When the volume dips and Smith takes centre stage, United We Stand suddenly comes alive. [Jul 2012, p.95]

No new ground is broken here, but Tallies map their well-worn journey with a sure sense of direction, songwriting skills cutting through the dreamy fog. [Feb 2019, p.116]

Unashamedly and undeniably in the thrall to '70s pop, The Apples In Stereo have a merry tune in their hearts. [July 2010, p. 128]

He doesn't break into this persona often enough, slipping back into ILP's default tone. [Dec 2013, p.109]

There may be more instant records, but a little effort reaps its own rich rewards. [Feb 2013, p.109]

The band seem to be pushing their hi-spec power-indie as far as it can go. [Jun 2017, p.110]

Baby filters modern life through psychedelia, early Beck and , on Graveyard Dawn, exciting imaginings of a Giorgio Moroder-produced Pink Floyd. [Jun 2017, p.105]

The result is a vibrant hybrid of bass-heavy beats and ragga toasting that echoes the digital dub revolution that swept through reggae in the mid '80s. [Aug 2009, p.109]

His diluted indie-whine does become obnoxious over the long haul. [Mar 2003, p.104]

It is only when she tries something a little different that Macy comes unstuck.

Warrior, a moderate improvement of her disappointing debut Animal. [Jan 2013, p.106]

Though some tracks' slightly antiseptic atmospheres mean reality-obliteration promised by the group's name fails to fully manifest. [Apr 2016, p.102]

Third will probably be more admired than listened to and, you suspect, this suits Barrow, just fine. [May 2008, p.131]

Electric is a first-class showcase for Thompson's spine-tingling solos but not the consistent song collection that was 2010's Dream Attic. [Mar 2013, p.110]

Tracks such as Celebrate and Push lack the euphoric uplift necessary for dancefloor dominance, while the relationship angst hinted at in strobe Light comes masked behind a dreamy production gauze. When they hit the sweet spot, however, the results are sublime. [Jun 2017, p.110]

It may ultimately be as disposable as dime-store popping candy, its sugar rush still hits the spot. [Nov 2008, p.107]

Trouble feels like a multi-faceted, compound eye of a record, picking up different sides to every story and blending them into a smooth, undeniably odd whole. [Mar 2014, p.113]

Guided by a love of '80s synth-pop, but feeding in elements gleaned from Chicago house and Italo disco, they come across like a Nordic Junior Boys. [Oct 2017, p.107]

Achilles Last Stand and Nobody's Fault But Mine notwithstanding, Presence sounds as rushed as it was. [Sep 2015, p.121]

Home Burns lacks the dreamy charm of its predecessor, favouring a more knowing, prog rock ramble. [Nov 2001]

Season Sun aims to evoke the spirit of travel using the same dream-pop template as The Soundcarriers. Only occasionally, however, do they achieve it. [Sep 2014, p.109]

Tom Burke's voice is perfect for the role of geek Lothario with a dozen clever ways to get the girl, and yet just as convincing when , on the sad-sack swoon of I Wouldn't Want To, heartbreak wipes off the smirk. [Jul 2012, p.97]

As ever... not everything comes off. But the good bits are very good indeed. [Apr 2007, p.116]

As ever, the drawback is a surfeit of earnestness; some of the irreverent humour of their live shows qouln't go amiss. [Aug 2010, p.127]

It's less direct than before, but still strangely, powerfully beautiful. [Jan 2013, p.103]

The fluid blend of tracks makes it more of a single piece than a series of highlights and also-rans. [Feb 2013, p.108]

Two years pm, this follow-up wavers between bouts of overblown, Arcade Fire-aping drama and Pavement slacker rock. [May 2008, p.139]

The Fleetwood Mac-tinged 'Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Part 2' overcomes the overall air of pastiche. [July 2008, p.108]

A murkily enveloping record, but one that occasionally misses its predecessor's gonzo sense of fun. [Mar 2013, p.110]

It's exhausting but charming. [Aug 2009, p.104]

Nothing if not consistent, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel's sixth studio album sounds effortlessly Air-like. [Nov 2009, p.110]

