While the casual listener may tire of the repetitive synthiness of Anxiety Always, fans of the genre will dig the act's '80s-inflected tunes.

An adventurous singer/songwriter just like her sister Shelby Lynne, the vocally gifted Moorer doesn't shy away from bucking country tradition. In fact, she seems to revel in it.

The album may consign the Raveonettes further to cult-level status, but like a challenging mate, it seduces us into coming back for more.

Serenade is most compelling when Earle snarls in his irrefutable way at Middle East warmakers ('Jericho Road') and rural drug pushers ('Oxycontin Blues').

At times, the misery borders on cliché, but luckily, "Quarry" sports some of Morrissey's most direct vignettes in years.

This is the kind of record the Strokes and countless other newfangled pop/rock groups have been trying to make over the first half of the decade. But nobody's done it with such effortless flair as Phoenix.

On her sophomore set, Solange not only takes on a sound that differs from her pop-driven 2002 debut, but demonstrates that unlike her sister Beyoncé--who she vehemently refutes comparisons to on 'God Given Name'--she has no reservations about sharing personal experiences.

The new set isn't without a whiff of schmaltz....Thicke's strong singing--and a few winning uptempo numbers, including the infectious 'Magic' and the R. Kelly-ish 'Sidestep'--right the ship.

Time has not dulled the group's scarily tight musicianship. [15 Oct 2005]

Carnival II sounds louder when it's quieter.

The California-based trio continues its exploration of more straight-ahead rock and pop with surprisingly strong results.

And while it is a bit less corrugated than some of its early work, it packs a bite that's far more venomous than any of the sound-alikes that continue to nip at Plaid's heels.

Returns to hip-hop basics.

Mr. Lucky makes up for lost time with 14 gems that showcase his sharp vocal stylings, particular brand of countrified pop music and (given his sex appeal) an equally impossible-to-believe preponderance of romantic heartbreak.

Seven years after breaking out of Sweden's eternal garage-revival scene, this color-coordinated quintet has somehow created its liveliest, most playable album.

Its debut U.S. set showcases its accessible modern rock and frontman Paul Noonan's ambitious lyrics.

The band retains a certain backwoods spookiness, meaning songs like 'Many Funerals' and sci-fi lead single 'Invasion' keep their edge amidst a clutch of tunes ('Come Clean,' 'Ten Cent Blues') that resemble nothing so much as mid-period Fleetwood Mac.

While Yusuf (formerly known as Cat Stevens) officially returned to the pop world in 2006 with the welcomed "An Other Cup," his re-entry has only now been fully realized with the thoroughly engaging Roadsinger (To Warm You Through the Night).

Williams and Elvis Costello get their twang on for the spirited 'Jailhouse Tears,' and a combination of new elements (horns) and powerhouse playing by her touring band Buick 6 bolster the set's emotional heft.

Populating that lyrical forest are knights, goblins, talking animals and ticking (shades of Peter Pan crocodiles), Costas spinning her offbeat tales like a young Suzanne Vega setting Brothers Grimm fables to music. It's all melodically accessible.

While the album isn't nearly as compelling as Wilco's latest, it proves a thoroughly enjoyable listen nonetheless.

Beneath the dreamy melodies is more than a hint of darkness, disguised by the languid arrangements and dreamy playing.

One of the prettiest albums of the year.

"Different Days" manages to be sleepy without being lazy and sad without being depressing.

From "Project Roach," where Nas says that the NAACP's burial of "n*gger" was pointless, to "Untitled," which discusses Louis Farrakhan's role in America, the Queens MC impresses his listener while provoking social and political thought.

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]

Despite embracing the styles of decades past (specifically, the piano-driven pop of [Elton] John and the Bee Gees' disco-riffic ditties), the Sisters still manage to sound unique.

Barnes isn't so much indulgent as he is overly ambitious and seemingly out of his mind, making Skeletal Lamping as wonderfully brilliant as it is weird.

Flaunting the band's love for classic AOR riffs more here than on any other previous record, Nude chugs along on the strength of licks lifted from Led Zeppelin ("The Kicking Machine") and "Killer"-era Alice Cooper ("The Stupid Creep"), bringing a sense of boogie to Buzz's now-perfectly honed tablature of bludgeoning guitar work.

