Tori Amos fans will be thrilled, but those hoping to continue on a hard-rock bender will be left puzzled. [May 2015, p.100]

Frontman Colin Newman's pointed lyrics can be gloriously dry and the measured melodies of the songs are fine. [May 2015, p.102]

These offerings feel uncharacteristically flat. [Apr 3015, p.92]

This could-be landmark is dragged down a few notches by a grating singer. [Apr 2015, p.90]

An admirable effort, yet this feels like Gang Of Four taking six steps backwards into obscurity. [Mar 2015, p.93]

If the album has a flaw, it's a lack of structure and differentiation; as the music progresses, songs become less distinct and less compelling. [Mar 2015, p.90]

The result is a record that is frequently too busy. [Feb 2015, p.90]

The good: Tyler Carter and Luke Holland's performance one-ups YouTube tryhards on Paramore's "Ain't No fun"; Set It Off are naturals at this whole "pop" thing, nailing Adriana Grande's "Problem".... The bad: August Burns Red's cover of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" tries to make a pp song pissed--it's dated on arrival.... The just plain ridiculous: Upon A Burning Body ft. Ice T covering "Turn Down For What?" [Dec 2014, p.107]

There are hints of something fresh on There's Nothing Wrong With Me. [Dec 2014, p.106]

There’s passion cooked into each Antemasque song, but it is curiously unmoving.

Certain segments remain faithful to the original material while others are unrecognizable through veils of sawing bass, guitar clank, expansive percussion marches and a gang of 50-year-old dudes reliving their adolescence through music and busted guts. [Dec 2014, p.107]

There's a foundation for true duality somewhere, but a lot of growing pains as well. [Nov 2014, p.94]

As eleventh albums go, Siren Charms is a more than respectable collection. [Oct 2014, p.98]

It's rad that Finch are back together sounding sharp, but the creative differences that led to this album being nearly a decade in the making remain apparent. [Oct 2014, p.100]

When they stick to the ’60s Cali Pop of the uplifting “We Are Done” and dreamy “California Rain,” they produce some remarkably winning songs worthy of van-loads of bearded, guitar-toting indie popsters aping the Beach Boys and the Mommas And The Papas. When they miss, though, it’s more unbearable than rush hour traffic on the 405.

It means "Everything You Think You Know," "Smoking Kills," and "Day Man," while not bad, do feel slightly generic, which unfortunately diminishes the power of these well-intentioned, heart pounding songs. [Oct 2014, p.98]

The results of this experiment is decidedly mixed. [Oct 2014, p.101]

While their weird is very often wonderful, these 10 tracks are somewhat inconsistent. [Oct 2014, p.98]

The anthems still have Morrissey and Marr in their DNA, but they pout more than they roar. [Sep 2014, p.108]

There are good cop/bad cop phrasing, well-placed electronic glitches and enough predictable, djent-ish riffing to keep the pit going. [Sep 2014, p.104]

What Worlds never does is cohere in any appreciable way, stomping all over its finer moments with another synth glitterbomb and burdensome bass drop. [Sep 2014, p.107]

Call it growing pains for a storied discography, but the result leaves the album feeling unbalanced around the gems and less rewarding over multiple listens. [Sep 2014, p.110]

It won’t satisfy the appetite of fans of the band that are salivating over the thought of a brand new album with Lindberg’s patented shout-sing back and leading the charge. But as a stopgap and look back at the band’s early years, Yesterdays is a rowdy Pennywise romp.

Rather than try and move these songs into new territory, everyone involved seem hellbent on remaking Lewis into something closer to Sheryl Crow or Shania Twain. It’s a weird place for her to be in, yet one that she looks to be acclimating to quite easily.

The tunes are instantly likeable.... What's missing are the immediate hooks that today's competitors from Katy Perry to Marina And The Diamonds, use to claim Madonna's now-vacant throne. [Jul 2014, p.98]

World Peace is a frustrating experience, moving too quickly between temperaments and overstaying its welcome by a good 20 minutes.

While dissonant noise is the main component of the duo's slacker shoegaze, hidden beneath those layers of distortion are some moments of melody. [Jul 2014, p.102]

Cheap Girls’ songs blur together--hell, so do their albums--but it’s something to take a deeper look at.

