They’re perfectly produced but less captivating than the moments of emotional specificity.

It all adds up to an energizing, smile-inducing debut.

It's good enough to impress fans of David Gray and Coldplay.

Dos!, the aptly named second part of the trilogy, is relieved of the weight of expectation and, though it was recorded at the same time as the first, sounds less strained.

Ortega is more convincing when she leaves the music biz out.

Bad Religion’s Christmas album is one of the most unusual in recent memory.

Hakeem Seriki's sophomore album kicks off with his heavy single 'Hip Hop Police,' with guest Slick Rick, one of the strongest rap songs of 07.

Henry Wagons’s debut solo album is a slim but interesting collection of duets that are--like his work with his band Wagons--rootsy, genre-jumping and occasionally psychedelic and hard-rocking.

Lyrically, Daniel is more vulnerable than on previous efforts--transference being a part of psychoanalysis--but not enough that he takes many new creative turns.

While several other songs get overly-orchestral. Sometimes the strings work really well, though, like on Lonely Desolation, fuelled by plucked violin.

Unfortunately, the bass lines (all played by Mars Volta’s Juan Alderete) never quite capture the rubbery wobble of the era he’s trying to reference.

There is some insubstantial filler here, but more often than not, E = MC2 hits the mark.

The 16 tracks sound similar after repeat listens, but if you think time has mellowed the band, guess again.

Despite the flashy production values and singer Thomas Mars’s wispy croon, it ultimately feels as superficial as its subject matter.

Maths + English is not without its gems.

A record that finely straddles his gruff past and glitzier present. DJ Toomp buoys T.I. on Trap Back Jumpin. An incandescent collaboration with André 3000 balances out an unfortunate Pink cameo.

While not perfect, her fourth is full of upbeat (and pretty damn good) guitar-driven pop like 'I Do Not Hook Up' and the title track, as well as a few requisite (and equally decent) ballads that make use of her impressive range.

There’s a casual feel to this recording that generally works in its favour. Nothing sounds too laboured, and you get the feeling that they banged out the tunes quickly in an attempt to capture some live urgency. On the downside, the unpretentious approach often borders on unambitious.

None of the songs hit as hard as Kids or Electric Feel, but there's also no filler (which is more than we can say for OS). Instead, the band delivers a consistent if self-indulgent offering of oddball prog-pop.

It’s the band’s plainest meta-record yet: a recording that calls deliberate attention to its own materiality as a recording.

Nobody Knows is a more complete, fleshed-out version of Beal’s vision, replacing his former no-fi folk with ominous, gritty blues and soul (not to mention a guest spot by Cat Power), but it’s still a work-in-progress.

It's too bad hackneyed spider-woman metaphors and non-specific allusions to 'regret' don't match BHP's level of sonic sophistication.

It opens with the raucously bluesy 'Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight,' a promising start. But before long, McCartney reverts to pop messiah mode and tries to turn each tune into some grand statement about love, life and/or world peace in the hope that positive vibrations might inspire people of all races to join hands and sing along as one. Really.

Rault’s commitment and ability to ape the sounds of his idols is both his strength and his Achilles’ heel.

It’s all very easy to listen to, but occasionally too close to easy listening.

Curve isn't going to change anyone's mind about Our Lady Peace.

It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden sings on over half of the tracks, and her operatic voice is at times jarringly high. But it’s also soft and masterfully controlled, never distracting from the nuanced soundscapes bobbing in the background.

The occasional “segues” throughout the record recall Fantastic Planet and although they help give it some variety and atmosphere, they also feel like too much of a throwback rather than helping The Heart Is A Monster stands on its own.