Embarrassing. [Dec 2003, p.134]

She has good songs, but no great songs. [Aug 2003, p.105]

There's no doubting their enthusiasm but it seems Death In Vegas have compiled a list of great cult albums rather than actually making one themselves. [Oct 2002, p.102]

It's the simple beauty that overwhelms here. [Sep 2003, p.98]

The year-round sunshine [of new home L.A.] seems to have induced creative lethargy, sapping the adventure that elevated his last album. [Jun 2003, p.106]

They've crucially learned that musical light and shade need not only be flaring explosions, but melodic sunrises too. [Jul 2003, p.109]

Recommended to any rap fan suffering from bling fatigue. [May 2004, p.110]

A startling collection of heart-bruising ballads reminiscent of Nick Cave at his most maudlin. [Aug 2003, p.115]

It makes for a wonderfully warm way of celebrating life. [Aug 2003, p.102]

There's a new sense of darkness and despair at their core. [Dec 2003, p.124]

Musically it's formulaic, with plodding college rock verses morphing into bellowing, nu-metal choruses. [Dec 2003, p.121]

A familiar blend of clipped funk, jazz nuances and airy musings. [Jul 2003, p.113]

Such moments of wry genius make a very special record. [Oct 2003, p.104]

Disappointingly straight-laced. [Jul 2003, p.104]

Whatever her technical gifts as a vocalist, there remains something chilly and self-satisfied about the woman's brand of soul-baring that makes it awfully hard to swallow. [Jul 2003, p.108]

As admirable as Radiohead's quest ongoing quest to ignore expectations, tear up the manual and proudly rebel against the limitations of 4/4 time seems, some of Hail To The Thief comes dangerously close to being all experimentalism and precious little substance. [Jul 2003, p.98]

They've never sounded this heavy or this pissed off. [Jul 2003, p.106]

They even give Madonna's I Deserve It a new level of dignity. [Jan 2004, p.118]

Curiously compelling for something so minimal, it's like nothing else around. [Jul 2003, p.110]

It's the songs not the approach which set her apart. [Aug 2003, p.116]

[A] measured and thoughtful set of intelligent pop tunes. [Oct 2003, p.114]

Superior to both the last two Mode albums and [Martin] Gore's recent solo effort, Counterfeit 2. [Jul 2003, p.103]

She has never sounded brighter or more infectious. [Nov 2003, p.117]

Some of the sharpest beats and catchiest tunes ever to grace a dance LP. [Jun 2003, p.93]

[Has] a sunnier, jangly guitar pop backdrop. [Jul 2003, p.102]

Continues to adhere firmly to the rootsy rock of fellow travellers Matchbox Twenty and Counting Crows, while their earnest musicianship and hard work will delight fans of that sort of thing. [Aug 2003, p.115]

A leftfield classic. [Oct 2003, p.100]

An all-conquering white female rap crew? It's been a long time coming and, on the strength of this debut, may be arriving sooner than you think. [Jun 2003, p.105]