With many songs over four minutes and often consisting of blantantly stoned self-indulgent "jams," some trimming is needed.

A curious but highly enjoyable mix of experimental beats and good old-fashioned guitar rock. [Jul 2003, p.92]

By the time things conclude with mannerly closer "The Great Estates" it's been made perfectly clear that this is a band ready and able to create visions with enveloping scope and delightful articulation.

M.I.A.'s schizophrenic style does not please this time around. The industrial and mechanical soundscape lacks both genuine protest songs or club jams.

Sure, she may not have as many debauchery-tainted demons to exercise as the Winehouses or the Holidays but that doesn't make 19 boring. [Jul/Aug 2008, p.88]

There are no absolute standouts as on past albums, but that is okay. Where Did The Night Falls is less concerned with purity of individual songs, and more focused on the audible aesthetics produced by its eerie experiments in sound. And for that, UNKLE has another winner on its hands.

His sixth record fuses together the best of his ability, the remarkable piano compositions and absurd lyricism, with production outsourced to Berlin electronic producer Boys Noize.

Oizo’s latest effort easily becomes the pitch-perfect soundtrack to an epic night out, reminding us that these cats across the pond know exactly how to make electronic music seem both strange and familiar, music that practically anyone can enjoy.

Mathematics’ more traditional drumwork keeps this distinct from a RZA production and provides a surprisingly snappy cohesion to the whole affair.

Evidence that these musical minds are sharper than ever. [Jun 2004, p.87]

Occasionally teetering on the verge of too precious, the heavy mood and lush production are too much (and too nice) to resist. [Apr 2004, p.87]

Little on RUOK possesses commercial cache, but what is that against a career-defining turn? [Nov 2002, p.96]

For Living Thing, they ditch the comfortable confines of the airy, featherweight pop they perfected on Writer’s Block for more sonically adventurous territory and prove in the process that their prior success was not just a fluke.

Surfing The Void unfortunately isn't a break-through or even a repeat of the past success.

More light = more fun. [Mar 2007, p.101]

While it misses the suicidal rush of imminent destruction, Evil Heat still sounds dangerously rash. [Jan 2003, p.76]

Fever makes Britney Spears seem like even more of a pop genius. Scary. [May 2002, p.116]

Musically, The Hacker provides syncopated New Wave beats with the timeless precision of a musical scholar. [Mar 2002, p.118]

This live album may provide an aperitif for those who've never seen the band perform. [May/June 2008, p.93]

Strap on your seatbelt, 'cause you never been on a ride like this befo.' [Jan/Feb 2006, p.78]

[A] well-programmed compilation. [Jun 2005, p.79]

A few tracks bump, but for the most part, Lord Jamar's production couldn't make punks jump up, much less get beat down. [Sep 2004, p.114]

Being a gluttonous hard-ass has been a tough requirement to scratch from the 10 rap commandments, but a growing trend in transparent MCs finds Atmosphere atop the pedestal of its post-Prozac and Adderalled audience. Maybe good dads just make the world better, one damn fine album at a time.

The tactic [of increased vocals] hits and misses, as the album's standout tracks owe their success to the crew's innovative and polished production, not their lyrical prowess. [Jul/Aug 2005, p.104]

British Sea Power have shown their competence and achieved another level of musical integrity--the album, perhaps best enjoyed when paired with the film, nonetheless holds its ground as a standalone product, expanding the mise-en-scène of the film enormously and contributing to the documentary (if perhaps problematic) legacy of Robert Flaherty’s work.

This album pays less attention to the club lights and feels more clubbed over the head emotionally. [Sep 2006, p.136]

Jel's cagey, chunky breaks interlace into stereoscopic head-nodding noir. [Mar 2006, p.113]

Rise Again is a highly listenable experience and except for a few bizarre lyrics (E.T. and Inakaya), it's 11 accessible tracks, soaked in sunny vibes.