There is little on Golden State to differentiate it from its predecessors. [Dec 2001, p.76]

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.

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.

Multicultural rage is all well and good, but when you cop your flow from Vanilla Ice, it undermines your underground cred. [Jan 2002, p.98]

They lard The Printz with rote Aggressive Rock Radio fodder. [Jul 2004, p.148]

On some songs... the cutting-and-pasting fails to produce anything new, but a handful of others blend their textures beautifully. [Sep 2004, p.122]

Unfortunately, the band overcompensate for all the testosterone with modern-rock romps like "Some Say" and with bland ballads like "Slipping Away." [Dec 2004, p.142]

Aveo's songwriting isn't as intriguing as their sound. [May 2004, p.94]

Yes, it sounds like Yes, and, no, I don't mean that in a good way. [Nov 2003, p.99]

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.

Contains three best-of-year-brilliant songs. [Mar 2006, p.124]

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.

In comparison with many imitators, Tanaka does what he does well... [Aug 2001, p.88]

Tracks like "Terra Firma" evoke every new-age-groove cliche imaginable, from Gregorian chants to pan flutes to politely understated hip-hop beats. [#152, p.74]

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]

On Fever, it's all about the harmonized riffs and the high-flying melodies interlocking with the type of rhythmic thud that feels like it could move the earth--and the pop charts. [May 2010, p.104]

The mild vulgarity and cute arrogance put to such an innocent melody [in "Fool Like Me"] is the brand of sass for which Cobra Starship are best known. Unfortunately, these traits are desperately lacking from the rest of Night Shades.

The baby-making music never reaches above its already-set guidelines to become something truly special, preferring to explore already charted (and re-charted) territory. [Apr 2007, p.180]

Records like this deliver atmosphere and little else, and most of Pelo's 10 tracks make a point of ending two minutes later than they logically should, but still, feel-good artsy pop has never felt bubblier or more confident. [#151, p.72]

There's little sign of life here, only gently unassuming arpeggios and blanketing softness. [Jan 2004, p.98]

The sample-based backing tracks, hard-hitting but plain, don't have much choice but to play second-best. [Jan 2002, p.74]

The biggest problem on Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is that the campy B-movie samples and song titles like "Jesus Frankenstein" and "Werewolf, Baby!" come across as juvenile and lame. [Mar 2010, p.98

It seems silly to declare Time To Die too well put together, but it's not always the shapest knife that gets the most use. [Oct 2009, p.110]

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]

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

Both Sole's most accomplished album and his least distinctive. [Apr 2005, p.130]

Alternately maddening and enlightening. [Jun 2003, p.110]

It's a moody composition with occasional moments of brilliance that will ultimately leave most listeners as confused as they are content. [Oct 2009, p.114]

Matt and Kim deserve albums that sound clean and ambitious, but in all of Sidewalk's studio processing, their endearing personalities--decidedly brash, raw and awesome--unfortunately aren't well-represented. [Jan 2011, p.93]

There is very little here that makes any sort of meaningful connection. [Dec 2001, p.85]

Like a late-night screening of Blue Velvet, it may be hard to get through, but impossible to ignore. [Dec 2011, p.121]

Sweaty and thick, convincingly urgent and highly sexual. [Jul 2006, p.210]

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]

Pop's dirty-bassed rock may expand T.'s audience, but it's diminished his art. [Sep 2005, p.170]

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

In place of Morcheeba's poetic brooding is a poppy, chorus-hook-chorus songwriting style that will probably irk a lot of their fans.... From the sounds of it, Morcheeba are going for the teen-pop market... [#146, p.104]

Bad news for fans of either party who'd expected the union to generate something revolutionary. [Dec 2002, p.85]

[Stephin] Merritt likes to sing about dancing--'I'm Lonely' gives us good reason to join him on the floor. [#147, p.92]

It's still a blast to listen to Hot Hot Heat when they sound like they're having fun, even if they have to fake it. [Sep/Oct 2007, p.169]

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]

This is isn't a terrible album, but considering the rest of their vibrant catalog, it just seems a bit stale. [Mar 2012, p.98]

It's not that Hey People! is bad, because it's not--but it's not that good, either. [Feb 2006, p.126]

For the target audience, such education lines as "K is for kid fart/L is for long and loud farts" will leave house apes wondering what the fuck they ever saw in "Wheels On The Bus." [Oct 2008, p.153]

Marks a slight improvement from 1999's Bury The Hatchet. [Nov 2001, p.79]

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

All Amputechture does is test patience. [Oct 2006, p.200]

Although we have a hard time following along with this one's theme, we do enjoy the music in spurts. [Jun 2009, p.103]

He and his mercenaries swing cleverly from noodly instruments to introspective acoustic ditties, but never settle down long enough to let their concoction congeal. [Jul 2009, p.127]

