It lacks the raw energy and tunes that made people want to hum uncontrollably in the shower. Worse yet, the brazen confidence the Gallagher brothers displayed during the early years has faded.

Get past the dark stuff and Demon Days reveals a stash of songs that are more fun than a Hong Kong Phooey marathon.

The Woods seems like a retreat into the '90s, playing up the grunge and angst of the band's Northwestern stomping grounds.

The foursome has still not found a common sound to call its own.

A sprawling, varied disc that's as laid-back as a cool summer afternoon.

Costa backs away from hip-hop beats and glossy pop melodies and instead digs into meatier classic-rock and soul influences like Sly Stone and Janis Joplin.

Merely highlights all the weak spots, like the lifeless voice, generic MOR melodies and the highly noticeable lack of Jakob being Bob.

You'll be left wondering why other bands aren't so daring.

With the macho posturing out of the way, it makes it easier to appreciate his powerful voice and million-dollar arrangements.

The disc's cool atmosphere and expansive orchestral arrangements go a long way in making a mood.

The official return of the DMB shows them in full force and stretching way Up.

The strangest sensation? It's actually all pretty good.

You can hear them struggling on Make Believe to keep fans bouncing along to the power-pop anthems but also keep it interesting for themselves so frontman Rivers Cuomo won't put the whole thing on hiatus again.

Even if it is twice as long as it needs to be (thus, a couple of dead spots), we're not arguing. We're just enjoying the music.

Unfortunately, this straightforward approach also reveals how straight-up dull Mann's country-tinged songs can be.

More in line with his tighter debut, Pretty Hate Machine, With Teeth is made up of bursts of dark, scary and paranoid gut punches.

Are you listening, Quentin Tarantino? Here's the soundtrack to your next movie.

But even if it's only half as good as it used to be, this Call sounds okay to us.

An acoustic-based, late-night journey focusing on social and political bummers and characters who've been battered by life.

Touch shows her being assertive and in charge.

The 22-20s are simply more of the same--the same clichés, the same melody-free blasts of noise, the same old garage rock that sounds positively primitive.

Tracks like "Lonely No More" might strike a chord because people will think it's a funky new Maroon 5 song. However, Backstreet Boys-esque ballads like "Ever the Same" and "When the Heartache Ends" are just way too much to handle.

A set of predictable, plastic, street-tough R&B jams.

By getting real, Garbage has produced quite a find.

It is the sound of Interpol as reinterpreted by Tom Waits--a breathtaking album with bite.

Coldplay comparisons are instantly apparent, but you get the feeling that these guys aren't going to end up with movie-star girlfriends.

The lyrics are clumsy, the synth-pop melodies bland and the genius long gone.

High kicks above their breakout debut by being brighter ("Dirty Mouth), wilier ("Goodnight Goodnight") and all around more pogo-inducing.