As an album, it is an imposing structure, a statement to their architectural skill. Beneath their grand design, however, Editors exists in a grey area, mistaking the half-light for night. They're not quite masters of darkness yet. [Nov 2009, p.105]

More of the same, then, but such cold-blooded consistency should be commended. [Dec 2009, p. 126]

It's a qualified success, he rocks harder here than he has done for years, but there's still plenty of fat left to trim from the bloated ballads. [May 2010, p.121]

Geographically, one would here have to imagine a borough between The Stills and The Walkmen. [Nov 2004, p.120]

Third album Black Dog Barking can be a lot of fun. [Jul 2013, p.111]

Dillards-quality instrumentals such as Office Supplies keep the whole album zinging along. [Dec 2017, p.106]

The trip's less balls-on this time. [Jan 2017, p.112]

Bish Bosch is an album even fans won't necessarily play often, but on those special occasions, as per title, it very much does the job. [Jan 2013, p.104]

Some tracks will work better live, but consider the experiment a success. [Jun 2017, p.112]

so far, so arty. [Mar 2014, p.108]

As confusing or thought-provoking as ever, depending on how far you want to walk down Costello's mazy career path. [Jul 2009, p.118]

The business can feel overwhelming at times - more straightforwardly enjoyable are the pared-back tunes that leave enough room for Moore's slightly husky and hugely characterful voice to shine. [Aug 2020, p.109]

Along with Johnston's clanging, winningly direct originals, there are contributions from fellow alt-rock comrades such as Eleanor Friedberger and, perhaps more surprisingly, Jake Bugg. [May 2013, p.104]

Now it would seem that the 40-year-old is keen to get back to that place, smashing through extremo rockers such as You Get To Rome and enjoying himself so much that he often audibly breaks into laughter. Sometimes, though, it tips over in to jammy self-indulgence. [Summer 2018, p.110]

Hope delivers the sort of soaring melodies and driving riffs eschewed by their emo contemporaries. [May 2011, p.115]

...Trail of Dead have reached a point where the need for convention outweighs the joy of using guitars as weapons. [Feb 2002, p.104]

At its worst (Jealousy Is A Powerful Emotion), he's overwrought and stodgy. More often, though, Draper is an unceasingly self-lacerating lyricist unafraid to deal with his past. [Oct 2017, p.103]

Whereas Wanderland at least felt like Kelis was moving in a new direction... Tasty seems retrogressive, a step back into a more conventional landscape of guest raps and heavy basslines. [Mar 2003, p.106]

This has its moments, notably the rolling break of '914' and heavyweight funk propelling Redman's tongue-twisting rap on 'Best Believe,' but it's one for the cognoscenti. [May 2008, p.136]

Days Are Gone is a pretty impregnable collection of songs, their alloy of golden Fleetwood Mac melodies and liquid R&B polished to a reflective shine. [Oct 2013, p.103]

Bloc Party remain a band with the greatness they seek still hovering somewhere on the horizons. [Nov 2008, p.112]

While the second project has iuts moments--'Venice' is beautifully undersatetd--the juxtaposition doesn't really come off and you're left wondering why these weren't simply kept as two disctnct EPs. [Mar 2009, p.96]

Sounds like everyone has a ball. [Jun 2009, p.117]

On the down side, it's a record that fails to keep pace. [Aug 2002, p.133]

The sound may gain more traction in a post-Mark Ronson world than his previous electro-based efforts. If only Tillmann didn't have to excise the fun to achieve it. [Jun 2013, p.98]

But for some off-key warbling, they might have slapped some crowd noise over the fantastically bonkers original. [May 2011, p.115]

Subtlety is not their strength. [Jul 2013, p.111]

Hardcore fans will probably be disappointed with the amount of rhythmic experimentation which, the messy breaks of Boom aside, is pretty much lacking. [Aug 2004, p.113]

Were they anything but Gallic, this approach would doubtless sound corny and contrived.

