If all goes well, people will forego the bad songs and concentrate on the really good ones, and Starsailor will get the message to go subtle and tight. [#8, p.102]

The Besnard Lakes have nonetheless continued to hone a pre-apocalyptic sound with their latest, Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO.

It's another album that can grow on listeners with repeated listens.

With major-label R & B still getting a bad rap for being too verbose and sappy, in slides inc. with a tactical and tactful blend of seductive strains framed by minimal instrumentation.

The record's personlaity wins over, and the evil guitars do too. [Spring 2009, p.98]

Here, on their sophomore LP, these pen pals have dotted their Is and crossed their Ts flowing in and out of tracks that appropriately run the line of both personal and distant.

As pleasant and consistent as Every Step's a Yes is, one can't help but feel that A Band of Bees could still push their music further into the mystic.

Every song has a beautiful sheen, with washy acoustic guitars bathing the listener in stained-glass glow.

It all combines to form a truly sublime album of heart-wrenching, heart-warming beauty.

In short, the band brilliantly harks back to the nearly forgotten art of blissful pop.

Lyrically, the songs revolve around topics of drinking, women, forgiveness...stuff that could pretty much write itself at this point. It's nothing new, but it's nothing bad, either.

New listeners may not find this a better entry point than any particular album, but casual fans who have enjoyed the last four releases from the band should greet this as a welcome surprise.

The album is a bit of a departure for Islands in sound and even more so in content, but rather than a misstep, A Sleep & A Forgetting fits neatly within the band's catalog.

The fearsome, intellectual vitality of her funk-metal-electro freak-outs would surely put any teenager to shame.

Producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Norah Jones) gives each song a poppy slant even when the lyrical content wrestles with the jetsam of life.

The split personality of [Night on My Side] begs the question: which is the real Gemma Hayes? [#5, p.91]

If anything, Neil Halstead & Co. turn things a few shades brighter with Puzzles Like You. [#20, p.104]

Somewhat less emotive than its well received junior, A Cross The Universe jaunts through the subgenre that it is actively creating with each flippant mesh of damn near everything through almost all of its 18 tracks. [Holiday 2008, p.100]

ZABA is a notable first offering that is so tasty you’ll want to lick it off your fingers.

It's Mascis plodding on, warbling apathetically and then suddenly breaking into his shimmering birdsong. What motivates the consummate slacker band to continue is beyond all of us. But is anyone complaining?

These dozen lushly orchestrated songs will give further ammunition for those shouting his praises off their rooftops. [#13, p.97]

Despite the angst and contemplation, Ghost Blonde brings a bit of elation to a new, directionless generation of shoegazers.

A collection of reliable, trustworthy tunes. [#24, p.98]

As equivocal as its title but just as emotionally arresting, A Thousand Shark's Teeth is magnificently bewitching, while eerie and spectral. [Spring 2008, p.96]

A shimmering collection of sonic treats that delights even the slightest of spectators, England-import Little Boots has exhibited her augur ability through song with a wonderous debut LP. [Winter 2010, p.103]

It should establish Willson as not just an artist to watch, but to eagerly want more from.

Spooky and memorable, this is one lustrous wonder.

Some of the band's signature buzzsaw sound has been traded in for clever production.

Written in part after Dee Dee was put on vocal rest, Too True infuses the band’s eyeliner-heavy songs with moments of quiet reflection that bite almost as hard as those delivered with snarl.

The light continues to shine through "Airplanes" and a clever turn on Talking Heads, but despite the (mostly) joyful chorus, the promising eleation never exactly fulfills its due. However, despite the flaws of their debut, Local natives are one of the more gratifying emergences from East L.A. in recent times. [Winter 2010, p.97]

The electronic wizardry is impressive, but it’s the entrancing vocals of this record that will keep you coming back.

A pretty downright awesome collection of hip-hop songs... that push the boundaries of just what exactly a hip-hop song can be. [#13, p.104]

A depraved collection of indigestible tracks. [#24, p.99]

The Ash & Clay takes this live approach and translates it into the duo’s most collaborative and folk-driven record yet.

