An incendiary cocktail of muscular grooves, designed to delight and thrill the metallic faithful. [Aug 2013, p.88]

The predictable impression of a rich man's plaything cast with superior company remains. [Aug 2013, p.84]

What The Journey lacks in subtlety--nothing here quite matches the beauty of Porrohman or the sheer exuberance of In A Big Country--it makes up for in heart. [Jun 2013, p.92]

Oddly, the title track, a low-key ballad, is the least satisfying song on offer here. It's the only aberration. [Summer 2013, p.94]

Maybe hilariously, considering the video-friendly drama being aimed at, First You Break It conjures images of Justin Bieber when he makes that inevitable nasty rock album, cavorting in a black puddle. [Summer 2013, p.89]

Palms is a marriage made in post-rock heaven. [Aug 2013, p.86]

Fans will already know that this is a strong, alert Dave album, as Dave albums go. [Aug 2013, p.86]

There's no lioght, no shade, no nuance, no reflection--just a sheer onrushing, hurricane force. [Aug 2013, p.85]

He barrels unrepentantly into a sixth Gogol Bordello album that once again sounds like the traditional house band in Urals bear-meat restaurant going berserk on Green Day covers. [Aug 2013, p.85]

Brilliant. [Summer 2013, p.95]

While you may never be able to fully forget that Berry's tongue is in his cheek, the love, attention to detail and panache of Kill The Wolf make it a trip worth taking. [Summer 2013, p.95]

This River is all gravy, and the perfect opportunity to make your acquaintance with an artist at the top of his game. [Summer 2013, p.95]

For all of its freshness, there are clear influences at play here, most notably The Banshees or Yeah Yeah Yeahs. [Summer 2013, p.95]

It's not quite up there with Majestic hey-day offerings, but there's loads to reinvigorate the enthusiasm if fans disenchanted by recent ill feelings. [Summer 2013, p.93]

While the diet hip-hop of Something Different screams, unfortunately, of early noughties jock pop--they've returned with a fun, pacey slab of entirely unthreatening rebellion. [Summer 2013, p.93]

Some fans may miss the hobo simplicity of yore. [Summer 2013, p.92]

Strange Fruit is a nervy choice, respectfully done. Like most of the record, it's also pretty redundant. [Summer 2013, p.92]

Inviting famous friends to help him give the songs a fresh coat of paint doesn't, for the most part, make any real impact. [Summer 2013, p.91]

Much of the record is set to a reflective key--providing a flexible canvas for subtle mood changes, sassy alt-rock grooves and space to cultivate retro but relevant, non-cliche rock. [Summer 2013, p.91]

Affecting rather than affected, Grinning Streak sees cerebral craftsmen who've always refused to take music too seriously drop the winking and discover the pleasure of passion. [Summer 2013, p.90]

The stumbling block is that too many songs here never develop pasta dino-stomp riff, and that the vocals can be a little shrill. [Summer 2013, p.89]

The worst thing is, for all the nauseating country-rock-lite choruses, this is agonisingly catchy. [Summer 2013, p.89]

Their rejuvenating effects make this the most rounded and melodic QOTSA album in a decade, a triumph snatched from the mortuary doors. [Summer 2013, p.88]

No, 13 isn't as good as their first six albums--what is?--but it's a million times better than most of what followed. [Summer 2013, p.86]

Albatross is a step up, sailing closer to the crunch and proggy intelligence of their 1997 debut, with songs that manage to be both smart and visceral. [May 2013, p.91]

It may not be the most important return of the year, but 133 serves as a reminder that Muir is a leader in the field of party starting. [Jul 2013, p.87]

Musically, it's so tried and tested it's almost frictionless. [Jul 2013, p.92]

At best, for a former superstar, returning to the creative fray, the record is mediocre. [Jul 2013, p.88]