The songs themselves are fascinating in their breadth, and if nothing else, The Visitor feels like Young's broadest album in some time. [Feb 2018, p.26]

Phased guitars recall that past's sweetest '60s spot as lyrics touch on wider, cosmic delay. The epic "Might As Well Ne Me, Florinda" is the best of two Robert Hunter co-writes. [Apr 2026, p.33]

Yes, it’s fascinating at times to be a witness to the meticulous construction of great music, but the contents of this boxset feel a mite desperate, rather than generous, and the flabbiness of its 11-minute jams is entirely inappropriate for an album that famously doesn’t contain an ounce of fat.

While Mid Air is an album occasionally rooted in grief following the loss of Romy's parents, it seeks to take those moments of joy and dancefloor elation. [Oct 2023, p.34]

An extraordinary instrumental album full of hypnotic rhythms and minimalist melodies that are both stunningly beautiful and at times oddly unsettling. [Jun 2018, p.28]

His debut LP married experimental electronics and alt.pop. Now, he takes a giant step closer to the latter. [May 2015, p.73]

Self-consciously odd, but entertaining. [Sep 2001, p.98]

Evans' descendent Gruff Rhys has immortalised his journey with a saga in documentary, book, app and CD form. Rhys has a talent for presenting such material with the right mix of pathos and play. [Jun 2014, p.82]

If the duo seem unfocused, their adventurous variety is beguiling. [Dec 2020, p.29]

The follow-up [to 2009's Warm Heart Of Africa] is similarly energetic and eclectic. [Aug 2012, p.83]

Talkie Talkie benefits from a sharpening of focus even if the instrumental foursome remain determined to recombine such normally disparate elements as sun-scorched psych, Caribbean rhythms, Turkish disco and the kind of rock bravura rarely captured outside of an ’80s movie soundtrack. [Oct 2024, p.31]

The LPs collected here lack the punch of his previous efforts. But they do have their charms. ... Most revealing are two live LPs, from '83 and '87, that show an artist reconsidering his old hits--and his old selves--for new fans. [Nov 2018, p.45]

Admittedly, without seeing the play--which officially opens in London on November 8--the soundtrack feels an incomplete experience. At its most successful, Lazarus finds new ways of presenting well-known songs; an unenviable task for Hey and his seven-piece band.

The occasional ordinary moment confirms a suspicion that Sway only really excels when he's playing the comic foil. [Mar 2006, p.88]

They show little interest in shaking up the formula they established with 1982’s mighty Roman Gods. And that’s just fine given the lusty energy that frontman Peter Zaremba and guitarist Keith Streng muster up on the memorably greasy “The Consequences”, the self-explanatory “Wah Wah Power” and other time-defying displays of undimmed bravado. [Jan 2025, p.34]

Although the Poseidon, Lizard and Islands discs all contain bonus tracks and outtakes, the boxset’s primary focus is on live material. Over a dozen concerts from 1971–2 are included, four of which are previously unreleased. ... The sound of the ’71 gigs is gritty and realistic, and often mixed in stereo. But there’s a noticeable drop in quality when the ’72 gigs start (on disc 10) in Wilmington, Delaware. These are cassette recordings, very rough and bootleggy.

Modern Nature is close to classic Charlatans--no mean feat after their recent tribulation. [Feb 2015, p.74]

Glorious polyglot. [Apr 2013, p.73]

He finds a Teenage Fanclub-style melancholic charm on songs like "America," "How Can I Love You" and the excellent "Palindromes," while "All The Same" and "Twenty-Two" head into heavier territory. [Sep 2021, p.25]

Nostalgic homage never overwhelms the heady sense of sonically rich, exploratory weirdness. [Jul 2016, p.71]

These songs, dehydrated after 50 years, sound bright and timeless. [Jun 2012, p.97]

While it lacks flashiness, the 11-song performance is both raw and cooking, reminder of the country-rock/swamp-blues power that's moved bands from The Black Keys to White Denim. [Oct 2019, p.45]

A connoisseur-curated selection that manages to combine inspired innovation with wit, rich melodies and irresistibly squelchy basslines. [Aug 2012, p.96]

You're The Man is a bitty, madly varied collection. ... But as a series of discrete and individually brilliant EPs, it's a fascinating documents of the myriad directions that Gaye could have investigated at his creative peak. [May 2019, p.48]

II mixes sweeping, retro-futuristic synth-pop with brazenly outre guitar shredding and motorik beats to savvy--and emotionally sincere--effect. [Jun 2017, p.33]

This Chicago quartet have refined the psychedelic, gothic post-punk racket of their 2018 debut into punchier, more memorable songs. [Oct 2020, p.31]

On this sometimes obstinate, sometimes sublime record, Stevens shows he contains multitudes. [Nov 2020, p.24]

The predominantly Celtic hues of Stewart's 31st album tend towards the cosy and coffee-table, robustly structured rather than wildly inspired. [Jan 2022, p.31]

