One of his finest hours.

One would think the standard tension/release moments would get tiresome, but most of the album has an energy that makes you forget about anything that might seem redundant.

At first blush, Lanois' music is flowery wallpaper, but on repeated listens the colorful textures sink in and evoke a hushed mysticism.

The pair's knack for excelling amid a range of styles and approaches is even more apparent on "The Understanding," which resists the temptation to overtly court the masses.

It makes for a difficult listen but will be fulfilling for those who find their way out on the other side.

Though it could use some portion control, "The Cookbook" still whips up a tasty meal.

He doesn't break any new lyrical ground, but Kelly's talent for penning original, infectious grooves remains intact.

A brighter, bouncier counterpart to its wintry predecessor "Michigan," "Illinois" contains some of the most beautiful pop you will hear all year long.

A monumental step forward in the progression of the group's sound.

Lidell has a fine voice, arguably one of the most potent white soul singers England has given us since Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie.

If crude tales of incest, child abuse, drug abuse and just about every other type of abuse are your thing, then... "Hannicap Circus" is for you.

CYHSY is at the best point in the lifecycle of a band: un-styled, simply produced and deserving of the hype for what is -- quite possibly -- a nearly perfect album.

A mixed bag of pure-pop lyricism and throwaway covers.

While the self-imposed constraints limit the emotional power of songs like "Mary of the Wild Moor" and the hushed, fingerpicked "Manson Twins," it's a happy addition to Pajo's solid lo-fi repertoire.

Another eclectic musical trip.

Play[s] out like a fresh discovery that's strangely familiar--a '60s soul in a 21st-century outfit.

The songwriting grows less challenging as the album unfolds, often lacking the kind of vocal performances that provide real traction.

The band is now more of a collaborative project than a Jon Auer-and-Ken Stringfellow-with-hired-guns proposition, and it shows in the eloquence of the songs here.

While the lyrics are more introspective and the music more electronic than what we've come to expect from the Pumpkins or his most recent project, Zwan, thankfully Corgan's distinctive vocals and grungy guitar riffs are ubiquitous.

A masterwork of insight and delight.

One can't help but think that by scaling back their ambitions, the Foos could have made one great album instead of two average ones.

His most inspired effort in years.

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

The real revelation here is their ability to show a more varied and at times vulnerable side to their sound.

Shakira, of course, is unmistakable. But the coup is that each track is absolutely distinctive, even on several songs with no clear-cut choruses or hooks.

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

Equal parts soul, funk, rock and blues, "can'tneverdidnothin'" continues to showcase the fiery, audacious style first heard on Nikka Costa's 2001 debut.

"Mighty Rearranger" isn't great, but it's awfully good, and if Plant's voice has faded slightly in power over the years, it's still remarkably strong.