Hearing 2003’s Frank the first time around, I can’t say I was knocked out by Amy Winehouse’s supper club jazz singing, and the album hasn’t improved with age.

Although the album's frenetic energy doesn't quite match that of their breakthrough (whether they like it or not, 2008's Visiter will always be their benchmark), it's a solid new direction.

They do try to mix up their formula, a move that pays off when subtly employed (the reggae textures in Satellite, for instance) but fails in the big, obvious spots.

Relapse isn't their best work by far, but if you listen to it next to their genuinely great albums like Psalm 69 or The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste, it stands up better than the cranky metal/industrial establishment--who've been dissing it mercilessly--would have you believe.

Once you get past the air-horn headache that is opener Art Official Cage, the album settles into a pleasant rhythm that plays up His Purpleness’s knack for whispery weightlessness and deep grooves.

The lyrics are the album's strong suit, and for the first time ever Darnielle will be releasing them with the album, allowing for easy dissection.

A Church feels a little long, and getting through it requires a certain amount of emotional energy, but it's well worth the effort.

The quartet is at its best when hushed, autumnal and kaleidoscopic. Still, you can’t blame them for trying to push the envelope.

New wave influences are also apparent, specifically when the vocals channel Lene Lovich or Ric Ocasek. These vocal quirks don't always work, and a couple of songs don't hold up to the album's best, but this is a fun introduction nevertheless.

It's clear that Skinner has worked on his flow a lot. He sounds less loosely conversational and more bound to the rhythm.

More about lyrical swagger than emotional substance, LiveLoveA$AP is a solid intro to someone who could be an enduring figure in the years ahead.

Unlike Manson's previous records, there's no real guiding concept here, which is probably for the best.

It’s sure not a knockout, but it’s his hardest-hitting album yet. Just don’t call it a comeback.

Gibson is a very talented young artist testing his limits and only occasionally stumbling.

Blue Wave fails to clarify what kind of band Operators truly is. Are they post-punk rabble-rousers? A modern pop band hiding behind retro synths? A gritty indie rock trio? Of course, they're all of the above, with Boeckner happily shape-shifting in between.

It's an interesting listen but doesn't leave a strong impression.

It’s an album of spare and precise beauty, and when it was over I really wanted to see the film.

Compared to his earlier work, it's just decent.

The co-founder of Godspeed You! Black Emperor still makes stumbling experimental rock but fails to improve on his previous work.

Many other songs retread themes of self-doubt and disillusionment, reaching previous levels of intimacy but without taking us anywhere new. Musically, Green does take C&C into somewhat unfamiliar, heavier territory.

Anyone familiar with the Flat Duo Jets will tell you that Dexter Romweber is a helluva guitarist (Jack White is a proud fan club member), yet our boy Dex has always been lacking in the vocal department. So his delivery on Ruins Of Berlin sometimes sounds more like a Buster Poindexter impression of Conway Twitty.

It sounds like fun was had in Dave Grohl's garage, but this good album could've been great had they spent more time songwriting prior to plugging in and cranking up.

The professionalism behind these country-lite treatments keeps the band from sounding as relaxed and spontaneous as they apparently do live.

Whether it’s your thing or not, Music Go Music’s blissed-out pop is, at the very least, well crafted.

His latest mundane disc lacks edge despite sometimes aiming for U2.

The constant dynamic shifts between intimate verses and extroverted choruses become a bit repetitive.

A sprawled-out, futuristic tribute to Diddy's own celebrity.

The end product, however, is an album easy to admire yet tough to love.