Ne-Yo still has a way with melody, managing to upgrade his offerings while showing that the writer in him ain't dead either. [5 May 2007]

Best-known for her flame-throwing hit "Kerosene," Miranda Lambert delivers more of the same on her new album. [5 May 2007]

Most of the proceedings are fairly clean-cut and midtempo, with guitars only intermittently attaining heavy density. [5 May 2007]

Smith and her trusty band largely strip arrangements bare, lyrical and emotional content taking center stage. [28 Apr 2007]

There is more than enough here to make up for any loss of zeitgeist-shattering impact the second time around. [28 Apr 2007]

Morello shows us that he's a) a facile acoustic guitar player, too, b) a better than serviceable singer and c) an intelligent and passionate social commentator and protest singer. [28 Apr 2007]

A mostly sassy'n'snotty affair on which she sounds even younger than when her debut album, 2002's "Let Go," went multiplatinum. [28 Apr 2007]

There are fewer memorable moments here than on his solo albums, but it's still nice to hear him taking risks. [21 Apr 2007]

It's fun to hear Trent Reznor play other roles and fire holes into the technology he's been so vital in employing. [21 Apr 2007]

Songs so intimate that they sound like singer Margo Timmins could be whispering them in your ear remain the group's hallmark, but the delivery continues to grow more sophisticated. [21 Apr 2007]

It may not pick up many new fans or even appeal to those beyond Cave's core audience, but these guys sound like they're having too much fun to care. [14 Apr 2007]

It's a pleasant enough, if uneven work. [14 Apr 2007]

Though his singular identity doesn't translate necessarily into a singular sound, there's plenty in his road-tested formula for fans of soulful, organic hip-hop to like. [12 May 2007]

An album unexpectedly packed with dance jams. [14 Apr 2007]

An understated triumph. [9 Dec 2006]

They still pen power-pop tunes so utterly irresistible—"Someone to Love," "This Better Be Good," "Strapped for Cash"—that they deserve to be every bit as ubiquitous at radio as the elements of the album's title. Oh, and they're still brilliant. [2 Apr 2007]

"Because of the Times" is a brooder at heart, and much of the material here is some of the Kings' most demanding to date. It's also among their best. [14 Apr 2007]

It's practically something straight out of the United Kingdom for all of its poppy goodness. [14 Apr 2007]

It's hard to stay completely original album after album, but Ozomatli does exactly that when it sticks to the sounds of Los Angeles it helped put on the map. [14 Apr 2007]

This debut can't quite capture the wide-eyed euphoria of a Klaxons live show, but readymade anthems like "Golden Skans," "Totem on the Timeline" and "Magick" will energize dance fans and rockers alike.

Like last time, the singles are better than the whole. [31 Mar 2007]

Even during the second-tier moments, there's a sense that he's regained his artistic footing. [31 Mar 2007]

An album that proves being rich and famous doesn't always blunt a band's creative appetite. [31 Mar 2007]

Dovetailing with her choice of sound and arrangements that straddle convention and invention, Lopez mines new emotional depths. [31 Mar 2007]

"Life in Cartoon Motion" is like Scissor Sisters-lite: Retro disco with heavy doses of rollicking piano and funk. [31 Mar 2007]

McGraw's best effort yet. [31 Mar 2007]

The lyrics brim with grouchy wit. [24 Mar 2007]

There's more melody than usual to be found here. [24 Mar 2007]