A disappointing concept album with large patches of trivial explorations and experimental noodling.

Furthers the high concept lyrical talents of the group with an added twist: a more atmospheric, slightly new wave sensibility.

Suspended Animation, on the whole, is a technical marvel; a kaleidoscopic foray into death metal, Looney Tunes sound effects, and an alarming balance of slapstick and pathos.

Achieves that rare supernova of artistic vision that dares to reconcile palpable, unapologetic ambience with unpretentious soulful simplicity.

Whatever their motives, this return to rock and roll is a welcome one.

While there are programmed beats, ambient synths and samples aplenty to be found here, the overall vibe of this recording is one of a classic swinging session.

Whether you find Kinsella's brand of experimental pop insufferably pretentious or delightfully challenging (I find it a bit of both), you have to give the man credit for his vision.

With Shamelessly Exciting he's starting to get good. In other words, on this record, once you get the idea, you're still going to want to listen.

Much of the record lands solidly in novelty territory.

Classical guitars, mellow piano chords and brushed drums lope across the proceedings like yawning animals still awaiting their first caffeinated jolt of the day.

!!! has put together an end-to-end burner here, full of songs that will move your ass and stick in your ear for weeks.

Betke's more minimal application of sound has opened up acres of sonic real estate between the beats.

Think of Beat Surf Fun as a pleasant soundtrack for pleasant times.

Within this realism is an incredible sense of serenity, which flows throughout the album and creates an incredibly fascinating work showcasing an immense sense of maturity for this young group.

It's easily the artist's most cohesive, polished work.

The Black Heart Procession is a truly original band, and Amore Del Tropico is a large stride forward for them, a reminder and a promise of their potential.

The results are far more interesting than one might imagine, revealing an album that is imminently accessible yet refreshingly unpredictable.

L'Avventura is a pleasant side-trip, a chance for Luna fans to see Dean let his hair down for 40 minutes.

Breaking new ground probably isn't the point, but the album still fails to generate any emotion or create a mood other than ennui.

The compositions on Connector are firmer, more contained than they've been since 1997's Audoditacker.

I Sold Gold is the rare record that can poke fun at itself, the world, and its fans yet transcend simple entertainment.

What's most impressive is that he manages the delicate balance of being emotive without overwrought, something that many of the seventies pop icons never quite got right.

Despite mining decades-old forms, The Anomoanon's honest rock is hard to dislike.

Newcomers may want to start investigating with something less daunting, but even the casual fan of Cave's work will find this collection indispensable.

Two tracks focusing on guest vocalists are stand-outs.... The other eight songs are more hit-and-miss, often depending on whether Bip's headed toward rock (the blah "Eyelashings," which sounds like a mediocre U2 song, without vocals or a chorus) or hip-hop ("The Move," a nice piece of synthesizer and vibraphone chemistry).

Mansions end result is a scarred mess, a fitting aesthetic for such introspective music.

On Obrigado Saudade, Pierce picks up where he left off on his last few Bubblecore releases, melding post-rock, world music and analog electronics into rich, earthy shapes.

This is music that is both lovely to hear and challenging to ascertain at the same time.