This record isn't for casual listening, so those checking out the Mars Volta for the first time should take it slow to prevent a sonic hangover.

The rest of Identified, though, panders to the preteen demo with stop-start pop that ranges from pleasant (the title track) to dull ("Amazed") to off-putting ("Hook It Up"). But for little girls, this is one nonstop singalong.

An album that would have been great in 1983; now, it is more of a nostalgic lark.

Fans of Wilco will certainly oblige Kotche's singular visions; fans of "Being There," maybe not so much.

With a few notable exceptions... inspiration is just what this album lacks.

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

A fairly paint-by-numbers affair.

More often than not, even Shadow's most extreme sonic detours hit home.

It is simply miserable, heavy, repetitive and cathartic. [18 Nov 2006]

The group's live shows are the stuff of legend--perhaps that's why the act's debut album, #1, seems a bit disappointing without the corresponding over-the-top visuals.

The seemingly ageless Australian rock combo mostly employs its same tried-and-true formula on the audio side of the Black Ice equation.

No matter how hooky things get, the Warlocks tend to bury each song in the same multi-layered haze of feedback and distortion, as if sheer decibels are the sole element holding everything together.

Well-produced, albeit predictable.

The set as a whole lacks variety and rarely shifts tempo. [24 Feb 2007]

There is a little too much tra-la-la-ing, but it's a pleasure to hear a new band having so much infectious fun. [24 Mar 2007]

Nonsensical lyrics about butterflies and name-changing lovers on tracks like 'You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)' and 'Apollo And The Buffalo And Anna Anna Anna Oh!,' could serve as a distraction, but the songs are saved by beautifully frantic instrumentals.

More often than not, Oldham's signature vocalizing keeps Tortoise from falling back on old sonic tricks. [21 Jan 2006]

[It] flashes with moments of greatness. [9 Dec 2006]

The melodies aren't always there, and the restrained production makes for an occasionally nagging sense of meandering. [3 Mar 2007]

With expectations tempered for Forgiven, the sibling trio from Texas doesn't panic but rather retrenches, returning to the easy-grooving, harmony-laden Carlos Santana-meets-Stevie Ray Vaughan feel of its first album.

While the production is good, the divergent styles and lack of cohesion add up to a somewhat schizophrenic offering.

Even visionaries lose sight at times, as Pierce does on "Let It Come Down," an album that can only be deemed a fractured opus.

Mark's sound here is cohesive and unified, though a pervasive midtempo vibe and downer subject matter (it's mostly a breakup album) tend to blur together. [3 Mar 2007]

Though Milian often comes off as a third-rate Beyoncé, her feathery soprano captivates when her lyrics do not.

"Word of Mouf" never quite meets the standard 'Cris set for himself with his debut.

The set is somewhat of a shambolic affair, wherein kernels of good ideas get blown out, jumbled up or lost in execution.

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

"Run the Road 2" does not live up to its crack predecessor, but that observation is neither a surprise nor a slam. [18 Feb 2006]