For now, it just comes off like an unnecessary retreat.

Where the band struggle is writing memorable tunes. [May 2014, p.91]

Had these songs been released a decade ago, they'd be a sensation. Today? Nah. [Jun 2014, p.105]

The disc is at least 20 minutes too long, with Slug coming off like he's simply recycling the same lyrical ideas in the last third of the album. [Jun 2014, p.104]

The Menzies score big about half the time. [May 2014, p.93]

The album is a success because it shows sophistication and growth. [Apr 2014, p.94]

This isn’t a record to slap on for kicks or to challenge the bass response of your car stereo; this is the album that makes you want to scowl under gray skies as you slog to your day job.

At their best, the churning rhythms, swirling synth and vocals suggest Animal Collective digging through a crate of DFA Records. [Mar 2014, p.94]

They’re ultimately relatable and endearing enough, even though the most jaded of listeners will still roll their eyes at the smarmy nostalgia (“Too Young To Feel This Old”) and new-era YOLO sentimentality.

The two sides of their musical personality aren't in balance, but it doesn't make this album any less fun or rocking. [Feb 2014, p.92]

Although it sounds pristine, Youth often drifts along aimlessly, mostly because of shapeless songwriting that stresses atmosphere and sound sculpting over structure. [Jan 2014, p.95]

[Travis Morrison's] earworm melodies and piquant lyrical outlook are Uncanney's only source of nutrients. The rest are empty calories. [Nov 2013, p.94]

The energy makes it feel like there's too much going on, leading to songs blending structurally, downplaying hooks.

If you’ve long hoped for a more mainstream direction and always wanted to hear just how sweet a singer Krauss is, Bitter Rivals could be your favorite Sleigh Bells yet. But if you’re wishing they could’ve evolved in a way that didn’t involve quite so many ballads and especially not at the expense of what made Sleigh Bells so great, this might not be as essential as you presumed it would be.

If you’re in the market for something sullen, you could do a lot worse. But if you’re yearning for any of what likely drew you to Moving Mountains in the first place, you probably need to hope it happens the next time around.

The music, more polished and synthetic than ever, is fine.... But too much of this album comes off like self-parody. [Oct 2013, p.92]

Too much of this collection tries to get by merely on Allan's mumble-to-a-scream vocals and a smothering wall of reverb, leaving the instrumentation dull and the tunes indistinct. [Oct 2013, p.86]

At times, Iwrestledabearonce could almost pass for In This Moment. Whether that's a compliment or not is your call. [Sep 2013, p.90]

It's ain't perfect, with some primitive playing popping up at inopportune times. But if you're after a soundtrack for these late summer months, look no further than Lost Control. [Sep 2013, p.88]

Their fourth album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is just as resolute as the title. [Sep 2013, p.88]

Taken alone, these six tracks are fascinating enough from a conceptual standpoint, and listening to a band audibly restraining themselves is quite scintillating. But it's hard to shake the feeling that these pieces would likely have a significantly greater impact when connected with the entire Testimony performance.

The overall ambition is commendable, but perhaps a better plan of action would have been to strip the story completely, cull together the album’s best songs and instead close the EP trilogy with a stronger, shorter release.

Although a bit more of that energy [on tracks like "Your Head Got Misplaced" and "Sick And Impatient"] would've been welcome, Youth is still a lush, inventive listen great for headphones--just not stage-diving.[Jul 2013, p.96]

It's not bad, but it is slightly disappointing. [Jul 2013, p.102]

There’s a good deal of filler on In A Warzone, to be sure, but fortunately there are still some rewards awaiting those who stick it out.

The pieces don't always fit comfortably together, but the picture remains remarkable. [Jul 2013, p.102]

Sometimes it works, other times it just sounds bitter and gratuitous. [Jul 2013, p.96]

Though fast and dynamic, it's just not exciting in the way it should be, and it's impossible to shake the feeling that something is missing. [Jul 2013, p.96]

With shorter songs and more restrained production it lacks the epic quality of its predecessor, and overall it is weaker for it.

