Their eighth album is no departure. [Jan 2011, p.135]

Cited as a missing link between Radiohead and Massive Attack following their self-titled 2007 debut, the Leeds outfit here start to live up to the hype. [Mar 2011, p.115]

This is a deeply trippy record. [Jul 2014, p.100]

A touch more light amid the shade, though, and this would be a more redemptive listen. [Aug 2013, p.95]

It's sometimes harrowing, sometimes beautiful and quite often both. [Jun 2012, p.105]

Some detached ambient pieces remain, but at its best it makes for luxuriant listening. [Sep 2013, p.106]

Left to her own devices, she radically strips back her earlier material and it works. [Nov 2018, p.111]

So retro it's pratcially an historical document. [Mar 2005, p.100]

Even if Avenged Sevenfold are guilty of occasionally overreaching in places here, it's undoubtedly made them more interesting. [Feb 2017, p.117]

Imagine the grumpy Northern bastard child of BBC Radiophonic workshop wonk Delia Derbyshire and horror-proggers Goblin. [Nov 2012, p.94]

Expansive opener, 'Crocidile' finds them locked into the pulsing techno groove that made 'Born Slippy' so maddeningly addictive. [Nov 2007, p.148]

Hornby and Folds would seem to be a good fit in the checkered history of author/musician collaborations. And so it proves, up to a point. [Oct 2010, p.107]

Melodic, expertly crafted and laced with wistful emotion, the only thing missing is the element of surprise. [Apr 2013, p.113]

A second Oasis album to better "Standing On the Shoulders Of Giants" and "Heathen Chemistry," but one too, that promises so much only to fall so short. [Nov 208, p.104]

Recorded in 11 days in Nashville and LA, National Ransom sees Costello continuing his obsession with bluegrass and Americana, under the watchful eye of producer T-Bone Burnett. [Dec. 2010, p. 104]

A high-gloss, vocally gymnastic collection of '80s-referencing dance pop concerned with love and love gone wrong, can be a little full-on. [Aug 2009, p.107]

One to bask in. [May 2013, p.94]

Sounds a lot like a world-weary J Mascis fronting Teenage Fanclub. [Mar 2003, p.108]

They still know their way around a pretty tune, though, and they still understand the value of smart sweetness. [#361, p.112]

Now fully reinvented as a quietly reflective singer-songwriter blessed with good taste and emotional insight, his second solo album, Women And Country, is more than worthy of the family name. [Jun 2010, p.132]

His fourth album finds him backed by a band for the first time, and collaborating with songwriters. The result sit somwhere between Buck 65 and Everlast, alebeit more erudite lyrically. [July 2010]

This album gently shimmers when you want it to dazzle. [Jun 2014, p.121]

Its tight-wound electronica is perfect for anyone wanting a visual-free sensation of mounting suspense in the comfort of their own home. [Sep 2017, p.113]

His ambitions, and trademark gruff delivery, are here assisted by a new generation of drum'n'bass producers. [Aug 2013, p.96]

There's an intriguing musical intelligence operating underneath. [Oct 2015, p.113]

The definition of a mixed bag. [Nov 2018, p.109]

He never sounds hurried, but Gentle Spirit overflows with ideas, albeit ones mostly from circa 1972. [Oct 2011, p.131]

It can feel on occasion like being rhythmically walloped round the head with a history book, but when Hamilton properly locks into the immediacy of his and Kim Moyes's immense electronic grooves, its undeniably powerful. [Nov 2013, p.114]

Slavishly retro, but done with infectious enthusiasm. [Oct 2010, p.112]

The No. 1ers' frenzied, hypnotic soundwhirl of old is leavened by the addition of precision-tooled beats and a shiny top-coat production. It works magnificently on the propulsive Yambadi Mama, yet less so when the motorik thumb pianos are left virtually unaccompanied. [May 2016, p.111]

A Hundred Million Suns is just what their hordes demanded, similar enough to uits predecessors to be identifiably Snow Patrol but sufficently different to suggest progression. [Nov 2008, p.106]