There's nothing that reeks of genius here, but there's enough to be getting on with. [Oct 2012, p.97]

While Introspection and Ocean Flow Zither pluck strings in infinite caverns of echo and temple bells, elsewhere things are more earthbound, though still transcendent. [Dec 2017, p.106]

[Heaven's Ladder, performed by Beck is] so good, though, that it makes the rest of this complicated exercise seem like a waste of time. [Oct 2014, p.108]

A set of modestly sparkling gems. [Dec 2006, p.147]

Good pop needs light and shade to grow up, it seems, and so does Example. [Jan 2013, p100]

The Black And White album plays their usual garage-rock game with no desire beyond loking hot and sounding cool. [Nov 2007, p.138]

It builds upn the spirit that made his debut, "Yours To Keep," so warm. [Aug 2008, p.136]

The more Khan sets the pace, the more all three fly. [Jun 2017, p.112]

Conjures up a haunting, almost mythical American landscape of lost highways and endless skies. [Dec 2011, p.137]

Occassionally the set suffers from too much studio polish and not enough grit. [Jan 2009, p.116]

It's hard to keep up, but it's an enjoyably bonkers journey. [Summer 2018, p.113]

It's not a wildly eclectic trip, but for dependable hooks and relatable emotion, Alvvays are spot on. [Oct 2017, p.100]

Halcyon haze from Californian flute-toters. [Sept. 2011, p. 110]

Gong have become their own tribute band. But it works. [Nov 2016, p.107]

Whereas that time [on Off My Rocket At The Art School Bop] the sharp lyrics were backed by memorable tunes, here he isn't pulling up any trees musically. [Nov 2016, p.107]

Occasionally frustrating and sometimes even a little soapy, Mechanical Bull has its flaws, but it also brims with personality and passion. [Oct 2013, p.104]

While 'Caskets' and 'Coats Of Ice' evoke Eels at their most melodic, the tedious 'Gillian Was A Horse' belongs in the knackers' yard. [Nov 2008, p.117]

Their sound has broadened, too, moving from callow mod-punk towards the big choruses of Kaiser Chiefs. [Nov 2008, p.120]

It's pulled down by too many mid-paced ballads and inordinate length. [Aug 2017, p.104]

The newly remastered version is also bolstered by three additional track as reclaimed from the vaults. [Apr 2011, p.114]

What sets her apart is a nasal, high-pitched quality to her voice, which puts a fresh spin on what is otherwise a familiar format by now. [Nov 2009, p.104]

The only problem is that the duo never manage to execute a truly killer pop hook, resulting in a debut that breezes by in a pleasant but ultimately forgettable haze. [May 2011, p.116]

[Saloman's] sharply observed tales of lost love and hopeless hopes fit Lord's airy vocals snugly. [Jun 2004, p.102]

All baes covered, an international hit seems guaranteed. [Oct 2002, p.100]

Patchy sixth efforts from hip hop innovators. [Sept. 2011, p. 111]

His earthy but frequently beautiful Americana has maintained a consistent heaviness of vibe, and album five continues down the same byway. [Nov 2016, p.107]

Sun Gong is a two-part aural resonance-bath suitable for ultimate relaxation. [Dec 2017, p.106]

Banner's rasped raps are as direct and filthy as ever. [Jan 2006, p.124]

He retreats too often into dull AOR choogling. [Mar 2007, p.114]

Maybe he's not the kind of artist you need to hear stripped down. [Jan 2013, p.101]

Especially on the Thin Lizzy-esque 'What Do I Have To Do?' and the irresistible 'Wasted,' they sparkle. At other times, though--the unloveable 'Here For The Party' and childish 'Girl Talk'--these four 28-year-olds still think they're in high school. [Nov 2007, p.137]

The results are largely impressive, particularly on the fragile country of Follow Me Down, but you can't help feeling that eventually Nap Eyes will need to look to more distant horizons to maintain everyone's interest. [Apr 2018, p.112]

Confidence is attractive, but iii is a little too composed. [Apr 2016, p.111]

It's best experienced with the lights out, although as with most film music, it loses some frisson separated from Strickland's lurid images. [Feb 2013, p.102]

Damogen Furies is one of his more consistent efforts. [May 2015, p.111]

This debut proves equally effervescent. [Apr 2011, p.109]

On their amiably unvarnished debut, they're a bit punky, a little folky, even a bit rockabilly, but always refreshingly themselves. [May 2010, p.126]

Nothing on this album surprises or pushes the urban envelope. [Sep 2004, p.116]