"Alligator" is easily the National's best effort and quite possibly one of this year's finest records.

A through-and-through classic.

"Faith And Courage" is head and shoulders above what came before it. In fact, it is brilliant.

A landmark work by one of country's singular artists. [4 Mar 2006]

CYHSY is at the best point in the lifecycle of a band: un-styled, simply produced and deserving of the hype for what is -- quite possibly -- a nearly perfect album.

The kind of record from which careers are made.

To say there isn't one bad track on this album would be a drastic understatement.

"Separation Sunday" is not only these Brooklyn transplants' best work to date (far surpassing the critically mis-hyped debut from last year), it is one of the grittiest, realest New York rock albums to come out since the Trouser Press folded.

A monumental step forward in the progression of the group's sound.

"Solitary Man" may lack the immediate impact of its predecessors but is no less a masterpiece.

A masterwork of insight and delight.

"Light" is considerably harder-edged and less accessible than the poppier tunes of their fellow Canucks, incorporating bits of soul, blues, punk, noise and even avant-jazz, in dizzyingly fresh ways.

It is some of Fagen's finest work to date.

This is some of the most accomplished indie rock you're likely to hear.

The third in a trilogy of introspective masterworks sees no decline in genius but an uptick in rockability. [20 Aug 2005]

Hill lets her vocal gifts soar on an outstanding group of songs. [7 Aug 2005]

"Savane" is without question one of the finest efforts in his legendary discography.

One of his finest hours.

What makes Equilibrium special is the wonderfully atmospheric combination of Shipp's most minimalist playing and Jamal's glowing vibes; the rhythms, too, have a hypnotic sense of groove.

An extraordinarily potent recording, one that will likely be among 2001's best.

A consistently moving, subtly beautiful experience.

One of America's greatest bands has never sounded better. [19 Nov 2005]

A wonderfully offbeat blend of atmospheric folk and lo-fi rock that never fails to charm.... One of the year's most well-rounded and consistently satisfying albums.

"Stars of CCTV" is that rare British import that lives up to the advance billing.

Steve Earle adds yet another masterwork to his disparate collection of classics...

"Kid A" immerses listeners in an ocean of unparalleled musical depth. It is, without question, the first truly groundbreaking album of the 21st century.

Power pop just doesn't get any more powerful or poppy than this, with all three singers in fine form and the band -- all high-strung keyboards and frenetic drums -- blazing away at the speed of sound.

The duo wisely experiments with a wider variety of moods and melodies.

This sounds very much like the record Deana Carter has always wanted to make

The disc makes so few concessions to current trends that it sounds like something dug up from a time capsule, in the best sense.

After 28 years, you'd think it would be tough coming up with new twists to captivate audiences. But apparently not for King George, whose latest album, Twang, is among the finest collections of songs he's released.

The final product exceeds the hype.

Like its predecessor, the stellar Sleepwalking is steeped in mature songwriting craftsmanship and versatile rhythms that encompass dance, reggae, hip-hop, and left-field ambiance.

The finest and most listener-friendly album of Gomez's 10-year career.

The duo's current sonic incarnation favors melody over mayhem, and all the better for it.

"Ringleader" proves Morrissey does not need to be miserable to make memorable music.

Not only is this one of the best new-artist debuts in recent memory (think Dixie Chicks in 1998), Lady Antebellum's self-titled set will go down as one of the year's best, period.

The recording is immaculate, the performance breathtaking.

By resolutely forgetting formula, Radiohead proves itself all the more relevant with Amnesiac.

Gone are the meandering Sonic Youth impressions, and in their place are imaginative songs that don't alienate.

Nothing they've done can match the pure pop beauty of "Puzzles Like You."

With the mesmerizing Alison Goldfrapp leading the way, a glam-rock fierceness reigns supreme throughout this stunning collection.

Sounds utterly contemporary even as it harks to the band's glory days.

"One Beat" is so rich with strong new ideas that the dense disc actually takes some getting used to, a real accomplishment for a band some already view as an acquired taste.

"Picaresque" is by far the Decemberists' best work to date.

Impassioned and bold, this record is a triumph.

A hauntingly beautiful album with tender, melodic pop arrangements that really make a lasting impression.

There is more than enough here to make up for any loss of zeitgeist-shattering impact the second time around. [28 Apr 2007]

Beyond the bookish lyrics, Malkmus has composed an album of brilliant songs, with creative intros, off-kilter arrangements, and well-placed effects.

This intimate, often breathtakingly beautiful collection (primarily produced by the artist herself) finds solace in the calm after the storm.

The group encapsulates the Atlantic seacoast just as 1980s twangers the dBs embodied the South and the Beach Boys captured California.

The trio's most complete effort since 1996's Stakes Is High.

