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

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

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 best songs... are the ones heavily influened by the Posies' Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer. [#154, p.98]

Contributions from Chuck D... and Dan The Automator... elicit[s] enough blips on the heart monitor to keep the album from flatlining. [Dec 2004, p.158]

For a bunch of comedians, the Electric Six sure are talented musicians. [Dec 2006, p.189]

The only thing glossier than the production on these high-school hallway-gossip tracks is the shimmery snottiness that permeates [their] lyrics. [Aug 2003, p.106]

Unrewardingly dark. [March 2003, p.90]

It all boils down to the simple question of which songs grab you, so there are certainly reasons to give Appeal a whirl and decide for yourself. [Nov 2008, p.151]

It still feels like they have a bit more work to do before their albums are consistently exciting from start to finish. [Nov 2009, p.109]

Tellingly, 'Angelika' and 'Maria Leonza' only get comfortably loose and silly when halfway finished. With a Strokes-y guitar part and a driving backbeat, the innovative '16th & Valencia, Roxy Music' is hopefully what Banhart will be in the future. [Dec 2009, p.108]

Frontman Chris Carrabba then shifts into the "Mature Artist" EP, showcasing critic-approved influences like U2 and the Cure ("Blame It On The Changes"), but goes too far with the acoustic mewl of "Even Now" (which is so personal, it's awkward) and "The Motions," a failed experiment in '80s pop. [Jan 2010, p. 92]

The collaborations produce some occasional gems, but midway through the disc one gets the impression the X-men are no longer "in their own session." [Feb 2002, p.82]

If Euphoric has a weak spot, it's that Glasvegas' desperation can become overwrought. [May 2011, p.93]

What none of these songs has... is a hook that sticks with you. [Jul 2006, p.204]

A highly charged and welcome return. [May 2011, p.93]

The album runs a tad long--and it's difficult to suss out the band's individual voice from underneath the weight of their influences. [Mar 2011, 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]

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.

Like most everything else here, it's a dancing no-brainer. [Mar 2011, 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]

Chirpin Hard makes you feel like you're getting chased by a swarm of giant mosquitoes in a scrolling Mega Man hellscape circa 1992, while Church Gone Wild is a nerve-shattering whirlwind of atonal chaos. [May 2005, p.168]

[It] comes off as another Albarn project that's neither amazing or anathema. [Feb 2007, p.122]

This record sounds like Story Of The Year if they weree from the UK--energetic pop-hardcore that's ultimately a bit on the fogettable side. [Jul 2009, p.122]

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

Occasionally he resembles a Pakistani Bryan Ferry. Is this a good thing? It is if you like Pakistani Bryan Ferrys. [#155, p.70]

Anyone wishing to reminisce about the golden age that was the third wave of ska-punk will find plenty to like, though, as by its very nature, TV/EP sounds like something straight outta '97.

Drummer George Barnett's military-precision beats are way up in the mix, but the band dynamic that made "Pyramid" so engaging, vibrant and coruscating, is virtually non-existent. [Apr 2010, p.130]