Their albums have got better and better since 2005, with saxophonists Pete Wareham and Mark Lockheart entering into ever more engaging dialogues while the rhythm sections flail around inventively. Here Leafcutter John, who usually makes odd noises with a sampler, switches to guitar addng a clunky alt-rock feel to tracks. [Mar 2010, p.93]

Ejimiwe's lyrics are often vague, but the music has echoes of Tricky, Roots Manuva, and the minimal end of dubstep. [Mar 2011, p.91]

It makes for a rambunctious rock'n'roll record. [Nov 2011, p.94]

[It] sees her expanding her horizons with out scrimping on nuance or emotion. [Nov 2011, p.84]

Beneath the jazz-folk toned melancholia there's a new dramatic intensity. [Jun 2012, p.83]

There are a few too many tracks here that don't quite achieve lift-off. [Oct 2012, p.74]

Yirga wears his influences too obviously on the introspective solo pieces, but these are early days. [Aug 2012, p.83]

Their terrific Wilco-esque third album, the emphasis is on storytelling. [Nov 2012, p.73]

Wonderful it is too, King's rich baritone and Dalgleish's emotive voice delivering a baker's dozen of duets that carry the sting of authentic Country Classics. [Jan 2012, p.94]

Almost every one is a pure and lovely miniature. [Aug 2013, p.69]

Their blue period, perhaps. It suits them. [May 2014, p.76]

It's self-improvised and often raw, but bursting with vim and surprise. [Jun 2014, p.80]

Strange Friends marks a measured step towards accessibility for one of Britain's most inventive bands. [Jun 2014, p.82]

While You Were Sleeping is a curious amalgam of '70s soul, '90s R&B and the epic manoeuvrings of stadium rock. [Aug 2014, p.74]

It's all so ancient that it becomes thrillingly modern. [Sep 2014, p.78]

Perhaps they lack the arty flourishes of elder statesman Damon Albarn's solo work, but these bold, brassy tunes serve to remind that it wasn't only about Union Jacks and DMs back then. [Oct 2014, p.69]

For Godard, it bridged punk and his Tony Bennett phase, with the band sporting knock-off Fred Perrys at the height of goth gloom-mongering. [Nov 2014, p.75]

The extra care and attention to production and arrangements has paid off, making Man It Feels Like Space Again as consistently enjoyable as their older albums were unevenly thrilling. [Feb 2015, p.85]

The albums keep coming, with little stylistic variation, nor significant lapse in quality. [Feb 2015, p.87]

There's a gauche Hollyoaks vibe to sentimental moments "Sailing" and "Wild West," but otherwise this is a handsome debut. [Mar 2015, p.72]

More heartmelter than skullsplitter--but just as ruinous. [Mar 2015, p.73]

A Doug Sahm/CCR vibe runs through much of this debut. [Jun 2015, p.71]

The new songs are equally striking, ranging from sensual lullabies to strident protest, delivered with a righteous spiritual and political conviction in a muscular voice full of spit and pungency. [Aug 2015, p.78]

The latest from the three siblings plus mate chews gleefully through genres. [Oct 2015, p.73]

[A] wonderous first solo offering outside of Air. [Oct 2015, p.76]

This Terrific follow-up is even better, the quartet unloading a clamorous set of songs full of pique, provocation and waspish humour. [Aug 2015, p.77]

While the orchestral flourishes on "Beloved Wife" and "River" are nice enough, it's when Merchant pares back the arrangements on "Wonder" and "Carnival" and focuses on her voice (which has become deeper and grainier with age) that these songs really soar. [Dec 2015, p.75]

Futures is just as lovely as his admirers could have hoped. [Jan 2016, p.73]