A delicious blend of acoustic guitar, raw grooves and sublime melodies. [11 Feb 2006]

Here's a group at the top of its game.

One of the year's best. [29 Oct 2005]

Thanks to organic, piano-driven production, stellar storytelling and Sir's rededication to his vocal craft, this is a triumph.

Release couldn't be more lovely if it tried.

Exceptional technical ability, lyrical insight far beyond their years and unbridled exuberance merge into one of the most promising rock entrances since Radiohead's "Pablo Honey." [18 Feb 2006]

An album of stunning simplicity.

The more time one spends with Vapor Trails, the richer and more nuanced it becomes. Consider this an absolute triumph.

A gorgeous collection of intensely quiet songs filled with lush harmonies and haunting sonic atmospherics.... rarely has the group sounded better.

Case has never sounded as vital as she does on "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood."

The group has already produced a barrage of great singles, but this time around, it digs in its collective heels for a worthy album, allowing the songs, and not just the musicians, to shine. [27 Aug 2005]

A stronger, more distinctive album than its predecessor in nearly every respect.

Shockingly, "ONoffON" is almost on par with that landmark ['Vs.'], clearly the product of the same band operating at top form.

Along with absolutely stunning MC'ing across the board, "Quality" heralds the long-awaited return of the DJ to street hip-hop.

A brighter, bouncier counterpart to its wintry predecessor "Michigan," "Illinois" contains some of the most beautiful pop you will hear all year long.

He just may be to indie rock what Springsteen was for rock'n'roll in 1973 -- a strong, original voice whose honest and painstakingly crafted art seems destined to be a benchmark for future generations as well as encouraging the current one to stand up and testify.

Not only shares some textural similarities with Radiohead's "Kid A," but rivals it as an art-rock classic.

It's an invigorating, electric blend that is pushed over the top by lyrics that are smart and spiritual without ever pressing too hard.

A mature showcase of concentrated power with riotous groove jams, super-sized hooks and transcendent vocal arrangements.

What makes "Source Tags & Codes" such an amazing album is how the band teeters on the edge of this implosion but always yanks its songs back from collapse at the very last second.

Offering her strongest material since her 1982 landmark, Bella Donna, Nicks is radiant as she vamps through guitar-charged rockers that deftly balance her signature poetry with sticky pop hooks.

Beck has rarely performed with such maturity and confidence, breathing a rich, often haunting baritone into songs that seem to follow a plotline thread of despair after the end of a relationship.

Lyrically, Doom hasn't sounded this vital since Viktor Vaughn's "Vaudeville Villain."

"People" boasts an uncommon beauty and originality, brimming with tunes that glimmer with pure magic.

Pearl Jam is fully, comprehensively re-energized.

Beyond the bombast, Wilson has personality and soul to burn, and her impact on country music is going to be felt for many albums to come, starting here. [1 Oct 2005]

[A] very wonderful, very adult set.

"The Search" is Son Volt 2.0, a modern, mature album that might be the group's best yet. [10 Mar 2007]

One of the year's best.

A guileless, brutal breakup album that can sit with the best of them, set to the sounds of music's finest early rock moments. [17 Mar 2007]

The fact that "Complete B-Sides" rocks from start to finish speaks volumes about the Pixies' bizarre creative genius, and their focus on output rather than sales.

The inspiring combination lifts the album far beyond tribute material into sonic territory all its own.

An early contender for the year's best dance/pop album.

Elevates their brand of art-house hip-hop to another level.

Yearwood's voice is a treasure, alternating between jaw-dropping heights and ideal understatement.

Like debuts from Zero 7 and the Avalanches, Melody A.M. is well-situated to sit pretty in many critics' annual top 10s come December.

Overall, this dynamic collection has something unexpected at every turn. [10 Feb 2007]

Despite being assembled from such an array of concerts, the album brilliantly captures the continuity of a live performance.

Every so often an artist will release a debut record that has seemingly come from nowhere; you question where this person has been all your life, and how come it took so long for this to get out.

This is a showcase of a hugely important American artist at full power.

Rooty revels in exploiting rhythmic combinations that shouldn't work--but definitely do.

Taking all the best parts of Jeff Buckley, Devandra Barnhart and Rufus Wainwright, Bird can be noisy, charming, frivolous, haunting and playful all at once.

Sure, McKay is a sonic chameleon, but perhaps more important, she is one deft (and witty) songwriter/musician. [14 Jan 2006]

Retaining the naked simplicity of 2000's "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes" while continuing to hone the more lush, hi-fi sound found on 2001's "The Photo Album," the fantastic "Transatlanticism" is full of the lovely melancholy for which Death Cab is known.

Never has the pair sounded more fresh and self-assured; nor has it delivered such a fully realized work before.

A daring yet accessible disc.