It might alienate those who prefer him to wallow, but there's magic and bravery here. [Dec 2008, p.130]

He'll never be an easy listen, but for now Actress has found a happier role. [Jul 2017, p.104]

A record that pulls you in slowly over repeated listens. [Summer 2020, p.103]

A surprisingly well-nourished beast. [May 2013, p.105]

Thick, claggy basslines anchor them alongside The Fall a their most pulverising. .... The debut's best moments, however, are when they push against what a post-punk band should be. [Aug 2020, p.109]

While the songwriting stays high, it's her strong but sensitive voice, with its lonesome hint of yodeling, that captivates. [May 2011, p.115]

Here they sound as out of place as ever, and all the better for it. [Jul 2013, p.101]

A record whose card-shuffling diversity proves to be its ace. [Oct 2019, p.113]

It reaffirms Mockasin's status as the maddest biscuit in the box. [Nov 2018, p.109]

Cole's beats may differ but she speaks the same language of shadows and longing. [Sep 2013, p.100]

For new disco freaks and their parents alike, here are 43 old-school minutes of party-down pleasure. [Nov 2013, p.106]

Alt-rock supergroup create new genre: stoner AOR. [July 2010, p. 132]

Another almost note-perfect recreation of the same pre-Beatles R&B world, this follow-up smoothly mainstains the good work with songs that recall the likes of The Drifters and even early James brown. [July 2008, p.102]

BNQT is a happy meld of snug-fitting millennial Traveling Wilburys and Gorillaz pop nous, a giant avert for the powerful attraction of opposites. [Jun 2017, p.102]

By striving to find romance and poetry in grim times, Fontaines D.C. have made a record to fall in love with. [May 2019, p.113]

Though Gang Of Four are the same bracing proposition as they ever were, 2015's literary imagery and less blokey vibe mark a successful leap sideways. [Apr 2015, p.100]

Tauter, tighter and leaner, it's at its best when epic choruses collide with soaring guitars. [Mar 2012, p.105]

With strings, brass and a great deal of drama on his side, it's a beautiful escalation. [Summer 2020, p.103]

Forever Turned Around shares the warm textures that made its predecessor so endearing, but finds the band's fortunes looking up. [Oct 2019, p.114]

Although at times Lost Girls' nostalgia feels slightly generic, the record does benefit from Khan's ability to weave nuanced emotional portraits--something that imbues an overused retro aesthetic with intrigue once more. [Oct 2019, p.109]

Even more delicate and autumnal. [May 2004, p.104]

A bastion of control and quaking vulnerability that strikes a match against its sombre surrounds. [Jan 2019, p.113]

Effortlessly tuneful, and swathed in allusions to Greek mythology, this is classic Harper. [Nov 2013, p.108]

This 20-track spread, ending on caustic wig-out You're On Your Own, would make a worthy farewell. [Feb 2019, p.108]

Downtempo triumph from Seattle indie journeyman. [July 2010, p. 135]

At once elegant and enigmatic, only he willfully prosaic title strikes a jarring note. [Mar 2016, p.111]

Truly one of a kind. [Nov. 2010, p. 117]

The record's second half feels a little dreary after the spectacular opening, but the combination of doleful beauty and violent emotion that makes Hadreas's work extraordinary is never hard to find. [Summer 2020, p.104]