I Bet On Sky can feel a bit sleepy--although noise-cracked solos and psychedelic-quicksand riffs ultimately keep things lively. [Oct 2012, p.88]

Blood is a disappointing step backward from a band that showed real greatness only two years ago. [Sep 2012, p.90]

"Gonna Be Free" is a solid tune, but not strong enough to save Circle from mediocrity. [Aug 2012, p.88]

Pleasant as the diversity is, the finished products are what you'd get from any modern tribute album. [Sep 2012, p.94]

Being lacks enough urgency to sustain nearly 38 full-throttle minutes and becomes an analogy for the unvarying capitalization on its record sleeve.

Despite some missteps, Icky Blossoms would fit on a playlist between Archie Bronson Outfit and Bloc Party. [Aug 2012, p.90]

The songs themselves are sturdy and powerful, with the right mix of ebb and flow, and ample chug-chug parts for the pit monkeys.

Hypnotic Nights has the feeling of an album created by Venn diagram, with the outer edges of glam, psychedelia, garage rock and hard rock connecting to create "the ultimate rock album…you know, for kids!"

Unsound falters on ragged tune such as "Sectionals In Mourning" and "Semi-Pseudo-Sort-Of-Plan;" these songs feel far too much like half-finished rehearsal takes that could use some tightening. [Aug 2012, p.92]

The majority of the album sounds like generic radio rock. [Jul 2012, p.98]

Jaill's pacing and musical phrasing feels noticeably lethargic. [Jul 2012, p.94]

The disparate pieces of Melvins Lite don't quite line up. [Jul 2012, p.98]

Despite the obvious problems with continuity and flow (not to mention the general concept of time, as in the amount of actual time it takes to comb through 99 tracks), there's still a lot of good music on Occupy This Album.

The biggest failure of This Is PiL, sadly, is the band's centerpiece: Lydon. As fine as he can be (see again "Deeper Water"), he sounds downright unhinged. Not in the puckish, sinister way that made PiL live albums so bracing, either-no, his work here sounds tossed off, and too often just plain off.

On Sunshine and a handful of others, she's M.I.A. protege in Kala mode; elsewhere, she's been "optimized" for a climate more partial to Nicki Minaj. [Jun 2012, p.84]

The humor practiced by Black and cohort Kyle Gass hasn't evolved much since [2008's "Pick Of Destiny"]; Fenix is loaded with classic-rock-aping material which simultaneously admires and lampoons everything from Star Wars ("Deth Starr") to organized religion ("Throwdown").

The record tends to fade into the background and become something so indistinct that it's forgettable, even after multiple listens.

While the positive vibe is admirable, there's just not much substantial to grab on to--and few songs linger after the album's over.

Bull drags on with minimal memorable hooks and far too much guitar feedback. [Jun 2012, p.76]

Until Reptar develop their own voice, they have to keep making up for their derivative music with enthusiasm. [Jun 2012, p.82]

[Often the album] leads to pleasant but forgettable songs, leaning toward Britpop.

For now, this stands as another good if inessential addition to their catalog-a phrase that, for better or worse, applies to the majority of their output.

Ultimately, the album's main fault is its resolute consistency, namely the fact that things basically run on one speed, and it gets repetitive quickly.

The trouble is, not much sets this new album apart from their career benchmarks, like 2002's Nothing or 1998's Chaosphere.

Pure bubblegum, but with an often-faded flavor. [Apr 2012, p.98]

Happy To You's charm does wear off in repeated listens, though, resulting in an album that's enjoyable, but far from life changing. [Apr 2012, p.96]

The bulk of the album's 14 tracks find her playing it safe with a helium-voiced squeak reminiscent of (take your pick) Gwen Stefani, Santigold, Kate Bush or Cyndi Lauper. [Nov 2011, p.97]

A set track list and a few new tunes....[creates] a more well-rounded picture of the band than last year's smorgasbord. [Apr 2012, p.92]