Pinback is particularly good at harnessing a laid-back vibe that ultimately soothes much more than it disappoints. [#12, p.101]

Over the course of the 38-minute album, these nouvelle cuisine portions amost add up to a satiating whole. But it's good enough you'll be hungry for more. [Winter 2010, p.94]

The new album is much more subdued yet at the same time, more adventurous in what it accomplishes. [Holiday 2009, p.100]

A more perfectly askew album will be hard to find this year. [#15, p.99]

It's the songs alone that kill you on Romantic Comedy, and that's a good thing.

Minus The Bear is still boasting its trademark funkadelic rock grooves meshed with electro-pop quirk, but now with a smoother and more linear structure. [Spring/Summer 2010, p.108]

Yet another collection of crafty, drunken stories of manhood devouring youth. [#14, p.101]

The Else finds the band still firmly grounded in their tongue-and-cheek eclecticism, combining humorous tracks about shadow governments invading public libraries, a “cap’m” that doesn’t actually drive a boat, and numerous off-center topics into a mish-mash of musical absurdity.

Its inability to be contained within one genre is the band’s strength and triumph.

Another collection of pop spells that beguile...here’s to at least 10 more years.

Once again British indie-folksters Noah and the Whale have outdone themselves and created a beautiful, inspiring album that differs from their previous two releases while at the same time maintaining classic, familiar characteristics.

An effort to be commended, but you don't have to care about global economics to enjoy the booty-shaking beats.

Dungen's sound is equal parts pastoral and wildly raucous. Skit I Allt digs deeper into these patchworks with an ear of layered precision that would make even J. Dilla proud.

Like New Zealand itself, it must be experienced to be really understood. [Winter 2008, p.92]

It's really just kind of... nice. Soothing. [#16, p.94]

Cloud Nothings, with teeth clenched tight and feedback flowing aplenty, rock a blue streak without letting a single moment go by hook-free.

No surprise here-it's a dance album filled to the brim with beats that could make even a corpse twitch.

The band is best when playing to a slow build and climax, which C'mon does beautifully, both as a whole and on individual songs.

When she puts that voice in the service of songs about motherhood and feminist progress, as she frequently does here, it's enough to shake anyone's blood awake.

Natural, their first album of all new material since 2002’s Oooh!, is more of their brand of sparse, postmodern folk that will mostly appeal to their already devout niche of fans.

Just in time for spring, bass mastermind Daedelus unleashes Bespoke, yet another cornucopia of utterly unique vibes and big beat journeys that are somehow also Ibiza-appropriate.

They’ve moved beyond that convenient pigeonhole from when that Blue CD-R first made the rounds, but they’re, well, a much more modern affair now.

The simplicity and dusty sunshine that prevades this album can't but raise a smile and lower your blood presure. [Winter 2009, p.96]

Has a slick slutty electroclash vibe. [#9, p.102]

Wild Beasts' Hayden Thorpe emotes like the forsaken son of Elbow's Guy Garvey and Antony. Thankfully, over the course of Smother, the English quartet proves they have the muscle to back up their lead singer's melodramatic warble.

The group raging behind him on Local Business are minimalist punchers, cruiserweights mixing a little Thin Lizzy and Big Star pop-ulism in with the basement bile.

It's a solid showing from a band... dead set on packaging the unbridled mania of their live show, and more fun than anything else. [#11, p.97]

Bettinson's vocals can be a little... sweet, but the dark atmospherics sustain a palpable level of foreboding throughout.

Ester's a strong debut from a band that will hit its stride when it learns to connect as much as it concocts.

This is gospel-smacked, laidback music, tinseled by horns and strings and grounded in a big, big love.

Welsh rock trio The Joy Formidable gives us a roar that makes things of the '90s seem modern again.

The Men have always had the chops to hang, but it’s their emerging maturity that has begun to justify the bravado of the name.

Yes, the distortion might be heavy, but when juxtaposed with soaring synths and Brandon Welchez's echoing vocals, Sleep Forever creates a kaleidoscopic landscape much more intricate than the duo's previous effort.

Sure, the sound is still post-Britpop, but Fran Healy isn't turning any corners or wrecking any orders here. However, the effortless craftsmanship and wide range on Wreckorder's ten tracks somehow work to perfection.