It takes truly special songs to lure you in so deeply you forget it's a museum piece. And for the most part these aren't--they're simply good enough. [Mar 2013, p.105]

New Found Glory's newfound maturity makes for a surprisingly palatable record that will soothe both lovelorn teenagers and their long-suffering parents alike. [Apr 2009, p.108]

His revisiting of old tapes and melodic ideas from his tenure mean it echoes his former group's discography in rewarding ways. [May 2013, p.95]

Its gorgeousness isn't always matched by a real statement of intent. [Summer 2019, p.112]

[Songs] worth revelling in. [May 2012, p.98]

Chill-out with substance. [May 2010, p.117]

In any sensible home there's always room for some no-nonsense, Nuggets-era Garage rock, however, and for that alone the impossibly titled **** pushes plenty of the right buttons. [Jan 2011, p.142]

Sound[s] as much half-finished, stoner bumbling as personal offbeat vision. [Aug 2003, p.104]

There's something about these piledriver riffs that remains powerful yet lacking in punch. [Aug 2013, p.96]

There's little outright originality, but they're melodically strong and the male-female vocal interchange between Andreas Pallisgaard and drummer Jaleh Negari is captivating. [Sep 2013, p.107]

The levity of the words is the perfect counterbalance to the fury of their playing. [Nov 2015, p.110]

At times Return To The Sea can be too clever for its own good. But there's also an ambition here that's hard to knock. [May 2006, p.126]

It's a solid enough LP, but it's hard to see this appealing very far beyond their fanbase. [Feb 2017, p.119]

Ultimately, though, White Lies are running to stand still. [Mar 2019, p.120]

A blank regeneration. [Apr 2018, p112]

If the absence of slow-builds and ambient drones makes for more succinct tunes, they're still no snappier. Choruses won't be bellowed, the air won't be bellowed, the air won't be punched, devotees will likely be delighted. [Mar 2016, p.105]

Together [Mt Sims] and Leila forge a suitably avant-garde partnership ... conjuring up a febrile, vital rush of looped, monotone vocals, buzzing electronics and fractured beats. [Feb 2012, p. 107]

This is cosmic R&B. [May 2013, p.95]

Compared to the radical thrill of Portishead's equally long-gestated "Third," there's a sense Del Naja and Marshall are still feeling their way back. [Mar 2010, p.99]

The results are mixed. [Oct 2004, p.121]

As ever, the Californian threesome's pervasive wackiness is matched by a breathtaking sense of musicality punctuated by Claypool's manic basslines. [Nov 2017, p.112]

Mostly, the sound of The Dandy Warhols spreading their wings suits them. [Oct 2005, p.115]

Using multiple, often unsystematic rhythmic modes, this alien mood is sustained, though when Kode9's late lyrical foil The Spaceape makes a spectral appearance in the fleeting Third Ear Transmission, you're reminded of how much he contributed. [Dec 2015, p.109]

A breezy 75-minute exploration of the lighter side of their vision. [Nov 2013, p.105]

Streamlines their punk blasts as they aim for a wider audience. [Oct 2012, p.98]

His most impressive feat is that the whole thing never once descends into Kravitz-sytle pastiche. [Dec 2007, p.116]

Less impressive are the band's own art-rock statements. [Dec 2007, p.116]

It's a solid album. [Mar 2013, p.99]

As the title implies, it tackles the big issues, sometimes at the expense of melody, but there's a handful of very fine songs here. [Nov 2008, p.118]

Moments of spine-tingling transcendence outweigh those of aimless noodling. [Aug 2017, p.110]

At times her dark warnings about the devil and bluesy intonation sound affected, but full marks for trying out new ground. [Dec 2001, p.127]

An odd, deliberately unpunchy comeback. [Aug 2016, p.114]

When it's muscular, it can be very good, but too frequently it veers off into more confused, mystical or plain boring territory. [Jul 2011, p.114]

Jakob Dylan shakes off dad's shadow to make music that sounds like... Tom Petty. [Feb 2003, p.109]

It's about as vibrant and sweat-streaked as mainstream pop gets. [Dec 2002, p.105]

This second album us far from flawless, with too many songs outstaying their welcome. [Sep 2013, p.98]