Thanks to Allen's still-sharp lyrical wit and an exceedingly crafty production job by Greg Kurstin, It's Not Me, It's You is hardly the grown-up buzz-kill it might have been.

Populated with high, lonesome soundscapes that condense the Americana epics of last year's "Black Letter Days" into concentrated studies of tears-in-the-whiskey depression.

One of his finest hours.

It's a rich, engaging set that reveals something new with each listen.

Singer/songwriter Inara George and producer Greg Kurstin know how to craft a pop song. On their second album as the Bird and the Bee, George (the bird) and Kurstin (the bee) continue to juxtapose tongue-in-cheek lyrics with sugary vocals and quirky electronic effects.

On New York City, Brazilian Girls have crafted a set as internationally diverse as the Big Apple itself.

Lanois' sixth studio album is an eclectic mix of richly textured rock songs, mellow vibes and hypnotic instrumentals, interspersed with snippets from philosophical conversations with mentor Brian Eno.

Lil Mama shows off some impressive verbal firepower here, like when she challenges her skeptics over a booming trash-can beat in 'One Hit Wonder.'

A welcome exercise in versatility.

A collection of nourishing soundscapes, all of which are just as jagged and defiant as El-P's hip-hop work.

The 16-track set showcases Dilated's combination of intelligent lyrics and mind-blowing production.

In lieu of monotonous dancefloor beats, Cole prefers a more intricate soundscape, one in which pizzicato string flourishes freely caress funk-fortified rhythms

[Tom Tom Club] come this close to surpassing the raw energy, vibrant power, and rhythm-fresh approach of their now-classic eponymous debut.

The album distinguishes itself from Chapman's previous releases with its stellar studio band and its refusal to submit to pop production. [17 Sep 2005]

The album's best moments come on XTC-flavored new wave tracks like "Skip to the End" and "Favours for Favours," where they ease up on the accelerator and let the songs breathe.

Nothing on the album is as catchy or as memorable as the Strokes' sharpest material, but several cuts sport a sweet Latin lilt, which helps distinguish the music from work by any number of similarly situated acts.

She continues to lay down the law on 'Porcelain Doll' and 'Another One,' both of which find her claiming she is a "grown woman" over a choir-like production and acoustic guitars, respectively. But not all is heartbreak on the mature-sounding set.

At times it feels like a lot is going on, others not so much. The pieces are all there, but it just doesn't add up to more than the sum of its parts.

Like instrumental masters Tortoise, the new Tristeza is much like the old, offering subtle variations on a pleasant theme.

Every song sparkles with a hook or lyrical element strong enough to permanently embed the brain upon impact.

Frontman/lyricist Lillian Berlin urges his listeners to "take to the streets," if necessary, to enforce the will of the people. It's a heady manifesto, but Habeas Corpus never gets bogged down in rhetoric.

Her hushed, velvet-smooth vocals evoke a noir yearning and forlornness, her slow-burn delivery enraptures with a torch sentimentality, and her support team shines.

Mix[es] the band's '80s influences with clever lyrics that lift it above the "garage band" tag it was initially saddled with.

The full-length The Fame proves she's more than one hit and a bag of stage tricks.

On their sixth album, Foo Fighters have renewed their membership in the "if it ain't broke . . ." school of songwriting. And essentially, there's nothing wrong with that.

Whether you prefer him shouting vitriol on the picket line or whispering sweet nothings in the bedroom, you'll find plenty to enjoy here.

Rockferry splits its time between paying tribute to its source material and knocking it off, but its principal's vocals, and generally pleasing wall-of-sound treatment, make it a good move anyway.

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

Forth not only equals the Verve's best work, but in many cases exceeds it.

There isn't a dud among this project's 11 tracks, each of which sounds custom-made for radio.

The British answer to Fountains of Wayne.

Welcome, worthy and wonderful.

The kind of record from which careers are made.

It may be because of its unevenness that Alone II is an intriguing look into Cuomo's complicated mind, because unlike his largely homogenized Weezer albums that have stuck to the center of late, these recordings shed light into every dark corner.

This is the thinking person's dance music with lyrical content to match.

Those familiar with '80s funk trio the Gap Band will find a decidedly modern R&B sound on the second Jive solo album from frontman Charlie Wilson, which by turns is both riveting and a little disappointing.

