coldplay-by-numbers, and the lyrics lack the deeper meaning the album seems desperate to provide.

Film-specific songs like "Make No Sense at All" and "Call the Law" fall flat out of context.

Focusing more on catchy hooks and Fergie-style chants than lyrics helps disguise her vocal limitations. [9 Jun 2007]

While the casual listener may tire of the repetitive synthiness of Anxiety Always, fans of the genre will dig the act's '80s-inflected tunes.

An adventurous singer/songwriter just like her sister Shelby Lynne, the vocally gifted Moorer doesn't shy away from bucking country tradition. In fact, she seems to revel in it.

The album may consign the Raveonettes further to cult-level status, but like a challenging mate, it seduces us into coming back for more.

Serenade is most compelling when Earle snarls in his irrefutable way at Middle East warmakers ('Jericho Road') and rural drug pushers ('Oxycontin Blues').

At times, the misery borders on cliché, but luckily, "Quarry" sports some of Morrissey's most direct vignettes in years.

This is the kind of record the Strokes and countless other newfangled pop/rock groups have been trying to make over the first half of the decade. But nobody's done it with such effortless flair as Phoenix.