The long-standing ambient-techno pioneer uses everything from heart-attack-paced jungle to classically minded electronic minimalism to remind us why bands like Radiohead cite him as an influence

You can't deny that these dudes are on to something great. Seriously.

The best stuff here eschews tradition for sonic rebellion...

So maybe Black Foliage can be a bit self-indulgent and uneven at times (the short connecting tracks that recur throughout the album, for example), but such missteps go along with a brimming imagination that boldly explores the outer limits of rock's subconscious.

The results are compelling and restrained, with hand claps, creaking organ and thudding bass drums joining Chapman's melancholy pipes.

The slow-motion funk of the previously unreleased "Ghost Train" alone makes it worth the sticker price.

Strong and sensual.

It works brilliantly.

The band's recovery on Vision Valley is nothing short of remarkable.

A streamlined effort that's stylish, cool and has a sense of finality.

A set of really great songs.

Radio stations will still probably ignore the old-school, stylish singles like "Proper Propaganda" and "Heavy Rotation" that make Expansion Team a winner.

The rootsy folk and ethereal harmonies drift lazily, setting a lonesome, winsome mood, without being somber.

Any music snob who has ever fantasized about grafting Belle & Sebastian's deceptively sweet melodies onto Modest Mouse's angular rhythms and riffs needs look no further than the Shins.

In a meeting of the minds, the folk hero and the electronic-music guru produce an unexpectedly listenable collection of songs that doesn't really compromise either of their styles.

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

Sure, the lyrics are a bit weak at times, but when a band's having this much fun, you can't help but want to join in.

Not for the weak (or for Foo fans, really), this is some heavy hard-core stuff that's supernaturally superb.

Oddly enough, he not only makes it work, he makes it a whopping success.

J5 is hard enough to sample Public Enemy on the standout single "What's Golden" and features two of the best turntablists working today, Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark.

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

Eve-Olution dolls up her gritty hip-hop roots with propulsive pop melodies, high-gloss production and cameos from famous friends like Alicia Keys and Snoop Dogg.

The lyrics are as trite and cheesy as ever, but age and playing house with No Doubt's Gwen Stefani have mellowed model-esque frontman Rossdale.

There's a bit an identity crisis going on here, but fans of this stuff ought to fall under the Numbers' spell pretty darn fast.

C&C's music factory comes across as a unique, modern perspective of both rock's past and present.

Stone navigates her way with confidence and prowess, passion and experimentation.

One listen, and you'll be hooked on the happiness.

If there's a touchstone band for this album, it's Little Creatures-era Talking Heads cranking out songs that are joyously eccentric, celebratory and catchy.