The biggest flaw: the band attempts to cram too many ideas into a song (Cleaning Out The Rooms), particularly in the album's second half.

On their fifth album, the Get Up Kids sound like a band who resent what made them popular in the first place.

It's a solid album with strong production and songwriting, but it won't blow any minds.

Jon King's vocals sound especially diminished, a reality underscored by the occasional electronic manipulation, while the cluttered mix overcompensates for repetitive songwriting. Without the vitality of youth, Gang of Four risk drowning in the sea of bands they inspired.

There can be a thin line between ambitious and pretentious, but this record dodges the latter gracefully.

For fans of mid-tempo 90s R&B hungry from something new, Keyshia Cole is about as close as it gets to Real Love.

This is his first time as producer, and you could argue that he neutered the band's crunch to a degree. But it fits with the album's mature mood.

Gorgeous fuzz guitar leads and glam rock glitter dominate, offset by soft layered harmonies and dreamy textures.

There's something cataclysmic yet meditative about the album, which is just seven songs long.

While Bejar's arrangement decisions challenge popular notions of what delineates good and bad music, shaking off preconceptions in order to immerse yourself in Kaputt's nighttime world is worth the effort.

Emphasizing rhythm more than melody, the songs throb along on funky bass lines, repetitive drumbeats, spacey sci-fi synths and hushed, whispered vocals.

While this is an atmospheric record, it's also upbeat and poppy enough to encourage dancing or at least vigorous head-nodding.

Impressive, then, that this boy-army, one-girl team was able to pull off a contemporary R&B album so feminine, breezy and thankfully low on ballads.

There's plenty here to compare to his unfairly criticized Rock N Roll record: new wave influences, contemporary alt-rock. The difference is that Adams sounds comfortable rather than out to prove a point.

Producer Alan Moulder (Depeche Mode, Interpol) helps them cautiously move into industrial territory, as on Turn The Bells. But if McVeigh's methods irked you before, they only get worse on Ritual.

Recorded, like their last album, without guitarist Bruce Gilbert, it contains many other ingredients that will sound familiar to long-time fans, namely an emphasis on erudite, sometimes snotty lyrics and big, heavy riffs.

Written and recorded on the road during a long North American tour supporting his recent full-length, The Wild Hunt, the five tracks maintain a consistently downtrodden tone.

While it's clear that Last Train's combination of electro and house with hip-hop and R&B is Combs's baby, it's the group format that makes it work as an album.

If you still have a stomach for violent, vulgar content, this is recommended.

Let's face it, outside of the obvious singles, it's filler town.

Artists who put out album sequels are often criticized for trying to capitalize on a classic work. No one will accuse G-Unit lieutenant Lloyd Banks of that with the second instalment of his uneven debut.

Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly had randy sides to them back in the 80s, and that hasn't abated.

The songs are still simple, but they're delivered with a sophistication only hinted at on her debut.

Like his debut album, the sequel suffers and shines due to inconsistency. Cudi's strong creative streak leads him to follow through on every idea that crosses his mind, resulting in brilliantly unique moments and lots of stoner stumbles.

He delivers a tour de force on each track, solidifying his rep as one of the most dynamic performers in pop.

Unlike the many psychedelic loop-crazy Panda Bears popping up these days, Twin Shadow skilfully crafts structured songs that stand out and are full of soul and mournfulness.

The patient, thoughtful strokes here are sometimes interesting but rarely exciting.

Cutesy lyrics with insipid rhymes like "You can count on me like one, two, three" abound on songs that play out less like a cohesive album and more like no-brainer radio references to Coldplay, U2, Michael Jackson, Sade, Feist and so on.