While Marsalis' verse falters, the music beams stellar with lyrical rhapsodies and compelling arrangements imbued with multifarious colors and orchestral textures.

This debut can't quite capture the wide-eyed euphoria of a Klaxons live show, but readymade anthems like "Golden Skans," "Totem on the Timeline" and "Magick" will energize dance fans and rockers alike.

The formula isn't quite as fresh here as it has been on previous outings; after a few tracks, the amped-up glee-club vibe can begin to wear on all but the most devoted of nerves.

Although Metric might get lost in the ongoing mainstream melee, "Live It Out" has all the right ingredients for building a strong underground fan base. [29 Oct 2005]

A moody, yet seemingly sprawling album of (mostly) instrumentals that rely on the evolving crescendo to make a statement.

A nearly perfect collection.

Merritt isn't one of alt-country's most distinctive vocalists; her singing here is wide open and affectless, occasionally to the point of near-anonymity. But instead of making the tunes on Another Country seem forgettable, that quality actually ends up inviting you into the material

Taking pages out of some very strong playbooks (think Superchunk, Guided by Voices, early Wilco), the Whigs find a way to revive honest-to-goodness pop rock for a new generation.

Despite a few lyrical missteps ("Future Pt. 1"), "Voxtrot" is generally insightful and emerges as a promising debut. [26 May 2007]

Snoop Dogg's ninth album is perhaps his most progressive one to date.

Hank Williams III has always respected his lineage, but he gives it even more love at the outset of his poignant and pugnacious sixth album.

Ultimately, the change in direction will likely raise a few eyebrows among some diehard fans, which isn't to say the songs here aren't noteworthy in their own right.

12 tracks of fun, lighthearted rock tunes that are each instantly hummable.

Not to be outdone by the generation of singers he has influenced, he raises the bar with the 19-track set.

The Scottish quartet offers guitar-rich tunes that are as remarkably literate as they are emotionally challenging.

In a sea of trend-conscious releases, "Breach" will wash over the senses like a cool, refreshing breeze. Although it's a completely contemporary and competitive entry into today's market, you won't find even the tiniest musical element that will render this set irrelevant or outdated in 10 years.

From the first strains of 'Haiku'--an opening instrumental that merges the acid squelches of early rave with an insistent breakbeat and--yes!--congas--it's obvious that this guy's aesthetic is so clear to him that mixing disparate elements is a breeze.

On his first release since reuniting the original Joe Jackson Band in 2004, Jackson is at the top of his game as a writer, singer and player.

This Montreal band's Anti- debut is a far more calculated, robust affair than its first album, 2006's "Return to the Sea."

In all, "Cover Magazine" may be one of the slightest of Giant Sand's albums, but after nearly 20 years of varying takes on moody, twilight hallucinations, it arrives like a sigh of relief, a much-deserved break from the norm.

Style trumps substance in Stefani's world, making "Love, Angel, Music, Baby" an ideal guilty pleasure.

"This will be a better year," sing the Shakes on 'Strictly Game.' If based purely on the imagination shown in this innovative album, it will be.

While "Hives" isn't as easy to digest as previous Broken Social Scene outings, it still deserves many a spin.

The New York quartet retains its flair for dramatic images and ominous guitar lines on its major-label debut, but with producer/ mixer Rich Costey onboard, these signatures uncoil into more complex soundscapes.

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

Succeeds in cutting John loose so that he sounds like he's doing it because it still matters.

Born Ruffians are in the business of kicking out jumpy live-band power-pop jams far more concerned with melodic zing than textural depth.

There are more examples of cover albums gone wrong than gone right. Thankfully Glen Campbell's new set, which finds him ably putting his own twist on tunes from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters, U2, Green Day and John Lennon, among others, fits into the latter category.

These guys seem comfortable with the added sheen--a few tracks could be the Killers covering the Misfits--but Skiba's tunes aren't quite as memorable as those on earlier Alkaline Trio discs, which blunts the overall effect.

Easily the radio-friendliest set ever from the Phish camp.

This isn't a perfect album, but it is a great pop leap for Fischerspooner.

An anything-but-predictable collection of songs.

For all of its forays into bluesy rock and glittery glam, though, "Real" draws heavily from New Wave's danceable side.