Perseverance with the rougher sound and jerky arrangements will be rewarded. [Dec 2004, p.129]

She's making a bid for the mainstream, even recruiting ex-ELO mainman Jeff Lyne to her corner on five tracks, including grandiose highlight 'Human Of The Year,' a three-minute distillation of the album's overriding facination with religion. [Aug 2009, p.104]

Now remastered from the UK tapes, these albums are utterly pointless. [Mar 2014, p.123]

This is compassion delivered with the force of a jackhammer. [Mar 2017, p.107]

The result is a more polished sound that lets Nau's '60s/'70s-echoing songs shine. [Sep 2018, p.117]

Del Rey sounds regally removed from the box-ticking modernity of her peers, a one-woman advertisement for the appeal of the unreal. [Aug 2014, p.113]

Their 16th album proves that while Guided by Voices' songs are legion, their gifts remain singular.[Feb. 2012 p. 109]

There's a small charisma shortfall, but blessed with good songs, Leithauser wears everything well. [Jun 2014, p.113]

At times it's almost too much to take in, the album's secrets and flavours gradually revealing themselves on the third or fourth listen. [May 2014, p.112]

This won't make them stars, but that's not the point: it's lovely and they should pursue further. [Mar 2018, p.113]

While the sense of danger that characterised 1997's Mogwai Young Team or 2001's Rock Action might have abated, Mr Beast shows a band who have lost none of their bark or their bite. [Mar 2006, p.108]

Post-punk might not be new, but like their name, with a few tweaks and some bold personality Eagulls have defiantly made it their own. [Apr 2014, p.108]

Butler's attempts at the old guitar dramatics are hopelessly overwrought. [Jul 2005, p.115]

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]

These Texans stick to the plan: the concoction of very wonderful thinking-dudes' rock albums, recycling yesteryear's classic vinyl. [Dec 2013, p.110]

At times, it's almost peaceful. [Jul 2014, p.109]

They can't quite maintain that standard [in the first three singles] throughout but nevertheless this remains a deeply impressive debut. [Jul 2015, p.108]

Thomas doesn't completely capture the fleet shimmer of the best pop, but his songs are too much fun not to be taken seriously. [Aug 2016, p.108]

Remarkably fresh, contemporary and upbeat for a band's 13th studio album. [Jul 2017, p.106]

As befits a title meaning "peaceful," Eirenic Life is background balm for modern life. [Aug 2017, p.109]

The 21-year-old's eclectic debut oozes attitude, his pithy social commentary binding together sonic excursions into breezy funk-punk, poundshop hip-hop and indie tearjerkers. [Sep 2017, p.115]

It starts off well. ... It's a shame then, that the second half of the album is so unspectacular. [Jan 2018, p.109]

Nihilistic Glamour Shots is a 35-minute burst of frustration and cynicism ... Not subtle, but then it doesn't need to be. [May 2018, p.104]

Recorded at LA's Ocean Way studios, his 10th album sees his screwball pop vision go widescreen. [Oct 2010, p.112]

This enjoyably jumbled set could be their London Calling. [Mar 2019, p.115]

What at first, certainly compared to its startling predecessor, feels like a retreat from modern music’s radical frontline (nasty jazz, electronica, noise) gradually unfolds to offer equally interesting new ways of hearing.

Passable psych-rock that rarely disappoints, but equally never really soars. [Sep 2014, p.117]

A positively unhinged record. [Dec 2006, p.133]