Wreckorder;s main virtues--decent songs, solidly played--are also its downfall, and you end up wondering why Healy bothered taking a vacation only to stay at home. [Nov 2010, p.90]

Old Money is rather more sharply honed--indeed, only the lack of vocals distinguishes this from a Mars Volta record. [Feb 2009, p.93]

The BFB have constructed thier new LP around the theme of "being nice to people," although their lyrics drip with irony and thier musical tone is gruff. [May 2009, p.79]

Make the most of these subtly funked-up arrangements with their horns and clarinets and bebop percussion. [Jun 2003, p.104]

As usual, Lewis' rocking material doesn't compare to his softer fare, but the likes of "pirates Declare War" and "Klutter" plot a fun that's infectious. [May 2010, p.85]

[An] unapologetic throwback to straight-assed songs about guns, girls and drugs. [May 2003, p.109]

An erratic mix of mundane, London-centric Skinnerisms and out-of-focus political ire. [Sep 2005, p.100]

Swirling and malevolent, "I&I" and "Beneath The Concrete" are compelling enough, but wading through so much posturing becomes a slog. [Jun 2016, p.76]

Five years on, New Orleans' Turk Dietrich and Michael Jones return with nine rather more conventionally structured songs than the nebulous, shapeshifting drones of their debut, Orange Language. [May 2011, p.79]

The best tracks put a unique stamp on these improbable hybrids. [Sep 2012, p.75]

Magic Time ultimately reveals itself to be the sort of strangely mixed bag that will be all too familiar to those who've hung on with patient, fervent belief through the '90s and beyond. [Jun 2005, p.114]

A record that feels massive without tipping into bombast. [Nov 2006, p.106]

A more stripped=down approach. [May 2021, p.28]

Fidelity's default setting of mid-tempo, mid-'80s rock isn't remotely revolutionary, but there's no mistaking the power and passion driving it. [Nov 2010, p.93]

Baez's worn voice retains its majesty, and also the sanctimony that has set so many teeth on edge over the years. [Oct 2008, p.81]

His debut as a solo artist is no grand break from past form, while confirming that age shall not wither him. [Feb 2009, p.101]

The Enemy's trademark enormity--not to mention their rampant tunefulness--lifts this out of the ladrock morass. [Jul 2009, p.86]

Intricately layering a wide array of sounds, from piano to field recordings, over seven dreamlike pieces, the duo's third album is at times pacific (in every sense), at others deeply unsettling, especially when they run tapes backwards over the end of the 11-minute "Daydreaming So Early". [Dec 2009, p. 108]

Although Autechre;a futristic manifesto has remnianed largely static for tow decades, the xylophone massacre of "O=0" and trippy space-carnival collage "d-sho qub" provide welcome glimmers of pleasure and humour during an otherwise rigorously intellectual labraroery experiment. [Apr 2010, p.81]

On the first LP, the 60-piece Brussels Philharmonic adds top-heavy accompaniment to his melodic playing. .... On the second LP, however, the 11-member Umbria Jazz Orchestra sounds simultaneously nimbler and heavier. [May 2024, p.32]

Sassy power ballads such as "Before I Sleep," "Sweet Love Of Mine" and "Not Good Enough" sit somewhat uneasily between Celine Dion and Stevie Nivcks. Yet as the album progresses, there's just enough to retain the interest of former fans. [Aug 2015, p.83]

It's exuberant dorkiness, as well as fluidity of playing, that makes !!! stand out. [Jul 2004, p.106]

Not even tight productions from Eminem and Dre can stop things from flagging midway. [May 2005, p.95]

Some fascinating music but... you suspect Parish's talents are best utilised as a collaborator. [Oct 2005, p.111]

A moody and restrained affair. [Oct 2005, p.108]

All the elements are there, but somehow 5:55 doesn't gel as it should. [Oct 2006, p.124]

Stack with drivetime anthems such as "Big Giirl Little Girl" and "Bring Night". Less overbearing is the feelgood disco of "The Fight" and "Clap Your Hands," which may finally make Sia a household name. [Jul 2010, p.120]

They could do with adding a bit of mystery to their armoury--there's a clarity and earnestness to some of Wolves Of Want that can underwhelm--but the group come with a clutch of great songs that would sit nicely on a long-awaited third volume of Modern Method's compilation series A Wicked Good Time! [Apr 2016, p.69]