Oddly, this works a treat. [Feb 2014, p.77]

There are still big choruses here. But they now layer things deftly. [Jun 2010, p.86]

The six tracks are minimalist to the point of vanishing, crafted from gently shimmering electric guitars and murmuring keyboards, while Silberman's soft, high voice, polished like fine silver, delivers a series of quietly emotive haikus. [Mar 2017, p.39]

Lots to unpack, and it's a pleasure to do so. [Oct 2019, p.30]

“Son” and “Chernye Tsvety” feel a mite glossier than their earlier records, which had a smudged and lo-fi feel that gave them the quality of samizdat recordings. Still present and correct, though, is a sense of dislocation and alienation that’s positively Kafkaesque. [Oct 2024, p.37]

What prevents this all from becoming a mish-mash of textures is Hoop's single-minded passion, which lends a self-assured cohesion to her diversity.

These songs offer a smart inversion of the usual gender roles in mainstream music, all set to a propulsive, bass-heavy backdrop. [Oct 2015, p.81]

Kirk's fondness for gloomier realms prevails, especially in his noteworthy wordplay and on the ominously noisy title track. [May 2017, p.40]

Here is Can, warts and all. [Jul 2017, p.49]

Sodden with emotional profundity. [May 2004, p.104]

Reassessing the past and reengaging with the present, Revival lives up to its name.

The uninitiated may hear only a wonky Julian Cope at 25rpm, but somewhere on Screen Memories is the point where performance art ends and genuine mania begins. [Nov 2017, p.32]

It's the sonic equivalent of a Douglas Gordon video installation. [Jun 2021, p.27]

Closer "Underdog", a stripped-back self-portrait of a striver still "trying hard [to] leave a mark", provides an intimate coda to Harwood's depiction of his teeming inner world, a hermetically sealed ocean of emotion. [Jul 2022, p.27]

“Savage” and “Maps” could be John Foxx’s Ultravox remixed by Larry Levan, the songs’ harder synth and post-punk textures continually softened by Polar’s emotive vocals and Geist’s love of warm, soulful grooves. [Sep 2022, p.23]

The title track lurches woozily like it's about to break out into a waltz but never does, and "hard Times" is an aching Celtic/Appalachian ballad. We end with the loveliest take on "Home On The Range" you've ever heard. [Mar 2026, p.31]

Taylor maintains the intimacy of Yorkston's sound, highlighting the weary warmth of his voice, and adding instrumental shading, while KT Tunstall and The Pictish Trail bring harmonic depth. [Sep 2014, p.81]

Her debut British release showcases a vivid and fully formed talent clearly versed in quirky, often humourous songcraft. [Nov 2007, p.125]

Booker T can still effortlessly access the pleasure principle that transcends musical trends and fleeting fashions, with an instinctive grasp of groove and momentum that speaks directly to heart, feet and head alike. [Sep 2013, p.84]

Until The Colours Run casts a spell which lingers. [Oct 2013, p.71]

By combining focused layers and distinctive styles, The Coathangers have crafted their best record yet. [Apr 2019, p.26]

A stripped-down production adds intimacy, though Hersh's voice isn't quite as strong as it once was. [Dec 2013, p.74]

Path Of Wellness proves Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein haven’t forgotten the empowering, life-giving qualities of rock’n’roll fun. Sleater-Kinney are turning their reunion years into a reaffirmation of the importance of support and solidarity on a private, personal level. [Aug 2021, p.30]

She relies on relatively conservative house music tropes sometimes, but the hooks never fail to cut through. [Jun 2023, p.29]

This is an album filled with earworms, with hooklines and stray phrases that burrow deep into your consciousness. [Sep 2016, p.72]

Sometimes it's grating - "The Ocean" could be a Belinda Carlisle album track - but the supremely catchy likes of first single "Hell" deserves daytime radio ubiquity. [Jan 2010, p. 131]

His debut is characterised by frantically over-driven beats, but is as soulful as it is dance-insistent. [Jul 2015, p.80]

While Efrim Menuck will never be a technically great singer, his fiery, hopeful delivery here marks a career best. [Mar 2010, p.96]