While there are a few slow points on The Trial Of The Century... the album is leaps and bounds away from One Time Bells, production and songwriting-wise. [#10, p.96]

With each Atlas Sound release, the sonic effects become more interwoven, intense and impressive, and truly no one else could be writing these songs the way Cox does.

Here and there the noodling is drawn-out and the point could be gotten-to quicker, but this mishmash--reggae, rock, and jazz, for instance--shows Hammond exploring and stretching his own bounds as a songwriter and drummer Matt Romano as producer. [Summert 2008, p.96]

They’ll get major points for pouring Bleach all over your Nevermind, but don’t miss the trance-and-release rush of the title track.

Gorgeous as much as it is terrifyingly heartbreaking, it's Country Gentlemen's ominous open-ended silence that unnerves most of all.

Freeway shares top billing here with producer Jake One, a journeyman recently rescued from G-Unit's dungeon and the collaboration provides Jake with a production showcase and Freeway with some much-needed cohesion. [Winter 2010, p.99]

Housecat isn't exactly reinventing the wheel; he's dusting it off and spray painting it electric blue. [#9, p.102]

It's hard to talk about the Editors without drawing comparisons to their Great Brit predecessors Joy Division and Echo & the Bunnymen, and on In This Light, these comparisons ring true. [Holiday 2009, p. 92]

As in the case of its predecessors, A Different Ship is keen to stow multiple genres.

Tillman’s silken, Otis Redding–reminiscent vocals anchor funky, horn-driven R & B beats that match the swagger of Motown.

With In the Grace of Your Love, The Rapture show the newbies how it's done.

The sparkling solo project of multi-instrumentalist Adam Pierce, Mice Parade specializes in chilled indie arpeggios that swell with craftsmanship. We can now add to that description "crunchy sunshine," in the case of Pierce's third effort What It Means to Be Left-Handed.

While the melodies and rhythms won't escape most listeners, it is the aforementioned instrumental prowess and attention to detail that help build appreciation with each listen. [Winter 2009, p.94]

The record feels its finest when the finger-picking guitarist keeps things simple and mellow on the acoustic, filling the remaining space with his warm, husked vocals.

The Flower Lane provides width for Mondanile to freely explore bluesier, spacier frontiers, and the fresh air to achieve a cohesive clarity that builds on the successful points of his previous efforts.

Like LP3, Ratatat's sound is fuller than on its freshman and sophomore releases. And with strings more dominate on LP4, once again, the guitars actually sound like guitars. Throw me that pick.

While still somewhat leaning on their flair for creating spacey cosmic hooks, Klaxons are taking a robust step forward, allowing themselves the chance to careen a bit without running entirely off the rails.

Move In Spectrums is good—with more ambition it could have been great.

Common throughout is a scorching sensuality that is destined to make Free Reign the soundtrack to a lot of smoldering affairs.

Through the whimsical vocals and fantastic use of organ and percussion, Races has brought us something that is universally relatable.

It’s a love odyssey, it’s psychedelic free-jazz, it’s whatever Mockasin wants it to be.

The Acorn hit a spry pace here, as chiming guitars, violin embellishments, and burbling electronics coalesce into a harmonious melange.

Dead Son Rising is a dark experimental work that reminds us why Trent Reznor is an obvious fan.

It's a bit like Lance Armstrong placing second in the Tour de France--not the finish one is accustomed to, but still a remarkable achievement. [Fall 2009, p.98]

The torrid, languid, gritty tones of Tuscon—as a lyrical set piece as well as an active, ire-filled ambient swell--so overwhelm Gelb’s every spiritual and physical inch, it’s as if sand and silt oozes from his pores on moments.

Though the sound may be different, The Cave Singers stay within themselves to make their best record to date.

The star of the show here is ultimately the group's tuneful popcraft and its subtly gloomy underbelly. [Holiday 2009, p.102]

Instead of being tired, Drawing Down the Moon feels loaded with nostalgia, like being welcomed home by an old and very heartsick friend.

For the most part, Outside Love distinguishes itself as a record of singular quality. [Spring 2009, p.97]