Don't be fooled by the constant references to other bands. While the foundation upon which Interpol is building, certainly is borrowed, its music is not a miming act.

Sunny Border Blue will go down as her finest album outside of the Throwing Muses because it’s her finest batch of songs.

So yes, it has that retro-futuristic edge, but what sets 604 apart is the distinct lack of kitsch.

This is Mission of Burma’s most aggressive and impassioned record to date.

Each listen reveals depth and texture that allow the hooks plenty of room to breathe.

If you take Sharpen Your Teeth as the superfluous wank-off side-project that it is, you won’t be as offended by its utter lack of imagination and artistry.

Antics is a grower. It’s not as grandiose as its predecessor, but it still packs a lasting punch.

This is dance music with unquestionable soul.

Give Up is pure, unadulterated dance pop from start to finish.

Silkworm as classic rock? Yep, and it’s damn good, too.

It sounds overcooked, over-thought, and overly ambitious, but such growing pains are preferable to pandering.

while the production’s sleek sheen holds tight reigns over any explosive guitars threatening to get out of hand, The Stills still manage to build up enough tension to hold your attention through good old fashioned songwriting.

Suffers from too much open-faced honesty and a serious lack of intensity.

The only disappointment is the fact that everything sounds a tad too familiar.

An ambitious, sprawling string of songs.

Even though Guero sounds familiar sonically, it still pushes Beck further into a league that he all but owns.

If the fact that Albini seems to bury Falkous’ yelps behind too much dissonance bothers you, there’s plenty of joyous wreckage to revel in.

The album skillfully and confidently showcases all of Martin Gore’s songwriting strengths.

The Hives’ propulsive, polyrhythmic outbursts are so packed with hooks and catchy choruses that you can’t help but overlook the schtick and give in to the raucous delight.

It all unfurls more like a musical than an indie rock record, but don’t let the dissonance scare you away.

An astoundingly seductive debut.

A classic party record from start to finish.

I’m just astounded by how bad this album actually is.

This album is an extraordinary display of Oberst’s songwriting prowess. It’s obscenely ambitious and pretentious and ridiculous but unquestionably memorable and affecting.

On Take Fountain Gedge uses his sharpened songwriting chops to present his case and again proves himself a master of the pop song. It’s just that sometimes it feels like routine.

Gorgeous, lush, and surprisingly optimistic.

This collection is the antithesis of anything Kurt Cobain would have authorized, right down to the shiny metal packaging.

Only vaguely hints at what the future holds, relying mostly on its tried and true formula of layered, epic rock and raw, pounding emotion.