Tesfaye can't decide if he's having the best time f his life or the worst. [Feb 2017, p.119]

A five-year sabbatical finds them both refreshed and free of rancour. [Mar 2016, p.111]

Lust Lust Lust is an accomplished set. [Jan 2008, p.109]

There are no hidden depths to find here, but sugar rushes aplenty. [Sep 2017, p.106]

Eve is, ultimately, one of those moody, chain-smoking nights in on your Jack Jones, where only the intimate anguish of a deft alt-noisenik-turned-twisted balladeer will do. [Sep 2016, p.114]

Sampling Michelle Obama on No Man Is Big Enough For My Arms feels glib, while Vale aspires to Solange-like authority but, unlike their voices never quite strikes the right note. [Nov 2017, p.111]

A specialist interest. [Feb 2017, p.119]

It's during the quieter moments that Fearless discovers real depth. [Mar 2020, p.117]

[It] mines a similar seam of hard rock to that pursued by countrymen Wolfmother, only without so many Black Sabbath influences. [May 2007, p.129]

Overall Lionheart is an uneven listen, with some of the quieter songs blending a little too politely into the background. [Feb 2018, p.112]

Halo's score is detailed and meticulous - but far more sombre than her usually playful, exuberant records. [Jun 2020, p.100]

[The new sound] works well on single 'Cities Burning Down,' which glides by catchily with a curious mix of muscle and lethargy, but it's less welcome on the cod-psychedlic 'Let's Be Kids' or the trite 'Golden Web,' both which are cosmetically seemless, but lack depth. [Apr 2009, p.105]

It stays true to their quirky synth-with-Indian-influences sound, while adding club beats, but displays a penchant for half-explained, possibly sinister scenarios involving, variously, alcohol, agoraphobia and hospitals. [Apr 2011, p.95]

Initially arresting, after a while it gets claustrophobic, leaving the listener punch-drunk and weary. [Jan 2003, p.111]

Cabic is most effective when he's closer to home. [Sep 2015, p.117]

Death Magic feels like the work of a band who have pulled themselves together, but might be more fun falling apart. [Sep 2015, p.110]

True, the Estelle-sung can't Wait sounds out of place, but elsewhere this is an estimable example of making things just like they used to. [Sep 2013, p.99]

When Every Eye Opens grabs you by the lapels, on the pulsating "Keep You On My Side" and the Knife-like "Never Ending Circles," it's stunning. When it fades into aural wallpaper, at least it does it prettily. [Nov 2015, p.110]

It's their determination to flaunt their multi-instrumental credentials that derails some songs. ... Much more effective is when HMR exercise restraint. [Jan 2020, p.109]

There are worse things to listen to as society slides into the abyss. [May 2020, p.104]

Andrea Ferro's growls and Cristina Scabbia's soaring melodies just about rescues this from sounding as dated as its influences. [Feb 2012, p.107]

It can occasionally cloy, but on The Prettiest Curse, Hinds are on fighting form. [Jun 2020, p.100]

Musically, they could do with a few more gear changes, but it's churlish to complain when the overall effect is so spirit-lifting. [Nov 2008, p.123]

There isn't quite enough to genuinely stand out from the crowd. [May 2013, p.98]

Fans of No Age and Best Coast will recognize the formula here - but what the band lack in originality they compensate for in energetic spark. [May 2012, p.93]

Winning UK indie rock/US power-pop fusion. [Feb. 2011, p. 113]

It's an enjoyable debut, but a few more surprises like [a saxophone solo in Who Are You] would've helped mix things up. [#361, p.115]

Tracks can occasionally patter past without triggering the same fight-or-flight response, but when their machinery really gears up, they remain masters of electronic mood. [Aug 2016, p.115]

A mixed bag, then, but still uniquely one of Herbert's own. [Jul 2015, p.107]

A pop culture enthusiast, Luke Haines once again shows his uncanny ability to beat vivid and idiosyncratic new narratives from leathery sacred cows. [Jun 2014, p.111]

A welcome reversal of fortunes. [Aug 2015, p.112]