"Don't Pretend You Didn't Know" is a one-off messing with their recipe, still as compelling a mix of hardcore, jangle-pop, country and speed-metal as it was 25 years ago. [Oct 2012, p.77]

Beneath the gliding surface lies Browne the politico, quietly raging at the legacy of imperialism and warning of impending eco disaster. The music occasionally matches such animated sentiment. [Nov 2014, p.71]

The Julie Ruin are best when playing it a little goofy. [Nov 2013, p.74]

Johannsson's use of vocal manipulation on "Kanguru" and "Ultimatum" add splashes of colour to his full-bodies minimalism, each lingering note loaded with ominous intent. [Jan 2017, p.24]

The 11 songs form a pensive biography of sorts, though perhaps only intermittently about Sid himself. [Nov 2024, p.37]

Oak Island does for Chicago what Panda Bear's Personal Pitch did for The Beach Boys. [Apr 2013, p.74]

There's an appealing American cynicism lurking beneath their enchanting '60s doo-wop-indebted sound. [Jun 2018, p.30]

Gossip have been a force of nature - in no small part down to charismatic vocalist Beth Ditto and her dancefloor-quaking voice. Real Power, the Portland trio's first album in 11 years, plays on that reputation, but tenderly. [Mar 2024, p.26]

Songs come bathed in sparkling synths and warming strings, but melodies are unpredictable and unsettling, bearing repeat listens. [Jan 2022, p.29]

A hugely inventive collection. [Jan 2003, p.119]

He's captured the binary sense of outrage and fear with visceral brilliance on songs such as "twins" and "Stone Age." [Oct 2017, p.36]

On Apricity, Syd Arthur brings a blessedly light touch to their breezy psych. [Dec 2016, p.38]

It's compelling from start to finish; if OW's main is simply "to slay," then mission accomplished. [Nov 2014, p.81]

If the music at times fails to convey the particularities of her lyrics on the trip-hoppy "Memorial Day," Van Etten remains an insightful chronicler of small moments that produce overwhelming emotions. [Feb 2019, p.37]

A winning hybrid of indie neuroses and Brill Building craft, precision and intimacy. [Apr 2007, p.120]

While the aural palette's novelty value fades by the halfway mark, the final spin cycle provides a thrilling conclusion to this ingenious exercise. [Mar 2016, p.76]

Awkward moments of not, this group moves as one. [Apr 2013, p.76]

If the three-CD anthology is intended to make a case for the allure of the band's post-Tattoo You recordings, which comprise 18 of the 36 studio selections, it succeeds for the most part. ... The chief selling point, though, is the third disc, which contains 10 performances from recent tours, four of them featuring guest stars, and here, the results are decidedly mixed. [Jun 2019, p.49]

The prolific producer is releasing what could be his most accessible body of work. [Aug 2016, p.73]

With a live '70s R&B sound fuelled by flower power and, in "Star Now" and "Satellites," some excellent songs, Bilal is as focused as he's ever been. [Oct 2015, p.73]

Tobin delivers fiercely programmed, seriously dark material. [Mar 2005, p.104]

There's a lurking suspicion of contrivance here, as opposed to the spontaneity that characterised Don't Give Up On Me. [Apr 2005, p.102]

Ryan Adams is very much Ryan Adams being Ryan Adams. [Oct 2014, p.68]

On this ninth album of originals, Rev frontman Jonathan Donahue elects to vocalise in a soft whisper rather than his characteristic starry-eyed warble. It works best when their chamber-pop soundbaths are punctuated by rhythmic hooks and ear-catching lines. [Sep 2024, p.37]

Replete with the sort of shimmering, hypnagogic textures that characterises his solo work. [Feb 2020, p.30]

While the Joe Pizzulo-fronted "Love came Between Us" may sound like it once soundtracked an '80s romcom, that somehow adds to its retro charm. [Apr 2020, p.33]

The album seems designed to be experienced immersively in the solitude of a dark room. [Feb 2013, p.78]

Blue Hawaii are more about atmosphere than impact, with the production clearly influenced by Cowan's time in Germany studying at the university if Kompakt. [Mar 2013, p.68]

Homosapien sees an intriguing reinvention via more conventional song structure. [Apr 2013, p.77]

A welcome return. [Nov 2022, p.29]

Retains the fullness and amiability of his richest work. [Aug 2020, p.33]

Like a long walk in the woods, it's richly and deeply transporting. [Jun 2018, p.35]

It;s an easy, unchallenging ride, but a satisfying one. [May 2014, p.76]

Hip Mobility favours digital modernism over analogue nostalgia, yet admits the wonder and romance inevitably in play. [Aug 2017, p.35]

A sinewy mix of punk, dub, soul, good tunes and classic guy-rock. [Mar 2004, p.87]

This LP leans towards narrative, rather than racking out kits, but its ambition is very welcome. [Oct 2016, p.25]

While the ideas are sometimes thin, the delivery is invariably wry and charming. [Aug 2013, p.77]

