Vicious Creature is more compelling than Mayberry's Chvrches material, but may not be thrilling enough to take her where she wants to be. [Jan 2025, p.39]

A more refined classic techno sound, paying homage to his adopted hometown of Detroit. [Aug 2016, p.71]

Pure pleasure for lovers of deep soul music? Absolutely. [May 2013, p.73]

Under The Blacklight is by far and away the most accessible album that Rilo Kiley have ever made.

Watson is a master of both dynamics and arrangements, his songs ebbing and flowing with a restrained grace and striking sensitivity. [Jul 2012, p.85]

A paucity of strong tunes remains his Achilles heel, but no-one else does wasted decadence with such persuasive panache. [Feb 2015, p.80]

This merely draws attention to the fact that the old songs are better than the new ones. [Jan 2002, p.146]

"Never Too Late" sounds like an unhappy mix of Randy Newman and Arrested Development, and sometimes Franti sounds like a clap-happy Seal. [Jul 2003, p.130]

The result is both catchy and sadly predictable. [Jul 2013, p.77]

The fifth album by the Mo Wac founder's creative collective doesn't quite cut the mustard. [Sep 2017, p.38]

There's an effortless clip... that suggests renewed confidence. [Mar 2005, p.93]

A turbid affiar. [Nov 2006, p.114]

[Brace The Wave] sounds like it was recorded in a toilet, with Barlow playing an adapted ukulele. The songs, though, are as good as anything he's done with Sebadoh or Folk Implosion. [Oct 2015, p.71]

Occasional throwaway aside, there are some real gnarled beauties on display here. [Mar 2014, p.80]

'The Way It Used To Be' is the best thing here, defiantly struggling against easy nostalgia, but nevertheless suggesting that the PSB melancholy vision of perfect pop is now, commercially, a period piece.

While too soft for the dancefloor, songs like :weak For me" don't scrimp on the songcraft. [Nov 2009, p.96]

The first four tracks are surprisingly limp-leaved, pastel-shaded electro-synth in a decidedly retro vein. From then on, it gets better. [Dec 2012, p.71]

Soft keyboard lines wow and flutter tastefully. [Feb 2020, p.28]

The guest list is impressive. But it'd take a very straight face to refute the frequent echoes of The New Seekers or Fleetwood Mac, while "Silver Jenny Dollar" sounds like something Mike Batt might have knocked up for The Wombles. [Jun 2010, p.97]

jj No. 3 is an irresistibly light-headed trip through lush, electronic pop. [Jun 2010, p.91]

BRMC seem invincible; or back to their searing best, at any rate. [May 2007, p.87]

The emphasis on Jackson's piano is obviously no problem, but his focus drifts from the punchy pop that characterised its predecessor. [Feb 2008, p.81]

Lovely, life-affirming stuff. [Apr 2010, p.97]

Talkin To The Trees finds Young largely preoccupied with matters closer to home. “Family Life” begins as an open-hearted acoustic address to his children – until a jarring reference to his grandchildren, “who I can’t see”. He follows this with “Dark Mirage”, a glowering ball of knotted noise. .... The mood shifts with “First Fire Of Winter”, a hymn to domestic happiness in Colorado with Daryl Hannah and the first of three gorgeous country tracks on the album. [Jul 2025, p.28]

Her brush with the big boys only appears to have strengthen her resolve on a collection of fierce country rockers. [Apr 2011, p.75]

It all kinda works. [Jun 2013, p.73]

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]

It's diverting enough. [Apr 2009, p.82]