They remain spirit-crushingly average. [May 2005, p.114]

You can't fault the songs, the playing or the voice, but these versions contribute little to the originals. [Oct 2005, p.117]

Essentially it's Ray Of Light without Madonna. [Mar 2006, p.108]

It's difficult to imagine Carraba's earnest tenor appealing to anyone over the age of 20. [Sep 2006, p.107]

Somehow contrives to bring us the worst of both worlds [of glossy dance floor beats and Manc rock swagger.] [Oct. 2011 p. 131]

Most is all too predictable and finds Autechre stuck in an experimental rut. [May 2005, p.121]

It's not completely without merit--Brave New World has a certain swagger--nut this does stray bafflingly close to tribute band territory. [Jan 2019, p.114]

Throughout charming naivety rubs awkwardly against clumsy delivery. [Feb 2018, p.111]

The over-punctuation is the least unnecessary thing about the lame pop of Shark Attack!!!!!!!!!!, meanwhile, the second half is noticeably more restrained, and aL the better for it. [Feb 2016, p.111]

Some interesting musical touches and flashes of intelligence remain, but muddy mixing and one-paced production make this an overlong bore. [Nov 2002, p.114]

Songs such as Painted Indian and Everything's Fine offer a Balearic-tinged euphoria that ends up sounding like the band are at a party they were forced to go to. [Sep 2013, p.106]

Too much of the material is lightweight, ultimately making this an exercised in what might have been. [Oct 2012, p.101]

It's all doom and gloom, and it ain't pretty. [May 2007, p.125]

Given the strength of their earlier work, Penny Sparkle is a big letdown. [Oct 2010, p.104]

He's better when he lets the words--and music--speak for themselves. [Nov 2008, p.120]

While sometimes determinedly slight, these cunning community-minded grooves - People Power In The Disco Hour, in particular - do gradually insinuate their way into the affections.

Highly evolved it may be, but that doesn't make it any more listenable. [Apr 2010, p.112]

For all its surface activity, this twitching, fidgety aesthetic is still all icing and no cake. [Jun 2014, p.121]

Things go awry soon after ["Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart"], though thanks to a less-than-sparkling production from Brendan O'Brien and Cornell's overly sentimental lyrics. [Nov 2015, p.106]

For such a distinctive voice, disappointingly run of the mill. [Nov 2008, p.123]

Even the album's most compelling moments... aren't strong enough to save it. [May 2012, p.98]

There's little sign of obvious hits. [Feb 2003, p.104]

There's nothing transformative enough to make this more than a placeholder and plenty that is kitsch. [Summer 2019, p.112]

[The songs are] bereft of the joy and pain that made her name. [Oct 2004, p.128]

Too often, though, his eagerness to please sees him tumbling down to earth. [Oct 2012, p.93]

Mercifully, the original Let It Be remains on sale. [Dec 2003, p.146]

Heavy, but not in a good way. [Jun 2012, p.96]