Their imperial phase may have passed, but Slayer will not go easy. [Oct 2015, p.83]

Lacking only a killer single, Big Box Of Chocolates has a great balance of rockers, ramblers and ballads, giggling throwaways and low-key philosophising. [Dec 2016, p.30]

The album is perhaps a little lacking in knockout tracks but instead highlights Bear's clear talent as a producer with a craft for melody and rhythm. [Feb 2019, p.37]

The abundance of dreamy, placid wonders like "Between The Past" and the instrumental "White Wonder Melody" doesn't entirely negate one's longing for more of the ferocious, Ira Kaplan-worthy shredding that fills the final moments of "Another Dream" or other touches that add a wobblier, woozier feel to the proceedings. [Oct 2023, p.37]

Though their drive to fill all available space causes some songs to grow diff use, their vision coheres on “Taken By The Hand”, a suitably audacious fusion of ferocious post-hardcore and anthemic Southern rock. [Aug 2022, p.23]

This is bustling rock'n'roll that doesn't think too hard about much else. [Mar 2016, p.82]

This is a focused record by Weezer standards, one that play to their strengths (sun-kissed tunefulness, nerdy introspection, loud guitars). [May 2016, p.82]

Even when the prevailing mood of introspective understatement threatens to sink into the maudlin or overwrought, there's an urgency about This Path Tonight that keeps things buoyant. [May 2016, p.77]

Finds The Vaccines at their terse, nervy best. [Jan 2024, p.38]

The trio's "shaman beat" can be intoxicating even if it's sometimes more meandering than mantric. [Jun 2016, p.71]

Not everything works, but somehow everything fits. [Jun 2013, p.66]

The remaining quintet have lent their cosmic retro-rock both better tunes and more surprising detours. [Jun 2012, p.83]

A nifty wordsmith whose drawled delivery complements the menace of his woozy productions. [Aug 2012, p.80]

It's a fascinating charting of a band's gradual evolution through experiment. [Aug 2012, p.93]

The routine comparisons with Terry Riley/Steve Reich/Michael Nyman all apply, but there's something more mystical and elemental at work, too, with echoes of the Third Ear Band and Comus. [Oct 2018, p.27]

Genres glom together in unlikely combinations, split and mutate via myriad effects, yet this set is pop to its core, nodding to everyone from Bowie, Byrne and Carl Craig to Arthur Russel and Wire on its way to off-centre intrigue. [Nov 2018, p.27]

It’s a compelling set, from the menacing “Flowers Like The Rain” and quasi-hardcore of “Six Six Seven (Monsieur Faux Pas)” to the gluey, narcotised “Bring It On”. [Oct 2024, p.40]

In short, Legend does for trad-soul what Oasis did for The Beatles. [Dec 2006, p.116]

Tigers... sees the brain of the Manics reunited with their strongest qualities: their heart, humanity and soul. [Jun 2007, p.102]

With Rough Carpenters, the pickers are deeply respectful of the revenant forms they're extending, but the music is never leaden. [Mar 2013, p.67]

A focus on electric violin adds a mildly jarring echo of Curved Air to the Canadians' seventh, but the apocalyptic "Austerity Blues" and wistful "Rains Thru The Roof At Thee Grande Ballroom" encompass their extremes of post-rock paranoia and Popol Vuh transcendence. [Mar 2014, p.83]

[Mettavolution] may not be quite so astral-minded or ambitious, the apr continue to impress with their ability to shift through a variety of Latin, folk and rock styles without ever taking the easy routes. [Jun 2019, p.34]

A muted set of spare acoustic songs. [Jun 2016, p.70]

Perry's cartoonish persona can grate, so it's refreshing to hear him speak from the heart on Rainford. [Jun 2019, p.32]

Ghostly, atmospheric, intense, Colt is an impressive, if somewhat remote, debut. [Jul 2018, p.37]

This is a bold and engaging revolution. [May 2012, p.75]

She sounds more lusty and confident on this sequel. [Jun 2012, p.83]

Wrangler's LA Spark is textbook industrial electropop--nothing wildly new but at its best on "Lava Land" and "Space Ace" it's a compelling listen. [Jun 2014, p.85]

The overall sense here is of old friends reunited, not taking themselves too seriously, still making a thrillingly ramshackle racket. [Sep 2025, p.37]

Not every track gels, but the duo's easy chemistry never feels like gimmicky contrivance. [Jul 2014, p.81]

While the full deluxe treatment might not life Don't Tell A Soul all the way to "lost classic" status, it at least fleshes out an underappreciated chapter of The Replacements' messy saga. [Nov 2019, p.42]

Jay-z attempts to balance his great wealth, tough history and news responsibility while retaining his grit. Magna Carta... generally pulls it off. [Sep 2013, p.90]

While nothing here quite matches the last album's majestically weary "Elevator Love Letter", Set Yourself On Fire is still quite sublime. [Sep 2005, p.104]