Battered by love yet ever hopeful, and with a fetching drawl to match, her story songs might occupy familar alt-country terrain, but surrounding herself with some top LA session men helps give Asking For Flowers that extra bit of class. [May 2008, p.130]

Thier relentless pursuit of "the craic" is wearing, evocative song titles not hiding the fact Dublin-native Dave King's lyrics lack the romanticism of Shane MacGowan. [June 2008, p.138]

Transnormal Skiperoo is as quietly joyful as its title. [Nov 2007, p.148]

Magnificent Fiend recycles a lot of hairy late-'60s/early '70s rock moves. [June 2008, p.149]

Move over, Devendra Banhart: there's a new bunch of bohemian music kooks in town. [Apr 2008, p.115]

They'll have to evolve quickly to avoid being tarred with the copyist brush, but for now it's just dandy. [May 2008, p.135]

The results are psychedelic, frequently surreal and occasionally brilliant. [Mar 2008, p.99]

The Dallas-born singer is still making music that's deep and unorthodox. [May 2008, p.141]

Legrand and Scally have wisely not radically tinkered with their hypnotic formula. Everything is dreamily understated. [Mar 2008, p.100]

Despite some straight-ahead country rocking and blue-eyed soul, it's on the title track, a finely crafted meditation on love's bewildering ways, where she really finds her own voice, setting her apart from the pack. [May 2008, p.136]

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]

Lust Lust Lust is an accomplished set. [Jan 2008, p.109]

Eitzel's own understated standards, 'All My Love,' 'The Sleeping Beauty' and Who You Are' show signs of a more optimistic, softly rocking side. [Mar 2008, p.100]

These succinct, sparse vignettes could double as short stories, Darnielle's evocative imagery giving the likes of 'San Bernardino' a cinematic feel. [Mar 2008, p.108]

This remarkable album's impact resides in its sound; the lyrics, when they can be deciphered, are standard she-left-me stuff. [June 2008, p.147]

There's enough flickers of former greatness within to be glad he's stil there. [Dec 2007, p.120]

When they hit their still groovy '50s psychedelic rock stride on 'Second Sight' or the bonkers hippy wig-out 'Song of Love/Narayana,' the truth is that Kalu Shaker still aren't so awful after all. [Sept 2007, p.92]

The results may inevitably resemble a compilation, but the calm, luxurious and emotional Dive Deep is their most satisfying outing since they stopped being famous. [Mar 2008, p.107]

Grand Archives have been together for less than 18 months, but their polished debut suggests a far longer gestation period. [Apr 2008, p.107]

They often strain too hard to showcase their musicianship. [Apr 2008, p.112]

59:59 wanders prettily yet aimlessly through the atmospheric post-rock undergrowth. [June 2008, p.149]

When they stop bing so smart, Join With Us becomes more rewarding. [Mar 2008, p.106]

Tellingly, there isn't a weak song here, just 13 slices of original Pirate material. [Mar 2008, p.108]

The result is an album that balances intellectual importance with the simple pleasures if great melodies played on meaty guitars. [Feb 2008, p.94]

Simple Plan continue to plough forwards wuth a punk template of such box-ticking efficiency that they at times resemble automatons. [Mar 2008, p.111]

Free Somehow has its moments, but as ever, there's something missing. [May 2008, p.141]

For the most part, Made In The Dark pulses with an unusual intelligence and creative bravery. [Mar 2008, p.101]

'Love Is Free' ambles pleasantly, 'Gasoline' is 'All I Wanna Do' revisted and 'Detours' itself would grace any Best of. [Mar 2008, p.100]