At times, borders on unlistenable. [Nov 2004, p.146]

Sound[s] equally as interesting, but rarely as essential, as the studio material from which it's drawn. [Feb 2006, p.120]

The 10 drone-y songs on Brightblack Morning Light sound more like a soundtrack than a traditional album. [Aug 2006, p.206]

Pleasant, if not very gripping... [March 2001, p.70]

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]

Crystal Castles is gloriously danceable and hopelessly chic. But really, it's... hearing only...judging is... you know? [Apr 2008, p.162]

More Light... burns with a raw intensity, albeit sandwiched between moments that recall Mascis' acoustic and goofy backwoods major-label work. [Jan 2001, p.94]

The subject matter may be a bit heavy, but the beats keep it bouncing along. [Jul 2001, p.73]

For a young, non-jaded Pantha Du Prince fan, though, this could resonate yet.

A bit too cleverly loaded with cultural critiques, winks and nods. [Apr 2006, p.207]

Second-rate Shins. [Aug 2005, p.164]

Considering how much it costs to get Rick Rubin in the producer's chair, it's no surprise Gogol Bordello aim for something beyond full-throttle drunken mayhem on Trans-Continental Hustle. Those worried the party is officially over can rest easy, as "Break The Spell" and "We Comin' Rougher (Immigraniada)" show Gogol Bordello haven't completely forsaken four-on-the-floor folk punk. [June 2010, p.105]

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

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]

There's generally more of the same here, but Doves' alternate influences this time around... don't exactly add up to a great band "stretching out." It's more like they're grabbing at straws. [May 2005, p.134]

Rogue Wave now resemble a more earnest Flaming Lips. [Dec 2005, p.204]

The bulk of Somewhere Gone brings to mind a bummed out, burned out Neko Case. [Nov 2009, p.109]

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

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]

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

Merritt's singularity just feels awkward, and Realism is another album in a catalog more concerned with quantity than quality.

For better or for worse, Grohl replicates each band's musical style with remarkable accuracy. [Mar 2004, p.98]

If you're confused and bewildered by Power, you're probably not alone. [Dec 2004, p.146]

Vanderslice's detached delivery of this riveting material, combined with the somnolent string arrangements, makes Pixel Revolt feel like a chilled-out remix of a book-on-tape recording. [Sep 2005, p.158]

A sobering reminder of how frustrating it can be when a talented group become tethered to their established aesthetic. [Feb 2007, p.118]

There's nothing bad here, but also nothing new. [June 2003, p.103]

The need for The Need is debatable, but it's a nice addition to Anticon's growing catalog of successful experiments. [Mar 2007, p.144]

Burn The Maps' muted vibe demands that you turn down the lights, fire up the candles and listen hard. [Mar 2005, p.132]