For all of its charms, One Kiss Ends It All sounds a bit sdhaky and unfocused. [Jun 2013, p.98]

Ungrateful comes off as cluttered and confused. [Jun 2013, p.92]

Instead of cleverness, the polished songs indulge here sentimental broken heart. Bandmate M. Ward is mostly content to stay out of the way vocally, but he builds up a castle of retro-instrumental heartbreak for Deschanel. [Jun 2013, p.102]

Young New England may not define Transit, as it's wildly uneven and sometimes oddly raw, but there's enough good here--the missteps, you'll listen and forgive. [May 2013, p.91]

For some reason, the Stooges decided to get moody on a trio of acoustic-based tracks, letting their singer respond by going into full on crooner mode. That sort of twaddle may fly on Pop's solo records, but when they go up against the slinky, deep pocket grooves of the rest of the album, the songs feel pale and hollow.

The Postelles flash moments of this talent, but often come off as a pedestrian version of a banal sound.

There’s enough inventive, Jamaican-inspired music on Free The Universe to make it worth hearing--but here’s hoping Diplo keeps things Kingston-centric again next time around.

Though their sometimes generic juddering occasionally dulls the impact, it's still clear the Color Morale are trying to be more than just "another one of those bands." [Apr 2013, p.88]

My Shame Is True winds up feeling like white noise more than anything else. [May 2013, p.84]

While electronic music fans are not always a lyrics-first bunch, the sentiments here will probably sound better shouted at Glastonbury or Coachella than examined via earbuds.

The collection is loosely held together by vintage production, making many tracks feel like distant AM radio transmissions. [Apr 2013, p.86]

The high points find the Men melding their overmodulated past with their new melodic obsessions. The low points render the band mere pretenders to outfits like Guided By Voices and Spoon. [Apr 2013, p.90]

Images Du Futur lacks the structural rigor and focused ideas of [Clinic], which prevents the album from having a strong impact. [Apr 2013, p.90]

This is some subversive fun. Baffling, however, is a nearly note-for-note sonic reproduction of the Queen hit "Bohemian Rhapsody." [Mar 2013, p.93]

Temper Temper probably sounds great played in an arena. But on the stereo, it just isn't enough. [Mar 2013, p.90]

Somewhere Else is only rewarding if you can stay awake. [Feb 2013, p.90]

Beta Love feels too much like the band's token electronic record. [Feb 2013, p.92]

This record possesses a contagious energy that exists not in lieu of a hook but actively as the hook. [Feb 2013, p.90]

"Black Balloons" is built on a riff exactly like Bon Iver's "Perth" sped up, and hearing the grating lyrical wail of "Columbia" and you're left wondering if so much time away was a result of writer's block. [Feb 2013, p.90]

There's nothing that leaps out as brilliant, just like there's not a single example of the band trying something genuinely risky and new, and falling on their collective face.

¡Tré! feels scattershot and slapped together, making it difficult to enjoy on its own merits.

Deheza's still a fine singer and there are plenty of interesting tones and sounds flitting across the background, but all it ever coalesces into is wan, directionless, dance rock.

There's nothing surprising or too far outside their comfort zone.

While Apocryphon might be the band's push toward the future, let it also exist as a funeral dirge for the band's more vibrant and rule-breaking past. [Nov 2012, p.94]

Banks is a dense (and sometimes prickly) listen that's not immediately accessible, although it rewards those who give it time. [Nov 2012, p.86]

Their fourth effort is sabotaged by a weak second half spent on played-out '80s darkwave fascinations. [Nov 2012, p.94]

The other songs beg for remixes, guest vocalists or anything to give them more depth. [Nov 2012, p.92]

Other than "I Ejaculate Fire," the lyrics aren't that funny--it often seems like Small is trying to write real metal songs. And it's hard to see the point of that.

There's lots of talent in this New York sextet, but it gets lost in all the unbridled exploration and layers.

There's nothing about Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee's performance on Life that will make you realize you're listening to Ben Folds Five. Still, a few songs are gems. [Oct 2012, p.84]

It feels safe and too familiar.

The Southern-rock grit that used to make Band Of Horses spellbinding is in dangerously short supply, but there's nothing else there to replace it. [Oct 2012, p.84]

While it's enjoyable for what it is, you can't help but wonder where all the songs went when after an half-hour or so, you recall literally nothing. [Oct 2012, p.92]

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!"