Lyrically, they may not be Pulitzer Prize contenders and sometimes--well, a lot of the time--you yearn for a little more musical adventurism, but there's good work here. [Jun 2011, p.123]

This narrative of self-empowerment might be superficially uplifting but it can also be rather inane, recalling the tween-friendly messages of positivity spread by pop powerhouses like Little Mix. That lightweight lyricism is in contrast to Mahalia's sophisticated sonic palate. [Oct 2019, p.109]

A pleasing indulgence, then, rather than a necessity. [Jun 2011, p.117]

It's raised a notch by the seductive combination of just-grimy-enough production and smooth vocals. [Jun 2003, p.96]

At times it verges on beautiful classical pop. At others, it's like listening to a taxing piece of modernist musical theatre. [Aug 2013, p.105]

The mood is largely one of milky wistfulness, but the clever textural detail means these songs are more than stylistic cloning. [Sep 2014, p.108]

[Disc 1] is impressive stuff--the sound of a muse regained. Pity the acoustic disc is nowhere near as good. [Jul 2005, p.109]

This is music precision-built for vast stadiums. [Aug 2006, p.112]

Their jittery new-wave revivalism isn't unique, but their sparse rock attack still yields rewards. [May 2006, p.130]

The most impressive moments are when he shifts away from his comfort zone. [Jan 2013, p.111]

The quieter songs that follow are more hit-and-miss. [Apr 2016, p.101]

The two 40-minute "acts" open with cinematic flair, building from atmospheric, Mark Lanegan-assisted opener Requiem (When You Talk Of love) to the Massive Attack-like turbulence of Nothing To Give. The second act proves less assured. [May 2019, p.116]

It's a record that opens the door with its's robe falling to the floor: louche, suggestive clammy in places. [Jun 2017, p.104]

They up the anthem count and resemble a lo-fi Dire Straits. [May 2013, p.112]

While at times this debut with The Best-Ofs still portrays him as apotty-mouthed cynic who regards romance as black farce, it seems that a light of commitment and imminent parenthood has been turned on. [Mar 2009, p.102]

Destroyer attempts to shoehorn more incongruous elements into an already busy mix. [Summer 2019, p.108]

Strangely engaging.

It's liable to tail off in trippier moments, but Kazuashita is magical enough to reward its hyperactive ambition. [Summer 2018, p.109]

A song cycle that ruminates on his condition and travails to an orch-pop soundtrack of piano, strings and voice. [#361, p.111]

Impressive though it is, however, there's a lurking feeling that it could have been released any time in the past 10 years. [Mar 2010, p.97]

As the album goes on, however, Marks To Prove It becomes a heavy dose of reflection upon reflection and a similarity of pace means the songs begins to merge into one another. [Sep 2015, p.108]

White Glue departs little from the scratchy template of La Spark but sounds more confident, if still just as nasty. [Nov 2016, p.114]

M.I.A.'s style mag-cool pop-rap doesn't have the substance to carry the dark subtext of the title. [May 2005, p.107]

Over 17 similarly sounding tracks it becomes slightly more soporific. [Mar 2016, p.109]

They've deployed four singers, reined in their more cinematic flourishes and gone for a punchier approach. Those four singers inevitably mean a lack of cohesion. [Feb 2015, p.105]

Frustratingly, the tricksy production and Auto-Tuned vocals of the fragmented second-half tend to overwhelm the songs rather than enhance them. [Mar 2016, p.109]

Lyrics veer from the pessimism of relationship failure to the optimism of new love, underpinned by the worldliness of a woman moving forwards after so many steps backwards. [Jun 2017, p.105]

Clocking in at 23 minutes, they're never in danger of outstaying their welcome, even if raucous blasts such as Misery Factory implode too quickly to become actual songs. [Apr 2015, p.108]