Conjures up an exotic, enchanting world populated with slide guitars, maracas, accordions, brass bands and late-night country crooning.

Retro rawk doesn't come much ballsier than this--or get much better.

Melodically exquisite, this is a triumph of minimalism.

Declawed and hesitant, it's hard to get excited about this piece of funkless confection.

Less immediate than their brilliantly untouchable 1998 album Mezzanine, this project is unsettling, uneasy and, okay, sometimes unbearably depressing.

Often funeral-march slow, but there are also flashes of passionate energy.

Unless you are the president of the NRA or addicted to Cops-type tales, 50 Cent's debut is strictly small change.

The lyrics aren't "How Soon Is Now?"-type genius, but they go down easily enough.

Carrying none of the charm or innovation of the duo's earlier ABBA tribute, this set is salvaged only by a relatively straight reading of Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill."

Even the geeky ballads will put a smile on your face and a Bic lighter in your hand.

Though perfect for hipster English-lit teachers, ravenous Reed fans will find themselves saying "nevermore."

All droning guitars, snail-paced rhythms and bombastic arrangements, songs like "Schedule for Using Pillows & Beanbags" and "Your Lights Are (Out or) Burning Badly" will either raise the hairs on the back of your neck or put you to straight to sleep.

A lesson in subtlety, 10 songs of abstract musical impressions that foil today's connect-the-dots pop.

A soaring, orchestral pop masterpiece.

Singer Sam Prekop sounds as delightfully laid-back as ever and John McEntire's production remains inventive, however, the combined effect is more limp than limber.

Lovebox brings together [their] disparate elements in a convenient package, highlighting the knob-twiddlers' many talents.

Interesting variations on classic pop music, delivered with fire and wisdom.

She doesn't quite act her age on teen beat-driven single "Whatchulookinat," but she makes up for it with a series of R&B standards and diva-worthy ballads that hit most of the right notes.

Carey's once glorious voice is all over the place, her rainbow-and-stars lyrics come off like the notebook doodles of a 12-year-old girl, and her song selection is shocking.

Snoop sounds as cool as ever with his velvety voice and nodding head keeping the laid-back party going.

With Phrenology, the cool Philly troupe remain head and shoulders above the rest by sticking to their well-defined course of smoky live beats, serious lyrics, stunning guests... and not one ounce of production from the Neptunes.

This disc has a clutch of songs that mix chord-y abandon with raging rock riffs--and a heck of a lot of good times.

As leftovers go, this Album is refreshingly tasty.

The songs don't exactly have the stripped-down demo feel Harrison intended--but mercifully aren't as over-glossed as those on his last solo album, 1987's Cloud Nine.

It's so predictable and so painfully trendy that More Than a Woman might as well have a former Mouseketeer's face on the cover.

With dashes of Nick Cave darkness, surf-guitar twang, ugly '60s pop and Velvet Underground-y noise, the Raveonettes offer more variations on the dense tuned-down sound that's overtaking America.

Predictably packed with hip-hoppy dance numbers and chiming ballads that don't dare push her vocal range, J.Lo vibelessly goes through a series of songs about love, fidelity and how real she is.

The tough stuff works. But Temptation is really tempting when Rule drops all pretense of authenticity and lets the good vibes flow on the bouncy "Mesmerize," silky sex-jam "Murder Me" and the horn-infused title track.