Spiky, lyrical, quiveringly pretty. [May 2006, p.100]

Another melodic, meticulous, faintly redundant restoration job. [Jul 2006, p.90]

A fearsome blast. [Jun 2006, p.100]

Without the scuffed overload of his teenage releases, it's obvious that these are newly minted. [May 2006, p.98]

Fairly mundane. [Aug 2006, p.86]

While the debut was full of witty, Sparksy songs, Yes, Virginia is awash with mawkishly earnest ballads that suggest Tori Amos after a spell at drama school. [May 2006, p.104]

A Blessing... is perhaps a more personal and introspective record than usual. But truly there's still a lot to marvel at. [Apr 2006, p.112]

Clever-clever, emotional-emotional avant-pop. [Jun 2006, p.100]

What elevates Under The Covers above mimicry is the poignancy of the performances from all concerned. [May 2006, p.124]

Joyless but effective. [May 2006, p.124]

Built To Spill's blend of expressive guitar playing and light to moderate whining plays as well today as it did when the band emerged nearly 15 years ago. [Jul 2007, p.96]

Burns and Convertino prove they can play it relatively straight, without sacrificing Calexico's hard-earned status as a band that matters. [May 2006, p.104]

This is one mighty party album. [May 2006, p.105]

Elan Vital takes the visceral, intense beauty of... The New Romance and turns it up a notch. [May 2006, p.119]

There's a tendency to drift rather than fully engage, but... "Wolves" and... "Thin Blue Line"... dazzle with poetic imagery and invention. [Apr 2006, p.102]

It's a pity that the immaculate construction that is Ghosts now has an extension tacked on to it. [Apr 2006, p.119]

More organic and less electronic... but... still thrillingly left-field. [Jun 2006, p.106]

[Has] an uninspiring production line-up. [Jul 2006, p.101]

In Ze's hands Tropicalia is still a potent, living artistic force. [Jul 2006, p.118]

When they learn to perfect a climax without gaining flab, this band could be a truly transcendental prospect. [May 2006, p.129]

A small-hours gem. [Jun 2006, p.100]

Blessed with a baritone unmatched in modern pop, he delivers 15 exquisite ditties. [May 2006, p.108]

Only in Victoria Bergman's singing on "Sunbeams" do you hear any of their early shaky charm. [Apr 2006, p.113]

Make no mistake, the Lips have done it: three astonishing LPs in a row. [May 2006, p.94]

Funnily enough, it's the lyrics that let Ringleader down the most. [Apr 2006, p.94]

Extremely mixed results. [May 2006, p.119]

The endless drug references now seem calculating rather than risque, while the daft lyrics simply grate. [Apr 2006, p.106]

Confounds all expectations. [May 2006, p.128]