There are potent moments like the rise-and-fall ballad 'Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?' and the fierce 'Nothingtown,' but 'Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace' sounds more like a tentative step in the Offspring's new direction.

Nostradamus isn't likely to surprise you--this is softcore for the hardcore.

On the synthy, Darkchild-produced 'So Over You,' Ashanti croons about getting past a former relationship, while the Jermaine Dupri-mixed 'Good Good,' featuring elements of Michael Jackson's 'The Girl Is Mine,' finds her confidently belting about her abilities to please in bed.

Their technically adventurous playing occasionally gathers some spooky steam, but this is definitely a fans-only affair.

The band's first new set since 2002 is full of these well-intentioned attempts to recapture some of that '80s pyromania (or in the case of the absurdly large power ballad 'Love,' herculean '70s prog-rock balladry), but without producer Robert "Mutt" Lange, who left for the much more profitable world of country years ago, the results are solid if unspectacular.

Free Somehow, which marks the debut of new-ish guitarist Jimmy Herring, is no less of a tease, boasting three or four memorable songs (none mightier than 'Airplane') and the rest serviceable filler.

This song-by-song re-creation of Judy Garland's iconic 1961 Carnegie Hall performance, staged there by Rufus Wainwright in 2006, seems better-suited to a cabaret act.

Simon LeBon and company have a lot of baggage, and their latest effort doesn't match the neon-lit glory days of yesteryear.

It's defiant like a bad drunk, uncomfortably oversexed and more at home in a seedy after-hours club than a celebrity ultra-lounge.

There are a few instances where the songs manage to make the listener forget about the court appearances and remember Doherty's uniquely skewered way around a guitar line and lyric.

Cease falters when it dips into mediocre balladry ('Detlef Schrempf,' 'Marry Song'), and at a scant 35 minutes, the album at times hints at greatness but ultimately leaves you wanting more.

While superbly recorded and at times a hoot to crank (largely for the shameless rips of Kiss, Joan Jett and Def Leppard), Bitchin' is too light on hooks.

Though the album is good, for an artist of 50 Cent's caliber, it's not great.

This sophomore set likewise has moments of indelible pop bliss, but too often veers off track with unnecessarily long songs and dull arrangements.

There aren't enough original ideas here to know if Rooney can shine as a relevant, modern rock band.

It's still a mess, though an ambitious and grandiose one.

The project just doesn't offer as many gems as "King," which pushed T.I. to new commercial heights.

"The Mix-Up" is thematically sound and feels like a comprehensive piece instead of a self-indulgent scheme. [30 Jun 2007]

More hit than miss. [30 Jun 2007]

At its best, "Golden Pollen" is graceful, intricately planned and divinely produced.... On occasion though, the set can be downright boring. [23 Jun 2007]

There are only a couple of songs with enough impact to avoid boring people who catch the band on tour this summer. [9 Jun 2007]

Focusing more on catchy hooks and Fergie-style chants than lyrics helps disguise her vocal limitations. [9 Jun 2007]

It's a very sexually explicit R. Kelly who greets fans on this outing. [2 Jun 2007]

On first listen, it might seem too derivative, even dull, but Jeff Tweedy's intricate vocal melodies and Nels Cline's ferocious guitar work keep things interesting. [19 May 2007]

Linkin Park's ambitions are nearly palpable, but songs likely conceived as homages end up sounding too close to their sources. [26 May 2007]

Although the arrangements remain impressive, there are moments when it feels as though Dungen should stick with a quicker pace. [26 May 2007]

Aside from grand moments like "All Hands on Deck - Part 1: Raise the Sail" and the orchestral wall that builds on "The Sweetest Wave," you don't get the feeling that a continuous story binds the album together.

Even Björk's misses are more exciting than most of what we currently call hits. [12 May 2007]