The title track ... and the unstoppably melodic "Billy Wire" are two of the catchiest tunes Pollard has ever penned. [No.88 p.56]

Skelethon finds the stealth-drawling rapper swallowing his wise-as-his-namesake words, then spitting out more quixotic phrasing and racing, racy syllables than Busta Rhymes might if he was on a hot martini of Red Bull, moonshine and methamphetamine. [No.89, p.52]

Marissa Nadler’s sixth studio record finds the Boston-based singer creating beautiful, sweeping songs that feel as ethereal as the last dream before dawn. [No. 131, p.59]

Most of Skeleton is an endless rush, sounding like up-tempo versions of the Pixies' surf-rock choruses. [#71, p.93]

It's quite haunting. [#73, p.103]

Segall makes quite a cacophonous rock 'n' roll racket with infectious pop stompers like rousing, four-on-the-floor rocker "You're The Doctor" and the menacing, rolling riffage of "They Told Me To." Yet, the headroom in the mix makes so the oceans of pulverizing reverb don't swallow the hooks. [No. 92, p.59]

Consistently fantastic. [#64, p.80]

The album is singularly that of Ono's deliciously odd aesthetic. [No. 102, p.59]

Crisper and cleaner than any previous Why? musing, Mumps Etc. is chamber hop for people who buy every remastered reissue of Pet Sounds. [No. 92, p.60]

Ghost's most ambitious achievement yet. [#74, p.98]

Seventh Tree is a moody, understated gem. A finer hangover record will be hard to come by in 2008.

For all its guest appearances (Neko Case, Silver Jews’ Brian Kotzur and Devotchka’s Tom Hagerman), the album’s overall sound is tight and consistent.

The overwhelming success of this unexpected Mac mashup is clear evidence that it's more than a one-off idea. [No. 144, p.52]

Most of Traps keeps the toes a-tapping with happily-sung, sad-bastard references to bygone lovers, running out of weed and coming of quarter-age. [No.88 p.57]

Nothing ever explodes on The Evens, which eschews Fugazi-style noise in favor of subtle dynamics and unsettling clarity. [#68, p.92]

An uneasy gamut of emotion imbues another exceptional Mountain Goats effort. [No. 92, p.51]

He's broadened his palette, finding the muscle to push against his lightness, the long, legato breaths to anchor his 30-second notes, and the heart to say all the things he can't say on his own. [No. 106, p.57]

Downright pretty. [No.88 p.57]

For the first time, they’ve refined that obsession into something listeners can sink their teeth into.

The A Frames ultimately come off as serious students of history, not fashion. [#67, p.84]

What strike most are Sheff's strained, impassioned vocals and the joyful variety of instrumentation. [#67, p.110]

Including essential ’70s albums like Zuckerzeit, Sowiesoso and two classic Eno collaborations, this killer collection shows Cluster refining its minimalist, electro-acoustic, programmed, studio-pop improvisations in urban and rural environs. [No. 131, p.53]

The Singles is as good a starting point as any, as it highlights the diversity that spanned the band's entire career. All the classics are present and accounted for. [No. 144, p.54]

Revolution is not a political screed, as the band scorches and eases its way through a fair number of life/love reflection. [No. 144, p.55]

It stands as not only the most fully realized Portastatic album but as one that ought not be overshadowed by its creator's more well-known outlet. [#59, p.107]

Sugaring Season isn't a breakthrough, but it's a consolidation of Orton's strengths. [#92, p.58]

This attention-grabbing sophomore grower beckons with a wicked lick. [No. 106, p.55]

Cheap Trick sticks to its strengths. [No. 144, p.56]