The pappy, throwaway nature of the tunes undermines any serious intent. [Oct 2006, p.124]

A sweeter collection of songs this year you'll be hard pushed to find. [Oct 2006, p.110]

Empire arrives with the same frazzled mien as Oasis' What's The Story (Morning Glory); alive with paranoia, delivered with an unshakeable self-belief. It's relentless stuff. [Sep 2006, p.80]

For the most part, Ben Kweller simply suggests Jackson Browne reared on Weezer. [Oct 2006, p.114]

The most immediately striking thing is the effect of the string arrangements, which add an extra layer of haunting mystery. [Oct 2006, p.102]

It's a world away from their introspective acoustic work... but [Producer Mitchell] Froom's airbrushed studiocraft... suits their well-crafted songs. [Apr 2007, p.105]

A competent, well-intentioned exercise in futility. [Oct 2006, p.110]

This is one of the most rambunctiously entertaining and high-spirited records of 2006. [Dec 2006, p.108]

While Food & Liquor struggles with its own contradictions, it does so over scorching beats and with lyrical flair. [Dec 2006, p.113]

Curiously short on atmosphere. [Nov 2005, p.100]

Alas, she doesn't have the power or swing to ride a big band, and as soon as producer Tommy LiPuma turns up the contrast and volume, her voice hardens. [Oct 2006, p.112]

Return To Cookie Mountain sees TV solidifying their more ethereal tendencies into denser compositions. [Aug 2006, p.100]

It initially seems as if the moments of inspiration between self-indulgences are becoming scarcer. A bracing middle section resuces Amputechture. [Sep 2006, p.89]

Adopt[s] a more relaxed approach than 2003's obsessively intricate Kish Kash. [Oct 2006, p.106]

It's a beautiful record. [Oct 2006, p.112]

Only on the superb, slow-burning "Gravity" does he really sound like himself. [Nov 2006, p.119]

Overall there's a sense of a moment having passed. [Oct 2006, p.123]

Laudable, but overreaching. [Nov 2006, p.130]

Sounding like a highly-evolved amalgam of their entire output--with added surprises--the beauty of this 12th album lies in its head-spinning diversity. [Oct 2006, p.134]

Lacks not only the impressive guestlist [of its predecessor]... but also the sparkle. [Nov 2006, p.99]

The duo can't help sounding like they're holding back a little. [Oct 2006, p.99]

The saturation bombing technique is only partly successful. [Nov 2006, p.123]

Injects [Viva Voce's] cosmic American visiion with a creeping paranoia and, in places, a much heavier rockist edge. [Sep 2006, p.106]

It's a maddening inversion of all the conventions of songwriting, but a brilliant one nonetheless. [Dec 2006, p.102]

Mastodon mostly veer clear of the slick atmospherics that turn other technical metal bands into post-rock wallpaper. [Oct 2006, p.117]

The songwriting largely delivers. [Dec 2006, p.127]

Molina's at the top of his lonesome game throughout. [Oct 2006, p.117]

A tour de force of intertwined sound and imagery. [Oct 2006, p.117]