Each song on The Spine is characteristically intelligent, observant, and poppy as all hell. [#11, p.94]

Avant-garde impenetrability has been passed over for hallmark accessibility. [#11, p.92]

Like scarfing down a meal at Sizzler: your stomach is stuffed, but, in the end, your taste buds are left itching for more flavor. [#11, p.95]

Strangely timid in both its production choices and songwriting. [#11, p.92]

Infectious. [#11, p.98]

It's simple, easy listening. [#11, p.98]

Feels more timeless, more effortless. [#11, p.91]

Boroughs' greatest strength is its aural cohesiveness, fueled by a litany of Golden Age samples... and the heavy, often dark, bass-driven soundscapes. [#11, p.90]

A crisp-sounding, very coherent, vocally comprehensible collation of shapely, spirited power-pop-punk nuggets. [#11, p.93]

A gorgeous, bona fide gem. [#11, p.92]

A pretty excellent, ramblin' effort. [#16, p.99]

There is a lot going on here, sonically and substantially. [#11, p.98]

Sounds like the house mix for a Marxist disco. [#11, p.92]

Apart from the live instrumentation, what stands out the most is Kittin's treatment of the synth as something more than aural shellac. [#10, p.92]

Auf der Maur builds a strong rhythmic foundation on this record and then proceeds to layer the white powder on top to hook the kids. [#11, p.94]

As simple as the instrumentation is on the album... they use it to maximum effect. [#11, p.98]

Housecat isn't exactly reinventing the wheel; he's dusting it off and spray painting it electric blue. [#9, p.102]

They've evolved into a new complexity here. [#11, p.94]

Rife with an irresistible charm, sly English wit, and supremely catchy choruses. [#10, p.98]

It's a solid showing from a band... dead set on packaging the unbridled mania of their live show, and more fun than anything else. [#11, p.97]

A fluid record packed with full songs. [#10, p.88]

A beautifully wrought collection of ballads for the brokenhearted. [#11, p.96]

Rather than trying to funk up and freak out the tunes with oddball sonic contributions, the fivesome rely heavily on the strength of their three-part harmonies and the head-bouncing guitar hooks. [#10, p.90]

Might well be his most brilliant yet. [#10, p.86]

While there are a few slow points on The Trial Of The Century... the album is leaps and bounds away from One Time Bells, production and songwriting-wise. [#10, p.96]

It hurts, but like another ferocious beast said, it hurts so good. [#10, p.94]

By staying so true to Burma's superior style 20 years after it was emulated, it lacks the aura of innovation. [#10, p.90]

Yes, there are the makings of an ambient symphony... but the more prominent strains of folk instrumentation--accordions, banjos and glockenspiels--suggest to us that maybe it's not all gloom and glum. [#10, p.91]