[Frontman Jesse] Elliott seems more preoccupied with packing prosaic lyrics with regional references than encouraging the participatory response these large-band arrangements often beg for. [#88, p.60]

Collaborations where the principals hail from different ends of the musical spectrum usually lack common ground, making their output little more than a curiosity. Thankfully, this a a problem Harmonic trounces with a big sonic shillelagh. [#88, p.58]

Standouts are so effortlessly and relentlessly infectious that it's impossible to think that Pujol didn't spend long nights spinning and internalizing Fleetwood Mac and Kinks LPs. [#88, p.59]

Some [of the songs] are funny, some are sad, and the best are somewhere in between. [#88, p.54]

The dramatic new music made by Bobby Womack - a true survivor - is an important listening session for any serious music lover. [No.89, p.60]

While the Universe is a fairly subdued affair, its quiet quality speaks volumes. [No.89, p.61]

The production has kept the focus exactly where it should be: on the longing of his voice... it's given him a deeper, haunting sense of quiet that strips these melodies to their essential, fragile beauty, delivered with joy, grace, and a wounded wisdom. [No.89 p.60]

Smith is least persuasive on the latter [unexpectedly aggressive, blues-based power ballads] - her delicate voices sounds strident when fronting heavy electric guitars, and those scattered tracks break the spell that her more restrained songs cast easily. [No.89, p.59]

Evocative bursts of noise and youth abound everywhere, and there's absolutely no reason not to succumb to them. [No.89, p.59]

Contrary to the urgency of the title, Silencio! is more intermission than showstopper. [No.89, p.59]

Although they rarely stray far from their now-familiarly icy aesthetic on Shrines, the decidedly captivating manner with which Purity ring navigates said aesthetic makes for one of the most exciting debuts in recent memory. [No.89, p.59]

Loud and big--stadium big, major-label big--and although it has soft patches, much of it hurtles forward with welcomed urgency. [No.89, p.58]

Worship makes solid use of driving pop and new-wave inspirations straight out of the sort of black-lit club that doesn't open until 2 a.m. and practically serves absinthe on tap. [No.89, p.58]

Elements of krautrock and psychedelia add color, buoyancy and narrative detail to the rippling dub-pop streams Dunis' disembodied voice drifts over like smoke. [No.89, p.58]

Admittedly, it's hard not to respect Patton's creative adventurousness, but sweet Jesus, the gulf between admiration and enjoyment of one of his projects has never been so wide. [No.89, p.57]

This wet blanket is a sheer bore. [No.89, p.57]

Serious fans will appreciate the sessions recorded with John Peel for BBC Radio 1 and the highlights culled from a 1982 performance at Boston's Opera House. [No.89, p.56]

Adviatic Songs shows the band musically reaching for extremely mystical heights. [No.89, p.57]

Disjointed, yes, but Early Birds is a fascinating document all the same. [No.89, p.57]

As she meanders through disappointment and hope, with pedal steel, accordion and strings focusing emotion, Mandell channels Nilsson and Newman to make a lasting impression. [No.89, p.56]

Home Again is an album with a powerful voice, but little to say. [No.89, p.56]

Fro all the hooks and hummable moments, none of them stick around after the song is over. [No.89, p.56]

In Our Heads sees them take their craft to its most dizzying heights yet. [No.89, p.54]

The rather unimaginative song selection is enlivened by inventive medleys, stylistic reinterpretations, and playfully arranged instrumentals. [No.89 p.55]

Here guitarist Dante Schwebel cedes more space [than on past albums] to Abraham Villanueva's dense beds of keys, bringing a fuller, more textured sound that makes a big hooks even bigger. [No.89 p.55]

Swing Lo Magellen sounds forced and cluttered... highlights a dearth of skill when it comes to self-editing. [No.89 p.54]

Friends lose themselves when they try too hard to sound like the Ting Tings, Cults or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which they do too often here. [No.89 p.54]

Occasionally cliched and often anthemic, this is an old-fashioned populist rock record that grows steadily with repeated listening. [No.89 p.53]