Whatever is behind Sigur Ros's ineffable Nordic magic, it doesn't appear to be powered by electricity. [Dec 2007, p.98]

Far from sounding like the future, however, Situation is valiantly old school in its belief that the best rap is cultural commentary, poetic and from the heart--the modern blues basically. [Nov 2007, p.108]

There are some very bad lyrics on this album. [Dec 2007, p.99]

Earthy, reassuringly calloused country and bluegrass is its currency. [Dec 2007, p.110]

In the end you're left with a creeping sense of missed chances, made more painful by the fact the Babyshambles have so obviously raised their game. [Oct 2007, p.88]

An album of great emotional depth and uninhibited artistry. [Nov 2007, p.96]

There's even hit-single potential--'Feathers' is unabashed radio-rock--that could make this weird bunch into the biggest cult band in the world. [Dec 2007, p.109]

Tankian has created a forward-thinking album that swerves convention. [Dec 2007, p.98]

It's better to simply let La Cucaracha happen and enjoy how much Gene and Dean toy with and transgress musical forms while still playing them to a high degree of invention, proficiency and sincerity. [Dec 2007, p.99]

Hourglass plays the "I, an artist" card with equal earnestness, a collection of electronic songs that mix dungeon-master sexual predation with angst-ridden introspection. [Nov 2007, p.104]

The most remarkable collaboration since Norah Jones and the Foo Fighters is also one of the best albums of the year. [Nov 2007, p.92]

Any goth undertow is easily outweighed by post-rock grandeur. [Nov 2004, p.95]

The appealingly titled Oblivion With Bells continues Karl Hyde and Rick Smith's desire to capture the Freon-and-neon static of modern life. [Nov 2007, p.92]

The CD reveals R.E.M. still have plenty of fuel to throw upon their smouldering career. [Jan 2008, p. 100]

Stone pens 14 of the 15 songs and has clearly overstretched herself; the material is bland and only on sublime, transcendental 'Baby,'featuring Betty Wright and a cappella showcase 'Go Back To Your Life' do we hear the Angie of old. [Nov 2007, p.96]

The whole thing sounds effortless, and not always in a god way. [Dec 2007, p.109]

The joyous next single, 'Let Me know,' along with dark gems such as 'Primitive' and 'Movie Star,' make this close to a modern synth-pop classic. [Nov 2007, p.90]

Both artistically and in terms of a new business model, In Rainbows is a necesary masterstroke. [Dec 2007, p.96]

Unsurprisingly, Necessary Evil falls short of her prime's pop perfection, yet it provides a fair compendium of her career. [Oct 2007, p.90]

Condon has a tendency to over-emote vocally, but even at its most melodramatic this music's rhapsodic swirl is undeniable. [Nov 2007, p.104]

Widow City is the Furnaces' punchiest set to date. [Nov 2007, p.104]

Mostly it looks like there's a new kid in town. [Dec 2007, p.98]

It's hard to imagine a record more original or full of life, from any artist of any age, emerging this year. It's that damn good. [Nov 2007, p.91]

Mantaray, however, displays a passion and conviction that shows an artist unhappy to rest on her numerous laurels. [Sep 2007, p.102]

The immediately obvious aspect of Magic is there hasn't been such a musically dramatic Springsteen album since "Born In The USA;" and like that album, this is a State of the Union address disguised as a pop record. [Nov 2007, p.88]

She sings of global suffering, emotional loss and female power in a way that's occasionally overwrought--but always packs a punch. [Oct 2007, p.92]

It's a wholehearted, utopian and irrefutably exciting record. [Nov 2007, p.94]

After a corkingly good start with 'Don't You Wish It was True?,' the album dips into Creedence by the numbers for several cuts with only the gospelly 'River IS Waiting sounding fresh. [Nov 2007, p.92]