The actual tunes may not be particularly strong, but crucially, at the centre of it all Natalie croons and sighs with all the clear-eyed moonfaced sweetness of Juliette Binoche baking cakes. [Dec 2001, p.116]

His songs are hypnotic but oddly clunky vocals keep it earthbound. [Jun 2014, p.98]

Dynamic, packed with vim and hooks. [Jul 2012, p.83]

The presence of four hired songwriters dilutes the duo's offbeat DNA. [Oct 2016, p.96]

Despite the Vegas veneer, there's an underlying punk energy, like a cocktail dress with a tattoo at the neckline, a combined act of tribute and subversion. [Feb 2019, p.84]

A record that is demanding and compelling, though often beautiful. [Jun 2017, p.90]

A surfeit of wilfully sibilant '80s keyboard sounds notwithstanding, there's little to dislike. [May 2009, p.103]

The One's meditation on the price of fame is especially good value, but the Ace of Base-style of What Do They Know is hard to forgive. [Jan 2011, p.99]

Don't Look Surprised strays into Killers Territory but the doo-wop strut of Hunger and calypso jangle of Photograph more than make up for it. A life-affirming debut. [Mar 2011, p.95]

Symphonica is decidedly upmarket, but more picks in keeping with its ballsy take on the Newley & Bricusse standard Feeling Good wouldn't have hurt. [Apr 2014, p.90]

The bad times have never sounded better. [Mar 2012, p.98]

Inspired by Elena Ferrante's dense domestic dramas, wears its complexity lightly. [Nov 2021, p.94]

Those all curious about CocoRosie should begin here. [Jun 2013, p.88]

Taylor Hawkins indulges his '70s hard rock fantasy. [Jun 2014, p.98]

It's a fine - if eccentric- album, but a bit of extra tinsel wouldn't have hurt. [Jan 2012, p.98]

Their talent for maximalism is evident on the jagged, urgent Cinnamon Temple and a wonderfully trippy inversion of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit. [Aug 2024, p.90]

Not so much the future of hip hop as a giant leap sideways. [Aug 2014, p.86]

An unfussy affair. [Jun 2005, p.108]

Return To The Noon can seem too dense a construct to penetrate. [Dec 2015, p.88]

Tempting to ask for more of this dark night of the soul. [Jan 2018, p.94]

Rebel Heart is the first Madonna album for a while that's at least as much for listeners as it is for dancers. Sometimes this shines too hard a light on what she has to say. [Apr 2015, p.88]

It's a slight concept (and a short album), which may be to the singer's benefit: in the past she could be off-puttingly clever in a very French way. OUI seems to be saying to us: "Yes, I'm simply a singer. Just Come and enjoy the music.". [Jul 2017, p.93]

Here, Scott 'Spiral Stairs' Kannberg's music feels more direct and unguarded than might have been expected given the more crafted, at time arch, music that has hallmarked his two groups. [Dec 2009, p. 90]

A 50/50 new/old split: reworkings, questing solo turns and a rare all-out rocker. [Nov 2021, p.94]

The Shrine deliver a cantering second LP full of heads-down charm. [Jun 2014, p.98]

The LP is a little crammed. [Nov 2020, p.82]

For Gahan, Angels & Ghosts is another opportunity to repeat his therapeutic cycle of guilt-shedding and redemption. [Dec 2015, p.88]

A dense, fervent, riffy drums and electric-guitar driven album. [Nov 2012, p.95]