Gay For Johnny Depp succeed because they don't take themselves seriously and they know how to write a crushingly good hardcore song. [Mar 2011, p.93]

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]

Too often, Kasher is lost in his screamy, overdramatic posturing. [Sep 2005, p.154]

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]

The Fratellis may have simply have heightened our expectations by sounding too good too soon. [Aug 2008, p.170]

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]

While the album has occasional moments of brillance, most of these songs sound like underwhelming sketches instead of finished products. [Oct 2007, p.160]

Sadly, Modulate comes off as a former punk's clumsy and unsuccessful attempt at diving into a genre that relies less on the organic than it does on the synthetic. [May 2002, p.96]

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]

The addition of electric instruments and Morello's nasal speak-singing do make Rebel Songs read a little like a radicalized Dylan. [Sep 2011, p.116]

It's hard enough to decipher his demented verses without constant interference from squelchy synth-bass farts. [Aug 2006, p.222]

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]

A confident and bold album... [but] it unfortunately expends so much energy being spooky and otherworldly that most of the anticipated enchanting beauty is nowhere to be found. [Sep 2005, p.156]

Without the extra bells and whisteles--which alwways saved the weakest Faint songs in the past--most of Faciinatiion is largely dispoable. [Sep 2008, p.160]

South are at their most compelling when they apply the aesthetics and methodology of dance music to their epic rock music. [Mar 2002, p.88]

Arguably anything Morello releases is worth listening to and The Fabled City, while not perfect, is no different. [Oct 2006, p.153]

Dumb Luck is likely to appeal more to the indie-rock crowd than electronica purists. [Jun 2007, p.161]

A decidedly hit-or-miss affair. [Nov 2004, p.148]

The Offspring once again demonstrate this knack for incorporating flavor-of-the-month flourishes into their sound in tongue-in-cheek fashion.... These embellishments aside, the Offspring hone in on the dyed-in-the-wool cheetah-paced punk that is their true bread and butter. [Jan 2001, p.81]

Nothing on Sixes & Sevens quite lives up to the giddy brillance of the "Juno" soundtrack, but the music will still inspire you to draw hearts around your crush's name in your fifth-period notebook. [May 2008, p.134]

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]

Everyone involved seems to simply be shrugging along in an almost cynical fashion, figuring people will buy it no matter what they do.

It's uncomplicated, catchy fun, the equivalent of 21st-century hair metal-and that's meant as a compliment.

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

The wicked dueling guitars of Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel are about the only saving grace, but even the wildest arpeggio run can't save Congregation from near-total damnation. [Dec 2009, p.116]

Granted, the Offspring have always dabbled in lyrical goofiness, but on Splinter, this approach seeps into the music as well. [Jan 2004, p.93]

A bit flat. [Jan 2007, p.131]

What could have been a second coming of Stone Roses or even a newer New Order comes off like one big Spiritualized remix, light on the hooks, numbed by its own beats. [Apr 2002, p.82]

The mood, talent, and energy are present, but the lack of lyrics is off-putting and relegates the band's seventh proper LP to B-team status. [Feb 2009, p.103]

It feels like the afterthought it most likely was. [Oct 2002, p.77]

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

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.

Most of Maritime's debut feels incredibly boxed in. [Aug 2004, p.106]

A novel idea that falls flat due to poor execution. [Dec 2004, p.162]

Clogging their previously supple grooves with banal guitar bluster and noxious singing, VHS Or Beta don't set the Night On Fire; they just dampen your spirits. [Oct 2004, p.148]

With a handful of vibrant songs that match either a late-night lounge vibe, or elevate their retro-country game, the album's only major flaw is forcing too many drastic costume changes on their angelic voices. [Mar 2010, p.98]

They haven't lost any of their quirky cool mojo. [Nov 2001, p.97]

Uninspired goofiness... [#154, p.98]

Bianchi's hackneyed lyrics... often overshadow the music's subtle pleasures. [Oct 2005, p.170]

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

Album, boring. [Dec 2004, p.150]

Unfortunately, as with many Verve albums, Bar's dreamy tempos and strung-out riffs, while fragile and beautiful, start to fade into a middling mess of sameness around the middle of the disc. [March 2003, p.98]

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.

Like a football running back, it's when the band put their heads down and sprint straight ahead that they score. [mar 2009, p.113]

The hooks aren't quite as memorable as last time, and Elvis Baskette's production at times make the band sound like faceless radio rock--but the disc ultimately might soon find TFT making good on their arena-rock aspirations. [Jul 2011, p.112]

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

Trinity is almost perversely uninvolving on first listen. [Sep 2002, p.90]

[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]

Poison excels at using retro flourishes without drowning in nostalgia or irony, and it never forgets the future is brightest. [Jan 2009, p.130]

Decas is not exactly coherent listening experience. Still, it's a worthy addition to the band's weighty catalog. [Dec 2011, p.118]