If the pop dreams get slightly tarnished by the graffiti put-downs of 'Not Big' (her ex has a 'size problem') and 'Alfie' (her brother smokes too much dope) then that's not too worrying. With a personality this size, this isn't the last time you'll be hearing from her.

There's the odd good song... but these are rare moments from a band wallowing in coarse experimentalism. [20 Jan 2007, p.31]

The gulf between Barrie's obvious talent and the quality of his recorded output is disappointingly huge. [27 Jan 2007, p.29]

A stunning return to form. [14 Oct 2006, p.35]

Unfathomable brilliance from start to finish.

For all its weird beauty, this is very much Damon's record - much more so than Gorillaz. Or indeed, Blur.

Their best yet.

This Athens, Georgia collective have blossomed from winsome indie-pop virgins to frocked-up future pop stars, beaming their febrile college rock through a kaleidoscope of sleazy funk, electronica jitters, and 'Fear Of Music'-style Talking Heads ethno-beat.

Where the songs were once floaty-light, 'The Enemy Chorus' is anchored in electronic menace and murky krautrock undercurrents that make it throb as much as shimmer. [20 Jan 2007, p.31]

As usual, if you scratch the surface there's a lot more going on than you'd initially realised. [20 Jan 2007, p.31]

You hear a band capable of genuine prettiness as well as arch cleverness. [6 Jan 2007, p.26]

Identity is everything in pop, but the majority of this record serves only to bury what made Gwen Stefani unique in the first place.

Listen to the beats and you'll find The Neptunes' best work in years. [27 Jan 2007, p.31]

'Light Grenades' offers little change to Incubus' formula of having Brandon Boyd perform his brand of strained vocal gymnastics. [2 Dec 2006, p.30]

The resulting remixes and medleys, as heard on equipment that probably costs more than your house at Abbey Road, could make you weep with joy. It may not sound as good on a common-or-garden stereo, but you'll still mist up a bit.

Genius. [18 Nov 2006, p.33]

A compelling record that bears more resemblance to the indie of Bright Eyes or Modest Mouse than anything found on 2003's 'Deja Entendu'. [18 Nov 2006, p.33]

There's a good single album here in need of editing.

Josef K's candy-striped take on post-punk isolationism sounds both ancient and modern. [18 Nov 2006, p.31]

Newsom has managed to lessen the twee factor of her last record... in the process crafting an album as bewitching as it is odd.

They do propulsive pop-rock better than anyone. [11 Nov 2006, p.43]

He's terribly earnest. [4 Nov 2006, p.35]

The only person this record would ever appeal to is the man who made it--Jack Black. [11 Nov 2006, p.43]

There are more ideas here than Blink-182 had in their entire career; it's just that they're the same ideas that Jimmy Eat World had on their last LP. [11 Nov 2006, p.41]

Even the most hardcore disciple is likely to get something they might have missed before. [21 Oct 2006, p.35]

A vital trans-Atlantic concern, the point where Dizzee meets Jay-Z. [3 Feb 2007, p.33]

['Wrist'] sees [Deftones] continue to explore that hazy hinterland, where The Smiths' sensitivity and Sepultura's sledgehammer riffs overlap. [28 Oct 2006, p.35]

'Endless Wire' isn't quite as awful as it should be. [28 Oct 2006, p.33]