Something of a grind--repeat helpings of grimly strummed acoustic guitar and keening vocals becoming the folk equivalent of consecutive courses of muesli. [Nov 2019, p.29]

The bleak piano ballad "Hello I'm Right Here," the suicidal "Hold My breath Until I Die" and the slow-burning synth-pop of "We Don't Have Fun When We're Together Anymore" all find curious joy in pain. [Nov 2019, p.33]

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]

The playful tumbles of verbiage are as central to the group's sonic identity as the key components of its baroque power pop. [Nov 2019, p.28]

This solo debut sees him working within a very limited sonic palette--doomy, minor-key constructions featuring distorted rhythm guitar riffs played over a grid of '80s synths and drum machines. These can be effective when paired with grim lyrics of small-town realism. [Oct 2019, p.33]

Come for songs and you'll be left wanting, but as a holy distillation of Moore's influences, Spirit Counsel impresses. [Oct 2019, p.30]

There's depth, vulnerability even humour to the lyrics. [Nov 2019, p.27]

This is vintage Roberts, rich poetry couched in spare, beautiful, quietly adventurous arrangements. [Oct 2019, p.36]

So much of Okie is overly sentimental, mono-paced balladry. [Nov 2019, p.27]

It's a breezy and easy listen, as displayed on the melodic shuffle of "Unfamiliar Sun," but there's also a deeply layered approach where stacks of harmonies and melodies interweave gracefully. [Nov 2019, p.33]

Epic debut, an emotionally rich and stylistically broad mediation on homeland, exile and identity. ... A lavish feast of an album. [Nov 2019, p.30]

The mood is upbeat throughout; a joyous, non-stop chug through several shades of American popular song. [Nov 2019, p.28]

Why Me? Why Not. ticks a number of boxes for his fanbase. [Nov 2019, p.25]

Whereas the band's grand ambitions have sometimes led to music that can feel unduly grandiose, "Uden Ansigt" and "Verden Forsvinder" mark a welcome return to the more intimately scaled music of their early years. [Nov 2019, p.25]

A thematically rich record, heavy on mood and elegantly written in a way that positions Del Rey between Eve Babitz and Carole King. There are beguiling and evolving melodies underneath the spare piano and acoustic arrangements. [Nov 2019, p.24]

These are tender anthems, even if some won't be readily singing lines like "eating your ass like an oyster" in a festival field. [Nov 2019, p.22]

The best songs here are the instrumentals. As a songwriter he relies on too many cliches, remains fiercely devoted to a stiff ABAB rhyme scheme and offers too few insights into his underworld characters. [Oct 2019, p.36]

Occasionally a little too meandering. [Oct 2019, p.26]

Throughout Jamie, Howard also continues to challenge the impressive instrument of her voice in unpredictable ways. ... Her quest for personal fulfillment doubles as a creative bloom as well, revealing new dimensions of her talent. [Oct 2019, p.18]

It's consistently charming. [Oct 2019, p.29]

All up, an(nother) apparently effortless hitting if the sweet spot. [Oct 2019, p.27]

The swooping strings and Escher-like melodic structures of "Camion" and "Yard Bull" are reassuringly familiar to Vannier enthusiasts. ... Patton rises to the occasion throughout. [Oct 2019, p.33]

For anyone who enjoys a dash of shimmering disco hedonism with their feminist theory, or who simply harbours a lingering respect for the sun-drenched joy of '90s trance techno, this album offers a richly rewarding dialogue with mainstream pop. Crucially, Hval understands well the strange, seductive, subversive potency of "cheap" music. [Oct 2019, p.28]

As with any enduring soundtrack, this collection of songs stands on its own. [Oct 2019, p.24]

It suffers somewhat from inevitably diminishing returns, in that it simply isn't anywhere near as good as their canonical records; that said, not much is. [Oct 2019, p.33]

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

The result is an album that displays Wolfe's versatility and ability to stir power from whispers as easily as she does howls. [Oct 2019, p.39]

While Pang!, totalling just under half an hour, doesn't have the conceptual strengths of Babelsberg or American Interior, it's nevertheless a delight to hear Rhys once again embracing the possibilities of technology and harnessing modern, global sounds to enhance his unique vision. [Oct 2019, p.37]